eExtra Switches Back To 24/7 Channel When eBella Stops Airing At The End Of March

eExtra the South African digital satellite
television channel supplied by eMedia Investments on their Openview platform as well as MultiChoice's DStv and On Digital Media (ODM) Starsat switches back to 24 hour channel from April.

The reason for the switch has to do with the shutdown of the unsuccessful female based channel eBella. Several if not most of eBella shows will be transmitted on eExtra in April as a "weekday guilty pleasure afternoon block" on the channel.

eExtra hasn't been schedule wise for sometime now which has built a major impact on the brand. You'll find some new content on this channel get the late night treatment similar to what Turner U.S. and International does with Cartoon Network and Boomerang where 2-3 shows get attention while others which are on an indefinite hiatus for some reason get the death treatment by being put weekday mornings or nights with no repeats most of the time and if there was they'd put it at a time less viewers would be tuned in so Turner's channels are way worse than eExtra. This treatment is unacceptable as it forces some viewers to distance themselves from the channel and the minute something good comes on you miss it and for those who want to see the show can't since the channel is not schedule wise.

eExtra is basically described as a premium entertainment channel in HD including sitcoms, drama series, reality, telenovelas, court shows, lifestyle and movies after the shutdown of eBella you can say weekdays eExtra became a telenovela channel with a dash of court shows, drama series and news as indicated:

Weekdays

06:00  The Girl Named Feriha
06:40  Qubool Hai
07:30  Madhubala: Ek Ishq Ek Junoon
07:50  Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi
08:15  Piyaa Albela
09:00  Reina De Corazones
09:45  Caribbean Flower
10:30  Judge Judy
10:55  Divorce Court
11:15  The Girl Named Feriha
12:05  Bittersoet
12:50  Rhythm City
13:15  Scandal
13:40  Ashes To Ashes
14:05  Broken Vows
14:30  Madhubala: Ek Ishq Ek Junoon
14:55  Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi
15:20  Piyaa Albela
16:10  Caribbean Flower
17:00  Hot Bench
17:25  Divorce Court
17:50  Paternity Court
18:10  Chicago P.D
19:00  Bittersoet
20:00  Nuusdag Om 8
20:30  Die Wiel Draai
21:30  The Americans
22:15  Imbewu: The Seed
22:40  Tierra De Reyes
23:30  Chicago P.D
00:15  Reina De Corazones
01:00  Caribbean Flower
01:45  La Impostora
02:40  Marido en Alquiler
03:30  Matter Of Respect
04:05  Piyaa Albela
05:00  Parenthood
05:40  Paternity Court

Results from the weekday schedule
71,05% Soapies (50% from eBella, 21,05%=13.16% from eExtra+7,89% from e.tv)
15,79% Court shows
10,53% International drama series
2,63% News

Then you have your weekend lineup the channel has more variety but no movies. When eExtra first launched the weekends always had variety so its no different even after they switch it back to 24 hours. Two things you should pay attention to the telenovelas dominate the weekend to a lesser degree Saturday is filled with Indian telenovelas and 1 turkish telenovela but you'll hardly notice any difference as usual as there's reality shows, news and sitcoms while Sunday is consists mostly of programs catered for Afrikaans speakers plus news, telenovelas and local series like Traffic! and Umlilo as indicated:

Saturday
00:15  Reina De Corazones
01:00  Caribbean Flower
01:45  La Impostora
02:40  Marido en Alquiler
03:15  Matter Of Respect
04:05  Naagin
05:00  Paternity Court
05:20  Divorce Court
05:40  Judge Judy
06:00  Piyaa Albela (Marathon)
09:00  Naagin
09:55  Nirmala's Kitchen
10:20  Madhubala: Ek Ishq Ek Junoon (Marathon)
12:25  Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi (Marathon)
14:30  American Grit
15:20  The Almost Impossible Game Show
16:00  #Hastags
17:00  Raising Hope
17:30  Instant Mom
18:00  Are We There Yet?
18:30  America's Funniest Home Videos
19:00  Groen
19:30  Vaalharts
20:00  Nuusdag Om 8
20:30  Die Wiel Draai (Marathon)
22:45  The Girl Named Feriha (Marathon)

Sunday
00:15  The Girl Named Feriha (Marathon continues from Saturday)
02:30  Hot Bench (Marathon)
04:10  Girlfriends Guide To Divorce
05:00  Divorce Court
05:20  LOL
05:40  Nirmala's Kitchen
06:00  Grassroots
06:30  Life By Design
07:00  Caribbean Flower (Marathon)
10:45  #Hashtags
11:30  Sonder Jou Soetkys
11:55  The Wild (Marathon)
14:00  LOL
14:20  Nisboere
14:50  Bittersoet (Marathon)
18:35  The Great Penguin Rescue
19:00  Vallei Van Sluiers
20:00  Nuusdag Om 8
20:30  Nuusdag Perspektief
21:00  Umlilo
21:50  Traffic
22:15  Black Money Love (Premiere)
23:05  Tierra De Reyes (Marathon)

Rumored: FlavourTV Coming Soon To DStv

As the name is suggests FlavourTV is some of food/cooking channel meaning it could be South Africa's first ever food/cooking channel.

Not much details is given about the channel except that it was made in South Africa. There's no telling if this is true or just a sham to get the media's attention.

As Yatish Bipulprasad stated the channel will launch on DStv with a new show starring him and the Mayor of Durban Hot Sauce (lol). So basically this channel will be a rival to Discovery Inc's Food Network and BBC Studios' BBC Lifestyle.

There's no telling how good the channel might be that is if its real. It was possibly commissioned by DStv as the pay-tv service is open for channel proposals (even tv shows) you've had successful ones like Moja Love (female base), TV Mall (Business, not sure for viewership) then you have non-performing channels like Voov (who watched it better yet who was it for exactly) and ANN7 (the Gupta owned channel was unorganized even when DStv knew the channel's circumstances they still chose to keep it on air at that time).

Since South Africa is a land of opportunities (sort of) and discovery hopefully we'll get a dance(ing) channel, heritage channel, clothing channel, wildlife channel, job or career channel, and a clips/video channel like YouTube.

Is OUTtv Making A Comeback To South Africa?

The Canadian LGBT+ network OUTtv commissioned a bran new show titled "Fak Yaass" which is slated for an early 2019 release. 

Fak Yaass is a series that tells the 'true' story of Nico Nicolakis' big Greek family and their journey of accepting Nico no matter his sexuality. Showing the clash between old tradition and the new age, millennial Nico struggles with the idea of returning home, somewhere he's always felt judged and unworthy. With the help of his friends, Anton and Jill, we'll watch as Nico's heart begins to let his family in and we'll see his family accept him for who he is, until a secret family scheme may ruin that forever.

According to one of the crew members which has yet to be confirmed the series will air in South Africa along with Canada, New Zealand and Australia.(pictured below)

Not only that the channel teased its return with more bold, diverse and LOCAL shows a few days after the channel closed.(pictured below)

OUTtv started on 4th October until 4th November as a one month pop-up channel on DStv Premium and Compact Plus only in South Africa featuring a range of programs from a gay bachelor looking for love, to a stripping dating show that had full frontal nudity and even a series showing what happens behind the production of a gay porn site.

OUTtv recieved complaints over a couple of shows that were mistakenly uncensored forcing the channel to remove them. The channel's boss is hopeful that it could be a permanent pay-tv channel.

Confirmed: PBS Kids Launching Soon On DStv

Thanks to MultiChoice Kenya we finally know that PBS Kids will be a permanent addition to the DStv Platform.

MultiChoice added kids content from America's PBS Kids to its DStv Catch Up service as part of the pay-TV operator's DStv Now streaming service and stated it might be used elsewhere if there's a demand for it.

There's no response as yet from MultiChoice on when PBS Kids will be added. The channel will be available to all DStv subscribers as stated by MultiChoice Kenya. In South Africa, the channel is accessible from Easyview (cheapest package only found in South Africa).

PBS Kids is the children's programming brand of America's Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) that is broadcast as a kids programming block on PBS in the United States, but it is also a digital video channel streaming kids content as part of a video app that PBS launched in January 2017.

The content which is seen on the channel is currently available on DStv's Catch-Up Service through "DStv Now" until 31 May 2019.

The Kids Line-up On e.tv And eToonz Just Got Bigger

e.tv
PEPPA PIG
Weekdays at 14:30

COOL CATZ
Weekdays at 14:35

BOB THE BUILDER
Mondays at 15:00

MISS MOON
Mondays at 15:15

TURBO F.A.S.T.
Mondays at 15:30 from 1 April

Ever since Theo aka Turbo won the Indianapolis 500 from the film Turbo, Tito builds a city for all the snails along with Turbo. He even built a race track for the snails to race. Now Turbo continues his racing adventure with the help of his brother Chet, and his friends Whiplash, Burn, Skidmark, White Shadow, and Smoove Move.

GGO FOOTBALL (NEW TIMESLOT)
Mondays at 15:55

ZAFARI
Tuesdays at 15:00 from 2 April
A CGI animated children’s television
series in which animals are magically born with the skin of other creatures. The show is notable as the first animated television series being rendered entirely with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.

ZAK STORM (AIRED ON ETOONZ)
Tuesdays at 15:30

POKEMON: THE SERIES (NEW TIMESLOT)
Tuesdays at 15:55

MONCHHICHI TRIBE
Wednesdays at 15:00

PJ MASKS (NEW TIMESLOT)
Wednesdays at 15:15

SUPA STRIKAS
Wednesdays at 15:30

POWER RANGERS
Wednesdays at 15:55

THE JUNGLE BUNCH
Thursdays at 15:00

ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS
Thursdays at 15:15

TROLLHUNTERS
Thursdays at 15:30

DAWN OF THE CROODS (AIRED ON ETOONZ)
Thursdays at 15:55

eToonz
HULK AND THE AGENTS OF S.M.A.S.H. (AIRED ON ETV)
Weekdays at 18:00 from 1 April

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (AIRED ON ETV)
Weekdays at 18:30 from 1 April

TURBO F.A.S.T. (AIRED ON ETV)
Mondays at 19:00 from 1 April

ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS (AIRED ON E.TV)
Wednesdays at 15:00 from 3 April

THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS (NEW SEASON)
Wednesdays at 15:30 from 3 April

MIA & ME (NEW EPISODES)
Wednesdays at 16:30

ELENA OF AVALOR (SCRAPPED FROM ETV)
Thursdays at 15:00 from 4 April

STAR WARS REBELS (AIRED ON ETV)
Fridays at 16:00 from 5 April

SPIDER-MAN (2003, AIRED ON ETV)
Fridays at 16:30 from 5 April

LEGO FRIENDS
Fridays at 23:30 from 5 April

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SCHEDULE IS SUBJECTED TO CHANGE. MORE MIGHT BE UPLOADED SOON.

What's Coming Your Way In Late-March To Early April 2019 On eExtra

REINA DE CORAZONES (CONTINUATION FROM EBELLA)
Monday 1 April At 09:15

MADHUBALA: EK ISHQ EK JUNOON (CONTINUATION FROM EBELLA)
Monday 1 April At 14:30

MERI AASHIQUI TUM SE HI (CONTINUATION FROM EBELLA)
Monday 1 April At 14:55

THE GIRL NAMED FERIHA (CONTINUATION FROM EBELLA)
Monday 1 April At 06:00

HOT BENCH
Monday 1 April At 17:00
The brains behind the hit is none other than daytime TV’s presiding arbiter, Judge Judy Sheindlin. At a courtroom in Hollywood, two litigants square up over a car sale gone wrong. With cameras rolling, three judges interrogate them as they squabble about a deed.

NAAGIN
Friday 5 April At 15:20

BLACK MONEY LOVE
Sunday 7 April At 22:15

MORE MIGHT BE COMING SOON...