Could eExtra's Kuiertyd Welcome A Third Competitor To The South African Market?

Last year, StarSat announced that they'd be removing two Afrikaans based channels MyTV and OnseTV from their platforms by the end of September.

OnseTV skewed toward general entertainment almost similar to kykNET featuring reality shows, movies and dramas while as MyTV similar to Media24's Via was a lifestyle channel which offered home and renovation, food and other aspects.

They were basically one of the only DStv noteworthy competitors for the already mentioned kykNET and Via as they catered to a much larger community that didn't have access to such luxury with the only way to view the content is through their website.

As of 2023, the only alternative anyone has to Afrikaans content or at least through StarSat is SABC 2 although it comes out 15% of the day while as eExtra is more international with their offering as opposed to homegrown as seen with kykNET.

eMedia Investments:
- SABC+ Vs. eVOD: The Consequence Of Free-To-View Television
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments plan to combat load shedding get a lot of attention
- Ultraview Pride and Ultraview Indian coming soon to Openview
- Could SABC be unveiling another two channels for Openview Ultra?

Amidst the termination of OnseTV and MyTV, StarSat rolled out a dubbing studio which would rollout several international titles such as Blood Sisters and The Heir in local languages. Which just got me thinking is it possible that we might see some international content in Afrikaans perhaps?

I mean the idea of StarSat rollout Afrikaans dubbed content doesn't seem far fetched if I had to be honest as one they had removed the last remaining channels to offer something for that group of people and it would only seem logical to source out the necessary alternatives.

eMedia Investments' had already experienced success with Kuiertyd that MultiChoice opted to go a similar route with kykNET & Kie and StarSat being known as the home of telenovelas has an advantage should they go down the same path.

Sure, eMedia Investments and MultiChoice have a lot of content that has proven to be much superior than StarSat but if there's one expect of the brand that sure has a competitive advantage in terms of quantity and variety than its telenovelas.

Everyday Novelas:
- Ana's Revenge coming soon to Telemundo
- Second Chance and Hart Van Goud coming soon to Zee One and eExtra respectively
- Queen Of The Night and How Do I Say This? coming respectively to Timeless Dizi Channel and Zee World
- New Series Alert: eMedia Investments Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Turkish Romcom, Aşk Mantık İntikam

What To Expect On Cartoonito Channel When It Rolls Out Across Africa Later In March On Boomerang? (Drafted Version)

Cartoonito is the latest preschool destination expected to rollout on channel 302 through the DStv platform from March 25th offering younger viewers and their families beautiful, meaningful, educational, and visually stunning music fare content.

It makes up a part of Boomerang with shows like Masha And The Bear, Grizzy And The Lemmings and Moley. Although, some details about the brand have yet to be finalised, below is a list of reported content for the channel from next month:

Regular Nick:
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries
- Disney renews 3 adult animated series through 2025

- Bugs Bunny Builders (New Show): Pauleen Penguin hires The Looney Builders to build her a home in Looneyburg but Lola discovers they got the design wrong. Tweety leads The Looney Builders in building a new merry-go-round at the park.

- Batwheels (New Show): Bam, Redbird, Bibi, Batwing, and Buff are thrust into hijinks and action as they learn important lessons about teamwork, friendship, and so much more while helping Batman, Robin, and Batgirl defend Gotham.

- Rabbids Invasion: Mission To Mars (Movie Debut): Rabbids are on the mission of a lifetime to Mars. It's up to them to come together and stop the galaxy's newest threat.

IT'S OFFICIAL: Boomerang Becomes The First Channel To Exit The DStv Platform In 2023, To Be Replaced By Cartoonito Later In March Across Africa

Boomerang (DStv 302), the family oriented kid friendly brand owned by Warner Bros. Discovery is set to rebrand into Cartoonito by March 25th marking the end to another one of the company's longest running channels in the market behind Cartoon Network.

Boomerang launched in the African market back in 2005 as TCM type channel featuring shows from Hanna-Barbera Studios, Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation including Wacky Races, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, The Addams Family and Tiny Toons Adventures.

Over the years, this format was phased out as Warner Bros. Discovery was going for a more modern approach with shows like Zig & Sharko, Mr. Bean, Masha And The Bear, Grizzy And The Lemmings, The Garfield Show and My Little Pony: Pony Life.

In an interview with Warner Bros. Discovery it was confirmed that they'd be taking the Boomerang DNA and turning it into a full fledged Cartoonito family offering to include younger viewers and their families, giving them beautiful, meaningful, educational, and visually stunning music fare content.

Regular Nick:
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries
- Disney renews 3 adult animated series through 2025

Some of the content expected to rollout on this new version of the channel include Batwheels, Interstellar Ella, Bugs Bunny Builders and Spookies.

Warner Bros. Discovery is set to be phasing out several Boomerang channels across EMEA region within the same month as Africa marking the end of an era to a level of children's programming and also the beginning of something new being Cartoonito.

More details regarding the matter are expected to be unveiled soon and although Boomerang is being phased out a portion of content will be retained by Cartoonito while others like Looney Tunes Cartoons will likely be transmitted on Cartoon Network.

As of right now, Boomerang is adjusting their offering ahead of the rebrand to Cartoonito.

DStv:
- Boomerang might be first channel to exit the DStv platform in 2023
- MultiChoice shares crytpic message about eMedia's 4 channels
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments gets roasted over load shedding plans
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future

Ultraview Vs. A Regular DStv Platform: A Better Understanding On How To Consume Your Money

For several weeks, eMedia Investments has been briefing audiences about their new pay-tv tier to the Openview platform, Ultraview. A multiverse platform where consumers are given the option of two packages Pride and Spice but both come at a hefty price with some comparing it to the likes of DStv.

Before we give our opinion on the matter let's first look at the basics.

DStv is a pay-tv outlet operated by MultiChoice where consumers get access to over 120 channels ranging from movies, sports, drama series, reality shows, kiddies, music, doccies and movies. It currently ranks as Africa's top player in the pay-tv business.

Ultraview is more of a diverse or cultural outlet by eMedia Investments as of this moment it only has Bollywood and LGBTQ based channels but that doesn't mean you can't find a variety of content if anything only a portion of DStv's lineup can be viewed on these channels.

MultiChoice has been in the market for decades with the DStv bouquet and have been criticized by several consumers for the load of repeats funneled onto their platform, the number of channels that have already been removed and the excessive costs in programming.

DStv:
- Boomerang might be first channel to exit the DStv platform in 2023
- MultiChoice shares crytpic message about eMedia's 4 channels
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments gets roasted over load shedding plans
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future

During the week, eMedia Investments had gotten a taste of the MultiChoice criticism ahead of Ultraview's rollout and this mainly has to do with the quantity and pricing of the packages as well as the offering in general part of which is deemed offensive to Christians.

For several years, DStv consumers wondered when MultiChoice was planning on unbundling their channels and Ultraview gave a clear reflection when charging consumers either R75p/m or R120p/m for just two channels.

Same goes with the likes of Disney+, Paramount+, Peacock, BritBox and HBO Max where you need about R700p/m or R800p/m to view the best of HBO, Adult Swim, NBC, BBC, ABC and Showtime altogether versus R450p/m with your Compact bouquet.

It goes show the best entertainment doesn't always come in cheap as seen with Ultraview's current offering. In general, it's not about who has more on the table but how productive you make a business.

eMedia Investments:
- SABC+ Vs. eVOD: The Consequence Of Free-To-View Television
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments plan to combat load shedding get a lot of attention
- Ultraview Pride and Ultraview Indian coming soon to Openview
- Could SABC be unveiling another two channels for Openview Ultra?

To those viewing MultiChoice as a better contender take to account, only a fraction of the actual total of channels are watched by DStv consumers. Sure, it may be cheaper but most of the content in question will likely to date back to 90s/00s if not approachable.

As for Ultraview prior to when it was only Openview, eMedia Investments often sought out brands which gained traction which could be the case for this package the downside has to do with the quantity as that's distracting consumers from Ultraview's potential.

I mean I get it these are M-Net type channels but the moment another brand tags along with the something similar if not the same expect consumers to follow that brand if it means paying less to view that alternative or waiting longer to access a particular show.

In the end, I feel that Ultraview doesn't cater enough to eMedia's current audience as a lot of viewers aren't familiar with this concept they're putting forward as opposed to DStv which has a number of options like AddMovies, DStv Internet, Decoder Insurance etc.

New Series Alert: Zee World To Launch An Additional 3 Shows To The Line-Up, Staying True, Aparajita And Unfortunate Love Season 2

During the week, Zee World, a Bollywood based entertainment channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises has been sourcing more modern content like Radha Mohan now the channel is set to launch an additional two series, Aparajita and Staying True.

Aparajita (also known as Main Hoon Aparajita) follows the titular character who is deserted by her husband Akshay, leaving her alone to fend for her herself and her three daughters. But she rises to meet every challenge so that her daughters can be strong and independent.

It is based on the Telegu drama series Radhamma Kuthuru and stars Shweta Tiwari, Manav Gohil, Anushka Merchande, Dhwani Gori, Shruti Choudhary, Shweta Gulati, Garvita Sadhwani and Amita Khopkar.

Staying True (also known as Iss Mod Se Jaate Hain) follows Paragi an ambitious woman who harbours dreams of becoming an IAS officer. However, she must find a way to do so while her husband and his family are a constant thorn in her flesh.

Everyday Novelas:
- Ana's Revenge coming soon to Telemundo
- Second Chance and Hart Van Goud coming soon to Zee One and eExtra respectively
- Queen Of The Night and How Do I Say This? coming respectively to Timeless Dizi Channel and Zee World
- New Series Alert: eMedia Investments Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Turkish Romcom, Aşk Mantık İntikam

The series is led by Akshita Mudgal, Hitesh Bharadwaj, Richa Bhattacharya, Anindita Sinha, S Ashraf Karim, Himanshu Arora, Sachin Parikh and Jatin Suri.

Just like the already announced Radha Mohan, Aparajita is an ongoing program unless the channel plans to allocate a 30 minute timeslot it won't survive a full 4 months. The other possible ongoing show Aparajita wrapped production in 2022 due to poor viewership.

A date has yet to be confirmed for the following programs but considering the timeframe of these announcements it will likely rollout in the coming weeks or sometime in March.

Also expected to make a return to the channel is the second season of Unfortunate Love another ongoing show in the Zee TV saga.