Maisha Magic Vs. ZACU TV: Who Is Likely To Survive The MultiChoice/Canal+ Merger?

As some readers are aware, Canal+ intends to merge their operations alongside MultiChoice which would create an African powerhouse. This would need approval from local legislation including the Competition Commission and ICASA.

Since then, there's been a lot of concern of the implications awaiting this deal should it move forward. Canal+ serving as the new owners of MultiChoice would likely decrease the workforce on top of minimizing production and licensing agreements. 

One of the topics that up for discussion since the year started was the fate to some of their local offering seen in the market. Although, KykNET and Mzansi Magic don't have a suitor their sister channels in neighboring markets like Kenya and Nigeria do.

In Nigeria, this offering is referred to as Africa Magic which boosts over 3 channels with Canal+ ROK only consisting of 2 channels. All of which could be a subjected to a merger as to not create friction amongst their stable with iROKO being the only reminisce of ROK.

In Kenya or more frankly East Africa, MultiChoice operate the Maisha Magic channels and although Canal+ doesn't have a channel to beef up with most parts of the region they do have for Rwanda, ZACU TV. 

Unlike ROK and Africa Magic, is there a chance these two entities could just co-exist - we believe so. Mzansi Magic already caters to consumers in South Africa with Zambezi Magic catering to other Southern African regions like Zambia, Botswana and Malawi.

We don't envision Maisha Magic dying down but perhaps just reducing their focus to avoid competition. If we had to be honest, there wasn't much competition between these two brands as there was not much Rwanda coming to Maisha Magic to begin with.

July 2024 On Mzansi Magic & Mzansi Wethu | Returning Shows Including Kings Of Maskandi | Finale Alert: I'm With Your Ex | More

Pick of the month 

Queen Modjadji

Mzansi Magic| Sundays | 20:00

Born to the throne and blessed with a unique gift, Queen Modjadji tells the story of a matriarchal dynasty with the ability to summon the rain, placing the Balobedu royalty among the most revered African dynasties. Watch the season premiere of Queen Modjadji on Sunday, 14 July 2024 at 20:00 exclusive to Mzansi Magic channel 161.

PREMIERES

Sibongile & the Dlaminis Season 2

Mzansi Wethu| Mondays - Wednesdays | 18:30

A potent secret destroys a relationship and despite Sibongile trying to move on and achieve her life-long dream, she is thrust back into the Dlaminis world through a very compromising situation. Hope, love, loyalty, survival and betrayal are at the centre of Sibongile & the Dlaminis Season 2, catch the explosive new season premiere on Monday, 29 July 2024 at 18:30.

Kings of Maskandi Season 2

Mzansi Magic| Tuesdays | 20:00

Bahubhe finally decides to do right by his fiancée by proceeding with lobola. Abafana baka Mgqumeni let us in on their life in Joburg, and Khulekani is at peace with his relationship with his father. Catch all that and more in the first episode of Kings of Maskandi Season 2 on Tuesday, 16 July at 20:00 on Mzansi Magic channel 163.

Samukeleni

Mzansi Magic| Wednesdays | 20:00

We first saw them on Forever Thina, when couples went against all odds and married without their families’ approval now the couples are back seeking blessings for their unions post the wedding. Catch the first episode of Samukeleni on Wednesday, 17 July at 20:00 on Mzansi Magic channel 161.

Short & Sweet Season 2

Mzansi Magic| Thursdays | 20:00

Follow the lives of Shota, Thandazani and Vovo as they navigate life and seek to prove that just like age, height is nothing but a number. Watch the season premiere of Short & Sweet Season 2 on Thursday, 25 July 2024 at 20:00 exclusive to Mzansi Magic channel 161.

Vuka Mjita

Mzansi Wethu| Sundays | 20:00

A hard-hitting reality series taking men on a therapeutic journey to break down their inner walls and unlock the doors to the other side of healing as they reflect on the men they are becoming. Catch the first episode of Vuka Mjita on Sunday, 14 July at 20:00 on Mzansi Wethu channel 163.

Fixing the Game: Junior Khanye

Mzansi Wethu| Sundays | 20:00

A hard-hitting reality series taking men on a therapeutic journey to break down their inner walls and unlock the doors to the other side of healing as they reflect on the men they are becoming. Catch the first episode of Fixing the Game: Junior Khanye on Sunday, 14 July at 20:00 on Mzansi Wethu channel 163.

FINALES

I’m with Your Ex Season 2

Mzansi Magic| Sundays| 19:30

What if the love of your life is someone you shouldn't want? What if they used to be with someone close to you? How would you tell them the truth? And how would they react? Every week has been jaw dropping and extremely dramatic, the season finale is no different, catch the dramatic end to I’m with Your Ex Season 2 on Sunday, 28 July 2024 at 18:00 as another person learns that someone close to them is in love with their ex 

TELENOVELAS

Sibongile & the Dlaminis Season 1

Mzansi Wethu | Mondays - Wednesdays | 18:30

Vuma urges the youth to steer clear of adult matters as Nomalanga's plot hits a snag and Kwenzo surprises everyone. Velephi and Sangweni embark on a mission while Kwenzo faces a verbal lashing. Vuma tries to mend family ties, sparking a connection between Nomfundo and Njengaye. Deliwe attempts to win Vuma's heart amidst revelations, and Nomalanga's plans backfire, pushing Sibongile to defend her designs.

Thulisile and Wenzeni confront their demons, and Sis Mavis seeks a fresh start. A wedding looms as Phetheni and Vusi consider legal action against Sibongile, who finds unexpected support from Kwenzo. Nomalanga's fake baby bump creates chaos, and as Sibongile's venture is celebrated, Njengaye and Vusi's world begins to crumble. The season finale sees emotional farewells and new beginnings, with secrets unveiled and alliances tested.

Champions Season 1

A person with a football ball in front of a person

Mzansi Magic | Weekdays | 19:00

Sinesipho quickly realises the new chairman will be impossible to control. Philemon basks in the glow of victory, but Washington bursts his bubble. In the heat of the moment, Ferrari makes a life-changing decision. A mother worries that she is losing her son and in the heat of a moment a life-changing decision. Lebo's sees himself as deserving of a girlfriend upgrade and he makes a surprising investment.

Sinesipho is shattered when the people she believes in turn their backs on her life an important event at the Modise household is riddled with major hurdles. A celebratory event ends with an indecent exposure. Lebo’s romantic encounter earning him and Ferrari faces the consequences of betraying Sne. Nkele receives great news for her business. Lesibana is accused being a father and he eventually struggles with his new role. Two star-crossed lovers can't fight their connection anymore and a scorned Didintle wants to make sure that someone pays for how she's feeling .

My Brother’s Keeper Season 2

Mzansi Magic | Weekdays | 19:30

Drama and intrigue reach new heights as the DNA results of Nqubeko's baby shake his household, while Donga grapples with the allure of Nkosazana's promises of wealth. Ndumiso stumbles in his presentation, leading to regret. Tensions flare between Nqubeko and Fakazile over the baby, while Donga uncovers the reasons behind his missed opportunities. Strange encounters leave Fakazile bewildered, and confrontations escalate as Donga exposes Mshengu's sabotage. As Fakazile and Nqubeko move towards reconciliation, Nomsa falls for Baby Ndyebo.

Umkhokha: The Curse Season 2

A group of men standing together

Mzansi Magic | Weekdays | 20:30

Difa receives distressing news from the hospital, while Mabusi struggles to help those she loves most. Ndlovu's deceitful ways catch up with him, causing chaos within his family and community. Zisebenzele gets entangled in a love triangle, and Difa makes sacrifices to protect his loved ones. The Mthembu family is thrown into turmoil by illness. As power struggles ensue, Mabusi faces heartache, and new leaders emerge amidst the chaos.

Gqeberha: The Empire Season 2

A person in a suit standing in a hallway

Mzansi Magic | Weekdays| 21:00

Funeka's argument with Msimelelo takes a shocking turn, while Ntando and Nomaflower's first date is full of excitement. Hlumelo is drawn back to Yoliswa, and Nozuko fiercely marks her territory. A breakthrough occurs in Stokkie's case as the Makwethu family takes a step forward, but Nomaflower faces a mind-over-heart dilemma involving Ntando. Nozuko's renovation plans stir conflict with Nobomi and Thulani, and Lulama is shaken by a mysterious letter.

Anda threatens Lulama to expedite marriage plans, and despite Funeka's despair, Msimelelo manages to reach her. Lulama's drastic actions reveal her true self, and despite upheaval, hope emerges for the Makwetus. Zimkhitha investigates Ntando's new love, while Funeka and Msimelelo's future brightens as they decide to marry. Amidst Lulama's dramatic flair and Zimkhitha's scheming, love and resilience prevail.

DRAMAS

Ha Molefi

Mzansi Magic | Mondays | 20:00

Episode 03 | Monday, 01 July 2024

Thabang bonds with Sipho. Ntokozo gets in deep trouble with Mam'Thuli.

Episode 04 | Monday, 08 July 2024

Ntate goes on a mission to find out who scratched his car. Joy and Spice set Thabang up for failure. Joy makes a play for Sipho.

Episode 05 | Monday, 15 July 2024

Joy and Spice get their comeuppance. Ntokozo finally scores a date with Amo. Thabang plans to join the House of Nkoli.

Episode 06 | Monday, 22 July 2024

House of Dolls declares war on House of Nkoli. Thabang finds a way to make extra cash. Joy's date with Sipho is sabotaged.

Episode 07 | Monday, 29 July 2024

Thabang's booming business takes a wrong turn. Abhuti Ofee takes Ntate's love life into his own hands. Sipho confesses his feelings.

REALITY

Themba My inked Life Season 2

Mzansi Wethu | Thursdays | 19:00

Episode 08 | Thursday, 04 July 2024

Themba's sisters seek answers about the mysterious new woman in his life. The return of Mpho Wabadimo brings unexpected revelations that threaten to shake the foundation of their lives.

Episode 09 | Thursday, 11 July 2024

Nqobile and her sister engage in a long-overdue heart-to-heart conversation, hoping to mend their fractured relationship. Tulz embraces the challenges of his first day at a new job.

Episode 10 | Thursday, 18 July 2024

Two families collide as Themba and Mpho's loved ones finally meet face-to-face for a tension-filled conversation. Long-buried secrets are unearthed, and harsh truths are spoken.

 

Married at First Sight Mzansi

Mzansi Magic | Sundays | 18:00

Episode 04 | Sunday, 07 July 2024

The newlyweds embark on their honeymoons, but not all is smooth sailing. Thabang and Khumo travel back to Johannesburg as Khumo's work takes precedence.

Episode 05 | Sunday, 14 July 2024

As things unravel, Boitshepo and Sebenzile deliberate on Khumo and Thabang's marriage. Zithobile pays Sebenzile a visit to catch up and discuss the highs and lows of her marriage.

Episode 06 | Sunday, 21 July 2024

Sebenzile and Boitshepo are committed to presenting a perfect image, but beneath the surface, cracks begin to show. Khumo and Thabang continue to grapple with work-life balance, Dee and Khutso's passion flares, and Thami and Zithobile seek to understand their insecurities.

Episode 07 | Sunday, 28 July 2024

Thami's upbringing and black tax affect his self-esteem, Zithobile's body image issues come to the forefront, Sebenzile and Boitshepo face unresolved feelings, and Dee and Khutso's long-distance relationship is put to the test.

Izingane zeS’thembu Season 2

All I can say is drama' - What to expect when 'Izingane Zesthembu' returns  to screens | The Citizen

Mzansi Magic | Sundays | 19:00

Episode 10 | Sunday, 07 July 2024

Tirelo confronts Mpumelelo about his breakup with Vuyo meanwhile things fall apart after dinner. While Mpilo tries to keep everyone together Sne has a breakdown and blames Abongwe for ruining the night, while Vuyo regrets coming onto the trip.

Episode 11 | Sunday, 14 July 2024

It’s a beautiful day of fun and waves in Suncity and the siblings soak up the sun until a surprise guest joins the trip. The siblings are labelled fake while Mpumelelo’s secrets are brought to light. Mpilo and Abo struggle to contain their emotions and things get heated.

Episode 12 | Sunday, 21 July 2024

The siblings gather for the finale dinner and Sne confronts her family about their hidden dynamics. Lwandle gets heated and demands Sne for facts while Mpilo tries to calm things down. The dinner unravels leaving some siblings isolated.

Disney XD Might Be Coming An International Comeback After Being Spotted On Eutelsat 9B Satellite For The Cosmote TV Platform In Greece

Disney XD was an international children's channel targeting boys aged 7 to 14 years old. Operated by The Walt Disney Company, it was home to shows like Gravity Falls, Marvel's Spider-Man, Big City Greens and Kick Buttowski: Surburbian Daredevil. 

Following Disney+ inception in 2019, most of the international feeds of Disney XD had been closed with remaining feeds residing in America, Netherlands, Canada and Poland. This was part of Disney's attempt on prioritizing Disney+ which led to more cord cutting.

Although Disney XD continued to have a presence in these regions no original content had been commissioned with the latter residing from Disney Channel and Disney+.

According to the information obtained from KingOfSat, DigitalBitrate and Parabola.ca, Disney XD has appeared on Eutelsat 9B satellite for Cosmote TV platform in Greece. This endeavors had led some to wonder if Disney were to be reviving the channel. 

Disney Channel had been operating under a unified feed in parts of Europe and Africa. During the year, these endeavors were minimized as Scandinavia and Nordic opted for a localized feed to Disney Channel which led to cancellation of Disney Junior. 

New Series Alert: Gouri Coming Soon To Zee World

Not long ago, it was reported Zee World would be rolling out a new Hindi drama series My Journey To You in the coming weeks in place of Undercover Love. Now the channel is gearing up to accompany it with another program titled Gouri.

Synopsis for Gouri:

Dr. Ishan does not believe in God, but Gouri believes in God in her heart. With the arrival of Gouri, the gate of the temple is opened automatically, the veil of Goddess Kali's head is raised at the first sight of Gouri. As per the plot of the story, the doctor believes worship is superstition, to which Gouri replies, "Maybe from tomorrow you will trust the most".

It starred Mohona Maiti as Gouri Ghosh Ghoshal, Biswarup Bandyopadhyay as Dr. Ishan Ghoshal, Rishita Nandi as Tara Ghoshal, Samata Das as Sujata, Arindol Bagchi as Nibaron and Sinchana Sarkar as Tiya.

Known in India as Gouri Elo, it premiered on Zee Bangla from 28 February 2022 and ended on 24 November 2023. Since its inception, two remakes have already been filmed one in Odia titled Maa Jahara Saha and the second in Punjabi titled Shivika.

Gouri will air daily at 19:30 from 1st July with My Journey To You airing an hour later at 21:30. Both these series will only run for a 30 minute duration with Gouri that is set to limit Un...Fortunate Love's duration to 30 minutes (including ad breaks).

Max Originals Likely Dead Is A Good Sign For HBO And Cartoon Network

Not long ago, it was reported Warner Bros. Discovery had dumped the Max trademark from upcoming shows Harry Potter and IT with these being branded as HBO originals. Similar to Disney+ Star, Max will continue to exist for a collection of content. 

When Max launched in 2020, it served as a rival offering to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Showmax and Disney+. It offered a range of animated shows like Close Enough and Jellystone alongside live-action shows like The Flight Attendant and Gossip Girl.

Not only that, it became the exclusive home of all things Cartoon Network and this included Tiny Toons Looniversity, The Fungies! and upcoming show Iyanu: Child Of Wonder. Unlike HBO, most shows to have been filmed by their studio were credited as Max Originals.

With the demise of Max, it means Cartoon Network will be more recognition after being shunned by Adult Swim as shows like Invincible Fight Girl and My Adventures With Superman were pulled from the network. 

The reason Max is being trimmed has to do with the current economic climate as the streaming market is oversaturated and Max is basically struggling to compete. Internationally, they're licensing content to various broadcasters including Sky and M-Net.

Another similar to Disney+ Star, consumers aren't familiar with Max the moment HBO was dumped from the name. In this day and age we're seeing companies revive or expand on IPs in order to get an extra buck and retain audiences while getting new ones.

As mentioned, HBO is expanding the universes of IT and Harry Potter while Cartoon Network is doing that with revivals to The Amazing World Of Gumball and Regular Show.