Could Merit Street Media Also Be Eyeing International Expansion?

Last year, Phil McGraw known for his daytime talkshow Dr. Phil announced plans to start up his own TV network, Merit Street Media. This new network would form part of a joint venture with Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) covering 65 million homes.

Phil McGraw is set to star in his own program following the cancellation of Dr. Phil in 2023. Other content set to join the line-up include Morning On Merit Street and The News on Merit Street with the network likely to explore TBN's rich archives and instill religious value.

Merit Street will debut on linear TV by February 26, 2024 on DirecTV and Dish and cable systems owned by Charter and Altice, among others. It also intends to distribute the network via various free advertiser-supported television or streaming services, or FAST channels.

As to whether this new network would be distributed in other countries. TBN already distributes film channel Positiv and church channel TBN in these countries so Merit Street Media forming part of this line-up wouldn't seem that far fetched of an idea.

Phil McGraw already has a presence with his as mentioned cancelled medical show, Dr. Phil. If not a TV network, selected content from Merit Street Media will likely surface as a programming block on TBN as seen formerly Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on TLC.

Rumour: MultiChoice To Upgrade 3 Channels To High Definition

This year, MultiChoice had made several changes to their entertainment offering while as sourcing out new content for its consumers while some of the older offerings get a boost which is the case for these 3 channels as an HD feed is currently underway on the DStv platform.

As outlined but MultiChoice on HD channels:

"It depends on whether at that specific moment we have capacity - satellite capacity in the sky - and depending on where we launch."

"Sometimes we might have capacity on IS20 - which is a satellite that sits over Southern Africa - but we don't have over Eutelsat 36B which sits over the rest of sub-Saharan Africa - that's the complication of it."

"Secondly, but actually most importantly, does the content lend itself to display HD in the best possible way?...," explained Aletta Alberts.
"Sometimes when we launch a regional channel it probably won't be in HD. It depends on the channel."

Which is the case for these trio that are rumoured to take that leap into the digital world.

Only available in Zambia and the only regional channel on the list is Power TV Zambia's youth entertainment channel which features mainly music and reality shows is the first on the list go to high definition.

The Home Channel, South Africa's first in command to offer reality programming based on real estate and home improvement will be the second channel to join the HD trio. This comes after eMedia Investments launched the duplicate, The Home Channel+ on the Openview platform.

Last but not least, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) the 24 hour commercial-free channel that offers inspirational programming that appeal to people in a wide variety of Protestant, Catholic and Messianic Jewish denominations will be the first religious channel on DStv to recieve HD capability.

Roundups #38: ePlesier's Primetime Lineup Has Been Revealed, Breaking Hillsong Documentary Coming To Discovery+, Mzansi Magic Music HD Coming Soon To DStv, MultiChoice To Run Afrocinema Pop-up Channel For The Second Time

More details on ePlesier

During the past weeks, eMedia Investments has been giving bits and pieces about the new channel ePlesier from the rollout date to the list of repeats launching on the channel. Thanks to some insiders we got a peak of their schedule.

From April 18th, the schedule goes as follows on weekdays:
14:30 Gebroke Harte
15:20 As Die Skoen Pas
16:10 Bittersoet
17:00 Doodsondes
17:50 Stiletto Vendetta
18:40 Voëlvry
20:20 Deur Dik En Dun

From April 23rd, the schedule goes as follows on Saturday:
16:30 Die Wiel Draai (double bill)
18:15 Vierspel Vuurspel (double bill)
20:00 Die Put (triple play)

From April 24th, the schedule goes as follows on Sunday:
16:25 Kurt En Shura (double bill)
18:15 Vierspel Vuurspel (double bill)

*Please note all shows start from scratch

 

Hillsong Church documentary coming to Discovery+

Following last year's resignation of former Hillsong Church NYC pastor Carl Lentz after an extramarital affair and other moral failures, two dueling TV docuseries are in production about the scandal and megachurch culture that enabled it.

Streaming platform discovery+ has announced a three-part "Breaking Hillsong" documentary series with exclusive interviews. Concurrently, Scout Productions is also working on a docuseries about the controversy-laden megachurch and its trendily tattooed former pastor.

Both docuseries are planned in partnership with separate news organizations and based on their respective coverage of ongoing scandals plaguing Hillsong Church, founded in Australia by Brian Houston and his wife, Bobbie, in the 1980s. The evangelical network of churches has 130 worship centers around the globe.

 

Out with the old and in with the new

In February, MultiChoice and M-Net have updated the look of its Mzansi Magic Music channel with the channel proposition that is also shifting to be "synonymous with Afro Soul and home of the classic tunes".

Joining Mzansi Magic Music will be a HD feature from what was stated by several outlets the plan is to make all M-Net channels HD.

M-Net Movies Afrocinema is back by popular demand

MultiChoice and M-Net ran the Afrocinema pop-up channel in celebration of Africa month in 2021. The channel featured local movies that celebrated and reflects Africa's diversity, talents and resilience.

It's evident that the channel became a massive success for DStv customers as MultiChoice registered another movie under the Afrocinema branding titled Dark September.

The brand will likely commence in May as it is Africa month.

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Potential Candidates For The eMovies Channels: From SPI International's FilmBox To Shorts TV, Could These Channels Replace eMovies On DStv?

MultiChoice is planning to introduce a second movie channel later in the year to replace eMovies and eMovies Extra in South Africa and serve as an additional accessory alongside DreamWorks Channel in the rest of Africa. Of course, details of the supposed channel remains unknown.

Last year, it was reported that MultiChoice was looking into adding movie channel at first it was speculated to be for the rest of Africa as South Africa had a large bulk of movie channels until recently as indicated above.

We did a list of potential candidates for Disney XD and surprise surprise one of the channels on the list ended up the space so let's do one for the movie channels.

Also read: 
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- EU turns off transmission for RT across Africa
- SABC Encore being used for sports
- Could G4 launch on DStv perhaps to replace a channel like Ginx Esports TV?
- Why VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- SABC will launch more channels alongside streaming service
- Could Moonbug Kids replace Disney Junior on DStv and Baby TV on StarSat?
- tvN pushing to become a permanent linear channel in Africa
- Could Nicktoons be discontinued in Africa and likely the rest of the world?
- Multichoice won't be adding anymore community channels

Since the restructuring of M-Net Movies it was evident at this point that MultiChoice is trying to diversify the lineup e.g. Maisha Magic Movies and KIX. If they can't kill the existing repeats on the current movie channels they can limit the toxins from spreading.

Here's a list of potential candidates that MIGHT fill up the spot of the eMovies channels:

1. FilmBox
Owned by the makers of the most popular entertainment channel in their division, Timeless Dizi Channel. FilmBox is modernized AMC featuring a selection of international movies and series ranging from comedy, romance, action and drama basically a mashup of the two eMovies channels.

2. Positiv
Owned by Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the channel features a variety of Christian themed family oriented films from small to big Hollywood studios.

3. ShortsTV
Managed by Shorts International in partnership with AMC International, ShortsTV is a dedicated network for short films whether you want Oscar nominated films or low budget ShortsTV is the place for you. It was pop-up channel on the DStv app.

Other candidates would be an Indian movie channel and another Chinese or African movie channel.

These are just one of the few channels the pay-tv platform will close or lose as more channels are expected to suffer the same fate as the 4 e.tv channels and Tellytrack such as The Walt Disney Company's set of channels as they're moving away from cable or at least not with ESPN.

Also read:
- eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz will stop airing on DStv
- What to expect on the upcoming DreamWorks Channel?
- KIX will be made available to DStv Family and Access customers
- Press release of DreamWorks Channel on DStv
- Could Timeless Dizi Channel and possibly tvN replace eExtra on DStv?
- YouTube bans Russia Today from generating revenue
- Could ESPN close alongside National Geographic and Disney Channel?
- New movie channel launching later in the year on DStv
- Lifetime could be on the chopping block on DStv
- SABC Encore and SABC Children channel might be in development

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Hillsong Founder Brian Houston Steps Down As Leader Of Church

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has announced he is stepping down as leader of the church as he defends criminal charges that allege he covered up his father’s child sexual abuse.

In a statement made on Sunday, Houston said he made the decision after consulting with the church’s leadership and legal counsel.

“The Hillsong Global Board feel it is in my and the church’s best interest for this to happen, so I have agreed to step aside from all ministry responsibilities until the end of the year.

“The court case I am facing is related to circumstances surrounding my father, and I need to be fully committed to preparation and engagement with the case and work closely with my lawyers in defending this charge.

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“I have said, including in a prior statement, that I intend to fight the charge and welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.”
Hillsong founder Brian Houston to plead not guilty to concealing sexual abuse charge

Houston was charged last October with one count of concealing the serious indictable offence of another person. He had initially stepped aside as Hillsong’s board chairman after being charged.
In the statement, the pastor said the charges came as a “shock” to him, and he intends to “vigorously defend” himself.

He said his decision to step down was also driven by his emotional wellbeing.

“We have talked about the effects of the situation with my father, which go back many years up to the current legal case, and the impact this has had on me emotionally.”

Houston’s father, Frank, died in 2004, and has been accused of the alleged abuse of a young man in the 1970s.

His son is due in court in Sydney in October, and said his latest decision came after discussions with the church’s board last December.

Also read:
- Could Moonbug Kids replace Disney Junior on DStv and Baby TV on StarSat?
- Baby TV could be on the chopping block
- The last FOX Life available in the United States closes down in March
- National Geographic ending in the UK and several other markets
- Why VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- tvN pushing to become a permanent linear channel in Africa
- As Africa await for their Disney Channels to close in 2024 Latin America starts with Star Life, National Geographic Wild, Disney XD and FX Movies
- Possible terminations and additions on DStv

“In December, during our board meeting, Hillsong’s external legal counsel gave the board advice regarding the current charge I am facing,” he said.
“That it would be ‘best practice’ for me to step aside completely from church leadership during the court proceedings.

“The court processes are likely to be drawn out and take up most of 2022 (especially considering the backlog in the courts, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic).”

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Secrets And Scandals Lead TBN To Pull The Rug Under Hillsong Channel + As Part Of Their Ongoing Review, Wild Earth Reduce Their Broadcast On The Following Platforms

Hillsong Channel becomes TBN Inspire

On November 18, 2021, TBN sent notice to its carriage partners that the network's name would change to TBN Inspire on January 1, 2022. Hillsong will remain a partner in the channel and continue to program most of its broadcast day.

The network originally launched in 2002 as The Church Channel, which was devoted primarily to carrying church service programs from various Christian ministries and denominations, often under brokered arrangements.

Earlier this year, several media outlets reported a sexual assault case at the Hillsong Church by a female student named Anna Crenshaw who had been indecently assaulted by a Hillsong employee named Jason Mays who recieved probation and reinstated to the post. named Jason Mays.

A documentary called Hillsong Hell surfaced where it was speculated that the church cares more about their image that's why Mays kept his post and they saw themselves as "victims" in this situation.

This all proves that 2021 is just a continuation to last year. The founder of Emmanuel TV and DAYSTAR have both passed on and they too have stirred up some media attention.

Press statement: We takes a leap

WildEarth has been working hard on our mission of connecting more and more people with nature while keeping our promise that our broadcasts will remain free to watch. This is why we had to introduce advertising into our safaris and our channel as it has proven to be the only way to make our business sustainable and keep that promise.

We have learned over the past years that it is not possible to deliver advertising in a meaningful way on social media platforms like YouTube, Twitch or Facebook. As long as there are platforms where content can be watched without advertising, that is where many people will go to watch. The presence of our daily safaris on those platforms is drawing people away from other places where we can use advertising to generate the necessary revenue to become sustainable.

Therefore, as shared by Graham in a town hall session some months ago, we will need to move away from those platforms, while providing other places to watch for free, but with the advertising necessary for us to keep going. We have now reached that point in time.

We appreciate that moving to other places to watch, and chat, from what you might be used to is not a pleasant thing to do and we will work with you to make it as easy as possible, but it is necessary for the continuation of the live safaris.

On the positive side, on the new viewing platforms, the WildEarth channel is available 24/7, including Penguin Beach, the safari repeats, our Escape to Nature content, and soon reshowings of some of the greatest old safaris as part of ‘Best of safariLIVE’ programming.

From this coming Wednesday, December 8th, we will start this transition by reducing the safari broadcasts on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch to only the first hour of each safari. The full safaris, and the rest of the channel, can be viewed on many other platforms, including on wildearth.tv, already from today so you will have some time to check these out and see which option works best for you.

As part of this change, we will also make it possible to, from December 8th, watch recordings of safaris, and Penguin Beach, at a time that suits you on our various apps.

In short those viewing the channel on DStv or SafariLIVE on S3 aren't affected.

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