Could StudioCanal Africa Also Be On The Pipeline For MultiChoice Suitor Canal+?

StudioCanal serves as the production arm for the French broadcaster offering original films and series in US, UK, France and several parts of Europe and Africa. It is home to franchises like Paddington and Bridget Jones and also has co-produced films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Free Willy.

With its parent company Canal+ looking to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice plans are underway to stretch StudioCanal's expertise through this transaction as seen with M-Net's Spinners. Last year, production began in Cape Town on a new film titled Huntington starring American actor Glen Powell.

They plan to utilize MultiChoice's resources to build on intellectual properties (IPs) to better combat against Netflix that too has curated local content such as Blood And Water. Prior to MultiChoice's inclusion, Canal+ already owned ROK Studios (Nigeria) and Zacu Entertainment (Rwanda) with Marodi TV (Congolese) likely to join the ranks.

Should this transaction with MultiChoice progress we can only imagine that StudioCanal Africa would be formed from all this. It would consist of MultiChoice/M-Net Studios, Zacu Entertainment, Marodi TV, ROK Studios and any future investment Canal+ plans to pursuit in Africa.

Right now, ROK Studios and likely Zacu Entertainment are part of StudioCanal's global operations but we have seen them launch regional versions in the UK and Australia. It would only make sense to have one situated in Africa considering that MultiChoice would make them a giant in the region.

At the moment, Canal+ had been distributing Africa Magic Epic and select content from M-Net onto their platforms in french overseas. With their stake in MultiChoice, we can only imagine that they'll seek to unite these markets and give their French endeavours more scale as seen in parts of Africa with Africa Magic and Zambezi Magic.

MultiChoice Zambia Dumps Camnet TV From The DStv And GOtv Platform

MultiChoice Zambia is set to claim it's first victim by the end of January as a channel termination noticed has been sent to various consumers watching Camnet TV on channel 274. 

Camnet TV was launched back in 2017 alongside Prime TV on the platform and served as Christian based channel and was one of the few local channels on the platform with such genre. The channel was founded by Mrs. Pastor Victoria Chiluba who is married to the former president of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba.

Although the channel didn't have much controversy the founder embroiled in a scandal where she sought help from Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia's current president) in an attempt to save Camnet TV. And this was what prompted Camnet TV to lose credibility and also have a controversial history.

MultiChoice Zambia in a statement has attributed low viewership and possibly other strategic considerations regarding channel content and profitability. Camnet TV would basically be the third religious station to have gone off air on the platform and the second within this month.

A year ago, Emmanuel TV decided to exit various platforms across Africa after the channel's founder T.B. Joshua was involved in a sex trafficking/cult scandal. Prior to this, the founder was embroiled in numerous other scandals with one notable figure deeming him "the son of a devil".

Before that was ITV Networks, this was the only Islamic channel to have been distributed by MultiChoice in South Africa and also the only non-troublesome channel on the list. If anything, the channel's demise was part of an ongoing review between companies attempt to enhance viewer's offering. 

Could 1Max Be Over And Out On DStv As Canal+ Edges Closer To MultiChoice?

Based on the Showmax streaming service, 1Max serves as a promotional window to various originals and international content from the streaming service alongside reruns from M-Net. Despite Comcast holding a 30% stake in Showmax, 1Max is handled entirely by MultiChoice/M-Net who serve as a majority shareholder.

Last year, MultiChoice and M-Net decided to do away with Me and 1Magic with their deaths that were partially exaggerated as the offering merged to form 1Max. This received very little buzz from MultiChoice even for a repeats channel they would have been some type of promotion but not in this case with 1Max.

Since then, speculation had been going around that 1Max could be done and dusted once or if Canal+ managed to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice. Firstly, the French broadcaster doesn't like this idea of Showmax posing as a threat to DStv and has even hinted at the two serving as contenders.

What I think this could mean is that Showmax gets spun off amongst shareholders within MultiChoice. Rumours had been making the round that MultiChoice had considered dividing DStv and Showmax and this grew further to even suggest a potential sale in their assets particularly DStv.

If this does happen to be the case, it would put 1Max in a very precarious position as this is the lifeline for Compact+. Most other channels like Comedy Central, BBC Brit and Universal TV are already viewable on much lower bouquets and with its cancellation there wouldn't be much value on the package.

MSNBC Will Not Undergo A Name Change Once It Is Spun Off From Comcast

 MSNBC will retain its name after it is spun off from Comcast along with other cable assets.

Mark Lazarus, who is leading the new company, told network staffers of the plans at a meeting today to announce the departure of Rashida Jones as the network’s president and the naming of Rebecca Kutler as interim leader, according to a network source.

“I know there was some discussion with the MSNBC name, so you can take that off of your worry list on things,” Lazarus said at the meeting.

Kutler also will be hiring a head of newsgathering and head of talent, Lazarus said. Throughout its history, MSNBC has drawn on correspondents and anchors from sister network NBC News, which will remain part of Comcast.

Lazarus said, “The only thing I’ll say is the worst thing any leader can do is change something that’s working just because they can. So, if this is working, then there’s no reason to change it.”

The spinoff, announced in November, is expected to take about a year to complete. It also will include USA Network, CNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel.

MSNBC launched in 1996 as a venture between NBC News and Microsoft. It had a heavy emphasis on the then-emerging internet, but its primetime eventually evolved into a progressive alternative to right-leaning Fox News.

What Was Me And 1Magic Replaced With On Canal+'s DStv English Plus Add-On?

Last year, MultiChoice decided to axe Me from the DStv Compact and Family packages as it merged with the premium channel 1Magic to form 1Max. The channel would comprise of shows viewed on the revamped Showmax streaming service which forms as part of a joint venture with NBCUniversal.

After Canal+ acquired a stake in MultiChoice and this was before the hostile takeover which is expected to conclude within the first half of 2025. The French broadcaster was able to license content from M-Net with DStv offering Africa Magic Showcase, Discovery and Telemundo through their platforms as an Add-On in French markets.

M-Net City and VUZU formed part of this lineup before merging to form Me alongside 1Magic. As seen with DStv's lower bouquets, these channels were ousted from Canal+ platforms and wasn't replaced by 1Max despite distributing 1Magic.

But rather Canal+ opted to distribute Universal TV in place of Me with E! taking over the spot formerly reserved by 1Magic. These channels are owned by NBCUniversal and as we mentioned sometime ago select content from Me and 1Magic can be seen on these brands including The Real Housewives, S.W.A.T. and NCIS: Los Angeles.

Of course, M-Net didn't think that the decision to remove Me will have rippling affects as Mzansi Magic exempts itself local shows like Recipe For Love And Murder and Legacy. Expanding on Me, it was also home to international franchises like The Amazing Race, Survivor and MasterChef now consumers have to turn to SABC or Showmax.

Despite the rippling affects of linear TV overseas there's still a lot of dependency for such platforms in other countries as Canal+ seeks to grow its operations with the acquisition of MultiChoice following its split from Vivendi. But in some way, the actions depicted by MultiChoice had been seen through rival broadcasters.

eMedia Investments' at one point had e.tv distributed a majority of programming from NBCUniversal, Disney and CBS Studios before folding that under Openview. SABC made a similar move with SABC 3 which proved to be controversial it even led viewers and content distributors to flee the channel.