Recap To The Month: SABC Education Silently Rebranded Into SABC Festive For The Holidays

SABC Education is a youth oriented brand in which the public broadcaster enlists to distribute a variety of TV based dramas and reality shows. Since 2020, it got a dedicated DTT channel which is basically "another SABC Encore" for the SABC's existing offering.

During the month, SABC launched their festive pop-up channel for a second time in a row. It is basically a youth oriented version to the current Qwest TV seen on DStv with locally produced shows like Afro Cafe and Gospel Classics alongside international favourites like The Comedy Roast.

As seen on the Go Digital and SABC+ platforms, the public broadcaster opted for SABC Education to promote the festivities as opposed to just spinning them off as seperate channels. With SABC Education which would most probably return earlier in the new year.

Taking to account, the mess regarding the potential rollout of the public broadcaster's spinoff/competitor to SABC News, SABC Lehae. Then there's also a possible revival to the SABC Encore format currently viewable on DTT,

SABC Variety.

The SABC even failed to notify consumers that SABC+ will be restructuring their domain (with a dash inserted to the link) as the current structure of the platform looks similar to MultiChoice's DStv Stream app but watershed as only the linear and radio stations are viewable.

Development Alert: Nickelodeon Spain Adds Glitch Techs And Pinky Malinky, Might Launch On Feeds Internationally

Nickelodeon is an international children's brand operated by Paramount Global that offers various TV based films, series and linear channels. Similar to DreamWorks Animation, they had been producing various streaming based content like Invader Zim: Enter The Flopus and Glitch Techs.

During the month, it was revealed by news outlets that Glitch Techs and Pinky Malinky shows that were initially set to debut on linear Nickelodeon channels before getting shelved and revived exclusively for Netflix is currently on the feeds internationally particularly in Spain.

Synopsis for Pinky Malinky:

Pinky Malinky is a fly-on-the-wall reality show that follows the everyday life of Pinky, an infectiously positive hot dog living in a human world. With his best friends Babs and JJ by his side, Pinky reaches for the stars in the small town of Sackenhack. Through his good spirits and sausage sensibilities, Pinky proves that a "wiener" is only one small letter away from being a "WINNER!"

Synopsis for Glitch Techs:

Who knows what really happens when a video game starts to glitch? In Glitch Techs , two teens work at a game store as a front for their actual job: Hunting video game monsters who've broken out into the real world for a super secret task force, The Monster Hunters! Nickelodeon's animated adventure-comedy series follows two newly recruited kids as they battle video game monsters that come to life in the real world.

It is believed by various sources that these two shows might be added on more Nickelodeon channels across the world. The channel doesn't have much noteworthy/original(ity) content following the cancellations of Transformers: Earthspark and Star Trek: Prodigy.

These two shows could help fill up the void and who knows maybe more content that was added exclusively on Netflix but were produced by Nickelodeon could resurface on the linear channels across the world as a number of content is set to exit the streamer soon.

Another Disney Franchise Also Reimagined For The Gameboy Universe, Club Penguin

Club Penguin was a massively multiplayer online game (MMO), involving a virtual world that contained a range of online games and activities. It was created by New Horizon Interactive (now known as Disney Canada Inc.). Players used cartoon penguin-avatars and played in an Antarctic-themed open world.

This game is a recreation of the beloved Club Penguin island into the Game Boy console. Have in mind this release is only a demonstration and not all rooms are available.

Also no music yet.

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Recap To The Month: eMedia Investments Produced A Short Film On Smoke & Mirrors Titled KwaNgonyama: The Movie Slated To Air On eMovies And eMovies Extra

During the week, it was learnt by news outlets that e.tv would be axing Nikiwe after its current season. After debuting earlier in the year in place of Durban Gen, the series was struggling to garner any traction as it lost 500,000 viewers just a month after its debut.

e.tv failed to properly publicise the series which played a part in its downfall and in recent years this has become a norm for most local broadcasters as the channel appears to downsizing it's efforts towards their content.

Smoke & Mirrors was also unveiled earlier in the year as a replacement for Imbewu and unlike Nikiwe had become a ratings success with consumers. As it served as the 4th most watched show on e.tv while Nikiwe struggled to maintain its position within the top 20 viewership.

They produced a short film titled KwaNgonyama: The Movie that is slated to air on eMovies and eMovies Extra and also stream on eVOD. But eMedia Investments doesn't seem to care that much about marketing the content which is watched by millions of households.

Press statement on the film

A close-up look into the life of Caesar Ngonyama

This December Smoke & Mirrors takes us to the Eastern Cape in the region of Kwa Bhaca. Caesar heads back to confront a threatening situation, his home is under attack. There, we get to meet the character of Bhele, the man responsible for his father’s death.

As a personal war erupts in the Eastern Cape, bullets start flying and bodies drop. With the assistance of Ngcuka, Caesar affirms his position as the alpha of his world. But why did he become the man that he is? To give us valuable insight into the complex life of Caesar, a short film was produced to air on

eMovies and eMovies Extra, while Caesar’s storyline unfolds on e.tv.

Smoke & Mirrors airs weeknights at 9PM

Development Alert: Tish Tash Is The Latest Entry To Play Room's Line-up, Ella Bella Bingo Set To Follow In The Coming Weeks

In less than a month, Play Room has managed to add at least two series to their line-up Rastamouse and Total Dramarama. Now the channel will continue to be building up its preschool line-up with the addition of two shows, Tish Tash and Ella Bella Bingo.

Tish Tash follows the adventures of a young bear called Tish, her bear family and her larger-than-life imaginary friend Tash, as they learn about the world around them. It is currently every weekday at 6:30 in place of Cocoland.

It consists of 48-52 episodes each with a duration of 11 minutes. It was also viewed on CBeebies in the UK, ABC Kids in Australia and lastly EBS1 in Korea.

Ella Bella Bingo follows the adventures of happy-go-lucky Ella and her friends. Each 7-minute episode is about how Ella uses her boundless creativity, infectious enthusiasm, and a never-give-up attitude to solve everyday problems in innovative ways.

The Singapore based animated series will be replacing one of the few locally produced shows on the channel, Bino And Fino. It airs weekdays at 08:45 from Monday 18 December.