Pending Development: More e.tv Coming Soon To DStv Once eToonz, eExtra, eMovies And eMovies Extra Exit The DStv Platform

Last year, MultiChoice made plans to terminate eMedia Investments' 4 channels eExtra, eToonz, eMovies and eMovies Extra by the end of the first quarter of that year only to be delayed to the second quarter as the pay-tv operator was going through court proceedings.

Initially, MultiChoice had won the case as these channels went dark for about two months only to resurface as the pay-tv company were advised to hold on to these channels for another 6 months which take viewers to the first quarter of 2023.

As advised, no dates were shared as to when exactly these channels will go dark exactly but my guess between January to March likely not even in the third month depending on how the court conceives 6 months.

eMedia Investments:
- Glow TV to stop airing on the Openview platform from next month
- Prediction: eToonz to get an additional channel
- Could Openview+ lead to 24 hour capability of these channels?
- eToonz schedule explained

If the court made their ruling earlier than 6 months than MultiChoice would have pulled the rug out of everyone's noses as seen last year leaving consumers with e.tv, eNCA and the Afrikaans news bulletins on kykNET.

MultiChoice managed to find replacements for these 4 channels in some manner with the launch of Movie Room, DreamWorks and kykNET's Turkish offering on kykNET & Kie alongside expanding the likes of PBS Kids and KIX.

But consumers wishing to see their favourite characters or at least a portion of the content can tune into the following on e.tv:

- Elif, Verdeelde Liefde and Wrede Stad weekdays in the 8:30 AM timeslot with Voëlvry weeknights (excluding Friday) at 23:00. Further shows such as #DisComplicated and Die Put would be made available in these timeslots.
- The Craze block features various animated shows on eToonz such as Pokémon, Peppa Pig, Gabby's Dollhouse, Regal Academy and Fast And The Furious: Spy Racers.
- Movies can be found on Fridays at 14:30 and 22:00, weekend afternoons at 2pm and from 8pm and during the week in the night owl slots in between the 12am to 5am slot.

DStv:
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future
- kykNET Lekker Opened To More DStv Customers For A Limited Time
- What Consumers Should Be Concerned About Regarding SABC's Yet To Be Launched Channels On DStv?
- Press Release: DStv Welcomes The Launch Of Quincy Jones’ QWEST TV Onto Screens This Month

Here's the downside:

- For those wishing to see Ice Adonis and The Rebel Princess on eExtra would need to get an Openview decoder and selected content can only be viewed on eVOD at this point.
- As for the Bollywood section of eExtra, it's basically become a hub for Zee World's leftovers or yet to be seen programs. For those on lower bouquets would just need to upgrade to the relevant package to watch the content or get Openview or eVOD for selected content.
- eToonz isn't only an animation brand but there's various live-action series on including Bajillionaires, Make It Pop and Hank Zipzer. As advised, certain content would need you to have the relevant package or to pursue the necessary alternative.
- As for movies, there's plenty of fish in the sea it's up to you on whether you want to catch one or not.

Exploring your remote control:

MultiChoice offers a variety of entertainment for the whole family if you're looking for movies turn to TNT, Movie Room and M-Net Movies, want some romance and drama turn to Telemundo, Star Life and Zee World and lastly the kiddies could always search on Cartoon Network, JimJam and CBeebies.

Could SABC Be Unveiling Another Two Channels Possibly On Openview Ultra, Here's Why?

For several weeks, eMedia Investments has been teasing consumers with the launch of Openview Ultra (formerly known as Openview+) which serves the pay tier to the current Openview platform for which the broadcaster is expected to unveil later in the year.

As consumers await the launch of Openview Ultra, eMedia Investments had reserved the area for 4 yet to be launched channels in the slots of channels 241, 242, 301 and 302 and as some had noticed not which muchs are available in the mentioned slots until recently.

eMedia Investments had placed SABC 2 and SABC 3 in the test channel section. Although, this may not mean much SABC 1 was often used as a test pilot for SABC Encore so it's possible that maybe SABC 2 and SABC 3 are just placeholders for other channels.

eMedia Investments:
- Glow TV to stop airing on the Openview platform from next month
- Prediction: eToonz to get an additional channel
- Could Openview+ lead to 24 hour capability of these channels?
- eToonz schedule explained

They are still awaiting for the SABC to drop the two entertainment channels which would explore their forever rich archives while SABC Sport and their 19 radio stations reside on the Openview platform.

The public broadcaster launched a second news channel before the end of the current financial year, SABC eKhaya which would cater to local languages formerly seen on the SABC News channel before it's expansion to other African markets.

SABC 2 does seem like the ideal placeholder for this channel as it was advised that the channel would dwell more into current affairs for which there's plenty of on this supposed channel.

As for SABC 3, not much is known at this point my hunch would be that rumoured SABC Encore/Children might fill up this slot as seen occasionally with SABC 1 as the public broadcaster had expressed interest in a revival although they had been no updates since then.

SABC:
- Could SABC Encore revival be scrapped?
- A former SABC channel was added onto Openview
- SABC Movies' dream journal
- SABC Education not launching on Openview

What To Expect On History Africa In February 2023?

Brand New & Exclusive HISTORY’S CRAZY RICH
ANCIENTS
5 February
Sundays at 20h15
Throughout history, our world has been shaped by the rich and powerful. You recognise their names; you know their deeds. But to really understand the insanely rich rulers, tycoons, and visionaries who dominated the past we need to follow the money. Who had the most? And how did they spend it? In History’s Crazy Rich Ancients, each episode introduces mysterious icons from the past who shared one obsession, from exot c animals to billion-dollar part es to nine- fi gure palaces. Episodes take viewers on an immersive ride through this jaw-dropping decadence to discover who these icons were, and ult mately, who among them spent the most.

Brand New & Exclusive COLOSSEUM
5 February
Sundays at 21h05
This premium series vividly brings to life the rise and fall of the Roman Empire through the lens of one of the most exhilarat ng and brutal arenas in the history of humanity–the Colosseum. From the savage truth of a gladiator’s life as a slave, to the fascinating revelat on of the many ways Rome’s Emperors used the vast amphitheatre to demonstrate their absolute power, Colosseum off ers viewers a unique and personal look inside history’s most iconic empire. Each episode pinpoints one of eight key and diverse characters – all based on real people from history. Spanning several hundred years, the series unfolds chronologically, from the arena’s astonishing opening day to its very last games. Colosseum uses striking re-enactments and special eff ects to infuse excitement into the personal narrative of each character.

DStv Flex:
- Brand new seasons of your favourite shows coming to History
- February on The Home Channel
- February on HONEY
- Reyka renewed for season 2 on M-Net

Brand New & Exclusive BERMUDA TRIANGLE:
INTO CURSED WATERS
6 February
Mondays at 19h25
The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters follows an elite team of underwater detect ves as they at empt to ident fy wrecks found within the Bermuda Triangle – a hotbed for unexplained disappearances dat ng back hundreds of years. The Bermuda Triangle is the most notorious stretch of ocean in history, evoking fear and endless fascinat on. Bounded by Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, these waters have swallowed countless ships and planes and their crews—some vanishing without a trace. Now, this team is invest gat ng the area with the aid of a secret weapon — a map, decades in the making, marking the locat on of unident fi ed undersea wrecks and anomalies. Each week they will at empt to identify one mystery wreck, along the way evaluat ng the evidence behind legends and scient fi c theories like rogue waves, giant methane bubbles, ship-sucking whirlpools, and dead zones that bewilder equipment and planes. On the ocean fl oor, the team makes historic and important discoveries that go beyond myth and conjecture.

Brand New & Exclusive STRANGEST THINGS S2
24 February
Fridays at 19h25
The second season of Strangest Things invest gates some of the most remarkable and mysterious objects on Earth, from the only objects ever found in the Great Pyramid of Giza to the mystery behind a carved, ancient black stone and a controversial machine designed to measure intelligence. Using new research and 3D technology we uncover some of the world’s Strangest Things.

DStv:
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future
- kykNET Lekker Opened To More DStv Customers For A Limited Time
- What Consumers Should Be Concerned About Regarding SABC's Yet To Be Launched Channels On DStv?
- Press Release: DStv Welcomes The Launch Of Quincy Jones’ QWEST TV Onto Screens This Month

What To Expect On Qwest TV Africa In February 2023?

JAMES BROWN
Funk & Soul
They Called Him Mr. Dynamite
PRIMETIME ON FEBRUARY 4TH AT 9PM SAST

TRIBUTE TO FELA
Afrobeat
Feat. Seun Kuti, Talib Kweli, Ibeyi and Tony Allen
PRIMETIME ON FEBRUARY 10TH AT 11AM SAST

AL MCKAY'S EARTH, WIND & FIRE EXPERIENCE
Funk & Disco
The Earth, Wind & Fire Revival With Its Original Guitarist
PRIMETIME ON FEBRUARY 18TH AT 9PM SAST

BRAD MEHLADU
Jazz & Pop
The famous Jazz Pianist covers The Beatles
PRIMETIME ON FEBRUARY 23RD AT 9PM SAST

Reminder: Glow TV Will Stop Airing On The Openview Platform From February 2023 With Questions Regarding The Brand's Presence On StarSat

This has been expected for a while now especially after the whole chaos with its removal on the DStv platform so all that is left at the moment is StarSat.

Glow TV is a South African based entertainment channel which promotes Bollywood culture through drama series, movies, reality shows, news, kids shows and even local productions from the likes of Denver Naicker.

Over the years, the likes of Zee TV's Zee World and Zee One alongside Star Life have slowly started edging out the presence already established by Glow TV that led to its cancellation on both DStv and by next month Openview.

Both providers went through legal issues of which Nismedia won in regards to Openview as they unlawfully removed before their contract could even expire. As for DStv, it's pay-tv operator defamed them in terms of viewership despite not giving any proof.

eMedia Investments:
- Prediction: eToonz to get an additional channel
- Could Openview+ lead to 24 hour capability of these channels?
- eToonz schedule explained

It's only outlet StarSat happens to be a sinking ship, firstly most of Glow's audiences were on the above-mentioned platforms meaning that's where most of their revenue resides and with the chop it means the brand would have to make several cutbacks in order to stay afloat.

I for one wouldn't be shocked if StarSat followed eventually not because Glow TV offers more repeats than other Bollywood channel but for similar reasons to the latter two - competition which this platform has plenty of on top of already cutting back on 30+ channels.

Now would be a perfect time to find other ways to build your presence perhaps another streaming service or a partnership similar to one currently offered with StarSat on their StarTimes GO app.

As for replacements, Zee One was added to the Openview platform to replace Glow TV in 2021 prior to that Star Life replaced the channel on DStv.

If it's any consolation both outlets will be adding more channels in the coming future with Qwest TV launching on DStv and Openview Ultra testing out 4 new channels.

Aside from Glow TV, eToonz, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eExtra are anticipated to suffer the same fate on the DStv platform around the same timeframe as they were only bundled to the platform for 6 months and replaced early.

Glow TV:
- Cost Cutting: The Possible Outcome To South African Based Bollywood Channel On The Openview Platform
- Could StarSat Bid Farewell To Another Two Channels?
- What Women Want Moves From Glow TV To Zee World