Why 7de Laan Might Not Be Replaced With Another Afrikaans Soap On SABC 2?

A few months ago, the public broadcaster decided to part ways with 7de Laan after a 23 year run. It had since then left angry and disgruntled SABC viewers wondering how they'll spend the family nights as a petition had gone around in the hopes to save one of the broadcaster's golden classics.

Filming for the series ends in the coming weeks with the last episode set on Day Of Goodwill (26 December) leaving several crew members unemployed with others resurfacing on e.tv and kykNET. 

According to sources, the public broadcaster doesn't have a replacement put in place meaning similar to Isidingo consumers might have to wait before any word on a new soap. It had also been implied that it being "Afrikaans" hasn't sustained itself with SABC 2's current audience.

7de Laan is the best and most watch Afrikaans soapie in South Africa. 7de Laan has not just entertained but also...

Posted by 7delaan MyNou - Amptelik on Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Meaning 7de Laan will likely get replaced with another local drama similar to Muvhango as opposed to getting a timeslot or channel tailored to Afrikaans as seen with eExtra's Kuiertyd and kykNET. This could lead to a drop in viewership not only for 18:30 but the rest of SABC 2.

SABC 3 at one point had the edge over e.tv with shows like Top Billing and Isidingo. Now it's just a corps of its former glory, telecasting local shows from SABC 1 with international shows like Killing Eve pull less than 200000 viewers while Days Of Our Lives could triple it's viewers.

The fall of Afrikaans TV

Prior to the cancellation of 7de Laan, StarSat cancelled the only kykNET alternative in the market OnseTV and MyTV. This was due to low viewership as the brand looks to invest locally by dubbing various international dramas from Bollywood and Asia to local languages.

Could SABC 2 be going a similar route?

SABC 2 at one point was tailored to only Afrikaans before the airtime was halved to incorporate other South African languages. The cancellation of 7de Laan would further diminish the airtime as not everyone has access to shows like Binnelanders and Suidooster on kykNET.

New Series Alert: The One Who Couldn't Love And The Rich Also Cry Coming Soon To TLNovelas Across Africa

TLNovelas, a Mexican based English dubbed entertainment channel operated by TelevisaUnivision will be rolling out two new shows in the coming months The Rich Also Cry (Los Ricos También Lloran) and The One Who Couldn't Love (La Que No Podía Amar).

Based on the 1979 Mexican telenovela of the same name, it follows Mariana, a poor woman, moves into a lavish mansion after saving the life of a wealthy patriarch. When she falls in love with the patriarch's son Luis Alberto, they must confront class differences between their family and friends.

It starred Sebastián Rulli as Luis Alberto Salvatierra, Claudia Martín as Mariana Villarreal, Fabiola Guajardo as Soraya Montenegro, Azela Robinson as Elena Suárez and Alejandra Barros as Daniela Montesinos.

The One Who Couldn't Love tells the story of a young woman named Ana Paula who fights to set herself free from her powerful, short-tempered husband Rogelio, whom she met while working at the Hacienda del Fuerte. She leaves and meets Gustavo, a handsome young engineer who rescues her from an accident. 

It starred Jorge Salinas as Rogelio Montero Báez, José Ron as Gustavo Durán Esquivel, Susana González as Cynthia Montero Báez and Ana Brenda Contreras as Ana Paula Carmona Flores.

The Rich Also Cry replaces Overcoming The Past from 4 December while The One Who Couldn't Love replaces Heartless from 11 December thus concluding the introduction of new series with more to be unveiled by next year.

Recap To The Month: MultiChoice Blocks Openview And StarSat From Viewing Rugby And Cricket

During the month, eMedia Investments' took legal action against MultiChoice for blocking them from broadcasting the Rugby World Cup on Openview accusing them of being anti-competitive. MultiChoice lodged a counterclaim accusing them of free-riding.

Had the SABC not looked into licencing these matches it would have been exclusive to DStv Premium. If eMedia had won the case, they'd be required by MultiChoice to licence these matches or better yet assist the public broadcaster in obtaining them.

SABC has been going financial constraints that they relied on sponsors to get these matches. MultiChoice aware of their situation had looked to ease the burden by charging SABC less money which came at the price of restricting consumers outside DStv from viewing them.

Similar to eMedia Investments, even StarSat couldn't licenced rights to any matches from SuperSport and don't seem to be taking legal action or trying to get the funds to broadcast these matches through a reply from a viewer.

MultiChoice view these platforms as competitors and as such restrict them from their content. Should eMedia Investments or StarSat not bother to negotiate with SuperSport to get these matches it would drive away consumers and lead them to rival platforms.

News Shorts: Showmax Debuts Another Original Animated Series Twende, Once Upon A Studio To Rollout On Various e.tv And Disney Platforms And Help I'm In A Secret Relationship Returns For New Episodes On MTV Across Africa

Meet ‘Twende,’ Showmax Africa’s First Original 2D Toon

Showmax has released a trailer for Twende — the first Showmax Original 2D animated series. The show follows a pangolin — an endangered species which is the slowest on the savannah and the most-trafficked type of animal in the world — who makes up for his natural lack of speed by driving a motorcycle taxi.

Twende will premiere on Showmax across Africa on December 4. New episodes will roll out on Saturdays.

Once Upon A Studio debuts in Africa

Featuring 543 characters from more than 85 Disney feature-length and short films, Once Upon a Studio welcomes heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers - in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation - to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry and technological achievements.

Will be on Disney+ from 09h00, Disney Channel from 16h55 and on e.tv at 18h20.

Also on OpenView at these times:

- eExtra: 17h50

- eSeries: 18h15

- eToonz: 18h50

- eReality: 18h50

- eMovies: 19h50

- eMovies Extra: 19h50

- ePlesier: 20h00

November on MTV

Help, I'm In A Secret Relationship S2B

Monday, November 27th @20:00

Episodes 211-224

The broken hearts professionals are back in action! In season 2 of HIIASR, Travis and Rahne return to the streets to help suspicious and confused partners find out why their relationship’s being kept secret. But with the trend of hiding more prevalent than ever…they’ve got their work cut out for them this around.

On season 2 of HIIASR, our hosts are dealing with wilder stories, even crazier twists, and more jaw-dropping, shocking reveals than they’ve ever encountered before.

Channel Termination: HONEY To Go Dark On DStv From 31 October 2023

HONEY was Africa's first Pan-African lifestyle channel operated by Media24 who also manage the Afrikaans brand, Via. Catering to most parts of Africa in which MultiChoice operate would offer bold and unscripted content that could connect with Africans.

Some of the shows to have been viewed on the channel include Yes, I Have HIV, Making The Menu and What's Wrong With Me? alongside M-Net productions like Our Perfect Wedding and Date My Family.

After a 3 year run, MultiChoice decided to axe the lifestyle channel with viewers only getting word on the termination through the programme guide. They don't provide any detail regarding the sudden cancellation only that it would bow out from 31 October 2023.

The termination of HONEY coincide with Novela Magic and Maisha Magic Movies all of which were tailored to African audiences. If one had to guess, HONEY struggled to garner traction and similar to these two MultiChoice went as far as bundling these channels to Access.

It's likely that these changes will be applicable to consumers only in South Africa and overtime more markets will follow. This would have to do with the original productions produced on HONEY which we assume Mzansi Magic and Moja Love will pick up for their brands.

Although there has been no word on a replacement, MultiChoice had begun production on another local channel likely a sister channel to Zambezi Magic. Should it launch in South Africa, it might be added to the same consumers that viewed HONEY being Access consumers.

Another channel in which the pay-tv company is set to launch in the coming months is Play Room. A children's channel which looks to combine fun and learning with popular animated series like CoComelon in Zulu alongside live-action shows like Game Shakers.