Why eExtra's Demise On The DStv Platform Is A Good Thing If You Ask?

Last year, MultiChoice and eMedia Investments were like cats and dogs in regard to the carriage of eExtra, eToonz, eMovies, eMovies Extra. One minute, they're there the next minute is gone and now they're back again. First, they're associates now rivals now they're allies.

As advised, these channels aren't permanent they were suppose to be off after 6 months and already past that all 4 remain on the platform. In a media enquiry, eMedia Investments mentions these channels will remain onboard while as MultiChoice considers them temporary.

As for the channels in general, we feel eExtra deserves the most amount at redemption. All the other channels continue to borrow their lineup from other DStv channels and while eExtra offers something unique 50% of the time it has built a fanbase through Kuiertyd.

Kuiertyd serves as another local component for eMedia Investments and an arch nemesis for kykNET. It could also be one of the reasons 7de Laan and several Afrikaans programs have been getting more attention from consumers although I wouldn't say the impact is that big.

As seen through last year, kykNET grew more closer to the Kuiertyd offering with the launch of the Turkish lineup of kykNET & Kie which too is arch nemesis to Kuiertyd but also another alternative for anyone craving for more drama.

eExtra has been gaining a lot of attention through these shows and it's remainder on the DStv platform just only complicates things even further for kykNET.

If the idea for kykNET was to give these shows more attention and to boost their offering then eExtra distances the attention better yet it puts the success rate for these shows in more jeopardy as more people will invest more time watching Kuiertyd than kykNET.

It doesn't mean kykNET's offering will flop but it only means that the offering won't reach its full potential if eExtra is around distracting consumers from the offering giving MultiChoice all the more reasons to have it booted as it limits the competition.

Rivalry is good for any business I mean SABC Sport is on Openview even though both brands owners serve as rivals in the free-to-air industry. eExtra's content isn't going anywhere as the latter fills in the blanks for e.tv same with most other channels from the brand.

Why Oxygen's True Crime Channel Would Make The Perfect Replacement To CBS Justice Should It Exit The DStv Platform?

In 2022, AMC International and Paramount Global announced the halting of CBS tier in the UK within that year as they were reviewing their offering for viewers of that region and opted to retain CBS Reality while the others well don't wrap their finger around CBS.

Most if not all the entertainment remained the same from what we've all seen the only difference is there's less brands involved to manage the never ending lineup of repeats and old programming.

If you're reading this you're wondering how the news of CBS's demise within the UK affects the Middle East and Africa and it's very simple. AMC International UK handles the feeds for the affected regions and even arrange the content for these brands.

Another reason why this change also has an affect on us is that AMC International in some regions particularly the ones outside of the UK's jurisdiction have all had their offering reviewed I'm more curious as to why they couldn't use AMC but perhaps has to do with the Paramount side of things so CBS made sense.

As advised, CBS Reality is the only brand within their portfolio to retain the CBS branding alongside factual content viewed on the African feed of CBS Justice. Although, there hasn't been much said about its future I hear the channel was phased out of the Portuguese market.

No indicator on whether this will have an affect on the other CBS Reality channels I wouldn't be shocked if they kept it but opted to have the last remaining feed of CBS Justice removed.

CBS Justice launched in Africa by 2019 (it's more of a comeback considering it was CBS Action) and happens to be very popular with consumers. Some of the shows which are seen on CBS Reality in the remaining feeds include Forensic Files, Murder Couples and Finding A Serial Killer.

One of the reasons I feel CBS Justice could be removed has to do with the launches of Paramount+ and AMC+. As we know it, companies are starting to invest more time in these services than they are with their current offering on DStv.

All I'm saying is don't be surprised if most of the channels you see aren't around in the near future. That's why you have The Home Channel, Ignition, HONEY and Movie Room.

Besides that, there's not much variety on either CBS Reality and CBS Justice both are just hovered with repeats and scraping the barrel for whatever content is available. In other regions, despite the nonstop episodes of Judge Judy the repeats are at a minimum.

CBS Justice's demise would be the most tragic yes especially after that whole fiasco MultiChoice had with A+E Networks in 2019 when almost all their channels would have been removed from the platform and replacements found prior to the time.

There's no certainty on if a replacement would be available as if sources are accurate would have merged with CBS Reality. Now I know we have Investigation Discovery, Curiosity and it's not like CBS Justice is gone entirely but one is limited and the others completely opposite.

MultiChoice has been battling transponder constraints and if CBS Justice weren't replaced then the space could be used for yet another channel and should it be replaced I have one channel in mind not sure if they'd go for it but anyways here it is.

Oxygen (often referred to as Oxygen True Crime) is a factual entertainment owned by NBCUniversal since 2016 is home to real life stories after being mainly crime based content. It has become a strong competitor to Warner Bros. Discovery's Investigation Discovery.

In 2022, Investigation Discovery lost 12% of its audiences with Oxygen coming to the lead as the channel gained a further 10%.

Oxygen supplies several content part have been viewed on CBS Justice including Snapped, Cold Justice, Catching a Serial Killer: Sam Little, Kim Kardashian: The Justice Project and Aaron Hernandez Uncovered. Making them the ideal candidate for the brand.

New Series Alert: You Are The One Coming Soon To TLNovelas Africa

Last month, it was reported Your Love Is My Fortune would be launching in place of Head Over Heels on TLNovelas but similar to the news of Annekan Die Swa Kry and Om Elke Draai on eExtra the series was moved to a later date as the channel launches, You Are The One.

You Are The One (Contigo Sí) follows a young woman who was decieved by a man who later becomes her husband who she caught marrying another woman. Life gives her a second chance where she meets a man who later becomes her protector.

Based on the 1978 Mexican telenovela Viviana, You Are The One debuted back in 2021 on Las Estrellas with a total of 120 minutes each consisting of 45 minutes. The longest any show has gone in this decade.

The series stars Alejandra Robles Gil as Ángela Gutiérrez, Danilo Carrera as Álvaro Villalobos Hurtado, Brandon Peniche as Leonardo Santillana Morán, Ernesto Laguardia as Gerardo Vega, Bárbara Islas as Samantha Vega and Anette Michel as Mirta Morán.

You Are The One airs weekdays at 18:15 from 5 June replacing Head Over Heels. As mentioned Your Love Is My Fortune is slated to air at a later stage.

What To Expect On History Africa In May 2023?

Brand New & Exclusive THE PROOF IS OUT THERE S3
5 May
Fridays at 19h25

Modern day dinosaur sightings, bigfoot photobombs and other mysterious ‘caught on camera’ moment are investigated in The Proof is Out There season 3. Using the best technology and top experts, the series analyses some of the world’s most bizarre videos, photos, and audio recordings. The Proof is Out There looks to answer questions like ‘Is a witch’s broomstick floating in mid-air the real deal or just an elaborate Halloween hoax?’ and ‘Are images captured by the Internat onal Space Station a sign of an imminent alien invasion?’

Brand New & Exclusive GREATEST HEISTS WITH PIERCE BROSNAN
20 May
Saturdays at 20h15

Hosted by legendary actor Pierce Brosnan, each one-hour episode of Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan uncovers the meticulous planning, daring execution and shocking aftermath behind some of the most elaborate real-life heists in history. Using dramat c recreat ons, dynamic storytelling and cutting-edge visual effects, alongside first-person witness accounts, from the people who were there, the series delves into the notorious Lufhansa Heist of New York, the half-billion-dollar Gardner Museum art thef , the Antwerp Belgium Diamond Heist, and others. Brosnan, who is embedded into each heist through state-of-the-art technology, brings each global news headline to life by putting viewers at the heart of the action and breaking down every aspect of the plan including the conniving team, the mark, the execution and finally the aftermath.

History is available on DStv channel 186.

Development Alert: Piet's Sake 2 To Stream July 18th On eVOD

Last month, eMedia Investments bundled various of upcoming eVOD originals on Amazon Prime Video which included Tickets and a sequel to Piet's Sake with questions surrounding the sudden addition to streaming service and also the fate of the content on eVOD.

For several years, streamers like Disney+ and Netflix have been ripping made for TV films and shows and confining them into their platforms leading consumers such as M-Net to investment more original production.

eMedia Investments had underwent a similar with House Of Zwide and The Black Door on e.tv alongside Is'phindiselo and Housewives on eVOD. After almost a month of anticipation, it's been reported that one of the two Piet's Sake will roll out on eVOD from July 10th.

Synopsis for Piet's Sake 2:

When the son of a well-off Zulu polygamist squares off with his Indian varsity lecturer over who can be a youth or an adult better than the other, life gives them an opportunity to swap lives and live out their differences through a comedy of errors.

The film stars Starring Motlatsi Mafatshe, Kaseran Pillay and Warren Masemola. Norman Maake who known for Mzansi Magic's It's Complicated reprises his directing role to the sequel of Piet's Sake which for some reason is also titled Pete's Sake 2.

It serves as a sequel the 2021 film, Piet's Sake.

On a related note, e.tv is set to rollout another Turkish telenovela later in May, Roekeloos Dade. Prior to that, Om Elke Draai currently seen on eVOD will be made available on eExtra in the coming weeks.

Recap To The Month: kykNET & Kie Will Not Replace In Die Ysterhand Se Greep With Another Turkish Series

Last year, kykNET & Kie rolled out two Turkish telenovelas In Die Ysterhand Se Greep and the latter which is currently seen on kykNET Lekker, Kind Van Die Noodlot. Serving as eExtra's Kuiertyd first competitor and also an alternative when the channel went dark on DStv.

Fast forward to 2023, the family drama Jy Is My Seun was introduced last month in place of Kind Van Die Noodlot with questions amounting to the future of In Die Ysterhand Se Greep which would conclude in the coming weeks.

As seen through an updated EPG, the channel has nothing planned for the 17:30 timeslot better yet it almost looks as if they erased it from existence as the first series currently slated to air on the soon 17:00 timeslot would be a repeat of Laeweldbewoners.

It doesn't look like kykNET & Kie will launch a follow-up to In Die Ysterhand Se Greep anytime soon as they have other shows aside from the above-mentioned currently reserving this timeslot including repeats of Getroud Met Rugby, Spoorloos and Plaasjapie.

From what I can recall from 2022, kykNET & Kie's Kuiertyd type offering caused a lot of schedule disruptions with other content viewed on the brand. There's no indicator on whether this is change has anything to do with what happened in that period.

Considering kykNET Lekker only has 1 timeslot and would have wait 6 months or a year to air In Die Ysterhand Se Greep and Jy Is My Seun it wouldn't be shocking if were permanent. Maybe kykNET & Kie is waiting on a follow-up but it wouldn't be shocking if they reduced it to 1 timeslot.

It kind of gives kykNET Lekker consumers a chance to catch-up eventually it would have been 2025 with consumers waiting on 2023 offering and maybe these changes is part of something much bigger.

eMedia Investments and MultiChoice are rumoured to be reviewing their agreement for e.tv's 4 channels maybe the reduction would see a freedom of execution for eExtra or possible a new competitor with a similar offering take on the free-to-air brand.