Genius Brands Launches Their Very Own Kiddies Channel Online, Will DStv Or StarSat Perhaps Get It?

Former Fox Kids Networks head Margaret Loesch and former Disney exec David Neuman are to be tasked with growing the soon-to-launch kids OTT.

Genius Brands International announced two new hires as it prepares to launch its upcoming digital channel. Former Fox Kids Networks Worldwide president and CEO Margaret Loesch was named executive chairman of the California-based company’s upcoming Kartoon Channel!, and former Disney Television president David Neuman takes the role of chief creative officer.

Loesch previously held roles with Marvel Productions and The Jim Henson Company. She has also served on Genius Brands’ board of directors since 2016. Neuman, meanwhile, joins Genius Brands from media company Happs, a live-streaming news app. He previously served as president of Walt Disney Television from 1996 to 1998.

In their new roles, Loesch and Neuman will be responsible for building viewership, market share and advertising demand for Kartoon Channel! as well as attracting creative content. Neuman will work closely with Caroline Tyre, who was hired by Genius Brands as SVP of international distribution in June 2019.

Kartoon Channel! will launch in the US on June 15 and target kids ages two to 11. More than 4,000 episodes from shows including Baby Genius, Shark Academy, Dino the Dinosaur and Super Geek Heroes will be available on the channel. The OTT channel will not require a subscription, and will be available through a number of platforms, including Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Roku, among others.

SABC Envisioned Plan For DTT And OpenView Rise To Glory

Back in the early 2000s SABC and e.tv had plans to launch their own STB which included more channels from these rivals and also more choice in what to watch.

SABC DTT plans started out with 18 channels you had: SABC 1-3, SABC 4, SABC 5, SABC Sports, SABC Movies, SABC Education, SABC News, a children's channel, a SMME channel, a health channel, a parliamentary channel, a music channel, a history channel and timeshift channels (1 show air an hour later).

While e.tv envisioned having 18 channels and never stated how many of these channels will be supplied by them.

Even though only 2 managed to materialize with 1 still on a test phase, SABC was likely to go bankrupt with all these channels in place even if pay platforms were to carry parts of these channels it wouldn't do much to keep all of them since they're likely to waste a fortune trying to build content for these channels.

Back in 2013/4, SABC former CEO Hlaudi implemented a 90% quota on their channels which led to a decrease in viewership particularly on SABC 3 and a loss of income. Due to this local quota most companies severed ties with the station even Disney was part of the back giving SABC access to 10% of the content with e.tv gaining the rest of it. They tried reducing the quota to 80% but that didn't work out for them.

Now imagine if that quota never existed and SABC managed to get all 18 channels running. The problem here would be the amount of money they'll waste on local content. It's proven to be challenging for the SABC to supply local programming on 3 channels imagine doing that with 18 channels especially if you don't charge monthly fees and most of your viewers don't pay TV licence.

e.tv also had plans to grow their channel lineup. They started with eMovies+, eToonz+, eAfrica+ and eKasi+ so far only the first two survived with newcomers eExtra, eReality, News&Sports and Rewind. Back then they had OpenView and their main concern was quantity so they added a bunch of crappy channels and hoped viewers would be glued to their screens that was not until 2017 came that they were more concerned about entertainment which led to decrease of channels in order to give better programming. Along the way they were struggling to make some doe and the viewership was weak so they added some of their channels on DStv for more income and viewership.

Since then, OpenView has managed to get their platform in 2 million homes and it famous in neighbouring countries that people there are using it illegally in order to avoid the entertainment available in their countries. It has become a charity case but this is to ensure that viewers get more entertainment on the platform.

If SABC got 18 of these channels running by now they would have scrapped a couple of them like SABC 4 & 5, children, SMME, movies and music which would bring them to a total of 10 channels. Even though they rely on funding and partnerships, those partnerships are likely to dissolve and those funders are likely going to take their money elsewhere. In the end, SABC new proposed channels are just the useful and not entertaining batch of channels which include education, sports, health, parliamentary and if possible history running which shows that they're trying to the PBS of South Africa. They're struggling to keep viewers glued to their screens so they want channels that other people will see useful in their everyday lives.

SABC Sports might be used to get new faces in sports another use for the channel is to help minimise disruption of sports on the main channels, Parliamentary might be the toughest one for them since it's not another channel for recycled goods, Health and if possible History will curved through partnerships since there's less content in these fields while archived Education channel is just a reruns channel in partnership with the department of education.

July 2020 On Disney XD Africa | Disney's 11 | Stunt | Endless Phineas And Ferb

DISNEY’S 11
Every episode ever
Daily from 1st July to 4th September at 11:00

July sees a big treat for fans of Disney XD’s popular football series Disney’s 11, with every episode ever airing from 1st July. There are three episodes every day from 11:00, repeated at 19:00.

The series tells the story of Gabo Moreti, a teenager with a passion for soccer, who lived with his grandmother in a small town, Álamo Seco. His soccer skills did not go unnoticed by Francisco, head coach of the prestigious Instituto Académico Deportivo (IAD), who decided to grant him a scholarship. The series follows his career at the academy, and the fortunes of his team.

Every episode ever of Disney’s 11 airs on Disney XD on weekdays throughout July, with three episodes a day, starting on 1st July at 11:00 and repeated at 19:00.

DISNEY XD’S SPECIAL BLOCK
Programming event
Weekdays from Monday 13th July from 09:00 to 17:00

Disney XD is kicking off the entertainment with a block of episodes of top shows, every weekday from Monday 13th July, between 09:00 and 17:00.

This immensely entertaining selection of episodes features such popular shows as Phineas and Ferb, Supa Strikas, Lab Rats (including Lab Rats: Elite Force), Big City Greens and DuckTales.
Tune in to Disney XD, for our special programming block every weekday from Monday 13th July, between 09:00 and 17:00.

PHINEAS AND FERB
Every episode ever
Weekends throughout July from 12:30 to 16:05

Perenially popular characters Phineas and Ferb are much loved by Disney XD viewers. Now there is a chance to see every episode of their adventures ever made, in our great new weekend event. Every Saturday and Sunday there is a special block of back to back shows from 12:30 to 16:05, starting with a special on Saturday at 12:30.

The series follows the adventures of Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother, Ferb Fletcher. Each day, the boys and their friends take on some ambitious new project, sometimes to help someone in need, but often just to create some fun. This annoys the boys' sister, Candace, who constantly attempts to get them in trouble by revealing their actions to her mother. Meanwhile, across town, the wannabe-evil scientist Dr. Doofenshmirtz continually attempts to take over the Tri-State area with his various “inator” devices, and Perry the Platypus, the boys' pet and a secret agent, consistently foils his plans on behalf of the O.W.C.A and his commanding officer, Major Mongram. At the end of each episode, the two plots intersect to erase all traces of the boys' project just before Candace can successfully show it to her mother.

In the first of this month’s specials, The Summer Belongs to You (Saturday 4th July at 12:30) Candace is put in charge of Phineas and Ferb while their parents go away on vacation. When she discovers that Phineas and Ferb are going to travel around the world to make the longest day of summer even longer, Candace, against her better judgment, goes along. Buford, Baljeet and Isabella join the trio as they travel to Japan, then France, where they learn in their own way how to believe in the impossible.

Every episode ever of Phineas and Ferb is airing on Disney XD at weekends throughout July from 12:30 to 16:05, starting with a special on Saturday at 12:30.

July 2020 On Disney Junior Africa | Repeats & Repeats

STUNTS
Programming event
Daily throughout July
weekdays: 09:00-15:30 weekends: 11:00-15:00

Disney Junior has plenty of fun-filled shows to keep viewers entertained. We have lots of super specials and blocks of episodes featuring favourite shows every weekday from 09:00 to 15:30 and at weekends from 11:00 to 15:00.

On weekdays we have one of our top specials every day at 09:00. Each week features one or two favourite characters, ranging from Mickey Mouse and P. J. Masks to The Lion Guard and Doc McStuffins. During the first week, as just one of the five great specials that week, we have Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Super Adventure (2nd July). In the second week there’s The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar (10th July), the third week sees Sofia The First – The Floating Palace (13th July), the fourth week has P.J. Masks: Teamwork (21st July) and the last week of the month features P.J. Masks: P.J. Robot (29th July).

Following the specials every weekday are blocks of top shows back-to-back from 10:00 to 15:30. For the first two weeks an episode of Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures can be seen either side of these blocks, which showcase T.O.T.S. and Bluey, P.J. Masks and Fancy Nancy Clancy. Following weeks see other shows featured, including Vampirina.

Weekends follow a similar pattern, with specials at 11:00, followed by blocks of episodes of top shows from 12:00 to 15:30. For the first three weeks the special is followed by six episodes of Doc McStuffins (Saturday) and Vampirina (Sunday). The last two weeks of the month see Sofia the First and Fancy Nancy Clancy take over on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

July is certainly a fun and action-packed month on Disney Junior, with our super stunts containing specials and blocks of top shows every weekday from 09:00 and at weekends from 11:00 to 15:00.

July 2020 On Disney Channel Africa | Gabby Duran And The Unsittables | DCOM | I Didn't Do It

GABBY DURAN AND THE UNSITTABLES
Series premiere
Weekdays from Monday 27th July at 16:35

July sees the launch of a brand new series on Disney Channel, featuring the adventures of a very unusual babysitter! Premiere episodes of Gabby Duran and the Unsittables air on weekdays from Monday 27th July at 16:35.

Gabby Duran constantly feels like she’s living in the shadows of her uber-polished, successful mother Dina, and whip-smart younger sister Olivia. But Gabby finally finds her moment to shine when she lands an out-of-this-world job babysitting an unruly group of very important extraterrestrial children who are hiding out on Earth. Fearless and unapologetically bold, Gabby steps up to the challenge to prove she’s the best babysitter in the galaxy. In the second premiere episode Wesley and the Fischman (Tuesday 28th July at 16:35) Gabby must choose between keeping her new secret alien-babysitting gig a secret or risking it all by confiding in her extra-terrestrial obsessed best friend Wesley.

Premiere episodes of Gabby Duran and the Unsittables air on weekdays from Monday 27th July at 16:35, on Disney Channel.

DISNEY CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIES
Fridays throughout July at 17:00

Great news! This July we continue June’s treat for movie fans – the chance to see a classic Disney Channel Original Movie every Friday at 17:00, repeated on Saturday at 10:40.

The season starts with High School Musical 2 (Friday 3rd July), continues with How to Build a Better Boy (Friday 10th July), Good Luck Charlie – A Road Trip Movie (Friday 17h July), 18 Wishes (24th July) and. Last but never least, we have Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure (Friday 31st July).

In How to Build a Better Boy (Friday 10th July at 17:00), science and math tests are no sweat for Gabby Harrison and Mae Hartley, but fitting in at school doesn't come as naturally. Using design software that belongs to Mae's father, the girls engineer a high-definition version of Mae's fake boyfriend, Albert, who she's dreamt up as everything a high school girl could want in a guy. However, when Albert comes to life as an advanced robotic soldier, the two best friends soon learn that Mae's father works for a top secret military branch, which is now in pursuit of Gabby and Mae, as well as Albert, to ensure he doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

Fans have a chance to see these great Disney Channel Original Movies again on Fridays throughout July at 17:00, repeated on the following Saturday at 10:40.

I DIDN’T DO IT
Weekdays from 6th July at 18:40

July offers viewers a chance to see top Disney Channel comedy series I Didn’t Do It from the beginning, as it airs on weekdays throughout the month, from Monday 6th July, at 18:40.

I Didn’t Do It tells of the hilarious twists and turns in the lives of five teenagers – ultra-competitive fraternal twins and their three best friends. Each episode begins at the end of a predicament, just after an adventure has gone absurdly haywire, and just as twins Lindy and Logan and their friends Jasmine, Garrett and Delia somehow try to explain - with flashback scenes - exactly what happened! In the first episode, Pilot (Monday 6th July at 18:40), Lindy and Logan's parents wonder why the house is covered in foam, why a pizza is falling from the ceiling, how a goat got into the house and what happened to the babysitter?

Episodes of I Didn’t Do It air on weekdays throughout July at 18:40 on Disney Channel.