News Shorts: Da Vinci Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Future Chicken, Praise Petey Removed From Disney+ & Star+ Globally And BET Announces Production Of New Series Queendom

Birds flock to Da Vinci

Multiplatform content co. Wind Sun Sky Entertainment (WSS) has partnered with family streaming outfit Da Vinci to expand the reach of its kids’ eco-initiative Future Chicken around the globe.

Future Chicken is a climate justice initiative for kids (6-10+) created to address the eco-anxiety they are experiencing today by leveraging evidence-based positive storytelling to let children know that there is hope for the planet and that they can make a difference when it comes to their future. In November, Future Chicken launched in multiple formats of content, on Roblox, YouTube and the property’s dedicated website, futurechicken.com.

With young viewers flocking to shortform content, the Future Chicken ‘Ecotainment’ shorts series laid the foundation for launch. A mixed media content offering, Future Chicken shorts feature Potato the Chicken (a.k.a. Future Chicken) and her team of planet protecting friends highlighting to kids the positive things happening to support the future of the environment. With a blend of humor, ingenuity and collaboration, Potato, her egg sidekick Frittata and their friends set out to create a hope-filled future built on caring communities, thriving oceans, greener cities and renewed optimism.

Praise Petey exits Disney+

Last November, it was revealed that the 20th Television animated series, “Praise Petey”, had been cancelled after one season. The show was released on Freeform and Hulu in the United States and was also released as a Star Original on Disney+ around the world.

The series followed Petey, a New York City “it” girl who has it all until her life comes crashing down around her. As luck would have it, a mysterious gift from her father gives her a new lease on life: She’s going to “lean into” modernizing his small-town cult.

However, just over three months after the cancellation of the show, “Praise Petey” has now been removed from Star+ in Latin America and from Disney+ in many countries around the world, including the UK, Canada and Australia.   

Queendom coming to BET 

Dlathu and Mtoba have been announced as part of the cast of BET Africa’s new daily drama, ‘Queendom’.

Following the success of ‘Isono’ and ‘Redemption’, BET Africa is back with a new scripted daily drama which celebrates the strength, resilience and power of women who shape their own destinies.

‘Queendom’ explores themes of cultural heritage, tradition, fate, ancestry, power struggles, identity and survival.

It tells the story of Nthandokayise Mthombeni portrayed by Mtoba, a maverick community leader in Tsakane, who discovers that she is the rightful heir to the throne of Khahlamba Kingdom.

News Shorts: Sky News Named News Channel Of The Year At RTS, BET Announces New Series In Bloom + Release Date And NCIS Spinoff Greenlight By Paramount Plus

Sky scores big in the UK

Sky News has been named News Channel of the Year for the seventh consecutive year at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards. 

Responding to Sky News winning the award, David Rhodes, Executive Chairman for Sky News Group said:

“It’s been a momentous year for news and I couldn’t be more proud that Sky News has been recognised by winning News Channel of the Year for a phenomenal seventh year in a row. To provide audiences with the full story first, our 800 journalists around the world have told

compelling human-interest stories, held those in power to account, have gone deep into the data and delivered powerful eyewitness reports from around the globe”.

The BBC, which similar to Sky News is based from the UK and made substantial changes to its news output in the last year walked away almost empty-handed. The broadcaster did secure a win for its coverage of the Ukraine conflict and for a BBC Wales investigation into Welsh Rugby.

BET launches new local drama

In Bloom has been produced by MTV Staying Alive Foundation with continued support of Paramount and grant support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The thought-provoking collection tells unheard stories addressing a range of crucial issues including period poverty, child marriage, gender-based violence, HIV self-stigma, family planning and women’s economic empowerment. 

The anthology comes from five female filmmakers from Nigeria, Kenya, India, the US and Brazil, creatively championing new voices and enabling insightful conversations to dismantle systemic injustices.

In Bloom will also premiere on BET, DStv Channel 129 on March 8 at 20:00 CAT

NCIS spinoff in development 

CBS Studios is expanding its ever growing NCIS franchise by bringing back two fan favorite characters from the mothership series, Tony DiNozzo, played by Michael Weatherly, and Ziva David, portrayed by Cote de Pablo, who will reunite on screen for the first time in 10 years. Paramount+ has given a 10-episode series order to the untitled spinoff headlined by Weatherly and de Pablo and written by John McNamara (Trumbo, The Magicians). All three executive produce.

Nicknamed NCIS: Europe, the new action-packed spinoff, set to start production later this year, will follow Tony (Weatherly) and Ziva (de Pablo) as they find themselves on the run across the continent.

NCIS is one of CBS Studios’ most valuable franchises and its expansion has been a goal for the studio. This is one of two new NCIS offshoots greenlighted this year, along with the Young Gibbs prequel series for CBS, NCIS: Origins. It is also the second extension of the NCIS franchise beyond the U.S., following NCIS: Sydney, which has been airing on CBS in the U.S.

DStv Shorts: Big Brother Mzansi Opened To DStv Family And Access For Limited Time, M-Net And Mzansi Magic Debut New Series, White Lies And Queen Modjadji

BBM on Access

Big Brother Mzansi will become available for all DStv Access subscribers  this weekend from Friday, 1 March 2024, until Sunday, 3 March 2024. Viewers can expect exciting arena games, the Saturday Night Party and the Sunday Live Eviction Show

The cameras never stop rolling, giving you an all-access pass to the jaw-dropping events inside the Big Brother Mzansi house, 24/7. But wait, there's more! Brace yourselves as the charming Phila Madlingozi and the fabulous Khosi Thwala join on the fun as celebrity guests this week!

Big Brother Mzansi season 4 is broadcast live 24/7 on DStv Channel 198. Sunday eviction shows are at 18:00 on Mzansi Magic.

More local on DStv 

After its first epic historical series Shaka Ilembe, MultiChoice and M-Net is following it up with Queen Modjadji for Mzansi Magic in a drama inspired by the Balobedu legend of rainmaker Queen Modjadji whose bloodline has ruled Southern Africa's Lobedu clan for centuries.

Produced by Rhythm World Productions and Duma Ndlovu, Queen Modjadji will tell the "story of a matriarchal dynasty, whose ability to transform the clouds and summon the rain has earned the Balobedu royalty a place among the most revered of African dynasties," Mzansi Magic says. 

Prior to this M-Net will be rolling out a new series White Lies with synopsis below:

Journalist Edie Hansen (Dormer) gets caught up in the Cape's ugly underworld after her brother is murdered in the wealthy neighbourhood of Bishopscourt in Cape Town's southern suburbs, a description of the show reads.

Development Alert: Disney Junior To Close In Scandinavia By The End Of March, Merges With Disney Channel

As mentioned moments ago, Disney will continue to reduce their linear portfolio in parts of Europe with Disney Junior exiting Scandinavia by the end of March. This comes a month after the channel closed in Nordic as the latter folds under Disney Channel.

In Africa, these brands will continue to operate separately for another 3 years as Disney and MultiChoice extended their partnership. This also includes factual and wildlife brands National Geographic and National Geographic Wild and the two ESPN channels. 

Press release regarding the closure 

On April 1 this year, the existing channels Disney Channel and Disney Junior will merge, forming a new Disney Channel. The new Disney Channel is described as a flagship channel for all ages, and will, among other things, offer a special Disney Junior block on mornings and weekends.

Series to look forward to on the channel include

"Spidey and his Amazing Friends," "Star Wars: The Adventures of Young Jedi" and "Ariel." 

Hans van Rijn, who is the country manager and senior vice president of The Walt Disney Company Nordic & Baltic, comments on the merger: "We are proud and happy to be able to present the strongest tableau ever during the successful 20 years that the Disney Channel has been in existence in the north. The merger with Disney Junior gives us the opportunity to create an additional fully-fed Disney Channel with the absolute most popular and beloved content for young fans of all ages based on solid viewership analytics and engagement data.”

News Shorts: Disney Channel's Southern Africa Feed Is Being Reduced Across Europe, Broken Bonds Makes It's Freemium Debut On eExtra And ST Movies Channel Relaunches On StarSat Channel 101

Disney Channel is going bust 

Last month, it was reported that Disney Junior would be exiting parts of Europe as further content folds under Disney Channel.  Shortly after, MultiChoice extended the agreement for these channels alongside ESPN and National Geographic through 2027.

Now it has been reported that more European feeds might be looking to exit the Southern African feed following its induction in 2023. This was after a viewer had spotted Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur and 44 Cats shows not seen on Disney Channel. 

Considering the launch of the Nordic feed is a few hours away, it's likely that more regions are looking to align their offering. Aside from 44 Cats and Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur, the viewer had also spotted Pupstruction alongside various content from Disney Junior.

Unlike Africa, Disney Junior is also going dark on Disney Junior in Scandinavia by the end of March.

More Zee World repeats on Openview

During the week, it was reported that Katti Batti would be rolling out on eExtra this was after the channel provided various details pertaining to the 2018 series. As seen through various platforms, that is no longer the case as the channel adds Broken Bonds from Zee World.

Broken Bonds focuses on the lives of Shubhra, Kuldeep and their kids Roli and Rishi. After 10 years of their marriage, cracks start developing in Shubhra and Kuldeep’s relationship. Will Rishi and Roli succeed in erasing the differences between their parents? 

Originally titled Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti, it starts 4 March at 14:35 on eExtra.

St Movies Channel on StarSat

After ripping away TNT back in 2023 following contractual issues with Warner Bros. Discovery. StarSat decided to revive St Movies on channel 101 from 10 March following an abrupt end of the open window of the current St Movies Plus on channel 100.

St Movies Channel is a channel dedicated to Hollywood films, presenting the world's finest movies to our viewers. In partnership with several major Hollywood studios, the channel's line-up will consist of various genres including action, romance, comedy, and mystery.

StarSat remains silent on which package St Movies Channel will be allocated on but if we had to guess it will probably be available to the same consumers as TNT when it first broadcast on the platform.