Recap To Last Month: Free State To Get A Dedicated TV Channel On DStv

Last month, it was reported that MultiChoice would adding 1Free State TV currently viewed on StarSat to the DStv platform. From what we've uncovered, the channel would go live from 16 November on channel 264 sitting alongside GauTV, Tshwane TV and Mpuma Kapa TV.

At this stage, we haven't got word on a package but it would more likely be accessible to all DStv packages (including Easyview) and I say this as the latter seen above had all been folded under that package alongside various religious and local news channels.

Based in Bloemfontein, 1FSTV broadcasts a variety of programming including news, current affairs, entertainment, and educational shows. The channel is committed to promoting the culture and heritage of the Free State province, and to providing a platform for local voices to be heard.

Some of the programming to be offered include:

• 1FSTV News: A daily news program that covers the latest news and current affairs from the Free State and around the world.

• Meet Our Leaders: Pastors from different denominations to come to try to help each other through prayer and encouragement. The pastor discusses various issues affecting particular communities.

• Free State Today: A daily talk show that discusses a variety of topics relevant to the Free State, from politics and business to culture and entertainment.

• FS Vibes: Stay in the know about what is happening on the Free State calendar concerts, studio recordings, fashion, launches and music, with your host Khaya Matthews.

• Youth On The Move: Featuring youth who are making an impact or bringing changes in the society they live in, being entrepreneurs.

• Divas Avenue: A music show that plays only on Thursdays and covers all woman who are into music from local to international.

• Le Rona Rebatho: We follow the lives of people who have dwarfism disorder, Keorapetse Neo, Bokamosho Bukile Letshego, Thato Lydi, Tebu Tebu and Motlatsi 'dj little'. Providing insights into their daily lives, challenges and triumphs.

PRESS RELEASE: ONE FREESTATE TELEVISUAL LAUNCHES ON DSTV

One Freestate TV, a leading provider in high-quality entertainment, is thrilled to announce the launch of a 24-hour channel, which premiere on DStv channel 264 from Thursday, 16 November 2023 at 10:00 on all DStv Premium, Compact+, Compact, Family, Access and Easyview.

Our channel promises an immersive and engaging experience, providing viewers with access to the best in entertainment, education and information. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a fan of local movies, a lover of music, adventures or a seeker of thought-provoking documentaries, One Freestate Televisual has something for everyone.

"We are excited to have One Freestate TV added to our platform expanding our local representation in the form of content from our regions within the country, and delivered in local languages," says Georginah Machiridza Executive Head Of General Entertainment Channels at MultiChoice Group. "The addition of another community TV station helps to ensure that we also play a part in actively disseminating information at a local scale that resonates with our audiences."

The exciting addition to the DStv line-up is set to captivate the audience with entertainment with its different range of programming delivered in Sesotho and English. We are dedicated to showcasing the richness and diversity of Free State, with a focus on local culture, innovation and community engagement.

"Our vision at One Freestate TV, has always been to become the essential source of content that brings distinctive and diverse talent, and create jobs to the community. We are proud to partner with DStv to bring this exciting channel to viewers across South Africa and beyond," says Mr. Paul Phitse: Founder and CEO of One Freestate Televisual.

The Fog Of Courage | Courage The Cowardly Dog | Cartoon Network

When Courage finds a mysterious amulet while digging through the yard, a Ghostly Fog covers the farm. Eustace, however, refuses to return the amulet that apparently belongs to the Fog Ghost's long lost love, Cariana. Now Courage must protect his family from the vengeful fog spirit.

Rude Removal | Dexter's Laboratory | Cartoon Network

 

"Rude Removal" is a cartoon episode originally produced in 1997 for the animated television series Dexter's Laboratory for Cartoon Network. It was intended to air as part of the second season, but was left unaired due to the characters swearing even though the swear words were censored. 

Warner Bros. Discovery Looking To Acquire Assets Of Companies Flirting With Or For Filing For Bankruptcy, Hints At The Demise Of Paramount Global And NBCUniversal

Chief Executive David Zaslav and board member John Malone both made comments this week suggesting the company is paying down debt and building up free cash flow to set up acquisitions in the next two years of media businesses suffering from diminished valuations.

The targets could be companies flirting with or filing for bankruptcy, Malone said in an exclusive interview with CNBC on Thursday. While U.S. regulators may frown at large media companies coming together because of overlaps with studio, cable or broadcasting assets, they'll be much more forgiving if the companies are struggling to survive, Malone told David Faber.

"I think we're going to see very serious distress in our industry," Malone said. "There is an exemption to the antitrust laws on a failing business. At some point of distress, right, then some of the restrictions, they look the other way."

Media company valuations have been plummeting amid streaming video losses, traditional TV subscriber defections, and a down advertising market. This has affected Warner Bros. Discovery as much as its peers. The company's market valuation recently fell below $23 billion, its lowest point since WarnerMedia and Discovery merged last year. The company ended the third quarter with about $43 billion in net debt.

Warner Bros. Discovery is trying to position itself to be an acquirer, rather than a distressed asset, itself, by paying down debt and increasing cash flow, Zaslav said during his company's earnings conference call this week. Warner Bros. Discovery has paid down $12 billion and expects to generate at least $5 billion in free cash flow this year, the company said.

"We're surrounded by a lot of companies that are – don't have the geographic diversity that we have, aren't generating real free cash flow, have debt that are presenting issues," Zaslav said Thursday. "We're de-levering at a time when our peers are levering up, at a time when our peers are unstable, and there is a lot of excess competitive – excess players in the market. So, this will give us a chance not only to fight to grow in the next year, but to have the kind of balance sheet and the kind of stability ... that we could be really opportunistic over the next 12 to 24 months."

Still, Warner Bros. Discovery also acknowledged it will miss its own year-end leverage target of 2.5 to 3 times adjusted earnings as the TV ad market struggles and linear TV subscription revenue declines.

Buying from distress

Malone has some experience with profiting from times of distress.

His Liberty Media acquired a 40% stake in Sirius XM over several years more than a decade ago, saving it from bankruptcy. Since then, the equity value of the satellite radio company has bounced back from nearly zero to about $5 per share. Sirius XM currently has a market capitalization of about $18 billion.

"It made us a lot of money with Sirius," Malone told Faber.

While Malone didn't name a specific company as a target for Warner Bros. Discovery, he discussed Paramount Global as an example of a company whose prospects seem shaky. Paramount Global's market valuation has slumped below $8 billion while carrying about $16 billion in debt.

Malone noted that Paramount's debt was recently downgraded. "I think that they're running probably negative free cash flow," he said.

Paramount Global's third-quarter cash flow was $377 million, and the company has forecast a return to positive free cash flow in 2024.

While Paramount Global shares have fallen precipitously since Viacom and CBS merged in 2019, there are signs the company is shoring up its balance sheet. CEO Bob Bakish said earlier this month Paramount Global's streaming losses will be lower in 2023 than 2022, and the company expects further improvement to losses in 2024. The company closed a sale for book publisher Simon & Schuster for $1.6 billion and will use the proceeds to pay down debt.

Paramount Global is one of the few assets that logically fits Malone's vision of a media asset that would have regulatory issues as an acquisition with potential distress concerns. Comcast's NBCUniversal, another potential merger partner, will lose more than $2 billion this year on its streaming service, Peacock, but the media giant is shielded by its parent company, the largest U.S. broadband provider.

"Warner Bros. [Discovery] now is making money. Not a lot, but they're making money," Malone said. "Peacock is losing a lot of money. Paramount is losing a ton of money that they can't afford. At least [Comcast CEO] Brian [Roberts] can afford to lose the money."

Paramount Global's controlling shareholder Shari Redstone is open to a transformative transaction, CNBC reported last month. Puck's Dylan Byers recently reported that industry insiders have speculated Warner Bros. Discovery might pursue an acquisition of Paramount Global after the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

A combination of NBCUniversal and Paramount Global also has strategic logic, but the combination of two national broadcast networks — Comcast's NBC and Paramount Global's CBS — would present a significant regulatory hurdle. Warner Bros. Discovery doesn't own a broadcast network, making an acquisition of CBS easier.

Spokespeople for Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment.

While Malone said all legacy media companies should be talking to each other about merger synergies, he acknowledged valuations may have to fall farther to get regulators on board with further consolidation. Malone predicted that could happen in the same timeline Zaslav gave — within the next two years.

"Eventually maybe there'll be regulatory relief," Malone said. "Out of distress usually comes the reduction in competition, increased pricing power, and the opportunity to buy assets at a deep discount."

Possible Channel Termination: Could National Geographic Wild's Content Get Migrated Onto National Geographic And Disney+?

A few months ago, Disney and Spectrum renewed their agreement which saw brands like ABC, Disney Channel and National Geographic remain onboard their platforms while secondary channels like FXX, Disney Junior and National Geographic Wild went dark on their platforms.

Since then it has brought a lot of questions regarding the future of these brands as well as others distributed by NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. Disney on the other hand had explored the possibility of selling some of their linear channels.

Current properties like Disney Star is said to be acquired by Reliance with Disney said to be holding minority stake in the company and a similar fate is said be awaiting both ESPN and National Geographic of course we've received an update on one of the latter channels.

According to sources, Disney is looking to sell or better yet fold National Geographic under A+E Networks. Home to factual brands like HISTORY, Lifetime and Crime + Investigation, it serves as a joint venture between Disney, Sky (Europe) and Hearst Corporation.

The idea of possible sale of National Geographic came through a recent survey into the market which revealed that ABC, FX and Disney Channel were priority brands for audiences especially Disney when it pertains to profit making National Geographic and Disney Junior obsolete.

A+E Networks operates a number of singular brands as mentioned above so wouldn't seem far fetched if National Geographic Wild were to merge onto National Geographic and Disney+ seeing now that the main channel is not viewed as a priority brand on both cable and streamer.

National Geographic would remain intact for the time being but overtime they'd be shortage in programming which could lead to more cord cutting or in this case National Geographic Wild. As the content from Wild would help build the lineup of the main channel.

HISTORY vs. National Geographic

As mentioned, HISTORY which operates under A+E Networks is a factual entertainment channel which offers programming based on mechanical and civil engineering, science, mystical creatures and organised crimes part of which resides within National Geographic.

With National Geographic Wild possibly on the chopping block perhaps the main National Geographic channel will take up the identity of Wild and focus solely on wildlife and natural history programming as seen with rival brands like BBC Earth. 

Another would be the company's property being distributed on National Geographic as a means to get more recognition for their portfolio.

In other developments, Disney is set to close their remaining linear offering in parts of Asia by the end of December and this includes National Geographic and National Geographic Wild as the company is putting more emphasis toward the direct to consumer business.

Disney Is Reportedly Looking To Sell National Geographic And Freeform To A+E Networks

Ever since back in July 2023, in an interview with CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger left an option open to sell some of its TV assets, including ESPN, ABC, and more. Now we have a new report that Disney may have a buyer in mind for some of its networks, including Freeform and National Geographic.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Disney has completed its review of its cable networks and has decided which ones it wants to sell. According to this report, three networks are seen as the most profitable to Disney, including ABC, FX, and the Disney Channel. These channels produce a lot of content not just for cable TV but also for its streaming service, Disney+.

According to this report, Disney is considering selling some of its smaller networks, including Freeform and National Geographic to A+E Network. This deal will let Disney keep partial ownership of these networks as A+E Networks is already a joint effort between Disney and Hearst.

This sale would let Disney break free of the high costs of these networks and remove them from their books. At the same time, keeping the door open for any potential profits from these networks. This is very similar to what AT&T did by spinning off DIRECTV but still keeping a majority ownership.

A+E Networks is a 50/50 split between Disney and Hearst Communications. In the past A+E Networks was also owned by NBCUniversal, but they sold their share to Dinsey and Hearst in July of 2012. Hearst and Disney also share ownership of ESPN, with Hearst being a minority owner.

Excluding ESPN, Disney saw TV network revenue drop 9.1% in the 4th quarter of 2023. Cutting some unprofitable networks like Freeform could help Disney reduce these losses on its books.

News Shorts: Fireman Renewed For Season 16 On JimJam And e.tv, History Channel Unveils It's Early 2024 Lineup Across Africa And A Magical Love Story Takes Up Primetime On Star Life (Divya Drishti Cancelled)

Fireman Sam renewed for 16th season

New international distribution deals have also been secured for previous seasons of both shows, which are based on Mattel brands, with the greenlights and distribution deals part of a multi-year co-development, production, distribution and licensing agreement between Mattel and WildBrain.

Fireman Sam will return in a new 26 x 10-minute season, which is scheduled to begin delivery in spring 2024. The new season is currently in production at WildBrain’s Vancouver animation studio.

Showmax secured Fireman Sam for S11-15 plus Heroes of the Storm and Alien Alert specials with e.tv securing the first two seasons while JimJam a pay-tv channel only picked up one season to the program.

History unveils its January lineup

Brand New Episodes HISTORY’S GREATEST MYSTERIES WITH LAURENCE FISHBURNE S4

6 January 

Saturdays 20h15 

The second instalment of season 4 of History’s Greatest Mysteries With Laurence Fishburne, cont nues to examine the top theories surrounding the world’s most confounding unsolved mysteries. In these episodes Fishburne turns the microscope on what secrets Stonehenge might hold and another archaeological enigma, the ‘Nazca Lines’ which are 2,000-year-old geoglyphs in the Peruvian desert. Fishburne, together with top historians, authors, scient sts, and researchers, invest gates enigmas such as Cleopatra’s missing tomb and the lost gold of WWII. Repeat: Sundays 19h25

Brand New & Exclusive SECRETS IN THE ICE S3

16 January 

Tuesdays 19h25 

Secrets In The Ice S3 goes to the most remote, cold, and inhospitable places on the planet to reveal great mysteries that were once frozen in t me. Merging CGI re-creat ons, advanced scanning technology and scient fi c research, the series invest gates many curiosit es that have been lost for millennia, or never seen before. Secrets In The Ice explores how and why they ended up in the most desolate and distant corners of the planet, and contemplate what may st ll be concealed in the frozen depths. Repeat: Next Day 11h45

Brand New & Exclusive CURSE OF OAK ISLAND S11

26 January 

Fridays 20h15 

The hit series The Curse of Oak Island returns for season 11, with the Lagina brothers’ boldest plans yet to solve the 228-year-old treasure mystery. Cont nued dig eff orts take place within the infamous Money Pit, Lot 5 and beyond while stunning discoveries cont nue to be unearthed on Oak Island. Addit onally, the team’s research leads them to embark on a journey overseas that will off er new and shocking evidence that could fi nally connect the Knights Templar to the centuries long tale. Is this the year that marks the end of the world’s longest treasure hunt? Repeats: Mondays 12h35

Star Life cutting back on shows

Star Life is an international entertainment channel operated by Disney Star which is home to variety of English dubbed Bollywood series and movies. The channel currently offers 13 TV series which is somewhat around the range of its premium counterpart, StarPlus.

Last month, it was announced that Star Life would be rolling out its third supernatural drama Divya Drishti in place of Night Of Doom in its conflicted primetime schedule serving as one of the few 45 minute offerings on the channel as the latter is padded with 21 minute shows.

As seen through an updated EPG, the current rebroadcast of A Magical Love Story will also be airing at 23:00 once Night Of Doom ends on 13 November. Theoretically, it is believed that Divya Drishti could commence in 2024 perhaps in place of Mismatched.

Interesting to note, A Magical Love Story will be ending soon so maybe Mismatched moves to 23:00 as Divya Drishti takes up the 22:00 timeslot.

New Series Alert: Skerpioen Coming Soon To kykNET & Kie

kykNET & Kie, a general entertainment channel operated by M-Net on MultiChoice's DStv that is home to variety of made for TV films and series all of which are Afrikaans will be rolling out their next international drama in the coming weeks titled, Skerpioen (Akerp).

The series follows the struggle of two women who are fighting today with what happened in the past. The fight between two women will be on the screen in the series. Furthermore, the concepts of love, betrayal, and motherhood will lock the audience to the screens.

Skerpioen was broadcast on Star TV from December 11, 2020 to June 17, 2021 with a total of 26 episodes each with a two duration. Produced by Inter Medya, it starred Demet Akbağ, Evrim Alasya, Yusuf Çim, Bekir Aksoy, Taha Baran Özbek, Aslı Melisa Uzun and Müge Su Şahin.

It will rollout across Africa on kykNET & Kie from Mondays to Thursdays at 20:00 CAT replacing Verbode Liefde once it ends on 28 November with the new series to follow on 29 November.

The series broadcaster Star TV is home to various shows already viewed in South Africa on eExtra's Kuiertyd and kykNET including Droomvelore (Erkenci Kus), Die Vertroueling (Marasli), Deur Dik En Dun (Istanbullu Gelin) and Kind Van Die Noodlot (Kaderimin Yazildigi Gün).

Recap To The Year: Checkered Past, A Forgotten Chapter In Cartoon Network's History

Checkered Past is a weeknight programming block currently viewed on Cartoon Network. I regard it as the international counterpart of Boing and Boomerang as the block features classic series like Ed Edd'n Eddy, Johnny Bravo, The From Adventures Of Billy And Mandy and Samurai Jack.

Since its inception from last month, Warner Bros. Discovery hasn't spoken about duplicating the offering in other countries. Can't really say I'm surprised as this content has it's own channel and some parts of Europe don't really acknowledge this part of Cartoon Network.

But I on the other would have loved to see more variety on Cartoon Network with or without Checkered Past. I feel Warner Bros. Discovery in these regions are just modernising as children still watch television in these regions unlike the US where adults dominate TV.

Something I've seen in some parts of Europe would be restrictions to shows like Samurai Jack and The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy. While the main feed can still be seen airing these shows others have gone as far as banning them for depicting violence or horror.

But hey it's kind of weird how this entertainment can have its own channel in some of these regions and be catered to the same demographic as Cartoon Network. Instead of falling under Adult Swim as viewers to have viewed had grown overtime with some exploring other interests.

For those in the mood for 90s and early 00s Cartoon Network, there's always Boing and Boomerang but majority of content can be streamed these days on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Showmax in case you find yourself in a situation where you reside in a region without Max then always VPN.