SABC "Officially" Launches Its 24 Hour Sports Channel, Could More Platforms Add It Soon?


On Thursday night, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, hosted a live broadcast of the official launch of its Sports Channel, following the successful soft launch of its 24 Hour Sports Channel on the SABC DTT service, the Openview set-top-box and the TelkomONE mobile streaming platform in April 2021. This launch will also feature Team SAs announcement of the second team squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games on the Sports Channel.

The event was live yesterday on SABC Sport Channel on Openview 124, the SABC’s DTT service and TelkomONE’s mobile platform from 19:00. In addition, the public can view the launch live on Youtube on SABC Sport Channel.

The live broadcast of Team SA’s announcement of the second team squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games will be carried on the public broadcaster’s free to air channel SABC 2 at 20h00.

Mr. Gary Rathbone – GM: SABC Sport stated that “SABC Sport has always been the ultimate sporting home to the nation and has brought to South Africa unforgettable sporting events over the years. We are excited that as SABC Sport we will be part of the historic moment of unveiling the athletes who will be proudly representing the nation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. For the public broadcaster, we are aware of the role we also play in touching the hearts and minds of the public. Through the events we showcase on the SABC platforms, we want to inspire up-and-coming athletes in the various sporting disciplines to reach for their dreams”.

Mr. Rathbone further commented “Our newly launched Sports channel on the DTT, Openview and TelkomONE platforms, must also be commended. Since the Channel became operational in April this year, its audience figures have been positive, with latest TAMS figure showing a total reach of over 2 million, a 5% share of the National Television Market. On Openview alone, the channel has established itself amongst the top 10 on the bouquet, with a total reach of over 1.4 million, representing a 24% share of the Openview market. This is really positive start for an exciting new Sport Channel that South Africans will be able to access without needing to pay a subscription”.

The SABC Sport Channel is committed to providing compelling and exciting local and international sporting content for all sports loving South Africans.

SABC Sport is notably absent from MultiChoice's DStv and from StarTimes' StarSat satellite pay-TV services, with the SABC that wants to create and build its own televised sports channel brand similar to MultiChoice's long-running SuperSport brand.

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July 2021 On Da Vinci Kids Africa | 2 New Series | 1 Returning Series | Olympic Games Special | Continuing Programmes


Kids Programmes – Premieres
A Week to Beat the World – BRAND-NEW
From July 19th   
Monday to Friday 17:30
Six super sporty kids are on an adventure around the world to see if they can compete in some of the toughest, most unusual sports on the planet.

Family Programmes – Premieres
Xploration Awesome Planet – NEW SEASON
From July 19th   
Monday to Friday 21:00
In Xploration Awesome Planet, Phillippe Cousteau Jr., grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, explores the most spectacular places - on the earth, inside the earth, and above the earth. Why are pollinators so important and how do horseshoe crabs migrate?

Adult Programmes – Premieres
The Truth About Sugar – BRAND-NEW
Sunday, July 11th at 22:00
Fiona Phillips and four volunteers investigate what sugar does to our bodies and what the health benefits of cutting back actually are. Fascinating science and human drama combine as the truth about sugar turns out to be quite surprising!

The Truth About Carbs – BRAND-NEW
Sunday, July 18th at 22:00
Packed full of handy tips and enriched with cutting-edge science, self-professed carbohydrate-lover Dr. Xand Van Tulleken examines whether it’s still possible to eat carbs, but in a way that’s much healthier for us.

The Truth About Stress – BRAND-NEW
Sunday, July 25th at 22:00
In this hour long film, Fiona Phillips, no stranger to stress herself, and three stressed out volunteers, embark on a unique experiment to put stress to the test and understand it as never before.

Special Highlight
Olympic Games 2021 Special
Saturday, July 24th
From 16:45 to 21:00
16:45 Odd Squad – O Games
17:05 That’s Cool! - Why Does Your Heart Beat Faster When You Do Sports?
17:10 When I Grow Up - Sports Statistician
17:20 World Ahoy - The Olympic Games
17:25 Did I Mention Invention? - Ski Jump Slip n Slide
17:45 Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch - The US Sportsday
18:00 Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch - The Number One Sport
18:15 Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch - The Coolest Sport in LA
18:35 Horrible Histories – Outrageous Olympics
19:05 Horrible Histories - Strange Sports and Roman Emperors
19:35 Horrible Histories - The Horrible Histories Sports Special
20:05 Xploration Awesome Planet - Sports & The Environment
20:30 Did You Know? - The Incredible Impact of Sport

Continuing Programmes
Do You Know? – NEW EPISODES
Saturdays & Sundays 14:30
Xploration DIY SCI – NEW EPISODES
Fridays 16:00
Operation Ouch! - Do Try This at Home – NEW EPISODES
Saturdays & Sundays 14:00

Early Morning with Da Vinci
Every day from 06:00
06:00 Art with Mati and Dada
06:15 Mily Miss Questions
06:30 Siesta Z
06:45 The Treehouse Stories
07:00 PinCode
08:00 The Fixies
08:15 Darwin & Newts
08:45 Gastroblast

Da Vinci Kids is available on DStv, GOtv and StarTimes (Starsat)

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- July on Nickelodeon, Nicktoons and Nick Jr
- New African animated projects greenlit by Disney
- Is BBC Kids launching in Africa?
- Cartoon Network greenlit first African animated superhero series
- Nickelodeon returns to e.tv (updated)
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Upcoming programming for the Disney Channels

Could Warner Bros. Discovery Form A New Kids Brand?


Warner Bros. Discovery is the name of Discovery Inc. and WarnerMedia's joint company which is set to take into effect mid 2022.

This new company will see the likes of Cartoon Network, Toonami, Cartoonito and Boomerang clash with Discovery Family (the international counterpart of Discovery Kids).

Discovery Inc. hosts a bunch of brands such as Discovery Channel, Food Network and Discovery Science. These brands provide shows such as Mythbusters, Chopped and Battlebots. Some of these shows even got spinoffs targeted towards children.

Now this merge could see the launch of another block or channel which carries the best in factual, lifestyle and educational programming known as Discovery Kids.

Discovery Kids would also offers shows such as How It's Made, Bear Grylls' Ultimate Survival School, Kids Do The Craziest Things, Mythbusters Jr and many more. Perhaps even conjure up series under Discovery's other brands like TLC and HGTV.

WarnerMedia talked about adding more variety in the kids area what better way to do it then with Discovery Kids. Some countries could supply it through Cartoon Network, Boing and Cartoonito while others could add the brand as a standalone channel perhaps in the place of Discovery Family.

Read Also:
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- Cartoon Network orders it's first African superhero animated series
- FOX might be rebranding soon
- MultiChoice announce new kids shows
- June on Cartoon Network and Boomerang (updated)
Africa might be losing more Disney Channels
June on Da Vinci Kids
Upcoming programming for Disney Channel and Disney Junior
June on Nicktoons and Nick Jr

The Final Season Of Deur Dik En Dun Airs On e.tv In July


After 4 month holiday, e.tv decided to air the final season of Dr. Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu’s TV adaptation with a different name, Deur Dik En Dun starring Özcan Deniz and Aslı Enver.

Deur Dik En Dun follows Süreyya, a young and beautiful singer, involves to the life of rooted Boran family of Bursa as a wife of the oldest son Faruk and all the family's secrets begins to uncover. Faruk is the owner of a bus company and the leader of a powerful family in Bursa which is a metro-pol in Turkey. In season 3, they are going to face Adem and takes back what's theirs.

Don't miss the third and final season of Deur Dik En Dun weekdays at 17:30 on e.tv and four hours later on eExtra from 12 July.

Read Also:
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- Could Openview be the reason for SABC Education's delay on both DStv and StarSat (updated 25 July)

Dizi might return to DStv 
- MacGyver returns to e.tv
- e.tv is filming a new boxing drama
- House Of Zwide replaces Rhythm City
- 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

The Red Room Returns To SABC 3 Alongside The Second Season Of The Longest Date


SABC 3 will be launching the second season of the reality show, The Longest Date and relaunching the Turkish drama, The Red Room which was unexpectedly pulled from the channel after a few episodes.

For those who've forgotten, The Red Room revolve around a psychological clinic, and the stories and attitudes of a group of psychiatric patients who frequent it, and who lived different events between pain and joy, narrated by one of the psychiatrists who own the clinic, supervising their follow-up and trying to treat them while the second season of The Longest Date, 16 contestants compete to find love and win 100 000.

The Red Room replaces The Bay weekdays at 19:30 after The Estate from 2nd July while the second season of The Longest Date airs at 21:00 from 26th July.

Read Also:
- Could Openview be the reason for SABC Education's delay on both DStv and StarSat (updated 25 July)
- SABC and e.tv's ratings for May
- eReality is getting local reality shows
- Is SABC reviving the encore channel for OpenView?

Dizi might return to DStv 
- MacGyver returns to e.tv
- Is e.tv becoming another SABC?
- e.tv is filming a new boxing drama
- SABC to launch a streaming service
- House Of Zwide replaces Rhythm City
- 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
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?
Current status of TV licence
SABC planning to reduce Muvhango