What Makes Canal+ Different From DStv And Also Worrisome?

Canal+ is currently in the process of acquiring MultiChoice pending regulatory approval with lots of questions on the horizon on what awaits the Randburg based company. They currently have a 45% stake in the company making them MultiChoice's largest shareholder with their primary focus being on content allocation that would include DStv and MultiChoice Studios.

Other brands like Namola and Irdeto aren't viewed as much of a priority for the French broadcaster leading to speculation that some of these ventures could as well get scrapped/sold/spun off. But what remains to be seen is what Canal+ could do once they get an active position within MultiChoice Africa home to brands like Africa Magic, Zambezi Magic and Maisha Magic.

Due to local restrictions for foreign entities, voting rights for the company are capped at 20% with plans to get this to 49% still under wraps but that's not what the major concern is at the moment. When a property gets bought by another entity, they usually implement various cost cutting measures which leads some to wonder how much American content will be seen on DStv.

Despite being a French company, Canal+ has managed to establish some presence in Europe, Asia and Africa by buying up portions if not garnering full ownership of a company. While MultiChoice would rely on the African landscape for a portion of DStv's entertainment Canal+ places a similar emphasis within Europe and France.

The big question here now is how much American and international content will be left on DStv while MultiChoice offers Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel with Canal+ there's TravelXP (India), FilmBox (Nederlands) and Love Nature (Canada). They could look to minimise part of this offering built by MultiChoice to expand their local operations from other countries.

Canal+ has a very different approach when it comes to acquiring content of course this does lead one to wonder if the local aspects of DStv could also be restructured. MultiChoice at one point had tried giving consumers an open window to their content produced across the African continent with Novela Magic and HONEY now the latter had been merged with M-Net's remaining offering. 

So whose to say that Canal+ won't revive this part of DStv especially with the lineup of content filmed in Senegal and the Ivory Coast. They're hoping to produce content which can sell as much as the BBC or HBO so I doubt they'd want to restrict access to some of this content as seen with MultiChoice in the past years.

Openview: "The Challenges Of Establishing A Competitor To SABC News And eNCA"

MultiChoice remains a dominant player in the African landscape against the likes of Zuku TV, Azam TV and StarTimes with their DStv offering but in recent years this has been under threat against the likes of Disney+ and Netflix. They (or in particular MultiChoice Africa) is currently in the process of being acquired by the French broadcaster after serving as a competitor in the region.

SABC News, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika serve as those leading destinations for editorial news and throughout their existence hpas only been packaged within MultiChoice's offering. This is because the pay-tv company had been allocating funds for content and staff and unlike some brands like BBC News hadn't received much funding from a third party.

It is one of those reasons that SABC News had been removed from DTT platforms and replaced by SABC Lehae and why eNCA is not seen on eMedia Investment's Openview. There was a whole debate about tandrying to get these brands onto more platforms outside of MultiChoice's reach but the trail had since then been dried out of course there were multiple attempts at launching a competitive offering.

Sometime after StarTimes had acquired TopTV, they had explored the idea of launching a local news channel within the South African market but deemed it too expensive and abandoned those plans. eMedia Investments became the second broadcaster with OpenNews (before becoming News And Sports) and the channel wasn't financially sustainable which led to it's demise.

SABC became the third broadcaster with SABC Lehae the only problem was that the channel is accessibility as SABC had reported that DTT had only accumulated around 400,000 activations by 2020. Yet, eMedia Investments had accumulated over 2 million subscribers by then despite rolling out their STBs years after they were made available to the market.

The fact that SABC News is not on Openview doesn't mean the chances of acquiring it for the platform is unlikely. eMedia Investments could as well look into licensing SABC News but from what was speculated from some insiders the costs to acquire such a channel might not came in their favor cause eMedia. relies on advertising while MultiChoice offers a pay-tv service.

Gqeberha: The Empire Cancelled After Two Seasons On Mzansi Magic

After two riveting seasons of drama, passion, and unforgettable storytelling, Mzansi Magic is preparing to close the chapter on its acclaimed telenovela, Gqeberha: The Empire. But fear not! Mzansi’s home of local entertainment, is bringing more top-tier content in this slot - staying true to authentic Mzansi vibes.

 

Since its premiere, Gqeberha: The Empire has enchanted audiences with its storytelling and the stellar performances of its cast. From Anele Matoti’s portrayal of the funny yet complex Msimelelo to Unathi Guma’s portrayal of the strong-willed Funeka, the series has consistently delivered compelling characters. Nozuko (Kay Bikitsha), Thulani (Thembinkosi Ngcukana) and Season 2’s addition of Bongile Mantsai as the menacing Hlumelo Mxenge have only deepened the show’s storylines. Its ability to track the growth of characters and weave intricate storylines has captured viewers' imaginations from the start.

 

Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net, lauded the team behind the series: “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the producers, cast, and crew of Gqeberha: The Empire. Their unwavering dedication and exceptional talent have delivered spellbinding storylines in one of the most fiercely competitive primetime slots. As we approach the grand finale, we eagerly anticipate witnessing the culmination of this extraordinary journey.” Adonisi expressed deep gratitude to the Eastern Cape Provincial Government for their crucial support, which has helped the production flourish. She highlighted the stellar work of multi-award-winning production company, Tshedza Pictures and the entire cast and crew, whose delivery have kept viewers interested since the show’s inception in January 2021.

 

In the lead-up to the finale, watch Hlumelo grapple with the fallout of his poor choices and seek help from those he wronged. Meanwhile, Nozuko faces her overwhelming loss. Will Hlumelo and Nozuko's relationship survive, and will anyone ever find peace and true love?

Tune in to Mzansi Magic for the epic build-up to the conclusion of Gqeberha: The Empire, weekdays at 21:00. Don’t miss the dramatic conclusion to a series that has captured the nation’s heart.

 

Zee World To Debut New Series "Love Unbound" Soon

Set in Punjab, the female protagonist Heer played by Tanish Mehta firmly believes in doing good and being good, has her life turned upside down when one day she accidentally shoots someone. She then encounters the male lead Avinesh Rekhi, who believes she is innocent and a love chemistry will develop between them. 

Love Unbound showcases the rich essence of the background in Kapurthala, Punjab and the rich Punjabi culture and heritage. Then comes in Tanisha Mehta's character a girl who believes that good should happen to everyone and prays in the Gurudwara but ends up shooting someone one day. However, she encounters (Avinesh Rekhi's) character who is the male hero who is going to save her from the abrupt violence aimed at her. 

It starred Avinesh Rekhi as Ranjha aka Ranjeet, Tanisha Mehta as Heer Grewal, Monika Khanna asTejinder Kaur (Teji) in leading roles. Manish Khanna, Maleeka R Ghai, Romil Chaudhary, Manoj Chandila, Jaideep Singh, Poonam Jangra and Soniya Kaur serve as recurring.

Love Unbound was broadcast on Zee TV from 21 November as Ikk Kudi Punjab Di with 165 half hour episodes having been filmed during its run on the network. Dome Entertainment and Morani Brothers served as producers whose work includes Ra.One and Chennai Express both of which went on to become box office successes.

Love Unbound is expected to replace Our Heroes for Zee World consumers in Southern Africa in the coming months.

TLNovelas To Debut New Series "The Path Of Love" Across Africa

Memo Santos Pérez makes a living driving his trailer. In addition to being loving to his family, he wants to form a home with Úrsula, a woman with a dark past whom he has just proposed to. When his life plans are underway, Olivia, his ex-girlfriend, on the verge of death, confesses to him that they had a daughter and asks him to look for her at the home of Daniela Gallardo and Fausto Beltran, Isabella's adoptive parents. Memo goes to the Beltrán family's house to meet his daughter, where he is mistaken for Daniela's new assistant.

Daniela is successful a landscape designer who has been unable to fulfill her dream of carrying a child in her womb. Memo decides to work with Daniela to be close to Isabella, while he confirms with a DNA test that he is her father. Thanks to the daily coexistence, Memo becomes Daniela's confidant and that is how he discovers the loneliness she lives in her marriage and that her only reason in life is Isabella. Daniela and Memo begin to fall in love, but they decide to keep their feelings quiet in order to respect their commitments to their partners.

Based on the Chilean telenovela El Camionero, The Path Of Love premiered on Las Estrellas in Mexico from 7 November 2022 to 12 March 2023 as Mi Camino Es Amarte. It starred Susana González as Daniela Gallardo, Gabriel Soto as Guillermo "Memo" Santos Pérez, Mark Tacher as Fausto Beltrán, Ximena Herrera as Karen Zambrano, Sara Corrales as Úrsula Hernández and Mónika Sánchez as Amparo Santos.

The series premieres across Africa from 25 November replacing My Secret once it comes to an end with Telemundo scheduled to air a new Colombian series from RCN Television titled Ana's New Life later in the month. Both brands hit a repetitive slope for most of the year and these shows continue to serve as the only few primetime shows with Telemundo also offering Queen Of The South.