SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT!!! StarSat Has Been Operating Illegally In South Africa After Failing To Renew Its License By July 2023

A few months ago, it was reported that StarSat should have shut down in South Africa from September 18th which was 2 days ago but didn't as they continued maintaining an active presence in the market. At the time, ICASA didn't give a reason on the sudden dismissal of Chinese based pay-tv service formerly known as TopTV.

TopTV was launched back in 2010 by On Digital Media as a rival to MultiChoice's DStv with its own lineup of premium entertainment and sports. Overtime, it had been flooded with debt that it that was on the verge of bankruptcy until StarTimes opted to acquire the company which was met with a lot of controversy.

First for its plan to introduce several pornographic content to some of its consumers and another for the scaling back of local content. As some consumers have seen, StarSat relies in ST Rise to build up it's local offering although it isn't as big of a contender as Mzansi Magic and other local offering are provincial brands.

Now the pay-tv service is set for closure after failing to renew license by July 2023 which was over a year ago and opted to apply for a new broadcasting license by November of that year. In general, StarSat has been operating illegally several employees were unaware of these events and some outlets still continued supplying their decoders.

Their exit from the South African market means that DStv would basically be the only pay-tv service in South Africa while eMedia Investments' Openview platform has competition from PremiumFree and Sentech's DTT. This would also put a damper to the local content conceived on the platform.

After Openview had removed Deen TV this was revived on StarSat as Deen Channel same goes for One Freestate Televisual which expanded to MultiChoice's DStv and only to be shuttered after less than 3 months. StarSat's exit from this market means that these brands have no other means of survival with other brands like Soweto TV viewable on DStv.

Zee Zonke To Rollout New Marathi Drama Titled Impilo Yo Dade In October

Impilo Yo Dade follows the story of two sisters who have not met each other for 20 years. Elder sister Uma lives happily with her in-laws Kokan, and younger sister Sandhya has been living in London for the past 20 years with her daughter. An incident that happened in their lives 20 years ago, separated them forever. 

But it is said that no matter what, a few bonds never fade away. Even today, not a day goes by when Uma and Sandhya do not miss each other. Raghunath Khot, Uma's husband, is a prominent man in the village. Uma broke all ties with her younger sister by promising her husband, Raghunathrao.

Sandhya's daughter will come to India from London to solve the issues between the two sisters. Will Raghunath, who values Swadeshi and opposes foreign things, accept Sandhya's daughter? 

Impilo Yo Dade premiered on Zee Marathi from 23 August 2023 as Saara Kahi Tichyasathi with over 350 having been filmed so far. Based on the series Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke (Young Dreams), it starred Khushboo Tawde as Uma Raghunath Khot, Ashok Shinde as Raghunath Khot and Dakshata Joil as Nishigandha Raghunath Khot.

Impilo Yo Dade will air daily at 19:00 from Wednesday 2 October replacing Uthandolweni. Similar to This Is Fate and Unfortunate Love, Impilo Yo Dade serves as an ongoing series which will be a channel first for Zee Zonke consumers.

BBC Brit Upgrades Its Prime-Time Lineup With New Game Shows, Shiny Floors, Talk Shows, And Even More Dramas On DStv

If there’s one thing South Africans need their daily dose of, it’s a spot of prime-time entertainment to wrap up the evening. BBC Brit, the home of top-tier British family entertainment and award-winning shows, is excited to unveil its new prime-time season lineup. From edge-of-your-seat dramas to heart-pounding game shows, BBC Brit ensures Prime Time is Your Time with the best of British entertainment!

 

Broadcasting on DStv Channel 120 and available on DStv Catch Up, viewers can indulge in the finest British entertainment from 7 – 9 PM every single day! BBC Brit is set to  bring a thrilling mix of returning favourites and fresh new shows, ensuring there’s a show for everyone. Fans can look forward to the return of beloved game shows, dramas, and talk shows that have captured audiences worldwide.

 

Newest Additions to the Prime Time Lineup

Test your limits in Tempting Fortune, an all-new survival game show hosted by Top Gear’s Paddy McGuinness. Twelve strangers embark on a survival challenge and 18-day trek in the wilds of South Africa. With only basic survival gear, they attempt to reach a shared £300,000 prize at the finish line. However, the twist is that along the way, they can choose to spend some of that eventual prize money on luxury beds and meals, and not everyone will agree that a bed is worth £3,000. Tempting Fortune premieres from Wednesday, 2 October 2024, at 21:00.

Feel the thrill of chance in Deal or No Deal UK, hosted by British presenter Stephen Mulhern. This game sees a contestant choosing one of 22 boxes, each containing a cash amount but winning is down to pure luck. Full of risk and reward keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Deal or No Deal UK starts Wednesday, 2 October 2024 at 20:00.

Laugh out loud with Would I Lie to You, the game show where comedy meets competition. Two teams concoct hilarious, and sometimes serious, stories to outwit each other. The team that fools the most takes home the win. Would I Lie to You airs from Friday 6 September at 20:00

BBC Brit’s Exciting Returning Lineup

 

BBC Brit Fans can look forward to the return of beloved game shows, dramas, and entertainment that have captured audiences worldwide.

Always the favourites, The Chase is back every weeknight at 19:00. This quiz show with a twist sees contestants team up against a quiz genius. The goal? Beat the Chaser. Plus much-loved quiz-show with Ben Shepherd, Tipping Point, returns with season twelve weekdays from Monday 9th September at 18:00.

 

Celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete for the coveted Glitter Ball trophy on Season 22 of Strictly Come Dancing UK. With SA’s own Motsi Mabuse as a judge and Johannes Radebe as a pro dancer, this season promises glittering performances and high drama. Starting Sunday 22nd September at 7pm.

The Graham Norton Show returns to BBC Brit with a brand-new series starting Tuesday 1st October at 8pm, just 4 days after the UK premiere. Graham Norton will be welcoming a raft of A-listers and newer stars to the studio to engage in witty badinage in front of a lively audience, creating the showbiz magic that his chat show has become world famous for.

 

If the drama of being in the Dragons’ Den, where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of seasoned investors, sounds like your type of show, Season 21 starts on Friday, 18 October 2024, at 20:00. And did you know almost $1 billion in investments in pitches have been made across the globe!?

Uncover the mysteries of The Brokenwood Mysteries. In the quiet town of Brokenwood, nothing is as it seems, and it’s up to Detective Mike Shepherd to solve the cases. Seasons 2 begins on Monday, 23 September 2024, at 20:00.

As the home of top British game shows, shiny floor entertainment, talk shows, and business programmes, BBC Brit offers something for everyone. Ideal for family viewing and guaranteed to make nights in more special, it's not just prime-time viewing — it’s your time, made memorable.

 

 

 

 

Telemundo To Premiere Lord Of The Skies Season 9 In November Across Africa

Telemundo is a Spanish language entertainment channel operated by NBCUniversal that distribute various content in English and Portuguese. It is home to shows such as My Heart Beats For Lola, Behind Closed Doors and Woman Of Steel with the channel set to rollout the ninth and final season to Lord Of The Skies.

It follows a humble man who wanted to become the richest and most powerful man in the world of drug trafficking in Mexico. To do so, he was capable of anything, and to maintain his power, he was even capable of changing his face. This season followed Casillas as his son’s arrest triggers a wave of violence across the country while he seeks revenge. 

“Since its original premiere ten years ago, ‘El Señor de los cielos’ [Lord Of The Skies] has consistently been a trailblazer thanks to its high-octane production value and a talented cast led by Amaya,” said Day, adding that there are touches of humor that add to its appeal.

It starred Rafael Amaya as Aurelio Casillas, Itatí Cantoral as Belén San Román, Robinson Díaz as Miltón Jiménez "El Cabo", Carmen Aub as Rutila Casillas, Iván Arana as Ismael Casillas, África Zavala as Mecha de la Cruz and Jason Romo as Diego Bustamante.

The ninth and final season of the American television series premiered on Telemundo in America from 13 February to 26 June 2024. This season was directed by Danny Gavidia, Mauricio Corredor, Mauricio Meneses and Bernardo Mota, with Karen Barroeta, Ximena Cantuarias, and Monica Vizzi serving as executive producers.

Lord Of The Skies season 9 replaces Queen Of The South season 3 once it comes to an end from Monday 11 November at 22:00. In other developments, TLNovelas which serves a rival offering to the channel is also looking to add new content in the month with The Path Of Love.

Why Was TLC Moved From Channel 135 To Channel 125 On DStv?

Last month, it was reported MultiChoice had silently moved TLC from channel 135 to 125 or rather acquired the feed for viewers in the West and Eastern parts of Africa and expanded it to Southern Africa. Similar to the likes of M-Net and Nickelodeon, these endeavours had led these brands to become independent in South Africa.

These days MultiChoice tends to identify these international operations with the tag "Africa". Likely due to the fact that corporate tends to list their foreign business as MultiChoice Africa so this is likely where Paramount Global, M-Net and Warner Bros. Discovery got the names for Nickelodeon Africa, M-Net Africa and TLC Africa.

What's more odd is the variation of graphic designs between Nickelodeon Africa and Nickelodeon South Africa.

As reported sometime ago, MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery gave very little publicity about the switch within Southern Africa causing confusion amongst viewers. Some were wondering why TLC channel 135 had been blocked (and if MultiChoice was looking to close yet another channel) while others why the content on channel 125 is lagging behind.

Through an enquiry with Warner Bros. Discovery this was their response:

As part of MultiChoice’s ongoing efforts to enhance their customers’ television viewing experience and delight them with content that resonates with them, MultiChoice refreshed its TLC channel for DStv on 15 August 2024 from channel 135 to channel 125.

TLC strives to create diverse and inclusive programming that resonates with a wide audience. However, we also respect the cultural and legal norms of each country where our shows are broadcast. Unfortunately, there are instances where certain themes may be restricted due to local regulations and therefore influence the programming in your country. The channel lineup will be adjusted to align with regional preferences. Some shows may be exclusive to a particular region. We apologise for any inconvenience and hope viewers continue to enjoy our other content.