News Shorts: e.tv's Struggling Telenovela Nikiwe Gets New Writing Team, Crown Of Tears Makes A Landing On Telenovela Channel Phillipines And Flipping El Moussas Currently Seen On HGTV Resurfaces On TLC Africa

Nikiwe is heading to a new direction

During the year, eMedia Investments debuted two local dramas Smokes And Mirrors and Nikiwe on e.tv, South Africa's most viewed English station and second watched channel on DStv. Unlike Smokes And Mirrors, consumers weren't turned on about the show.

Initially, Smokes And Mirrors was also struggling to garner any traction but overtime it managed to win the heart of audiences but Nikiwe's struggling viewership has led the eMedia team to hire new writers in order to save the show from possible extinction.

The writing team who was lead by Sipho Tshapu got the boot with Bongi Ndaba coming in place to save the struggling telenovela.

Telenovela Channel Phillipines welcomes a popular Televisa series

Appearing on six shows since the channel’s debut in 2011, Victoria have made a lasting impact to TNC viewers who have continued to air their wishes to see more of her.

In Crown of Tears, she is joined by Alejandro Nones (Love To Death), José María Torre Hütt (Luz Clarita), and Mane de la Parra (La Malquerida), and they play a family who go through the ebbs and flows of life as a mother bears the burden of seeing her sons take different paths to their respective destinies. 

Alongside Telenovela Channel Phillipines, Crown Of Tears served as one of the five shows seen on TLNovelas following its debut in Africa. Consumers in Phillipines can catch the drama at 21:00 from August 14.

More Discovery for TLC

During the month, TLC introduced a new entrepreneurial series Me Or The Menu currently seen on Food Network. Despite the existence of Real Time, it looks like Discovery will be taking much longer to allocate some content to the lifestyle channel with the other being Flipping El Moussas.

Following couple Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae El Moussa during their personal and professional journey together as newlyweds and property experts. In their first year, they tackle a house move, renovation, and trying to get pregnant.

Flipping El Moussas is currently seen on HGTV and for some reason it will be allocated on TLC from September. We assume it having to deal with couples is what led to it's induction same with Me Or The Menu.

Warner Bros. Discovery Is Moving Away From Traditional Cable TV Channels As It Changes Strategy Internationally

Warner Bros. Discovery announced its President of International TV Distribution, Robert Blair, would be leaving the company after 25 years. This alone is not surprising, but in the memo from WBD President of International Gerhard Zeiler, it was announced that his role would not be replaced according to a memo obtained by the media.

Here is part of that memo:

Last year, we unveiled a new org structure for International, which we believed best positioned us for success at that time. But we also acknowledged that in an ever-changing industry and market, we would need to continue to evolve in a thoughtful and strategic way, along with the climate around us.

Seven months into 2023, although we remain confident about our trajectory as a business, we are at another inflection point, and one where the global economy has not rebounded as quickly as we had hoped.

As such, today I’m announcing that Robert Blair, President, WBD International TV Distribution, will be departing WBD.

The memo went on to say that Blair’s leaving was in no way a reflection on his performance but was instead “a shift we need to make to continue to refine our efficiency and cost structure.”

This move strongly suggests that Warner Bros. Discovery will keep more content in-house and likely streaming on Max instead of selling it to 3rd part cable TV networks around the world.

In the past, media companies have resold their content internationally to other cable networks to air in Europe and around the world. Now it seems that Warner Bros. Discovery is moving in a new direction, much like other media companies have.

Disney has even gone so far as to shut down many of its cable networks, including the Disney Channel in Europe, as it pushes fans to subscribe to Disney+. It is possible we will see something similar here with Max as Warner Bros. Discovery tries to cut out the middleman.

Source: Cord Cutter News

Foxtel To Close Down MTV In Australia Amidst Streaming Shift

This development follows the recent news that viewers will also miss out on children’s favourites, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.

MTV has been a beloved destination for fans of reality TV series such as Geordie Shore, Teen Mom, and The Hills New Beginnings. The distribution of all three channels to Foxtel was overseen by Paramount ANZ.

A Foxtel spokesperson explained the decision, noting the drastic shifts in viewing patterns over recent years.

“With audiences flocking to on-demand and streaming options, and an increasing array of third-party apps now a part of Foxtel, our channel offerings have been adapting to reflect these new habits,”

While MTV’s reality content may be departing, music enthusiasts can take solace. MTV’s musical channels will continue to be accessible to Foxtel subscribers, with MTV Classic set to undergo a rebranding as ‘MTV 80’s’ from the start of August.

The departure of MTV reality programming from Foxtel comes at the same time industry speculation is indicating Channel 10 is preparing to add a dedicated MTV to its 10play streaming platform.

A spokesperson told sources,

“All the MTV content that audiences know and love will now have a home across all Paramount’s owned and operating platforms.

Further details will be made available soon.”

The reduction in channels at Foxtel comes as the pay-tv platform looks to offset its significant programming costs by moving toward an aggregation model.

Such moves underscore Foxtel’s approach of embracing third-party services, allowing them to forego the need for exclusive content investments. In a telling statistic, over two-thirds of Foxtel subscribers also use at least one other streaming service.

The company’s data highlights a shift from traditional channels to an increasing preference for On Demand.

“A diverse pipeline of content is slated for on-demand, from our international studio partners, as well as a burgeoning array of Australian originals.

Foxtel’s IQ set-top boxes now offer 14 integrated apps, reflecting this trend, with more additions anticipated soon. The seamless incorporation of services like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and ABC Kids, among others, demonstrates Foxtel’s commitment to keeping pace with the ever-evolving entertainment sector.

Warner Bros Discovery President Of International TV Distribution Robert Blair Is Leaving After 25 years With The Company

In an internal memo seen by Deadline, WBD President of International Gerhard Zeiler announced Blair’s departure and revealed his post would not be replaced after “much deliberation.”

Blair will “will transition over the summer and partner closely” with Zeiler “to further empower” WBD’s content licensing team, according to Zeiler. The move is being described as “a necessary structural change to our team design that both flattens and streamlines the Content Licensing organization.”

“Last year, we unveiled a new org structure for International, which we believed best positioned us for success at that time,” said Zeiler. “But we also acknowledged that in an ever-changing industry and market, we would need to continue to evolve in a thoughtful and strategic way, along with the climate around us.

“Seven months into 2023, although we remain confident about our trajectory as a business, we are at another inflection point, and one where the global economy has not rebounded as quickly as we had hoped.

“As such, today I’m announcing that Robert Blair, President, WBD International TV Distribution, will be departing WBD.”

Blair has been with WBD and its Warner Bros predecessor companies for a quarter of a century, overseeing the International sales strategy for major titles such as Game of Thrones, The Flash and House of the Dragon.

He joined Warner Bros International Television Distribution in 1998 as General Manager, Canadian Operations. He had previously served as Director of Television, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.

Blair was promoted to lead WarnerMedia’s international sales division in 2019 under worldwide distribution boss Jeffrey Schlesinger and kept his role in last year’s restructure, which followed the Discovery merger and creation of WBD. Schlesinger departed in 2020.

Zeiler’s note today said his departure was “no reflection of his performance” and was instead “a shift we need to make to continue to refine our efficiency and cost structure.”

“My humble thanks to Robert for his outstanding leadership, talent, and effort to help us get where we are today,” wrote Zeiler. “Robert’s contribution to the company in his 25 years has been outstanding and can be measured in several billions of dollars of sales-contracts he made possible every single year. Despite being known as tough negotiator, he is respected by all of his clients he dealt with. He is also an exceptional leader, who mentored many talents within the company and is admired and valued by his team.”

Zeiler is writing from experience — he will have sat at opposite sides of the table to Blair during his time at the helm of RTL, which was a major buyer of Warner content during his time running the European networks group.

Source: Deadline

24Kitchen To Cease Transmission In Turkey By The End Of July, More Countries Likely To Follow

24Kitchen is a lifestyle channel operated by The Walt Disney Company (Benelux) that broadcasts mainly food and cooking programs. Similar to the FOX channel in the affected region, 24Kitchen is known for a number of original productions alongside international content.

Some of the content seen on 24Kitchen include Amazing Weddingcakes, Jamie’s Family Christmas, The Taste of Life Basics and Rudolph's Bakery.

During the month, it was learnt by Bob Iger who serves as the current CEO of the blue brand that he's looking to sell several linear channels. Internationally, The Walt Disney Company is consolidating further programming from these brands to streaming services.

It's likely that the demise of 24Kitchen has to do with the company's pursuit to a streaming only module. The company had closed a further 18 channels last year in Asia and plan to close the remaining feeds by the end of the year.

Although consumers in South Africa and most parts of Africa aren't familiar with 24Kitchen, MultiChoice however distribute a Portuguese feed of the lifestyle channel in Angola and Mozambique while Turkey and some parts of the world had been receiving the Dutch feed.