New Channel Alert (Rumour): NBC HD Reportedly In Development On The DStv Platform

Yesterday, MultiChoice had begun work on yet another TV channel for the DStv platform with the initials NBC. Taking to account that there is already Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) residing within Africa this could as well be a potential high definition (HD) feed.

It's also possible that this could be a seperate TV channel and not one based on the Namibian broadcaster. Notice how the channel is currently residing on channel 111 where MultiChoice often rolled out various pop-up channels by M-Net Movies.

Another would be the distribution quality, as seen above this NBC is currently being tested in HD and while the one in Namibia is still in standard definition (SD). If this were the Namibian NBC, MultiChoice would have placed it in test channel section and not a prestigious channel number.

Could it be that NBCUniversal is looking to introduce a new (pop-up) channel to DStv customers?

MultiChoice revamped the Showmax streaming service during the month which is now in partnership with NBCUniversal. This has led to the addition of content from their studios including Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation and Telemundo Studios.

It wouldn't seem as far fetched of a coincidence that the NBC test card would launch around the time all this content came up on Showmax. I mean MultiChoice has numerous projects with NBCUniversal including Universal+ on DStv Stream and soon DStv Glass.

Some guesses for this possible new channel is that they'll start airing shows like Parks And Recreation and The Office which served as the highlight of the new Showmax. Unlike the American version, this one will probably be a watered down/repeat filtered version of the channel.

MultiChoice was scheduled to axe both Me and 1Magic from the DStv platform earlier in the month. NBC had been supplying several content to these channels including The Real Housewives, The Voice, Chicago Med, Law And Order and Young Rock.

1Magic had since then become a Showmax repeats channel with shows like Outlaws and Adulting. It had been long speculated that there could some behind the scenes going on within the company about the closures and if anything it could have something to do with channel 111.

Perhaps the idea of keeping 1Magic had to do with the rollout of the new Showmax. Perhaps they're treating more as a pop-up channel and as for Me that was slated to go off air as well and if anything maybe MultiChoice was looking to make NBC their predecessor.

I say this particularly because there's been various rumours going around that Me's viewership is low as opposed to M-Net City. Me was only catering to Compact and Family while as M-Net City was adored by even on premium as M-Net invested in fresher content unlike Me.

NBC despite housing a number of shows to M-Net and Universal TV could help expand the line-up. I believe there's various content people would love to see again aside from The Office and Parks And Recreation there is also Days Of Our Lives and Parenthood.

Paramount Global Layoffs: Paramount TV Studios Combines Development & Current, Other Senior Executives Impacted

Details are starting to emerge about the major round of layoffs Tuesday at Paramount Global impacting about 800 employees in the U.S.

Headed into today’s reductions, there had been chatter about Paramount TV Studios possibly downsizing. The studio, led by Nicole Clemens, has remained independent from the larger CBS Studios as the two combined support operations in November 2022 by centralizing finance, law, production, business affairs and casting.

Paramount TV Studios, which absorbed Paramount+’s scripted originals team in 2022, is now streamlining its programming operations by consolidating development and current under Head of Development Jana Helman, who will continue to report to studio president Clemens.

Leaving are Cheryl Bosnak, PTVS’s EVP and Head of Current; Kate Gill, SVP Development; Julie Katchen, VP of Current; and Devin Crossfield, Manager, Development.

Also departing is PTVS’ SVP and Head of Communications Dominic Pagone, who moved into the role a year ago after five years at Showtime and 18 at FX. CBS Studios and PTVS’ communications operations are now being consolidated under CBS Studios’ EVP Communications Kristen Hall.

CBS Studios and Paramount TV Studios’ development/current teams will remain separate.

PTVS established a stand-alone current department in 2019 when former Disney ABC current executive Bosnak was brought in to lead it.

All Paramount divisions are said to be impacted by the layoffs.

At Nickelodeon, Liz Paulson, head of animation and live-action casting and talent development for the network and studio content for third-party platforms, is leaving. The division’s talent department is being decentralized, I hear. Nick’s animation department has been significantly impacted, with close to 10 layoffs on both coasts.

Other notable TV executive departures so far include Brie Neimand, SVP, Current, Cable and Streaming Series at CBS Studios, who has been at the studio for 2 1/2 years; and Geoff Stier, SVP, Original Programming at Showtime Networks, who has been there for five years.

Today’s layoffs represent about 3% of Paramount’s global head count. At the start of 2023, Paramount had 24,500 full- and part-time employees in 37 countries, with another 5,800 project-based staffers.

“To those with whom we are parting ways, we are incredibly grateful for your hard work and dedication,” Paramount CEO Bob Bakish wrote in a company memo at the start of the layoffs this morning. “Your talents have helped us advance our mission of unleashing the power of content around the world.”

Like other traditional media companies, Paramount has been hampered by a slowdown in advertising as it navigates the transition from linear TV to streaming.

Could MultiChoice And M-Net Look Into Scrapping AddMovies On DStv?

In September 2020, M-Net Movies restructured their movie offering further reducing the number of channels from 6 to 4. MultiChoice also added two additional movie channels KIX and fliekNET with one of them serving as a promotion to low tailored consumers known as AddMovies.

AddMovies gave DStv consumers the opportunity to browse some of the cinemas freshest releases on M-Net Movies 1 and 2 alongside browse potential pop-up channels at the fee of R99p/m before dropping to R79p/m.

In recent months, MultiChoice has done a lot of downsizing/content management which included the cancellation of Maisha Magic Movies, HONEY, ROK GH, Tellytrack and Novela Magic. Even their movie offering particularly AddMovies had seen a reduction in airtime.

Aside from a reduced price rate, M-Net Movies hadn't launched any pop-up channel in the current financial year leading some to believe that M-Net had moved away from this offering. I mean their premium movie channels are seen airing films like The Expandables and Jurassic Park.

The previous setup of M-Net Movies had these channels focus on fresher releases but as seen with this new set up. It's almost as if M-Net is trying to keep Premium and AddMovies consumers away from M-Net Movies 3 and 4 similar to what's seen with M-Net and Me.

I presume M-Net will rely more on their existing entertainment offering to supplement the pop-ups and that also includes Afrocinema. But then again these recent developments kind of leads one to wonder what future awaits AddMovies.

Similar to other DStv packages, even AddMovies had seen a reduction of channels first it was fliekNET as the brand reverted back to a pop-up channel with other content integrating with kykNET. Then there was their two Bollywood movie channels with B4U Movies that got axed.

If I had to guess, AddMovies could remain for the foreseeable future as the brand was viewed as a popular addition with an estimated viewership base of 6000-8000. But then again, another possible restructure to the movie offering wouldn't seem far fetched.

Renewals Or Cancellations: Hamster And Gretel + Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur + Kiff + Big City Greens + The Villains Of Valley View + Ravens Home On Disney Channel

Last month, Disney opted to scrap Secrets Of Sulphur Springs and The Ghost And Molly McGee after their current seasons on Disney Channel. This news comes after the brand had announced the cancellation of Bunk'd and Saturdays as they look to reduce content costs and focus more on existing IPs.

Some IPs slated to air across various international feeds include Playdate With Winnie The Pooh and The Little Mermaid for Disney Junior and Phineas And Ferb Season 5 and Monsters At Work for Disney Channel.

Following these cancellations, fans of the networks have been in an uproar wondering what fate awaits their remaining offering. As some readers are aware, Disney is rumoured to have axed Pretty Freekin Scary and although there's still no official confirmation the company has been known for doing it's content dirty (e.g. Milo Murphy's Law).

Below a list of various content on the Disney Channel and their status

Renewals

Big City Greens Season 4

Hamster And Gretel Season 2

Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur Season 2 (exclusive to Disney+ in EMEA)

Kiff Season 2

Cancelled/Ending

Bunk'd Season 7

Secrets Of Sulphur Springs Season 4

The Ghost And Molly McGee Season 2

Saturdays Season 1

Unknown

Raven's Home (currently on season 6)

The Villains Of Valley View (currently on season 4)

Hailey's On It (currently on season 1)

Pretty Freekin Scary (currently on season 1)

One Freestate Televisual And NWTV Exit On DStv Explained

By late October, MultiChoice added two provincial channels to the DStv platform, One Freestate Televisual and NWTV. One was based in Bloemfontein and catered for Free State while the other was based in the North West but catered for Southern Africa.

Both channels offered a mixture of content ranging from reality shows, news, cartoons and drama series. But as seen earlier in the month none of these channels currently reside with DStv with One Freestate Televisual that is also seen on StarSat.

At the time of publishing MultiChoice remained hush hush on why these channels suddenly went dark in the first place. From what other sources gathered, MultiChoice had added both NWTV and One Freestate Televisual on a trial run basis which took about 3 months.

One Freestate Televisual has been trying to negotiate with MultiChoice on a new agreement while NWTV is no more. These talks are said to be still in discussion so it remains to be determined whether this channel would return.

Prior to this, MultiChoice was said to in negotiation with Limpopo TV over possibly adding the channel in 2021 before plans fell flat. According to the channel itself, MultiChoice had a different content strategy and this limited the amount of provincial stations on the platform.