Roundups #82: Paramount Provides Outdated EPG For Nicktoons Africa, Dressed For Mourning Coming Soon To Citi TV And StarSat To Double Down On Dubs With Second Zulu Drama Series

Could Nicktoons be on the chopping block?

Although, there's no official confirmation about the channel's demise within the region. Nicktoons has been less toonie as the lineup is jam-packed with mainly current shows from Nickelodeon with a few discrepancies here and there.

Apparently, MultiChoice provides two alternate schedules of the channel same with Nick Jr. but as mentioned the discrepancies are more transparent with Nicktoons as the channel lists Program To Be Confirmed online while DStv's EPG mentions Alvin although it's Horrid Henry.

It's believed at this point that the only reason Nicktoons is just offering a duplicate selection to Nickelodeon is Paramount's way of phasing out the channel and cancelling out potential liabilities like Horrid Henry with NickMusic's fate in question.

Women In Black coming soon to Ghana

Citi TV a Ghanaian channel that features a unique blend of credible, authentic and timely news, current affairs as well as compelling non-news programming will soon introduce the rumoured TLNovelas series titled Mujeres De Negro (Dressed For Mourning).

Mujeres De Negro follows the rich coastal town of Encino Blanco, three married couples spend the weekend at Coral Beach while their husbands go on their already traditional fishing trip on a yacht. Not far from the pier, the yacht suddenly explodes. Only chips remain on the surface. In seconds they lost their husbands, and they have to go on with their lives without them...just as they planned.

The series stars Mayrín Villanueva, Alejandra Barros, Ximena Herrera and Arturo Peniche.

More local dubs are heading your way

eMedia has seen success with eExtra's Kuiertyd that it's consolidated this content onto more platforms only for MultiChoice to ramp up a similar offering on kykNET & Kie with StarTimes doing something similar which is no way competition.

Earlier in the year, StarSat launched its first Zulu dubbed show with Phillipine revenge drama Blood Sisters on St Novelas now they'll be launching a second Zulu dubbed show but this time for the channel St Rise worst part they pick Waaris (The Heir).

Waaris follows Amba, who belongs to a Punjabi family, gives birth to a girl child. However, circumstances force her to hide the gender of her baby and raise her like a boy. The series aired on Zee World, Zee One and eExtra and now it's also launching on St Rise from August 22nd.

4Racing Celebrates Women's Excellence In SA Horseracing With Special Women's Race Day

4Racing, in partnership with the Racehorse Owners Association, will celebrate women’s excellence in the sport of horseracing with a special Women’s Day race day at Turffontein this Tuesday.

Entry is free from 11am and the guest of honour will be South Africa’s only current female professional jockey Rachel Venniker - who has just been crowned the country’s champion apprentice jockey after her impressive 70 winners from 560 rides - and who will have three rides on the day.

4Racing will pay tribute to Venniker at the Turffontein race day, at which all races will honour some of the leading historic female figures in South African horseracing with the main race being the Anne Upton Memorial Handicap, named in honour of the legendary female trainer and former Summer Cup winner who passed away in June this year.

Venniker’s fine racing season and growing popularity is a major drawcard for the sport, while the recent Hollywoodbets Durban July win by respected owner and breeder Mary Slack with filly Sparkling Water was also a major female fillip for the sport.

Slack’s trailblazing mother Bridget Oppenheimer - who was a six-time July winning owner affectionately known as the “Queen Mum” of South African horseracing and who was the first female member at Turffontein - will also be acknowledged on the Women’s Day race day with Race 2 named the Bridget Oppenheimer Maiden Qualified Plate.

Races named after other leading female figures in the sport include South Africa’s first female jockey Genevieve Michel, the first trainer Hilda Knaupp and legendary Nelson Mandela Bay breeder Rose Parker. Other prominent female trainers also honoured are Jean Heming and female steward Joan Ruffel.

“4Racing has always maintained that diversity and inclusivity is key to the growth of South African horseracing and we are proud of the many female leaders in the industry who have broken barriers to play prominent and leadership roles in the industry.

We are excited to pay tribute to them with the Women’s Day race day and delighted to have Rachel Venniker as our guest of honour on the day, and to acknowledge the pioneering roles played by icons like Bridget Oppenheimer and Anne Upton. We encourage all racegoers to join us on this special day,” said 4Racing CEO Fundi Sithebe, who last year became the first female CEO of a South African horseracing operator.

Some of the other female industry figures who will participate in the day are Johannesburg-based trainers Ashley Fortune and Robyn Klaasen as well as new entrants in the horseracing sector, such as new racehorse owner Jessica Motaung, who is Kaizer Chiefs Marketing and Commercial Director.

Motaung and the CEO of Mogul Equine, Desireé De Andrade, jointly purchased a young colt Harold the Duke, who has been racing on the South African circuit.

The Women’s Day race day will be broadcast live on the country’s national horseracing channel Racing 240 on DStv Channel 240.
In the first month of audited Racing 240 viewership figures from data company Nielsen, it indicated a 48.1% female audience of the horseracing channel and nearly 250 000 female viewers of Racing 240.

The Racehorse Owners Association CEO, Natalie Turner, said its figures showed that 67% of new racehorse owners in the country are female, giving credence to the Racing 240 viewership figures.
Racing 240 will focus on prominent women in racing throughout the Women’s Month of August, including interviews with Cape trainer Candice Bass-Robinson, who became the first female trainer to win the Durban July with Marinaresco in 2017.

Top jockey turned television presenter Nadine Low Ah Kee will anchor this special Women’s Day broadcast on Racing 240.
Another female powerhouse who will be featured during Women’s Month is top owner Suzette Viljoen, a former South African Champion Owner, whose horses have performed exceptionally this season as she again features prominently in the top three owners on the Equus rankings.

As we celebrate one of the country’s most important public holidays, while paying tribute to the role and contribution of the many influential women in the South African horseracing industry, SA racing remains firmly on track to win the diversity race.

New Series Alert: Mark Moriarty: Off Duty Chef + School Night Dinners + Dream Homes Revealed Coming Soon To The Home Channel - September 2022 Highlights

Escape to the Country (S24)
New Season
Escape to the Country sets out to find the perfect home for families who are seeking to get away from city living. Each episode features one couple or family who are looking to make the escape and relocate to the country. Join the presenters on their quest to find a home that fits the bill, whilst exploring the beautiful and unique surroundings of each location. This series invites the viewer to explore what the countryside has to offer, taking them to hidden away nature reserves, captivating historical buildings and introducing them to the local wildlife.

05 September 2022 - 13 July 2023
Mon 21:00 Tue 09:00 Wed 13:00 Thu 17:00 Sat 14:00 & 21:00 Sun 09:30 & 18:00

The Gardener (S21)
If you’re looking for inspirational gardens, practical DIYs and solutions for your garden problems, then join Tanya Visser for a brand new season of The Gardener. Whether you’re into annuals, looking to maintain the perfect lawn, want to show off with spectacular orchids or garden on a small scale, The Gardener has you covered.

06 September 2022 - 02 December 2022
Tue 21:00 Wed 09:00 Thu 13:00 Fri 17:00 Sat 12:00 & 19:00 Sun 16:00 & 23:00

Interior Design Masters (S02)
New Season
This entertaining eight-part series hosted by Alan Carr, sees ten talented new designers all looking for their big break in the fast- paced world of commercial interior design. They will be competing to win a career-defining contract with one of the UK’s top boutique hotels. Design expert and former editor of Elle Decoration, Michelle Ogundehin, returns as the series judge. Every week, the designers will be set a new commercial design challenge, to take on the interiors of show homes, offices, hotels, shops, beach huts, salons, restaurants and luxury holiday villas. Their skill and expertise will hopefully create design magic to impress the discerning judges. Michelle is joined each week by a different guest expert, on hand to offer their advice and appraisal.

12 September 2022 - 6 November 2022
Mon 12:00 Tue 16:00 Thu 20:00 Fri 08:00 Sat 12:30 & 19:30 Sun 16:30 & 23:30

Mark Moriarty: Off Duty Chef (S01)
Brand New Show
Join top chef Mark as he brings a new collection of recipes to the screen in “Off Duty Chef”.
This series focuses on the techniques and tips that you’ll need to master basic recipes at home in your kitchen. Despite being a multi-award-winning chef with every ingredient at his fingertips, Mark Moriarty loves to cook simple and wholesome dishes when he’s off the clock and not in his chef whites.

13 September 2022 - 4 November 2022
Tue 18:00 Wed 23:00 Thu 10:00 Fri 14:00 Sat 07:30 Sun 14:00

School Night Dinners (S01)
Brand New Show
Remember the days of a dodgy mac and cheese around the dinner table? Hiding your peas in a napkin or feeding your pasta to the dog? We do. And we never want to go back. That's why we're bringing you School Night Dinners. Where drab meals are off the table, and healthy comes with a side of fun. With the help of Nic Chapman and Ian Haste, we're going to banish boring, one soggy chip at a time. Who's hungry?

19 September 2022 - 14 October 2022
Mon 10:00 Tue 14:00 Thu 18:00 Fri 23:00 Sat 07:00 Sun 13:30

Australia’s Best House (S08)
This series brings to life the heart and soul of everything house and home. Join Gary Takle, Bessie Kay and some of Australia's keenest home enthusiasts with an all access pass into some of the most exciting and visually stunning houses in Australia. From sprawling country estates to urban homes in compact spaces, viewers get an up-close look inside some of the most inspiring dwellings around, while in-depth interviews allow them to meet the owners and professionals who have created them. Whether you have a small budget or money is of no concern, this series has something for everyone.

19 September 2022 - 21 October 2022
Mon 10:30 Tue 14:30 Thu 18:30 Fri 23:30

Dream Homes Revealed (S01)
Brand New Show
Hosted by style icon Jennifer Hawkins, we reveal some of the most amazing and intelligent homes in Australia. Jennifer has recently discovered a love for home design and is swapping the cat-walk for everything house and home. Alongside four experts, Jennifer can’t wait to learn the incredible stories behind some of Australia’s Dream abodes. In every episode, our four experts tour Australia wondering how some of the most incredible homes in the country came to be. Join them as they visit breath-taking renovations, character homes that have to be seen to be believed, one of a kind architectural masterpieces and everything in-between. Dream Homes Revealed is a chance to discover the stories and people behind the best homes in Australia.

20 September 2022 - 12 December 2022
Tue 18:30 Wed 23:30 Thu 10:30 Fri 14:30 Sat 15:30 & 22:30 Sun 11:00 & 19:30

Australia by Design: Landscapes and Gardens (S01)
In conjunction with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Australia by Design: Landscapes and Gardens showcases Australia’s best landscape designs. This series features an array of projects from parks and open spaces to urban design and private gardens. It also examines what makes each landscape so unique and innovative and looks at the problems they are trying to solve. Over each episode, Australia’s leading landscape architects and an expert panel of industry leaders decide which landscape statements will go through to the ‘best of the best’ final episode. In the final episode, we count down the top 10 to determine Australia’s ultimate Landscape and/or Garden of the year.

20 September 2022 - 09 December 2022
Tue 21:30 Wed 09:30 Thu 13:30 Fri 17:30

Cheap Irish Homes (S02)
Maggie Molloy is on a mission to find Ireland’s Cheapest Homes and shine a light on the secret side of the Irish property market. She helps house hunters find properties all over Ireland; most of them under €100,000. Maggie is looking for buyers with an open mind who are not afraid of a bit of work. In return, she will reveal the kind of properties people would never have thought were within their reach. Properties oozing with charm, in picturesque locations and with plenty of outdoor space – all at jaw dropping prices. She is joined by Kieran McCarthy, a building engineer, who will advise the house hunters on the conditions of the houses they are looking at, and the various levels of renovation that would need to be undertaken.

27 September 2022 - 18 November 2022
Tue 19:30 Wed 22:00 Thu 11:30 Fri 15:30 Sat 13:30 & 20:30 Sun 17:30 & 00:30

CNN+ And HBO Max To Be Reduced To A Tile On Warner Bros. Discovery's Revamped Streaming Service In 2023

These past months, Warner Bros. Discovery has been scaling back on content investment so to save themselves some extra cash. They've scrapped several HBO Max productions like Gordita Chronicles, Little Ellen, Batgirl and Scoob: Holiday Haunt while some of the linear channels scale back on original programming.

As mentioned in Warner Bros. Discovery's earning call, HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge into one single streaming service and with these cutbacks from Warner's side as opposed to Discovery. The streaming service is said to hold more HBO than Discovery as HBO will be managing most if not all the content under a single tile.

Of course, these won't have as much affect on Cartoon Network as it will likely get its own tile on the merged streaming service same with Adult Swim if anything I'm expecting Cartoonito under CN's tile with Boomerang doing just Boomerang.

Warner Bros. Discovery attempted to spun off CNN as an independent brand with the launch of the short-lived streaming service CNN+ which has apparently been revived on Discovery+ and not HBO Max since the content is unscripted which the streamer lacks.

When Discovery+ and HBO Max eventually merge by 2023, CNN will form a tile on the streamer despite housing unscripted entertainment the platform very much unifies their offering from the rest of Warner Bros. Discovery's portfolio as ID has a lawnmower while CNN has a tractor with TLC living in a palace with CNN owning a resort with 5 star resort.

South Africa hasn't got access to any of these streamers seen with Netflix, The Walt Disney Company's Disney+, MultiChoice's Showmax and eMedia's eVOD but Europe will get it by early 2024 with Asia Pacific occupying the middle with Africa likely to get it close to the end of that year or early 2025.

Important Notice: INX Prime's Launch On The DStv Platform Has Been Delayed

After months and months of waiting, South Africa's new Islamic channel INX Prime which was scheduled to launch today latest was 5pm became a no show as consumers wait anxiously only to recieve this heartbreaking news.

According to the channel, the delay has to do with a technicality beyond their capacity as they encourage viewers to stay tuned to their social platforms as they announce a new date and when they say "beyond their capacity" could they be referring to MultiChoice.

During the week, the Competition Tribunal reinstated eMedia's 4 channels on the DStv platform with the pay-tv company expected to put up with these channels at least for another 6 months as they continue to conduct their investigation for some reason.

As outlined by MultiChoice, they are dealing with transponder constraints as they pay platform had only space for 14 channels at the time eMedia's channels were scrapped from the DStv platform and I don't want to beat around the bush but could this be the reason for INX Prime didn't materialize.

Another channel in question at this point has to be the exciting new movie channel Movie Room for which MultiChoice was hyping about since late February when plans were underway to dismiss the e.tv channels in March only for it to be delayed for another two months.

This news brings a lot of shocker to the Islamic community living in South Africa as they were hoping to see the channel hopefully a new date will be communicated soon.