News Shorts: Play Room Acquires Broadcasting Rights To Rockabye Island, Zee World Launches Its First 30 Minute Slots With Sister Wives And Force Of Attraction And Via Launches A New Show Gesels In June

Play Room travels to the UK in Rockabye Island

Each day, Sean and Roisin hop on board their school-boat with their school friends and head off to a magical preschool, where they meet their teacher, Mister O’Dear, who just happens to be a deer!

Through imagination, adventure and teamwork, the children learn about their world and how it works, all with the support of their many animal friends on the fantastical and enchanting Rocka-Bye Island!

The series airs daily at 09:00 from 27 May.

Zee World also pulling a Star Life 

After Star Life opted to make all their primetime shows ran half an hour it appears Zee World is also dwelling in the 30 minute offering with Sister Wives and Force Of Attraction. These shows air daily at 21:00 and 21:30 despite the rest of Africa receiving it as 1 hour.

If anything, is it possible Zee World is looking to follow Star Life and make all their programs half hour. Honestly, there are shows on there which deserve that treatment like Radha Mohan and Twist Of Fate considering how often you'd hear those words "new season".

This isn't the first time Zee World had made rather odd changes aside from separate feeds. There was a case where films were viewed on one feed but excluded from the other so I guess this will be the new norm with the channel.

June and July on Via

Gesels

Season 1

22 June – 14 September 2024

Saturdays 18:00

46 minutes x 13 episodes

Genre: Talk show

Gesels is an energetic lifestyle talk show where advice and inspiration are shared to address different facets of our lives. Creating space for ourselves, for others, and for community is apparently the secret to happiness. Viewers will get the sense that they are privy to the coolest conversations where they leave with fresh insights and a list of new things to try.

Hier sit die manne

Season 5

6 July – 28 September 2024

Saturdays 17:00

46 minutes x 13 episodes

Genre: Talk show / Magazine show

A male-interest talk show hosted by Frank Rautenbach. In each episode Frank interviews a guest who is relevant to the market. Additional inserts will focus on popular male interests such as cars, fishing, hunting, investing, travel, rugby, and more.

Die Babbelbende

Season 2

21 July 2024 – 19 January 2025

Sundays 07:30

23 minutes x 25 episodes

Genre: Kids' entertainment

In this children's entertainment series, we answer all the questions curious kiddies may have. Paloeka, Palawa and their bestie, Bibi, hang out in their tree house while their friends Ben visits all kinds of interesting places. For children ages 4 through 10.

Canal+ Now Owns More Than 45% Of MultiChoice

French media giant Group Canal+ has acquired a further 7,374,918 shares in DStv parent MultiChoice in the past week, bringing its total ownership of the local broadcaster to 45.20%.

It acquired the shares between 8 and 10 May 2024, paying between R119.44 and R119.68.

“Canal+ confirms that these acquisitions have already been disclosed to the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) as required under the Companies Act and [the Takeover Regulations],” it said.

“After the aforementioned trades are implemented, Canal+ will hold an aggregate of approximately 45.20% of the MultiChoice Shares in issue.”

“Save as may be prohibited under the Companies Act and the Takeover Regulations, Canal+ may acquire further MultiChoice Shares after the date of this announcement whilst the Offer remains open,” it added.

Canal+ has gradually increased its shareholding in MultiChoice since April 2024, after its creeping takeover of the DStv parent began in October 2020.

The French media giant last notified the market on Wednesday, 8 May 2024, that it had increased its MultiChoice stake to around 43.54%.

It has been notifying the market of its MultiChoice stock purchases through the Takeover Regulation Panel each week since the companies revealed that it broke through the 40% ownership mark.

“Some shareholders have asked whether Canal+ might cross the 50% shareholding in this way,” MultiChoice said in a media statement following the disclosure.

“We do not envisage this happening as exceeding 50% ownership would amount to a merger under the Competition Act, which would require prior approval from the Competition Tribunal.”

MultiChoice previously explained that Canal+ would be forced to increase its offer price if it were to buy shares for more than R125 each.

New Series Alert: Mzansi Magic Announces Samukeleni, A Spinoff Of Forever Thina

You saw them on Mzansi Magic’s reality show, Forever Thina, when couples went against all odds and married without their families’ approval. The three couples are back on Samukeleni, airing on the channel from 17 July, this time, seeking blessings for their respective unions post the wedding.

On this spin off show, the couples are embarking are on a different journey:  acceptance from their families and loved ones of their relationship and shot gun wedding. The end goal is to not only have their relatives acknowledge their unions but to also embrace these marriages by giving them the blessing and respect that they deserve.

“Our reality shows always tell stories that we hope will  entertain viewers as well as initiate an exchange of opinions among audiences,” says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels. “Samukeleni is an extension of the conversation that started on Forever Thina and we hope this will answer the question: What happened after the wedding? 

The show also answers questions like: What happens next in the newly wedded couples’ lives? What obstacles and turmoil await? Apart from seeking their families’ acceptance, they also have to tackle some contentious issues including paying ilobolo, blending their families, dealing with fertility issues and so much more.

Whether or not the blessings and acceptance come, the journey is you need to witness. Tune in to Mzansi Magic, DStv Channel 161 from Wednesday, 17 July at 20:00 and see if the couples request of ‘samukeleni’ will be received and accepted or not.

"In The Pipeline": Warner Bros. Discovery Over The Inclusion Of TNT Sports In Africa

During the year, Warner Bros. Discovery had launched TNT Sports in the United States after residing within Europe and Latin America for sometime. Unlike these territories, TNT Sports offering is being tested on TruTV leading to a possible rebrand.

After the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. and also the rise in streaming. The company had made several cuts across their linear platforms with TruTV and TNT in the U.S. on limbo for sometime struggling to find purpose in this shake-up. 

TNT Sports is sort of Warner Bros. Discovery competitor to Disney's ESPN and M-Net's SuperSport. After adding All Eite Wrestling (AEW), plans are underway to include more sports themed programming ranging from series, films and documentaries. 

Sports is an essential part of our daily culture as it brings people together and with the dismantling of linear TV which led to the decline in audience share. Sports managed to retain its portion and has been described as the biggest money grabber.

There's been questions as to whether TNT Sports could be something explored within Africa I mean it wouldn't come as a surprise. TNT Sports already has a presence in other countries and also further action from All Elite Wrestling is on TNT.

In a response to a media enquiry:

Yes, it's in the pipeline.

Taking to account, TNT Sports in the latter are TV channels the one residing within Africa might be folded under TNT as a programming block. As mentioned, All Elite Wrestling is accessible on TNT and that includes Rampage and Dynamite to PPVs like Battle Of The Belts.

If anything, they still haven't obtained other PPVs from AEW such as Road Rager, Homecoming and Blood & Guts something that could rollout on the anticipated sports brand. 

As for other sporting events, SuperSport holds rights to most of them within Africa this includes Formula E, Moto GP and UEFA Champions League. If anything, TNT Sports could be an AEW tailored brand with other content added to the mix.

Comcast To Launch Peacock, Netflix And Apple TV+ Bundle At A 'Vastly Reduced Price'

Get ready for the next cable-like streaming bundle: Comcast later this month will launch a three-way bundle — with Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ — offered at a deep discount, Comcast chief Brian Roberts said.

Dubbed StreamSaver, the bundle will be available to all Comcast broadband, TV and mobile customers, Roberts said, speaking Tuesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet and Communications Conference in New York.

The three streaming services, Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+, will “come at a vastly reduced price to anything available today,” Roberts said, although he didn’t reveal any pricing details. The goal is to “add value to consumers” and “take dollars out” of other companies’ streaming businesses, he added, while reinforcing Comcast’s broadband service offerings.

“This will be a pretty compelling package,” Roberts promised.

Last week, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a three-way bundle comprising Max, Disney+ and Hulu, to be available starting this summer in the U.S. (with pricing TBA). In addition, Disney, WBD and Fox Corp. have formed a joint venture to launch a streaming sports bundle stocked with ESPN+ and linear TV networks from each, slated to debut this fall. Critics have alleged the venture, which some have dubbed “Spulu” (a mash-up of “sports” and “Hulu”), is anticompetitive and violates antitrust law.

Like the other streaming bundling strategies, Comcast’s forthcoming Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ package is an effort to reduce cancelation rates (aka “churn”) and provide a more efficient means of subscriber acquisition — coming as the traditional cable TV business continues to deteriorate.