Disney, Fox and WBD Unveil Name of Sports-Streaming Venture: Venu Sports

The joint venture of Disney/ESPN, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery to package together a sports streaming bundle has a name — Venu Sports.

“We are excited to officially introduce Venu Sports, a brand that we feel captures the spirit of an all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV ecosystem can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place,” Pete Distad, CEO of Venu Sports, said in a statement. “As preparations for the platform continue to accelerate, we are singularly focused on delivering a best-in-class product for our target audience, built from the ground up using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games.”

Disney, Fox and WBD unveiled their partnership in February, positioning the new streaming bundle as a way to reach consumers who don’t subscribe to pay TV. It’s pegged to debut in the fall of 2024. The trio in March announced the hiring of Distad, who worked for a decade at Apple and most recently was responsible for Apple TV+ business, operations and global distribution. Distad is based out of the Venu Sports offices in L.A.

Pricing and a specific launch date haven’t been announced for Venu, which will combine ESPN+ with the three companies’ linear TV networks that carry sports programming (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, TNT, TBS and truTV).

When the joint venture was announced, some had jokingly dubbed it “Spulu,” a mash-up of “sports” and “Hulu,” which had originally been formed as a JV among TV broadcasters.

The venture also launched a new website at venu.com. A notice at the bottom of the landing page says, “Launch is conditional on receiving regulatory approval and is expected for Fall 2024.” The site’s terms of service indicate that it’s operated by “Rookie Enterprises, LLC,” a subsidiary of Fox Corp. In announcing the new name, the three companies also noted that the JV is still pending the “finalization of definitive agreements amongst the parties.”

The Justice Department reportedly has planned to review the three-way venture to look at anticompetitive implications, and last month two leading congressional Democrats expressed concerns that the JV may “result in higher prices for consumers and less fair licensing terms for upstream sports leagues and downstream video distributors.” Meanwhile, streaming TV provider Fubo filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the JV service’s launch, alleging the venture violates antitrust laws. On May 2, Fubo, DirecTV, Dish Network, Newsmax and others sent a letter to members of Congress calling for hearings on the state of competition in the pay-TV market, specifically calling out the Disney-Fox-WBD joint venture as “rais[ing] serious competition concerns that call for Congress’s immediate oversight.”

Venu (pronounced “venue”) will be made available directly to consumers via a new app, the companies said. Subscribers will also have the ability to purchase it in a bundle, including with Disney+, Hulu or Max.

The JV’s new name and brand identity were developed in partnership with R/GA, a global design and advertising firm. According to a spokesperson for the company, the Venu Sports name “takes inspiration from where live sports lives: the stadiums, arenas, speedways, octagons, courts, rinks, ballparks and more, where fans come to watch and connect with the action.”

"In The Pipeline": Warner Bros. Discovery Over The Inclusion Of TNT Sports In Africa

During the year, Warner Bros. Discovery had launched TNT Sports in the United States after residing within Europe and Latin America for sometime. Unlike these territories, TNT Sports offering is being tested on TruTV leading to a possible rebrand.

After the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. and also the rise in streaming. The company had made several cuts across their linear platforms with TruTV and TNT in the U.S. on limbo for sometime struggling to find purpose in this shake-up. 

TNT Sports is sort of Warner Bros. Discovery competitor to Disney's ESPN and M-Net's SuperSport. After adding All Eite Wrestling (AEW), plans are underway to include more sports themed programming ranging from series, films and documentaries. 

Sports is an essential part of our daily culture as it brings people together and with the dismantling of linear TV which led to the decline in audience share. Sports managed to retain its portion and has been described as the biggest money grabber.

There's been questions as to whether TNT Sports could be something explored within Africa I mean it wouldn't come as a surprise. TNT Sports already has a presence in other countries and also further action from All Elite Wrestling is on TNT.

In a response to a media enquiry:

Yes, it's in the pipeline.

Taking to account, TNT Sports in the latter are TV channels the one residing within Africa might be folded under TNT as a programming block. As mentioned, All Elite Wrestling is accessible on TNT and that includes Rampage and Dynamite to PPVs like Battle Of The Belts.

If anything, they still haven't obtained other PPVs from AEW such as Road Rager, Homecoming and Blood & Guts something that could rollout on the anticipated sports brand. 

As for other sporting events, SuperSport holds rights to most of them within Africa this includes Formula E, Moto GP and UEFA Champions League. If anything, TNT Sports could be an AEW tailored brand with other content added to the mix.

Warner Bros. Discovery And Weigel Broadcasting To Rollout New Children's Channel, MeTV Toons

Classic TV network MeTV is turning its cartoon block into a new network. Owner Weigel Broadcasting Co. announced Wednesday that it will launch MeTV Toons as a new national TV network focused on classic animation, “from Hollywood-era shorts to made-for-television favorites.”

MeTV Toons, which launches June 25, is a collab between Weigel and Warner Bros. Discovery, which has licensed content featuring its animated characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, George Jetson, Top Cat, Yogi Bear, Popeye, Johnny Quest and Fred Flintstone. (MeTV already airs a daily program, “Toon In With Me,” which features a heavy emphasis on Warner bros. animated fare.)

Weigel touts MeTV Toons as “the only TV network destination dedicated exclusively to classic animation” — as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Cartoon Network companion Boomerang, which also runs old Looney Tunes, “The Jetsons,” “The Flintstones,” “Scooby-Doo” and Popeye shorts, also runs some more recent, post-2000 cartoon episodes.

Beyond Warner Bros. titles, MeTV Toons will also feature animated content from other studios and distributors, with properties including Rocky and Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop and Speed Racer.

“We are honored to work with the amazing team at Warner Bros. Discovery and others on this network and bring together a truly incredible collection of the world’s best known and most loved classic cartoons, creating a new destination for everyone to discover or rediscover the sheer joy of watching cartoons on TV,” said Weigel vice chairman Neal Sabin. “MeTV Toons will be dedicated 24/7 to showcasing the biggest names and most beloved classic cartoons and animated characters. Everyone has a favorite cartoon; it is a universally loved art form. We are thrilled to bring those smiles and memories back to TV with MeTV Toons.”

Sabin added in an executive briefing on Wednesday: “The cartoons offered are going to help make this be the greatest animation network ever. Everybody has a favorite cartoon — just just think about the cartoons that you watched when you were younger and the nice warm, fuzzy feelings that they bring back. We’re going to bring those back to people every day in the MeTV way of doing things and this network is going to appeal to all ages and advertisers. It’s going to be multi-studio, multi-platform and multi-generational. It’s MeTV Toons, and it’s going to be really special.”

As part of the channel launch, animation historian Jerry Beck (whose books include “The 50 Greatest Cartoons,” “The Hanna-Barbera Treasury” and “Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to Warner Bros. Cartoons”) will help produce original content related to the MeTV Toons library. Also, character actor Bob Bergen — who has voiced Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian and more, will serve as the signature voice announcer for MeTV Toons.

MeTV Toons will be available for distribution on over-the-air broadcast television, traditional and virtual operators, along with a complimentary offering for ad-supported streaming services. Besides MeTV and MeTV Toons, other Weigel networks include Heroes & Icons, Start TV, Catchy Comedy, Movies!, Story Television, Dabl and MeTV+.

“Neal and the team at Weigel have been long-standing and innovative licensing partners of Warner Bros. content for decades,”, said David Decker, president of content sales for Warner Bros. Discovery, in a statement. “Having some of the Studio’s most iconic animated characters all available in one place is not only great for fans of classic animation, but also just super fun.”

Disney And Warner Bros. Discovery To Rollout Bundled Disney+ And Max Streamer

The companies are aiming to launch the bundle this summer. The exact launch date and the price point have not yet been announced, but plans call for both ad-free and ad-supported versions to be available.

The move creates the first cross-company partnership for any of the top-tier services to come to market as the race to catch up with Netflix began in earnest about five years ago. It follows years of speculation and public musings by top executives about when bundling across the industry might reduce friction and begin to make streaming more cost-efficient for programmers and consumers alike. Pay-TV operators long served as third-party bundlers in the cable age, but while distribution deals with the likes of Roku and Amazon are key to any streaming service gaining traction, it’s mostly every-app-for-itself in the streaming era.

Churn, the industry term for the number of canceled subscriptions in a given period, has been a nagging problem for media companies. For decades, they had grown accustomed to the far more stable patterns of pay-TV, which was built on a foundation of long-term contracts and physical equipment. In the realm of direct-to-consumer internet businesses, a tap of an app can vaporize revenue, one of the many reasons why companies have been looking more closely at bundling, especially with cord-cutting ravaging their pay-TV network holdings.

Viewers, meanwhile, complain of a dizzying landscape of apps and titles filling their screens, making the simple act of finding something to watch a grueling process. The “endless scroll” of Netflix and later imitators has amplified Bruce Springsteen’s fabled lament about “57 channels and nothin’ on.”

Within companies, synergistic bundling has been commonplace for several years, with Disney in the vanguard with its successful troika of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Many players are taking the next step and more fully consolidating services. Max last year rebranded from HBO Max and added Discovery+ programming. Disney has been steadily bringing its flanker services into closer alignment with flagship Disney+, adding a Hulu tile to Disney+ earlier this year and planning an ESPN one later this year.

In yet another sign of the times, Paramount+ and Showtime’s streaming service fully merged in 2023. Paramount Global’s recent travails and efforts to finalize a potential merger have also been accompanied by speculation that Paramount+ would be ripe for the kind of bundle announced by Disney and WBD. Comcast and Paramount had held talks about a Peacock-P+ combo, but those discussions reportedly faltered due to disputes over control.

Disney, despite rolling up all of Hulu in a buyout of Comcast’s one-third stake in recent months, has shown increased interest in joint ventures. It recently teamed with Fox Corp. and WBD on a sports-focused streaming bundle. That still-unnamed service, nicknamed “Spulu,” is due to launch this fall.

Brands to be showcased in the new Disney-WBD bundle include ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight and Warner Bros. The new offering will be available for purchase on any of the three streaming platforms’ websites.

“On the heels of the very successful launch of Hulu on Disney+, this new bundle with Max will offer subscribers even more choice and value,” said Joe Earley, President, Direct to Consumer, Disney Entertainment. “This incredible new partnership puts subscribers first, giving them access to blockbuster films, originals, and three massive libraries featuring the very best brands and entertainment in streaming today.”

“This new offering delivers for consumers the greatest collection of entertainment for the best value in streaming, and will help drive incremental subscribers and much stronger retention,” said JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, Warner Bros. Discovery. “Offering this unprecedented entertainment value for fans across all the complimentary genres these three services offer, presents a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry.”

Jeepers: ‘Scooby-Doo’ Live-Action Series From Berlanti Productions Lands At Netflix With Major Commitment

The one-hour drama project is said to be nearing a deal at the streamer with a script-to-series commitment. Exact plot details are being kept under wraps aside from the fact it will be based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Warner Bros. Television will produce, with the studio having recently launched the “Dead Boys Detectives” series at Netflix.

Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as writers and will also executive produce along with André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner under their Midnight Radio banner. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman will executive produce via Berlanti productions (the company is currently under an overall deal at WBTV). Jonathan Gabay of Berlanti Productions and Adrienne Erickson will co-executive produce.

Reps for both Netflix and WBTV declined to comment.

Should the project go forward, it would not be the first live-action Scooby-Doo project to make it to the screen. Most famously, “Scooby-Doo” was released in 2002 and starred Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini, with Neil Fanning voicing Scooby. The film was a box office success, generating over $250 million worldwide. A sequel with the same cast, “Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed,” came out in 2004 and grossed over $180 million. There was also the live-action TV film “Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins” and its sequel that were released in 2009 and 2010.

There have also been a wide range of Scooby-Doo animated projects over the years, beginning with the original cartoon series in the late 1960s. Various incarnations have followed over the years, spanning multiple animated series and films. Most recently, the animated film ““Scoob! Holiday Haunt” was meant to be released on Max but was scrapped in a cost-cutting move. Currently, Max airs the animated series “Velma,” with Mindy Kaling voicing the bespectacled member of the Mystery Inc. gang.

What eMedia Investments Might Have Looked Like Under The Ownership Of Warner Bros. Discovery?

As reported sometime ago, Warner Bros. Discovery was looking to acquire eMedia Investments several years back. Following various legal hurdles of foreign ownership sold their remaining shares as eMedia Investments continues to blossom.

They currently offer Openview, SA's most successful free-to-view DTT platform which is accessible to over 3 million households. It offers over 20 TV channels which offer a range of movies, reality shows, drama series, telenovelas, sports and cartoons.

Most of which probably wouldn't have been under Warner Bros. Discovery's radar leaving consumers the latter on DStv and StarSat.

Warner Bros. Discovery (known as Time Warner) at the time consisted of brands such as HBO, TNT, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito (formerly Boomerang). Before the merger in 2019, their lineup consisted of drama series, movies and cartoons.

There's no way eSeries could have entered the equation if M-Net licensed content from HBO and Warner Bros. Studios. Same goes for the kiddies channel eToonz which might have been supplemented by Cartoon Network all of which are pay-tv brands.

e.tv could have remained as a singular channel with the eMedia Investments trademark phased out. It would have been home to locally produced content while as licensing content from other studios and exploring Warner Bros. Studios archives.

There wouldn't be room for much expansions in terms of local programming e.g. Kuiertyd. 

eNCA would have probably been the only other TV channel with connections to the eMedia trademark. It would have served as the SA adaptation of CNN perhaps infusing its lineup if not co-existing or just have that heavy focus on the local economy. 

CNN Is Planning To Move Away From Linear TV And Put Its News Content On Streaming Platforms

CNN’s new boss said the network faces an “existential crisis” because of cord cutting — and that he plans to eventually pivot away from cable TV toward a subscription-based streaming model similar to YouTube and TikTok.

“There are plenty of things we have to fix at CNN,” Mark Thompson, the former New York Times and BBC executive who was hired by Warner Bros. Discovery to dig CNN out of its third-place slump in the cable news race, told Financial Times.

He also hinted that more cost-cutting measures are in the offing, saying that there are “likely to be significant opportunities for de-duplication of parallel organizations and structures and activities.”

“I think we can and should be looking for ways of doing what we do both better, but also doing it less expensively,” Thompson said.

The ex-BBC director general has a tall task — turning around CNN that has struggled to keep up in the ratings with Fox News and MSNBC.

Thompson said he was looking at distributing CNN content through smartphones and other devices in a shift to mostly digital — mimicking his tenure as head of The New York Times Company.

“The idea that there might be digital subscription is a serious possibility,” Thompson told FT when asked about his plans for CNN.

While no final decision has been made, “I think it’s quite likely that we’ll end up there,” he said.

Thompson did not specify what form the digital subscription service would take, though he ruled out it would be similar to CNN’s ill-fated CNN+ — the streaming news venture that was shut down less than a month after it launched.

CNN+, the brainchild of former CNN boss Jeff Zucker, was axed as part of a cost-cutting measure just weeks after the news channel was inherited by the newly merged entity Warner Bros. Discovery.

Thompson was hired last year to replace Zucker’s successor, Chris Licht, whose disastrous 13-month tenure as head of the network ended after an unflattering magazine profile portrayed him as thin-skinned and envious of his predecessor’s popularity.

Warner Bros. Discovery has $44 billion in debt that it needs to reduce — leading to speculation that CEO David Zaslav may look to sell CNN.

Thompson pushed back on the idea that he was abandoning TV altogether.

“Do we want to get more competitive in cable TV and by strengthening our schedules? Yes, we do,” he said.

“But the rate at which people have been and probably will continue to cut the cord and not look at cable TV at all is a far, far greater strategic threat than the finer points of competition between individual cable channels.”

During his eight-year tenure as president and CEO of the New York Times Company, Thompson expedited the publication’s transition to a digital, subscription-based news outlet that has been the main driver of revenue since.

Thompson, who left The New York Times Company in 2020, is credited with helping the Times attract millions of digital subscribers worldwide.

The lone bright spot for CNN is its website, which draws some 160 million unique users each month.

Thompson said that one possibility is to have CNN users register so that the network can then sell information about its audience to advertisers.

“We need an entirely new digital strategy,” he told FT.

“I don’t think any broadcaster has cracked the code on how to be yourself in terms of digital products.”

Credits: New York Post

Could Toonami Relaunch On MultiChoice's DStv And GOtv As Canal+ Seeks Full Ownership Of The Pay-TV Company?

Toonami is an action and adventure driven young oriented channel operated by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is home to DC legends such as Batman, Superman, Justice League and Teen Titans alongside anime such as Dragon Ball and Inazuma Eleven. 

The channel currently resides within StarTimes through a separate agreement alongside Investigation Discovery, TLC and Discovery. Prior to this, MultiChoice added Toonami as a month long pop-up channel.

Although MultiChoice opted out of making it a permanent, Canal+ also offers Toonami alongside Cartoon Network and Cartoonito. Should the acquisition move forward Canal+ will be merging their platforms with that of MultiChoice's DStv and GOtv. 

Toonami could form part of an expansive deal as MultiChoice already offers these brands alongside factual entertainment from Discovery Inc. This merger would be more of DStv folding under Canal+ as opposed to Canal+ folding under DStv. 

This implies that Canal+ will put more focus on their brands and find ways to keep MultiChoice's offering intact. This could see them closing more channels while others like Mzansi Magic and M-Net would be handled by StudioCanal or Canal+ Premium.

Recap To The Past Decade: Warner Bros. Discovery (Formerly Time Warner) Was Looking To Acquire eMedia Investments

e.tv is a South African free-to-air entertainment channel operated by eMedia Investments. Since its inception, it became the second most TV channel in the country surpassing masses like SABC 2 and SABC 3 whose audience has declined in recent years. 

Similar to MultiChoice, eMedia Investments had garnered interest from foreign investors such as TF1 (France), Channel 9 (Australia) and United News Media (United Kingdom) with Time Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery) owning 20%.

By 2001, South African laws limited foreign businesses hold over to local companies to 25%. Warner Bros. Discovery worried they may never to able to gain full ownership sold their shares to Remgro Limited (33%) and Hosken Consolidated Investments (67%).

Since then, Warner Bros. Discovery had produced various TV series and films alongside distribution of various channels in Latin America, France, India, Asia, Australia and New Zealand and Poland.

If Warner Bros. Discovery had pursued eMedia Investments as originally intended at the time. It's likely that most channels within eMedia's stable like eSeries and eReality would have access to an extensive lineup of content from Warner Bros. Studios.

Warner Bros. Discovery would have served as a competitor to MultiChoice while as licensing brands like Cartoon Network and Discovery to DStv. Their freemium channels would serve as a repeat channels while they continue to build their original content slate.

Press Release: Warner Bros. Discovery To Launch Max In Europe Beginning May 21

Warner Bros. Discovery announced today that Max, its enhanced streaming service, will launch in the first European countries beginning May 21. Max brings together HBO Max’s can’t-miss programming, Discovery’s engaging real-life entertainment and all the world-class action from Eurosport’s premium subscription service to create a complete viewing experience for the whole household with premier TV shows, fresh and iconic movies, unmissable sports, and flagship TV networks in select countries, in a single destination for the first time.

On May 21, Max will become available across the Nordics, Iberia, and Central and Eastern Europe. Launches will follow closely after in Poland, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium*. France and Belgium are the first new countries where WBD has launched its streaming service in over two years. These launches mean Max will be available in 25 countries in Europe and 65 countries and territories worldwide after launching in the U.S. in May 2023, and launching in Latin America and the Caribbean earlier this year.

JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming & Games at Warner Bros. Discovery announcing the rollout of Max at the TV festival Series Mania said: “Max is the streaming home of Warner Bros. Discovery and builds on our long heritage in Europe, bringing together an incredible breadth and depth of culture-defining entertainment from our services and networks, all in one place. The unrivalled content we’ve got on Max from ‘House of the Dragon’ to Olympic Games Paris 2024 and beyond means whatever your mood or the occasion, Max has something great for everyone, every time.”

Content offering

The launch of Max in Europe is marked by the return of the highly anticipated HBO Original “House of the Dragon,” which premiers on Max in Europe on June 17. Max will bring a new streaming experience to Europe with more than double the amount of content currently available on HBO Max. This summer, Max will be the only place to stream every live moment of Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the 25 European countries where Max will be available. Paris 2024 will be included in all subscription plans, ensuring all customers will gain complete access to the biggest sporting event in the world.

Max stands out as distinct amongst streamers by uniquely combining unrivalled breadth and its new and improved app with iconic franchises and a strong product experience. Subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide range of quality entertainment with Warner Bros. movies such as Barbie, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, and Wonka, HBO Originals The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Euphoria, True Detective: Night Country, The Regime, The Sympathizer, The Jinx - Part Two and the upcoming new comedy The Franchise.

A new slate of Max Originals based on popular Warner Bros. Pictures’ entities will be coming to Max including The Penguin and Welcome to Derry (Stephen King’s IT). Films from WB’s extensive library including the Harry Potter franchise, Paddington, The Matrix, The Dark Knight, Joker, and The Lord of the Rings, as well as fan favorites like 90 Day Fiancé, Gold Rush and Fixer Upper from Discovery will also be offered.

A Sports Add-On will bring fans extensive coverage of major international and European sports including every tennis Grand Slam – Australian Open, Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon and the US Open, cycling’s three Grand Tours – Giro d’Italia, La Vuelta a España, and the Tour de France in addition to the Tour de France Femmes, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and every major winter sports World Championship and World Cup events. Rights vary between countries.

A selection of flagship live linear networks will also be available on Max in some countries in select plans including CNN International in France and Poland, TVN in Poland, TV Norge in Norway, Kanal 5 in Sweden and Eurosport in all countries.

Plans

Max will offer a choice of different plans, plus a Sports Add-On which may be added to any base plan**. Full details about pricing will be announced in the coming weeks and will vary country by country.

Basic with Ads Plan:

• This plan will allow users to enjoy Max at a lower price and will include advertising.

• It will be available first in nine European countries, before expanding to others.

• The first countries where the Basic with Ads plan will be available are Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Romania, Poland, France and Belgium.

• Users will be able to stream content on 2 devices simultaneously. 

• Content will be available in Full HD resolution.

 

Standard Plan:

• Users can stream content on 2 devices simultaneously. 

• Content will be available in Full HD resolution. 

• This plan will allow up to 30 downloads of available content to watch offline.

 

Premium Plan:

• Provides the best consumer experience.

• Users can stream content on up to 4 devices simultaneously. 

• Full HD or 4K resolution and with Dolby Atmos sound (as available).  

• This plan will allow up to 100 downloads of available content to watch offline. (Limits apply)

 

Sports Add-On:

• The Sports Add-On will provide coverage of top sports events including Grand Slam tennis, cycling’s Grand Tours, 24 Hours of Le Mans, the live linear networks Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 and much more.

• Customers should check local listings for rights availability in their countries.

• The Sports Add-On is sold as an add-on to any base plan.

• Users can stream sports content on 2 devices simultaneously (of their available base plan streams).

 

Existing HBO Max subscribers will be able to discover the new experience on Max while keeping their current profiles, and viewing history, continuing their Max journey where they left off. In some cases, depending on device or operating system, the HBO Max app will be automatically updated to the Max app. In other cases, when users open their HBO Max app, they will be prompted to download the new Max app, allowing them to begin exploring the new platform in just a few clicks. discovery+ and Eurosport premium SVOD subscribers will be given details in due course about how to subscribe to Max.

*WBD’s enhanced streaming service will be called HBO Max in the Netherlands and Belgium.

**Channels and live content in Standard and Premium plans, and the Sports Add-On may contain ads. On-demand content in all plans may include sponsorship and product placement.

Could Warner Bros. Discovery Look Into Adding TNT Sports In Africa?

During the month, it was reported that TNT Sports would be expanding to the United States. This comes a few months after Warner Bros. Discovery had launched it in the UK in place of BT Sport offering a variety of sports ranging from MMA, Bundesliga and UEFA.

Unlike the UK, TNT Sports would be rolling out in the United States as a dedicated nightly block on TruTV. Aside from live events, Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to get more sports themed content with a range of films and documentaries. 

Confirmed titles for the block include a betting show known as The Line, an interactive show known as The Bill and an NBA themed show known as The Inside Story.

Warner Bros. Discovery could look into building TNT Sports portfolio within the African market. I mean the idea wouldn't seem far fetched considering that the main TNT channel already offers All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Initially, TNT was a channel curated for movies and following the induction of AEW in the United States. The sporting event was in high demand for consumers in Africa with some wondering if TNT would get it or rely on existing broadcasters like SuperSport.

As mentioned despite being a movie channel, Warner Bros. Discovery was willing to go the extra mile by even adding doccies and content from Adult Swim. TNT Sports could form part of AEW On Weekends with its other content taking up other days in the week.

Depending on whether Warner Bros. Discovery views TNT Sports a priority in Africa. The chances of it serving as a separate tier from TNT are slim considering that majority of live sports are costly and tied up in contractual agreements with SuperSport.

News Shorts: Warner TV To Rollout As A Free-To-Air Channel In The Czech Republic, Come Back To Me To Rollout On Telemundo Across Africa And Historical Drama We Were The Lucky Ones To Stream On Disney+ In April

Warner TV expands to other parts of Europe

The Czech Republic will have a brand new free-to-air TV channel next month as Warner TV launches on 2 April. It will be managed as part of the local Czech linear Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio.

Vaclav Palecek, Distribution and Business Development at Warner Bros. Discovery in the Czech Republic & Slovakia, said: “Starting April, Czech viewers will be able to enjoy the wide range of content, including movies and series, on Warner TV. We are close to launching our first free-to-air channel in the market and we will bring a great content library on-air for all the viewers, from classical films to popular series.”

In the Czech Republic, Warner Bros. Discovery operates 18 pay TV linear channels (Discovery, Eurosport 1, Eurosport 2, Eurosport 4K, HGTV, TLC, Travel Channel, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, CNN, Food Network, Animal Planet, HBO & HBO 2 & HBO 3, Cinemax & Cinemax 2) and the HBO Max streaming platform.

William Levy returns to Telemundo 

For its 2023 upfronts earlier last year, Telemundo announced William Levy was joining its star roster line-up in the new original romantic series Come Back To Me (Vuelve a Mi). It is set to launch April 8 at 22:00 replacing Game Of Lies.

In Vuelve a Mí, Levy is Santiago, whose love interest is actress Samadhi Zendejas, in her first leading role as Nuria.

The drama, set in Ciudad de Juárez and Ciudad de México, follows Nuria, a woman of humble means, who begins a relationship with Braulio (Ferdinando Valencia) without knowing he is one of the owners of the company where she works to support her son and sister. The lives of the main characters begin to intertwine after the tragic kidnapping of Nuria's son Andrés. And when she least expects it, Santiago (Levy) enters her life to become the great love of her life and the pillar that keeps her hope alive.

New Hulu original launching soon

Disney has announced that the upcoming original series, “We Were The Lucky Ones”, will be coming to Disney+ globally on April 17th 2024.

Based on Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestselling novel, the television adaptation of “We Were the Lucky Ones” is a limited series inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive and reunite. “We Were the Lucky Ones” demonstrates how in the face of the twentieth century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive. The series is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.

The series stars Joey King, Logan Lerman, Hadas Yaron, Henry-Lloyd Hughes, Amit Rahav, Sam Woolf, Michael Aloni, Moran Rosenblatt, Eva Feiler, Lior Ashkenazi, and Robin Weigert.

Adult Swim Games Titles Are Being Pulled From Stores By Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Discovery has begun the process of delisting video games from digital stores that have been published under the Adult Swim Games label, as reported by Game Developer. Adult Swim Games has been inactive for a few years now, but the publisher’s games are still available on platforms like Steam and the PS Store under the label.

However, solo developer Fire Face Corporation, who made the puzzle game Small Radios Big Televisions published by Adult Swim Games, has now been informed that the publisher’s owner, Warner Bros. Discovery, would be “retiring” the game and it would be delisted in 60 days. Fire Face reacted by making the game available for free on their own website.

Speaking to Games Developer, Owen Deery – the man behind Fire Face – called the decision by WBD “depressing,” but said he “can see why they did it.” As reported by the site, which saw the notice sent to Deery, WBD explained the delisting with “internal business changes” without going into much detail.

Since then, another indie developer who had worked with Adult Swim Games in the past got the same notice about their title, Fist Puncher. Matt Kain Lewandowski, one half of the brother duo making up Team2Bit, wrote in a forum post that WBD declined to transfer ownership of the title’s Steam page to their own publisher account so the game could stay visible on the store.

“This is incredibly disappointing,” he stated. “It seems like more and more the videogame industry is filled with people that don't like and don't care about videogames. All that to say, buy physical games, make back-ups, help preserve our awesome industry and art form.”

It seems likely that other Adult Swim Games-published titles will suffer the same fate, although no additional developers have come forward with similar announcements yet.

Warner Bros. Discovery published the best-selling game of 2023 with Hogwarts Legacy as well as one of 2024’s biggest flops so far in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. This setback had one executive describe the video game industry as “volatile” and call for a strategy change.

Could TNT Sports Replace TruTV In The United States?

During the week, it was reported that TNT Sports would be expanding to the United States. This comes a few months after Warner Bros. Discovery had launched it in the UK in place of BT Sport offering a variety of sports ranging from MMA, Bundesliga and UEFA.

Unlike the UK, TNT Sports would be rolling out in the United States as a dedicated nightly block on TruTV. Aside from live events, Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to get more sports themed content with a range of films and documentaries. 

Confirmed titles for the block include a betting show known as The Line, an interactive show known as The Bill and an NBA themed show known as The Inside Story.

News of the blocks arrival traces back to 2022 where Warner Bros. Discovery was looking to increase their investment toward the sector. After halting original productions for TNT and TBS, a turnaround plan was purposed with one of the two emphasizing sports.

With the standalone TNT channel remaining intact for the time being. Consumers are led to believe that Warner Bros. Discovery could be looking to replace TruTV with TNT Sports as it was reported that one of their flagship shows Impractical Jokers would move to TBS.

TruTV has been going through identity crisis for several years after converting to a court based brand would divulge into crime and variety. Since its inception, the brand has garnered traction for Hardcore Pawn, Carbonaro Effect, Top Funniest and Impractical Jokers. 

Development Alert: TNT Sports Expands To The United States Through TruTV, Impractical Jokers Moves To TBS

Warner Bros. Discovery is making cable network TruTV a regular home for sports, adding a weeknight sports block and shifting established franchise Impractical Jokers to TBS this summer.

A mix of live sports, original sports programming and ancillary sports content will start appearing on TruTV next Monday, March 11, under the banner “TNT Sports on TruTV.” The block will start at 6 p.m. ET and run through late night.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, aka March Madness, gets under way the following week. WBD, which shares in March Madness rights with Paramount, often makes use of TruTV as a home for early-round tournament games.

The push toward daily sports programming comes as WBD, Fox and Disney have embarked on a joint sports-focused streaming venture. The JV, scheduled to launch this fall, will bring 14 linear network feeds to subscribers via the internet. Apart from the NCAA tournament, TNT is known for its NBA coverage and TBS broadcasts Major League Baseball.

Impractical Jokers, a cornerstone TruTV property since its premiere in 2011, will move to TBS with a batch of new episodes this summer. During the transitional period, the series will continue to simulcast on both truTV and TBS through early April. Series from the TruTV library, including past seasons of Impractical Jokers, will air on TruTV prior to 6 p.m. each day. 

“We are constantly striving to create and deliver the best sports content and experiences to sports fans wherever they are, and this is an exciting opportunity to expand the reach of our premium TNT Sports programming with greater consistency throughout the year,” said Luis Silberwasser, Chairman and CEO, TNT Sports. “By creating a primetime block of sports programming on truTV, in addition to our existing premium live sports on TNT and TBS, we are now able to deliver a more comprehensive sports offering for our fans, while generating additional growth opportunities for our sports division and strategic business and league partners.”

The upcoming programming lineup will include select alternative presentations of live TNT Sports games; simulcasts of games appearing on TNT or TBS; a new 30-minute news and highlight show, TNT Sports Update, airing nightly at 6 p.m.; betting show The Line, airing weeknights at 6:30; NBA-centric show Handles airing in late night; and a House of Highlights show produced weekly as a TruTV exclusive. (WBD’s digital subsidiary Bleacher Report is known for its House of Highlights vertical.)

Also in store for the new sports block are movies and documentaries, including The Inside Story, which looks at TNT’s Inside the NBA studio show; in-season episodes of The Steam Room vodcast featuring Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley, and special editions of Shaqtin’ a Fool, among other originally produced programming; and an upcoming schedule of MotoGP races.

As Expected, Warner Bros. Discovery Ends Merger Negotiations With Paramount

Warner Bros. Discovery has gone "pencils down" on a potential acquisition of Paramount Global, halting talks after several months of kicking the tires on merging the media companies, according to people familiar with the matter.

Skydance Media, the film and TV studio run by David Ellison, is still performing due diligence on a potential transaction, two of the people said.

Paramount Global has set up a special committee, which has hired its own financial advisor, to sift through potential bids for the whole company or certain assets. Media mogul Byron Allen offered $14 billion for the company last month, though he has a history of bidding on and not buying large media assets.

Comcast, the owner of CNBC parent NBCUniversal, isn't interested in acquiring Paramount Global assets, one of the people said. Comcast has been working with house bankers to explore a potential commercial partnership with Paramount Global, according to people familiar with the matter.

That could include bundling or merging streaming services Peacock and Paramount+, as previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, or a different arrangement. Still, it's unclear if Paramount Global would have interest in this as it explores sale scenarios.

Spokespeople for Comcast, Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment.

Could Boomerang Also Be Shutting Down Soon In The UK?

Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery launched Cartoonito as a 24 hour service across Europe, Asia and Africa after launching as a programming block years prior. It was met with positive reception from consumers for the likes of Lucas The Spider and Thomas And Friends.

As some readers are aware, Boomerang still resides in the UK and Italy as a 24 hour channel outside of Cartoonito which is a channel of its own. One of which, the UK come with a separate offering as Boomerang revolves most of its content on Looney Tunes, Tom And Jerry and Scooby-Doo. 

During the month, it was reported that Bugs Bunny Builders and various other preschool content had been removed from Cartoonito in the Nordic market. Now there's word that Mr. Bean: The Animated Series and Grizzy And The Lemmings had been added to the channel's line-up in the UK.

Although this isn't a clear indicator of possible terminaton, Warner Bros. Discovery had been going through various restructuring in recent months. Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo Xtra exited various parts of Europe with Cartoonito leaving parts of Asia.

With the likes of streaming these days, it makes Boomerang feels obsolete I mean the channel lost purpose in other countries when Warner Bros. Discovery put more emphasis on Cartoonito. But the biggest downfall for the UK and remaining feeds was the failure to add new content.

After the UK feed of Cartoonito rebranded, Warner Bros. Discovery had attempted to sort of bolster Boomerang's line-up with Ninjago. Unlike most parts of Europe and Africa, linear consumption has experienced the most falls in the UK so the idea of closure wouldn't be surprising.

Prior to this, TCM resided in the market weirdly as TCM Movies and as seen in other parts of the world got the boot and Boomerang has been hovering around this circle for sometime now.

WarnerMount Discovery: Could This Be What Awaits Warner Bros. Discovery And Paramount Global In The Coming Months?

Since last year, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global held talks of a potential merger. The news led to media outrage with #blockthemerger trending on X as a merger would lead to more layoffs and reduction in content output.

Not long ago, Paramount Global announced that they'd be laying off 800 employees due to the effects of streaming as the company is looking to transform. Prior to this, the parent company Amusement Park was looking to sell their shares in the company.

Aside from Warner Bros. Discovery, they also garnered interest from Skydance Media, Apollo Management and Byron Allen Group.

As some readers are aware, the formation of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. prevented the company from making any transaction call (merger) for at least another 2 years and with that stipulation set to expire soon it has brought a lot of fear amongst readers.

One of which was the possible merger of these two companies and also the exit of Discovery Inc. with the company likely to be sold to Amazon etc. Although the deadline for the merger is approaching the chances of a merger seem unlikely.

Aside from growing interest for Paramount Global, the company is in talks with NBCUniversal to merge their streaming services. On top of that, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney are planning to launch a joint streaming service based of TNT Sports and ESPN.

If anything, it's likely that Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery will probably explore other ways of working together. Merger talks with NBCUniversal are still in early discussion and so it kind of gives Warner Bros. Discovery a chance to make a better offer.

DStv Shorts: Warner Bros. Discovery Announces The Launch Of TLC In France, Emmanuel TV Goes Off The Air On YouTube And MultiChoice In Angola And Mozambique Silently Change Channel Numbers

Discovery Science is getting the boot

Warner Bros. Discovery announces the launch of the TLC channel on February 26 in France. The brand that replaces Discovery Science offers “a selection of medical programs, paranormal investigations, dating shows and family programs”, specifies the press release. 

"We are happy to launch TLC in France, a channel that celebrates diversity and inclusion. We are thus completing our portfolio of brands with a new destination for a female audience aged 25-49", comments Clément Schwebig, president of Warner Bros. Discovery Western Europe and Africa. 

The entertainment channel is broadcast on Free, SFR, Parabole Réunion and via the Warner Pass at Prime video. The channel is also deployed in Belgium at Proximus and Telenet, in Switzerland at Swisscom, Net+ and Sunrise and in Monaco at Monaco Telecom.

Emmanuel TV suspended on YouTube

YouTube has taken down Emmanuel TV, the main channel run by TB Joshua’s megachurch empire, amid allegations the late preacher had for decades groomed and raped multiple former leaders of his ministry.

openDemocracy identified and reported more than 50 abusive videos amplifying abuse against Joshua’s accusers on the video platform. This comes after the controversial TV channel opted to exit various pay-tv platforms across Africa and switched to free-to-view. 

It is the second time in three years that openDemocracy’s reporting has led to YouTube suspending content from the late preacher’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN). In 2021 the Google-owned tech company took down another channel controlled by the church after deciding that it was violating its user guidelines due to broadcasts of anti-LGBTIQ hate speech. As a result, the ministry lost the ability to broadcast to its then 1.8 million subscribers.

DStv's silent descent

Last month, it was reported that MultiChoice will be adjusting the channel numbering for most of their channels. It is currently unknown on the reason these changed but below is the new numbers for each channel which is applicable to consumers in Angola and Mozambique.

National Channels: 501-TPA 1, 502-TPA 2, 505-Kwenda Magic, 507- TV Zimbo and 508- Girasol TV

Novelas: 510- Telemundo, 512-My Channel África, 513-TLN, 514-TL Novelas and 517-Miramar

News: 530-TPA Noticias, 531-Euro News and 533-TV Record News

Movies: 540-DStv Pipoca, 542- AXN Movies, 544- Cine Mundo, 546-Star Movies, 550-TVCine Top, 551- 

TVCine Edition, 552-TVCine Emotion and 553- mmmmmmTVCine Action

General Entertainment: 555-RTP África, 556-RTP Internacional, 558- AXN HD, 559-Banda TV, 560-TV Mozambique, 562-FOX, 563-Mundo FOX, 564-FOX Crime, 565-FOX Life, 566-FOX Comedy, 569-CBS Reality and 570-E! Entertainment

Documentary And Lifestyle: 575-Nat Geo Wild, 576-National Geographic, 577-Food Network and 579-TV Mundial

Music: 580-Afro Music, 581- TRACE Toca, 582-Gloom Channel, 583-Best Brazil, 584-TRACE Brazil, 585-MTV, 586- MTV Base, 587- HIP TV, 588-TRACE Naija, 589-Afro Music, 590-SoundCity and 592- Qwest TV

Sports: 599-SPORTS Pop-up, 600-SS Máximo 360, 601-SS Máximo 1, 602-SS Máximo 2, 603-SS Máximo 3, 610-WWE Channel, 618-ESPN, 619-ESPN 2 HD, 620- SS Blitz HD, 621-SS Grandstand, 622-SS Football Plus, 623-SS Premier League, 624- SS LaLiga, 625- SS Football, 626-SS Variety 1, 627-SS Variety 2, 628-SS Variety 3, 629-SS Variety 4, 630-SS Action, 634-SS Tennis and 635- SS Motorsport.

Children: 640-Canal Panda, 641-JimJam, 643- Disney Junior, 644-Cartoon Network, 645- Cartoonito, 647- BIGGS, 648- Disney Channel, 650- TXILLO, 651-Nickelodeon, 655-CBeebies, 656- Nick JR, 567- Nicktoons, 659-DreamWorks, 661-Nickelodeon  and 662-Moonbug. 

Recap To Last Year: Boomerang Continues To Assert Dominance Despite The Switch To Cartoonito Africa

After Cartoonito launched as a programming block in 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery expanded the offering with a 24 hour channel. It would offer shows like Thomas And Friends and Batwheels infused with several Boomerang favourites such as Zig And Sharko and Mr. Bean.

Despite the attempt at preschool content, Boomerang's family offering continues to dominate the 24 hour line-up by 70% mainly due to runs of Mr. Bean and Masha And The Bear. The remaining 30% is allocated to Cartoonito with shows like Batwheels and CoComelon.

Below is a weekday schedule where the former's remaining offering is highlighted in bold while Cartoonito despite holding 30% is much lower if you exclude shows like Grizzy And The Lemmings and Masha And The Bear.

00:00 Zig & Sharko (X3)

00:25 New Looney Tunes (X8)

01:55 Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! (X2)

02:40 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? (X2)

03:25 The Tom And Jerry Show (X6)

04:10 Looney Tunes Cartoons (X4)

04:55 The Adventures of Little Penguin (X4)

05:15 Grizzy And The Lemmings (X3)

05:40 Masha And The Bear (X3)

06:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X2)

06:25 Lu&TheBallyBunch (X2)

06:40 CoComelonCompilations

M.07:00 Thomas&Friends (X2)

07:25 BugsBunnyBuilders

07:35 Zig & Sharko (X3)

08:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X3)

08:35 Lu&TheBallyBunch (X2)

08:50 Masha And The Bear (X3)

09:10 Masha And The Bear: Nursery Rhymes (X2)

09:15 Zig & Sharko (X3)

09:40 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X2)

10:05 Grizzy And The Lemmings (X4)

10:30 Pat TheDog (X2)

10:45 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X3)

11:30 CoComelonKaraoke

11:55 Thomas&Friends

12:10 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X2)

12:35 Zig & Sharko (X3)

12:55 Masha And The Bear (X3)

13:15 Lu&TheBallyBunch (X2)

13:30 BabyLooneyTunes

13:50 Batwheels (X2)

14:15 LegendsOf Spark 

14:30 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X3)

15:05 Grizzy And The Lemmings (X2)

15:20 Zig & Sharko (X4)

15:50 Batwheels

16:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X3)

16:35 Masha And The Bear (X3)

17:00 BugsBunnyBuilders (X2)

17:11 BugsBunnyBuilders: HardHat Time

17:25 CoComelonKaraoke

17:45 Lu&TheBallyBunch (X2)

18:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X3)

18:35 Zig & Sharko (X3)

19:00 BugsBunnyBuilders (X2)

19:25 Masha And The Bear (X3)

19:45 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X2)

20:05 Thomas&Friends

20:20 TomAnd JerryInNewYork

20:40 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (X4)

21:25 Grizzy And The Lemmings (X13)

22:55 Zig & Sharko (X10)

Huiik

27 Cartoonito 37 Boomerang 53

Cartoonito

Formerly

Toads And Friends

Interstellar Ella

Lucas The Spider

Dino Ranch

Current

Thomas And Friends

CoComelon

Batwheels

Bugs Bunny Builders

This comes after Cartoonito had scrapped several preschool shows from parts of Europe including Big Bunny Builders and Masha And The Bear. Unlike most feeds, Warner Bros. Discovery had opted to retain the latter while attempting to build its offering as it took over Boomerang.

It is believed that Cartoonito is looking to retain existing IPs from Boomerang. Especially after Warner Bros. Discovery had cut down on its preschool offering with Jessica's Big Little World serving as the last shows to have been produced for the network.