Insidus

Update On The 3 Pop-Up Channels On DStv

MultiChoice currently has 3 pop-up channels operating on the platform with the 4th which is on StarTimes being disqualified earlier in the year. These remaining channels could be permanent additions at the same time it could be the end.

ZooMoo is calling it quits on DStv as the channel is scheduled to close by the end of June after its 3 month extension. MultiChoice has sent a channel termination notice onto viewer's screens. If they reconsider its best to place it on a much cheaper package so that it can gain more awareness.

tvN is the now the second pop-up channel to recieve an extension on DStv unlike ZooMoo it's staying for only a month. They've unveiled a bunch of shows coming to the channel the one I'd look out for next month is Memorist, Tomorrow With You, Mr. Queen and The Sixth Sense.

TLNovelas is currently the longest pop-up channel on DStv launching in September of last year with its demise scheduled for August. There's a bunch of titles to look forward to on the channel including Secrets At The Hotel and Single Dad's Club. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if they kept it. There hasn't been a lot of new channels this year.

Dizi is safely tucked on StarTimes after its dramatic removal from DStv. The feed currently seen on StarTimes somehow got the DStv feed meaning all shows are repeats until the end of August or September giving MultiChoice enough time to pick it up. (Note that I updated the info on the link about Dizi's termination on DStv)

WarnerMedia Is Rebranding The TNT Channels In Germany Into Warner TV, TNT Africa Might Follow Soon

WarnerMedia is giving its pay-TV channels in German-speaking countries new names. TNT Serie will become Warner TV Serie, TNT Film will become Warner TV Film and TNT Comedy will become Warner TV Comedy.

With the name change, which will take place on September 25, 2021, the channels will be clearly visible under the umbrella of the well-known US media brand Warner Bros. and should thus be perceived more strongly by subscribers, partners and advertisers as premium offerings, according to WarnerMedia.

The rebranding brings us closer to the hundred-year legacy of the Warner Bros. brand, which unmistakably stands for creative and authentic storytelling like no other in the world. Overall, it leads to a significant increase in brand awareness beyond the pay-TV sector, which in turn helps with marketing, “says Heyelmann in an interview. The Warner TV brand is already established in France, "and the TNT channels will gradually also be renamed in other European countries."

The current rebranding in Warner is a consequence of the realignment of WarnerMedia in the USA and possibly the merge of Discovery Inc. and WarnerMedia. They recently divested Great American Country to GAC Media some of its content can be seen on Real Time.

Besides that, they were rumours around the time Turner Broadcasting System rebranded into WarnerMedia that the company had plans to do away with the Turner name so far TNT, TCM and TBS all have that name through an interview TCM was considered a valuable property.

So TCM will likely join Boomerang as a brand for nostalgia while other brands like Cartoonito and Warner TV take over. There's no details on whether this will affect the United States.

Could Discovery Science Replace Discovery Family On DStv?

Earlier in the year, Discovery Family was abruptly removed after two years on StarTimes (Starsat) alongside another Discovery Channel known as Fine Living.

According to StarSat, when a content provider decides to make changes in the production of content they cannot prevent it. Since then the channel remained exclusive to DStv.

Before Discovery Family came to Starsat, there was another channel before it known as Discovery Science that featured programming focusing on the fields of wilderness survival, ufology, manufacturing, construction, technology, space, prehistory and animal science.

Basically, most of Discovery Family's current programming is available under there such as Battlebots, Food Factory, Mythbusters, Mega Machines, The Unexplained Files and Strange Evidence.

In 2018, StarTimes decided to trade a useful channel such as Discovery Science with a mass produced Discovery Family for no apparent reason now they're both gone platform is still sourcing out a possible replacement channel.

Discovery Science is currently available on TelkomOne in South Africa with Zuku TV (Kenya).

Starsat's story over the removals kind of checked out. Zuku TV also had Fine Living and it was swapped for another Discovery brand known as Real Time. So the question remains how long will Discovery Family last on DStv.

This change could have something to do with Discovery+ perhaps they're following Disney in realigning their channels so instead of having Discovery Family serving as a family friendly channel internationally and kids channel in the U.S. it will be the oldest relative that keeps the house which is the U.S. counterpart. Perhaps even Travel Channel will join it soon.

If Discovery Family got canned, Discovery Science would make a worthy replacement perhaps Real Time could reposition itself to include programs in the motor and science area and Discovery Channel opens it doors to more homes on DStv.

What If A Modernized SABC Encore Launched As The Two Channels On OpenView?

SABC and eMedia Investments reached an agreement back in March that would grant OpenView customers access to SABC's 19 radio stations alongside 3 additional channels one of which being a sports channel.

It was stated at the time that SABC Sport alongside the 19 radio stations would roll out in the month of April with the other two being carrying content from SABC archives alongside new programming being unveiled within the next 3 months being April to June likely to crossover onto July.

SABC Education was suspected to be the first one but it was stated the two would be entertainment channels besides that OpenView already has 2 other educational channels that often air the same programs.

The second rumored channel was the Encore channel formerly available on DStv but the idea from SABC was to also give these new channels some fresh content so I derived it into SABC 4 and SABC 5 channels the broadcaster initially plotted to launch before downsizing to just three channels.

Perhaps, SABC Encore a channel SABC hoped to continue on another platform could be the mysterious brand for OpenView except it won't actually return but split into two parts.

The name SABC 4 and 5 could be a better way to "label' these Encore channels.

SABC 4 would be home to all the local dramas and soapies currently seen on SABC 1-3 such as Yizo Yizo, Soul Buddy, Velaphi and Intersections while as SABC 5 will bring in factual, religious and lifestyle entertainment such as Motswako, 50/50, Voetspore and Psalted.

SABC is currently in a TV licence brawl with MultiChoice and is scheduled to also launch a streaming service later in the year with eMedia Investments launching theirs in the month of July.

Read Also:
- SABC Education's status on both DStv and StarSat
- House Of Zwide coming soon to e.tv
- e.tv to become another SABC
- Nickelodeon returns to e.tv
- Analogue TV is going off air soon, be sure to get a decoder when purchasing a TV set
- BritBox to launch in South Africa
- Is an SABC 4 and SABC 5 channel on the way?
- Details on SABC's kids brand (not SABC Education)
- Current status of TV licence
- Linear channels switch to 7 day viewing, Will SABC and e.tv viewers be able to cope

New Season Alert: MacGyver Is Back In The Third Season On e.tv

MacGyver returns on e.tv following its 2 year hiatus on the channel with the season finale of Magnum Pi scheduled to air on Friday, 25 June.

In the third season premiere of MacGyver, the character is happily taken on a new life helping a village in Nigeria, he is met by his father, who tells him Jack is in trouble. Video has surfaced of Jack working with the former leader of Belarus, whom he helped to depose and who is now trying to assemble an army to reclaim his position.

The third season debuted back in 2018 with a total number of 22 episodes on M-Net and M-Net City. Now e.tv viewers will be able to catch it weekdays at 20:30 from Monday, 28 June.

Read Also:
- e.tv is filming a new boxing drama
- eVOD launches in July, could this be the reason for the lineup changes?
- Nickelodeon returns to e.tv (updated)
- Analogue TV is going off air soon, be sure to get a decoder when purchasing a TV set
- Linear channels switch to 7 day viewing, Will SABC and e.tv viewers be able to cope
- Judge Judy seen on e.tv ending after 25 seasons
- Is an SABC 4 and SABC 5 channel on the way?
- Details on SABC's kids brand (not SABC Education)
- Other shows coming soon to eToonz?
- SABC to launch a streaming service
- Current status of TV licence
- SABC planning to reduce Muvhango