MultiChoice: "Why Premium Customers Might Lose Out On A Certain New Channel?"

Also Read

Earlier in the month, Insidus was able to confirm the addition of BBC UKTV to the DStv platform. eMedia Investments alongside BBC Studios were scheduled to launch the channel last month but just like MultiChoice we're all awaiting a release date.

BBC UKTV is regarded as a free-to-air channel offering reality shows, drama series, wildlife and kids shows or in other terms leveraging content from existing brands such as CBeebies, BBC Brit, BBC Earth and BBC Lifestyle from DStv and BBC Kids on MTN.

Some of the programming announced for the channel include Live At The Apollo and Top Gear from BBC Brit, Yakka Dee and Andy's Wild Adventures from CBeebies and My World Kitchen and The Great British Bake Off from BBC Lifestyle.

Later this month, MultiChoice launched two channels Magic Showcase and CineMagic and some viewers may not have noticed these channels as the pay-tv brand had been trying to keep it on the down low by making them accessible to only their Easyview customers.

But if you take your TV remote and press the option button and turn My DStv Channels into All DStv Channels you'd see the load of repeats so who could blame them for the lack of publicity.

As it is, BBC UKTV is seen in the same manner by media outlets as all the mentioned shows have a dedicated channel on the Premium package. All but BBC Kids which is confined to a mobile network and I doubt they'd give them that channel solely for that reason.

As much as it would make sense to phase out BBC Brit with this channel, BBC UKTV has a lot of catching up to do. If I had to turn to availability here are the benefits of the channel:

Compact and Compact+ - BBC Earth
Family - BBC Brit and BBC Earth
Access - BBC Brit, BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle
Easyview - Everything

MultiChoice: "Why A Channel Like Mzansi Wethu Is Available On Premium But A Channel Like kykNET Lekker Isn't?"

Also Read

MultiChoice is home to over 100 premium channels including M-Net, Universal TV, BBC Earth, National Geographic, CNN and Sky News. As it is, the pay-tv company isn't only known for their premium services but their load of repeats.

Everyday you get to rewatch the entire seasons of Two And A Half Men and The Big Bang Theory on Comedy Central and the same can be said about CBS Reality with Judge Judy, Hardcore Pawn and Cheaters.

You even find MultiChoice offering a duplicate Mzansi Magic to consumers who have Mzansi Magic kind of like how they advertise DStv to those already using their products. Interesting to note, not all these duplicates can be viewed on a package like Premium.

Basically, we have Me, Discovery Family, Real Time, Mzansi Wethu and Nicktoons available on a package like Premium while as kykNET Lekker, Moja 9.9., Magic Showcase and CineMagic aren't.

On the basis of Discovery Family, the reason was to give other customers e.g. Compact and Family access to the content viewed on Discovery Channel and later on Animal Planet and the same can be referenced for the above-mentioned brands.

If I had look at why Mzansi Wethu is on Premium, it's for this reason in particular remember how kykNET & Kie was just seen as kykNET Lekker for kykNET well there's telenovelas on there meaning even Premium clients don't have to rely on kykNET for the freshest shows.

Mzansi Wethu has got plenty of content you won't find on Mzansi Magic and M-Net is just telling viewers on the Premium package that Mzansi Wethu can benefit them as much as it already has with Access customers.

Turkish Couple Edits Presents #DisComplicated Eda & Serkan ∥ Without Me

Also Read

Turkish Couple Edits a YouTube channel which distributes a variety of music videos based on couples within a number of telenovelas. Part of which can be viewed on eExtra: #DisComplicated and Verdeelde Liefde.

Here's the first music video this time for the show
#DisComplicated:

For those wondering what song is used in the music video it's Without Me performed by Halsey.

The History Of Star Life's Predecessor Life OK

Also Read

Before Life OK this was the channel back in 2001

Star One was a youth entertainment channel owned by the defunct News Corporation which inturn was owned by Star India and FOX International TV channels which are both properties of The Walt Disney Company under the brand Disney Star.

During its run, the channel produced several Bollywood productions including Detective Omkar Nath (D.O.N.), Miley Jab Hum Tum, Shakuntala, Home Shanti Home and shows formerly seen on Star Life like Geet and to some extent Koffie With Karan.

The introduction to Life OK

In 2011, it was announced Star One would be replaced by Life OK from December 18th as part of an attempt to bolster their offering to take on the likes of Sony which was ahead in terms of viewership. With the new channel onboard came a set of original programming.

The channel introduced several shows viewers would have come across in its current form or at the English version which is Star Life like Forever Yours (Your Paakhi) that formed part of the incarnate initial offering alongside other series like Pukaar - Call For The Hero and Dream Girl.

Life OK expansion to Africa, exit in the region and elsewhere

Life OK just like StarPlus and a few other channels expanded to various European markets with Africa fortunate enough to get Life OK as a replacement to Channel V on the StarTimes platform.

Interesting enough, Life OK performed poorly with its audience I mean for a "Hindi" entertainment channel to cater for an English audience made a whole lot of sense especially with StarTimes bulk of Indian entertainment.

In 2017, Life OK was replaced by Star Bharat again still reserved as a youth brand and the reasons for the demise of Life OK were more or less similar to that of StarTimes I mean Bharat also the platform produce a selection of content with reruns of StarPlus series.

Conspiracy theory about Star Life

Although there's sufficient evidence of the channel's connection to Life OK despite both being owned by Disney Star. Pay attention to the wording "Star Life" and "Life OK" I mean it can't be coincidence.

Life OK was often referred to as "Star's Life" OK and as mentioned notice how Life exists on Star Life I mean how would Disney Star have been able to come up with such a name.

I mean the idea of Star Life being based on a reject doesn't seem far fetched I mean Warner Bros. Discovery's Real Time and competitor Zee Enterprise's Zee One were all based on rejects which became relevant to viewers in Africa.

Reminder: eMedia's 4 Channels To Go Dark On The DStv Platform Sometime In 2023

Also Read

By the end of July, eMedia Investments 4 TV channels primarily eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz were reinstated on the DStv platform after an intense battle with MultiChoice later in the year over the carriage agreement for these channels.

As advised by the court, MultiChoice will have to put up with these 4 channels for another 6 months meaning the channels would likely have to go off air by either January or February but I'm not expecting them to post any notice.

Earlier in the year, eMedia and MultiChoice went to court in what everyone thought would be a case closed the channels went dark a few hours before their end date so I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled the same trick of rushing their release by next year.

If I had to be honest, I think it would make more sense to keep eExtra seeing as it's the kykNET of eMedia but I'm guessing Kuiertyd isn't enough for them to reconsider unlike eMovies and eToonz now those two had plenty of rebroadcasts but that doesn't mean no one's watching them.

As it is, MultiChoice already allocated the necessary alternatives such as DreamWorks and PBS Kids to their Compact and Easyview customers alongside KIX and Movie Room to their Access customers so I doubt they'd walk away from their decision.

They also boasted about transponder constraints which limits the amount of additions and resorted to retrenchment of channels so yeah I doubt these channels would walk out of this unscathed.

It was also revealed that SABC would be adding 3 channels one of which likely being SABC Education to the DStv platform in the coming future as replacements. SABC doesn't have much of a good history regarding the pay-tv platform.

This upcoming carriage is different as it includes Openview but their channels just wind up not being productive which just leads some viewers to doubt these channels won't just suffer the same fate as SABC Africa and SABC Encore but honestly time will tell with those 3 channels.

The public broadcaster is working on a turnaround plan and as seen with their carriage arrangement with eMedia Investments and the same with MultiChoice when SABC Encore was around we have a long journey ahead.