Roundups #94: Wind In The Willows Adaptation Coming Soon To Cartoonito, Hocus Pocus Streaming September 30th On Disney+ And The Real Housewives Expands To Nairobi And Pretoria

More preschool coming soon to Cartoonito

Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA has acquired London-based HoHo Entertainment’s preschool series Toad and Friends, which is based on Kenneth Grahame’s kidlit classic The Wind in the Willows.

The CG animated series (52 x 11 minutes) spins new riverside adventures for book characters Mole, Ratty and Toad, focusing on the value of community, friendship and respect. It’s set to launch in 2023 in Warner Bros. Discovery’s Cartoonito block across the EMEA region, as well as on HBO Max’s European service.

Toad and Friends is animated by Scotland’s Wild Child Animation and directed by Tim Searle (Danger Mouse). Creative Scotland and the European Union’s MEDIA program also participated in the show’s development.

Hocus Pocus 2 streaming this month on Disney+

The trailer and teaser art for the highly anticipated Disney+ Original movie Hocus Pocus 2, reuniting Disney Legend Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, were released today. The live-action, long awaited sequel to the perennial Halloween classic, which brings back the delightfully wicked Sanderson sisters for more comedic mayhem, will debut on Disney+ on September 30.

It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve.

Hocus Pocus 2 also stars Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Hannah Waddingham, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froyan Gutierrez, and Tony Hale. The film is directed by Anne Fletcher and produced by Lynn Harris, with Ralph Winter, David Kirschner, and Adam Shankman serving as executive producers.

More housewives for DStv

Filming has begun on the first Afrikaans version of the reality show Die Real Housewives van Pretoria (RHOP), produced by Provoco, making the new 13-episode reality series the 4th South African version. The show will premiere on Thursday, 13 October on kykNET (DStv 144) and simulcast on Showmax.

Next month filming will start on The Real Housewives of Nairobi produced by Young Rich Television, reports Variety. DStv subscribers in East Africa will get their first version set in Kenya, following The Real Housewives of Lagos, which made its debut on Showmax in Nigeria earlier this year.

"We are so proud to build on the continued success of The Real Housewives franchises across Africa," says Ana Langenberg, senior vice president for format sales and productions at NBCUniversal Formats.

NCLT Directs Zee To Convene Shareholders Meeting On Its Merger With Sony On October 14

Passing an order, the Mumbai bench of the NCLT had on August 24 directed to call a meeting of the equity shareholders of Zee Entertainment to consider the merger, said a statement from the media major.

The National Company Law Tribunal has directed Zee-Entertainment Enterprises to convene a meeting of its shareholders to get approval for its proposed merger with Culver Max Entertainment, formerly Sony Pictures Network. Passing an order, the Mumbai bench of the NCLT had on August 24 directed to call a meeting of the equity shareholders of Zee Entertainment to consider the merger, said a statement from the media major.

"The NCLT Mumbai bench has directed in its order, that a meeting of the Equity Shareholders of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. be convened and held on Friday, 14th October 2022 for the purpose of considering, and if thought fit, approving the proposed merger of the Company with Culver Max Entertainment Pvt Ltd," said a company spokesperson.

The NCLT had directed to convene the shareholders' meeting virtually through video conferencing or other audio-visual means for approving the proposed scheme.

The merger, which will create the largest entertainment network in India with a 26 per cent viewership share, is presently before the scrutiny of the fair trade regulator CCI.

According to some media reports last week, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) made some observations about the merger.

Earlier in July, Zee Entertainment had said it has received approval from stock exchanges BSE and NSE for its proposed merger with Culver Max Entertainment.

Last year in December, the two media companies signed definitive agreements for the merger of ZEEL into Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) following the conclusion of an exclusive negotiation period during which both parties conducted mutual due diligence.

When the merger deal was announced in September last year, the two networks had stated that Sony would invest USD 1.575 billion and hold a 52.93 per cent stake in the merged entity and Zee the remaining 47.07 per cent.

After closing, the new combined company will be publicly listed in India.

Zee Is In Talks With CCI To Get Approval For Merger With Sony Entertainment

As per the BARC data for the ongoing financial year (2023), the merged entity has 36 per cent TV viewership market share in the Hindi GEC segment, and 33 per cent in the Hindi movies channels.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises has written to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in order to get the latter’s permission to merge its operations with Sony Entertainment. The firm is citing the latest TV viewership data which shows that the merged entity would have lower market share and will not lead to any concentration of power.

Zee has submitted the TV viewership market share data for the financial year ending March 2022 and year-to-date data of the ongoing financial year (FY23). The data shows that the shares of four channels of the merged entity in has come down compared to the financial year ending March 2021 – the data used by the CCI to scrutinise the Zee-Sony merger.

According to data by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for the ongoing FY23, the merged entity has a 36 per cent market share in the Hindi GEC segment, and 33 per cent in the Hindi movies channels. In the Bangla GEC, the combined TV viewership market share is 38 percent and 26 percent in the Marathi GEC, as per an industry official.

In the entire fiscal year ending March 2022, the merged entity had a market share of 39 per cent in the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) segment and 38 per cent in Hindi films. In Bangla, the combined entity had a market share of 38 per cent and in Marathi, the combined entity had a market share of 31 per cent, according to BARC.

"There is no 40-per cent (market share) rule. It’s an indicative benchmark adopted by the CCI when assessing combinations. However, even where the combined market share is over 40 per cent, the CCI may ultimately decide to approve the transaction without remedies," said Abdullah Hussain, Partner, DSK Legal.

Some independent lawyers said if the merger is causing a concentration of over 40 per cent in the merged entity, then it becomes fit for scrutiny. The CCI approval for the Zee-Sony merger can go through if there are certain adjustments made to the transaction, including selling majority stake in the four channels by either Zee or Sony to get the approval, they said.

“The CCI will examine if the combined entity would reduce competition or if the other competitors could maintain sufficient pressure on the combined entity. If the combined market shares are very high and other competitors are not able to exert sufficient competitive pressure, the CCI may ask parties to give certain remedies (including divestitures) as a condition for approving the transaction. The CCI has asked parties for remedies in the past where the combined market share was as low as 30 per cent,” said Vaibhav Choukse, Partner & Head of Practice, Competition Law at JSA.

The lawyers also said the combined entity will have over 75 channels of different genres. “The CCI could ask the proposed combine to sell a part of the channels in those genres to another company to ensure there is no concentration in that market. The deal could go through if these adjustments are made," a Mumbai-based competition lawyer said.

Reuters reported that the CCI is probing the merger between Sony and Zee Entertainment saying it will potentially hurt competition by having "unparalleled bargaining power".

What To Expect On The Home Channel In October 2022?

Design For You (6)
Join Pilani Bubu on Design For You, where you can draw even more home décor and design inspiration from some of South Africa’s finest interior designers. With their help, we give you the advice you need to turn your space into a home you’ll love. So if you want to reach your interior design goals, don’t miss Design For You, only on The Home Channel.
03 October 2022 01 January 2023
Mon 16:00 Wed 20:00 Thu 08:00 Fri 12:00 Sat 15:00 & 22:00 Sun 10:30 19:00

A Place in The Sun: Summer Sun (2)
On A Place in The Sun: Summer Sun, Sara Damergi goes house- hunting in Spain, France and Portugal with couples who are looking for a holiday home where they can enjoy a little more sunshine over the summer months. She now has to challenge herself to make sure that she can find Martin and Val Parry the perfect house in the perfect location to help with Martin’s Osteoarthritis, as well as help Philip Beardsley and Faye Brown get their dream home, which will be their best wedding present ever, and she’ll be helping many more families to find their home, sweet home.
03 October 2022 17 February 2023
Mon 23:00 Tue 10:00 Wed 14:00 Fri 18:00

The Healthful Life (1)
Brand New Show
The Healthful Life will make sure you have the tools you need to create nom-worthy food filled with nothing but glow-gaining goodness. Comedian and aspiring healthy person Jahannah James will ask experts to show her how to live cleaner, and together they sort the gluten-free wheat from the chaff. And while the food’s in the oven, they’ll discuss other ways to tackle her wellness issues too, from going vegan without wasting away, to reducing stress, and getting clearer skin.
17 October 2022 13 November 2022
Mon 10:00 Tue 14:00 Thu 18:00 Fri 23:00 Sat 07:00 Sun 13:30

The Home Team (4)
The Home Team is back with crafty ideas to upgrade your space! DIY experts Anthony and Leah offer up their best home and gardening hacks each week to give you a stylish space without the designer price tag. From building a sustainable home garden to freshening up your lounge room with a bold feature wall, the team provides practical advice that you can follow along with at home. Whether you are mid-renovation or just looking for the next great DIY project, The Home Team is the ultimate source of inspiration.
18 October 2022 18 November 2022 
Tue 19:00 Wed 22:30 Thu 11:00 Fri 15:00

Sarah Beeny’s New Life in The Country (2)
New Season
Sarah Beeny’s New Life in The Country follows Property developer Sarah Beeny as she risks it all to craft a new life in the country for her family. The Beeny’s will be fitting out a brand-new stately home on a 220 acre Somerset farm. Starting with Sarah and her family deciding the type of interior design they desire we’ll see how they create their theoretical dining room, transform their boys’ bedroom and follow them step by step as they create and build their dream country home.
18 October 2022 17 December 2022 (Priority slots in red)
Tue 20:00 Wed 08:00 Thu 12:00 Fri 16:00

Grand Designs New Zealand (4)
Grand Designs New Zealand is back with popular host, Kiwi architect Chris Moller. This season shares more stories of creative and enterprising New Zealanders who are taking on the challenge of building their own unique and inspirational homes. The series follows the process of these incredible design projects, as well as the personal journeys of those building them – from the initial blueprints, through to the long and often arduous task of turning the plans into practical living spaces. Using both modern and traditional building techniques and materials, Grand Designs New Zealand features houses with locations ranging from remote forests to the busy inner city, private island escapes and tree-canopy hideaways.
24 October 2022 18 December 2022
Mon 13:00 Tue 17:00 Thu 21:00 Fri 09:00 Sat 11:00 & 18:00 Sun 15:00 & 22:00

Luxury Homes Revealed (4)
New Season
On Luxury Homes Revealed you will be joining hosts Gary, Nadia, Cindy and Anita with an all-access pass through the most luxurious properties in Australia and the USA. From an apartment to a 7,000 square foot estate, viewers of Luxury Homes Revealed get to see the in’s and out’s of some of the country’s most extravagant homes. Along the way, they meet real estate agents, builders and designers. This show has it all and is guaranteed to make your jaw drop.
24 October 2022 30 December 2022
Mon 14:30 Wed 18:30 Thu 23:30 Fri 10:30

Real Health (12)
Real Health is a lifestyle show featuring holistic health solutions in an easy to absorb and palatable manner. It explores how these solutions, when practiced correctly, lead to a physically, emotionally and mentally healthier body, mind and soul. The series is hosted by Michael Porter, a wellness enthusiast, with a natural passion for holistic living. Michael transfers this passion and insights to viewers by chatting to inspirational guests from various holistic health disciplines about their journeys towards a healthier lifestyle. We also explore how these experts live out their life’s purpose by helping others understand how to actively be the custodian of their own overall wellbeing.
31 October 2022 30 January 2023
Mon 18:00 Tue 23:00 Wed 10:00 Thu 14:00 Sat 09:30 Sun 08:00

Million Pound Properties
From Scottish castles and central London shoeboxes to rundown council houses, a record number of British properties are valued at a million pounds plus. Filmed over one of the most unpredictable years the property market’s ever known, Million Pound Properties reveals what a million pounds actually buys across the UK, finds out what the country’s wealthiest buyers demand for their money and uncovers a council house millionaire.
31 October 2022 25 November 2022
Mon 22:00 Tue 11:00 Wed 15:00 Fri 19:00

Could BBC Kids Likely Be Bundled Under MultiChoice's DStv Explora Ultra And If Possible eMedia Investments' eVOD Streaming Service?

BBC Kids is an international kids channel owned by BBC Studios that supplies content to children aged 6-11. Just like it's British counterpart, it also comes in the form of a linear channel which is very much accessible in Australia and offers content from its preschool counterpart CBeebies.

During the year, BBC Studios unveiled plans to make CBBC a digital brand of course it hasn't been stated whether this will have an effect on the linear counterpart in Australia but as seen in various territories such as United States and South Africa they're very much viewable digitally.

This past week, MTN unveiled BBC Kids a mobile app carrying 100 hours of content featuring shows such as JoJo & Gran Gran (44 x 11 minutes) and Studio AKA’s Hey Duggee (142 x seven minutes), as well as older skewing shows such as 2D-animated comedy The Bagel and Becky Show and live-action sketch comedy Horrible Histories.

Of course, BBC Kids isn't available to the likes of MultiChoice's DStv Explora Ultra, or eMedia Investments' eVOD streaming service and might not be added to these platforms for the foreseeable future.

MTN already formed a partnership with eMedia Investments' eVOD streaming service when it rolled out within the market while as MultiChoice supplies a hand of channels from BBC Studios including BBC Brit, BBC Lifestyle, BBC World News, BBC Earth and CBeebies.

But as the deal stipulates BBC Kids can only be viewed on Switch Media through MTN but that could change at any given moment. Although, they have digital brands to BBC Kids that doesn't include the linear version of course chances of that seem highly unlikely with the pricing of the brand.