Reminder: Property Brother's Suppliers Content Will Stop Airing On The Home Channel Once Their Contract Expires, Will Air Exclusively On HGTV

In 2019, Warner Bros. Discovery launched HGTV on the DStv platform across Africa offering content about home improvement, do-it-yourself house renovations, design, real estate. The brand once operated as a block through Travel Channel.

HGTV ended 2018 as the 4th most watched pay-TV channel in the United States where it is the leading home and lifestyle channel and often gets cited by pay-TV subscribers as one of the "must-keep channels" and one of the reasons why viewers pay for subscription television.

Before HGTV, The Home Channel a local competitor from the Tiso Blackstar Group, has been acquiring and showing a broad slate of programming produced by HGTV for years, like the popular Property Brothers fronted by the twin brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott.

In an interview with former president of Discovery Inc. (now Warner Bros Discovery) for Europe and Africa revealed that existing deals will continue on smoothly but once they run out all the content will be available exclusively on HGTV as they can get a bit jealous when other stations air their content.

For those who can't afford HGTV, Real Time is available on the Easyview platform for as little as R30p/m even if you're not getting the latest shows or even the full HGTV lineup it's better than nothing.

Although, The Home Channel will no longer air the best of HGTV viewers can still tune into other content like Real Health, Gardening 101,Home Of The Year, Dream Gardens and Designing Homes With Bill Bensley.

Channel Updates: Southern African Broadcasting Entities Strengthen Cooperation Towards The Launch Of SADC TV + MultiChoice Opens 1Magic And ESPN 2 To Their DStv Compact Customers For Almost Two Months

SADC TV channel in development

The President of the Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABA), Stanley Benjamin Similo, together with the Secretary-General, Cecil Jarurakouje Nguvauva, met the Group Chief Executive Officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Madoda Mxakwe – accompanied by some SABC Executive Management – to discuss critical issues about the advancement of broadcasting services and the media industry in Southern Africa. Especially with the planned launch of the SADC TV and the SABA Convention and Annual General Meeting events that are upcoming later in the year.

Both the SABA and the SABC leadership agreed that broadcasters in the region need to align their strategies and the way they do things and conduct their broadcast business with the changing media landscape in order to satisfy the needs of their audience.

The meeting concluded that the partnering regional broadcasters and the Association should also look to enter into a specific agreement to identify critical areas of interest to focus on in the immediate and distant future.

Furthermore, the meeting resolved that the upcoming launch of the SADC TV Channel in Windhoek, Namibia, and the 29th SABA AGM (Annual General Meeting), set to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, will become top priority for the Association and their partners this year.

More drama coming to DStv

Last month, MultiChoice scrapped the 4 e.tv channels from the DStv platform with Openview being the only outlet to view the channels. Alongside the e.tv channels were Lifetime with ITV Networks and fliekNET joining soon.

DStv customers haven't been taking the demise of the e.tv channels so well with several either downgrading, cancelling or complaining about their displeasure with the entertainment offering.

As reported during the week, MultiChoice will be opening up 1Magic and ESPN 2 to DStv Compact customers until 24 July probably feeling guilty for adding something on bouquets lower than that package and even more for not adding anything on platforms higher.

MultiChoice will be rolling out several channels in the near future including a replacement to ITV Networks and second movie channel to replace the eMovies alongside lifestyle channel NHK World Japan and 3 SABC channels.

New Channel Alert (Rumour): Hilaal TV, The Best Islamic Channel In Africa Is Coming Soon To DStv

In April, MultiChoice operated a Muslim based pop-up channel Ramadan TV which was open as part of a celebration of the same name to all their DStv customers showcasing live and melodious recitations from the Quran alongside other content.

Last month, MultiChoice announced the discontinuation of ITV Networks which came at a time consumers lost e.tv's 4 channels and Lifetime with fliekNET set to join the following month. They also promised to announce a portion of these channels in due course.

With only a few weeks left of ITV, it looks as if MultiChoice already found a candidate to the supposed channel which most assumed would be the UK based Islam Channel which ITV took over in 2008 for viewers in South Africa.

But it turns out that a permanent version of the Ramadan TV might be launching on the DStv platform as MultiChoice list a bunch of content formerly seen on the pop-up including Tafseer Of Surah Kahf By Sheikh Suliman Moola and Live Crossing For Zohr From Madinah Munawwarah.

This pop-up won't be called Ramadan TV but instead Hilaal TV likely the ones responsible for this pop-up channel which kind of brings several theories into question.

Is it possible Ramadan TV was just an experimental channel for Hilaal TV and was ITV Networks demise planned close to the launch of Ramadan TV?

Judging by the info presented I'm guessing that Hilaal TV will also be accessible to viewers outside South Africa unlike ITV Networks which was region based and will likely take up the channel number 346 and 347 is already occupied by Islam Channel in the rest of Africa.

Roundups #64: House Of Dragons Coming Soon To M-Net, Tiny Homes Returns For A Twenty Second Season On People's Weather And Disney Channel Africa Welcomes The Third Season Of Walk The Prank

Some details regarding M-Net's much anticipated GOT spinoff

Set two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen, the events leading up to the Targaryen civil war, known as the "Dance of the Dragons", and the war itself.

It is a prequel to the television series Game of Thrones and is based on Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood. The project is a reworking of the rejected spin-off concept from Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman, on which HBO officially passed.

The series will debut on August 21st in the United States and M-Net will likely air it as an Express From The U.S. title.

People's Weather primetime lineup for June 13th

18:30
Sailing Mokara
Explore the beautiful tropical islands, diving colourful reefs to get dinner, socialising with other cruising families, marvelling at the night sky and having front row seats to the most amazing sunsets.

19:00
Tiny Homes Season 22
Discover the dwellings of those who choose to live in tiny houses, vans, RVs, and boats; and people who are exploring long-term travel, minimalism, zero waste living, renewable energy and living off-grid.

19:30
Ironvan Adventures
Dirk Smit and Alti Fouché are adventure travel filmmakers with a passion for wildlife, conservation, hidden treasures and interesting people...Join them as they travel Southern Africa, capturing their journey in the Ironvan, a formidable overlanding beast proudly powered by Ironman 4x4 Africa.

Some Disney XD faves are back on Disney Channel

2 years ago, The Walt Disney Company ripped away Disney XD from African audiences with very little content available on the Disney Channel.

For several months, Disney Channel had begun to zombify their lineup mostly with past XD shows like Guardians Of The Galaxy, Big City Greens, Lab Rats and DuckTales with newcomer Walk The Prank.

Set to be on its third season from 13 June, the prank show follows Herman, Chance, Bailey, and Dusty, who set up elaborate pranks and find real people to perform the pranks on. Their pranks usually involve supernatural, scary, funny or gross elements.

Pierre Branco Appointed General Manager, France, Benelux And Africa, Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery today announced that Pierre Branco has been appointed General Manager, France, Benelux and Africa, Warner Bros. Discovery. He will continue to report to Priya Dogra, President and Managing Director, EMEA (ex Poland). In this role Pierre Branco will be responsible for Warner Bros. Discovery’s combined businesses working in close coordination with the company’s global functions across Streaming, Sport, US Programming, and the Studio and for each line of business, developing territory-specific strategies to drive growth and efficiencies. These include pay and FTA networks, leading significant efforts in marketing and monetising US content across lines of business including theatrical, licensing, consumer products, games and home entertainment and shared responsibility for the streaming services.

 

Priya Dogra, President and Managing Director, EMEA (ex Poland), said: “Pierre is an accomplished leader with a deep understanding and experience of these markets where he has already played a pivotal role in driving strategic business decisions. I am confident that his strong leadership and strategic acumen will continue to drive our businesses forward and connect our beloved brands and consumers in these important and competitive marketplaces.”

Pierre Branco said: "I am enormously proud to be part of this new chapter of Warner Bros. Discovery. I look forward to building on the legacy and values that have made both companies so successful in these regions, and to contribute to building the world’s most dynamic media company in these important markets. The opportunity to lead these fantastic teams is very exciting and I can’t wait to get started.”

 

Most recently, Branco was Country Manager for France, Benelux, Middle East and Africa and Head of Affiliates and Ad Sales for EMEA at WarnerMedia. During his 15 years at the company, he has held a number of roles across Europe, Middle East and Africa including SVP Northern Europe, MENAT, France & Africa and VP & General Manager France and Africa. In these roles, he significantly grew the company’s business and launched new brands in the region: Boing, Toonami and Warner TV.