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Friday, March 19, 2021

April 2021 On Curiosity Channel Africa | Super Science Mondays | History Lovers Tuesdays | Wildlife Wednesdays | Travel & Adventures Fridays | Human Story Saturdays | Best Of Curiosity Sundays



SUPER SCIENCE MONDAYS

BONE DETECTIVES
Brand New Series - premieres 05 April 2021 at 18:00 CAT
An adventurous archaeologist journeys to the farthest reaches of the earth on a quest driven by the belief that the secrets of the past have yet to be revealed. Carefully preserved mummies and entombed skeletons are a link to ancient civilizations. Each presents a mystery to unravel, a life to understand, a world to explore and a death to reveal. But these long-hidden remains do not yield their secrets easily.

METEORITE MEN
Brand New Series - premieres 05 April 2021 at 21:00 CAT
For thousands of years meteorites have slammed into the Earth's surface, carrying an invaluable record of the origins of our solar system. But finding meteorites on Earth, some buried over centuries by thick layers of dirt and sediment, is no easy task.
Meteorite hunters Steve Arnold and Geoff Notkintravel to some of the most remote locations around the world to explore the scientific and financial value of meteorites. Featuring treks in Chile, Sweden, Australia, the US, Mexico, and more, these meteorite men meet with top scientists, geologists, astronomers, and meteorite experts to reveal a deeper understanding of how meteorites have helped to build our solar system and shape our planet.

HISTORY LOVER TUESDAYS

SIGNS OF EVIL: THE RUNES OF THE SS
Brand New Documentary Special –premieres 06 April 2021 at 20:00 CAT
In October 1945, the Allies passed a law banning the Nazi Party and all associated organizations, including the SS. The young Federal Republic even forbade all Nazi symbols. This documentary tells the gripping story of the SS symbol, from the Middle Ages to the present day.

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAYS

MONSTERS AND MYTHS
Brand New Documentary Special - premieres 07 April 2021 at 20:00 CAT
Monsters have always been part of our nightmares and fairy-tales. But where do they come from? What is true about them and what belongs to the realm of fiction? Together with scientists, the makers of this film explore the myth of dragons hunt in Texas for traces of the "chupacabra."

MASAI MARA: THE BIG HUNT
Brand New Documentary Special - premieres 14 April 2021 at 20:00 CAT
When the food supply in the Serengeti dwindles, the MasaiMara is a paradise for predators. As the black wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, and antelopes make their yearly trip from the south of the Serengeti to the north, nature’s best-laid trap, the Mara River in Kenya is waiting ahead.

WILDEST INDIA
Brand New Series - premieres 21 April 2021 at 18:00 CAT
Episodes: 5x 60 mins –ends 19 May 2021
India is an exotic mix of wildlife, secret locations, epic landscapes and colourfulbeauty. This landmark series is a celebration of India’s most spectacular locations and wildlife. From the epic Himalayas, we travel to the Ganges, lifeblood of India, as it carves out its dramatic path across the subcontinent. Thar, the great desert: where the bleakness of the environment is juxtaposed with the striking coloursof the wildlife. This biodiversity hotspot is home to epic waterfalls, hill tribes, hidden caves and stunning wildlife.
Join us in the heart of India and discover one of the most incredible, beautiful and exciting places on Earth. Too-little explored on film, here is a chance to savour the wilds of India in all their glory.

MEET THE MUSTELIDS
Brand New Documentary Special - premieres 28 April 2021 CAT: 20:00 Episodes: 1x 60 mins
To many ears, the name mustelid might sound mysterious, but this family of hunters is probably much more familiar than you think. They’re tiny terrors; ankle-height tigers of the undergrowth. Some are elusive hunters while others stand together and fight.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE FRIDAYS

DREAM ROUTES
Brand New Series - premieres 09 April 2021 at 18:00 CAT
"Dream Routes" is a three-part film project dedicated to exceptional travel routes through six important Southern and Central Asian countries. These journeys take us on adventurous routes through diverse landscapes, as well as to culturally diverse people, rich in traditions of various religions. Due to the political situations in the region, these are incredible experiences that are often inaccessible to many.
The series itself is a plea for greater acceptance of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The third episode is especially important in that it offers people the opportunity to see incredible landscapes, and that it is a counter-statement to current ideas of intolerance: these dream routes are a symbol of diversity and togetherness, which have always been the key to economic prosperity and progress.

HUMAN STORY SATURDAYS

WILDEST ISLANDS – Season 2
Brand New Episode - premieres 03 April 2021 at 19:00 CAT
Islands can be home to the most extreme examples of life, as nature evolves in the most dramatic way. Sometimes isolated for hundreds of thousands of years, pockets of individuals adapt to survive, fueling a rapid and continuous development of new species.
Some of the Zanzibar archipelago’s bizarre creatures have developed to an enormous size. The world’s largest crab scales trees in search of coconuts, and clouds of giant bats fill the skies at dusk. Under the cover of darkness, giant leatherback turtles visit Trinidad’s beaches to lay their eggs. Dominica’s volcanic heritage gives it fertile soils, making the island rich in flowering plants. Situated 1,000km west of Ecuador, the Galapagos archipelago has been so little exposed to humans, it allowed Charles Darwin to study and rethink the laws of nature.

HOT ROADS
Brand New Series -premieres 10 April 2021 at 21:00 CAT
A risky expedition along thoroughfares that harbor mortal danger for those who use them or live on them. They run through deserts, ice and snow, deep in the jungle, along water and over mountains: the world’s most dangerous roads. Many risk their lives along these roads. Yet for lack of alternative routes, locals continue to use them for transportation. This series tells stories that take place along the routes, of the people who live along them and for whom these are part and parcel of their personal destiny.

BEST OF CURIOSITY SUNDAYS

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
Brand New Series - premieres 04 April 2021 at 18:00 CAT
The hidden origins and turbulent evolution of the world’s largest religion.

Available on DStv

Friday, March 12, 2021

NEW SERIES ALERT!: Dare To Love Coming Soon To eExtra


As much as the word 'new' flies around on screen this one will shock those with access to Zee World. It will benefit those without the channel and likely those who've watched it.

Zee World viewers knew it as Fire & Ice now eExtra will introduce it under the title Dare To Leave.

Dare To Love (Tashan-E-Ishq) follows the story of Twinkle Taneja, (who is beautiful, blunt and outgoing) and Yuvraj Luthra, (who is fearless, pompous and impulsive). The two love each other, and would've gotten married had it not been for their mothers. The series starred Sidhant Gupta, Jasmin Bhasin and Zain Imam.

During its debut in 2015, the show won two awards.

The benefit to this new repeat is that you might get the uncensored and original dubbed voices under the Zee TV branding instead of the re-edited version from Zee World.

The series replaces Bepannah weekdays at 15:45 from 22 March

Read Also:
- Is a rebrand under way for the eMedia set of channels?
- Kamer 309 is another upcoming telenovela on eExtra
SABC planning to reduce Muvhango and 7de Laan
e.tv acquired rights to Erkenci Kus
Doodsondes returns for another season on e.tv
When will Star Plus and Star Life on DStv, Openview and StarTimes (Starsat) adapt to the Utsav branding?
- SABC 3 joins in the telenovela antics with The Emmy Awarded Series, Orphan Of The Nation
SABC to launch a streaming service
Current status of TV licence
Government enforcing local quota on streaming platforms

ZooMoo Has Been Extended On DStv + Other Controversies Regarding The Current Pop-Up Channels


Back in August 2020, MultiChoice previewed 4 pop-up channels + 1 full-time channel which were TLNovelas (Mexican telenovelas, September), TDC (Turkish telenovelas, November), tvN (K-dramas, November) and ZooMoo (preschoolers, November) + KIX (Action movie channel, October).

All were suppose to launch within that year but for some reason tvN didn't make the deadline. They only popped up a year later through a Facebook post without any explanation from them or MultiChoice on why they didn't fill the end of their bargain.

Maybe MultiChoice wanted to put more focus towards TDC since they were gonna launch together. They couldn't do December since less people will be glued to their screens, January everyone is up in arms, February was occupied leaving March open.

tvN is the first channel that doesn't offer a ton of dubbed programming for English viewers. Will we ever know why this one is unscathed while others are put out of their misery.

TLNovelas has the longest promotional period amongst all of them. Ever since it's launch there's been technical difficulties (in South Africa) for which DStv is seemingly taking a while to resolve and this will just leave the channel without potential consumers.

ZooMoo which was suppose to end in March 2021 alongside TDC has been extended until June which is the same time tvN promotional run ends. It's obvious MultiChoice doesn't monitor performances entirely through viewership.

Timeless Dizi Channel (TDC) makes a ton of last minute changes which doesn't reflect their schedule. They went from using an outdated schedule to airing marathons without notice. Imagine, recording an episode only to realise this issue exists. This channel is set to close by the end of March.

In the end, ZooMoo is the only channel that hasn't stirred up problems for viewers.

Read Also:
- Why SuperSport has two WWE channels?
- EVA and EVA+ gets the boot on DStv
Predictions for Telemundo
- New kids programming coming to Cartoon Network
- BayTV acknowledges the name change after a year of silence

PremiumFree Satellite TV Launches From May As A Rival To OpenView


New PremiumFree satellite TV service to take on DStv and Openview in South Africa
AfricaXP will expand its free-to-air satellite TV service, PremiumFree, to millions of satellite dishes in South Africa on 1 May 2021.

AfricaXP is a digital content distributor and themed linear channel creator which is focussed on Africa.

Through its PremiumFree service it aims to become the default multichannel satellite TV offering on the continent.

PremiumFree is already offering free-to-air satellite TV services in many African countries through two Eutelsat satellites.

In 2020 AfricaXP signed multi-year agreements with Eutelsat Communications for Ku-band capacity on two Eutelsat satellites, positioned at 16° East and 7° East.

This capacity enabled AfricaXP to extend the reach of its PremiumFree service from only West Africa to Eastern and Southern Africa.

AfricaXP is now further extending the reach of PremiumFree through a partnership with Intelsat IS-20 which covers most of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Many South African households have IS-20 aligned dishes connected to “closed” decoders that lock out other channels.

These viewers could now buy any low-cost free to air decoder and connect it to their LNB cable coming from the dish to receive the PremiumFree channels.

The 18 channels that will be available on PremiumFree TV are:

BongoTV: Tanzanian Swahili movies.

True African: A mixed-genre of African channel that has movies, lifestyle shows, factual reality and music content, and sports and soaps. Formerly available on OpenView and once a product of eMedia Investments.

Africawood Blockbusters: A variety of films from across the African continent.

fresh: A lifestyle and reality show channel.

Limelight: Family, action and kid movies.

Romanza+ Africa: A telenovela channel.

LOL Africa: A comedy channel with short-form humourous content, funny videos and sitcoms.

Sports Connect: Sports magazine shows, profile series, documentaries and sports news channel.

Kiddiwinks: A toddler channel aimed at pre-school viewers.

Pulse: An African youth and music channel.

Afriwood Series: African soaps and drama series.

Riverwood: Kenyan movies and series.

RPM: A motoring and motorsports channel.

LifeTV: A factual channel covering crime and investigation programming, disasters and culture.

DIVA: Entertainment news, fashion, gossip, music, reality, dating shows and makeovers. It could be the one operated by NBCUniversal International.

Gospellife: A mixed-genre Christian values channel.

Fight Night: A mixed martial arts and boxing channel.

synapse: An e-gaming channel.

Read Also:
- Is a rebrand under way for the eMedia set of channels?
- Kamer 309 is another upcoming telenovela on eExtra
SABC planning to reduce Muvhango and 7de Laan
e.tv acquired rights to Erkenci Kus
Doodsondes returns for another season on e.tv
When will Star Plus and Star Life on DStv, Openview and StarTimes (Starsat) adapt to the Utsav branding?
- SABC 3 joins in the telenovela antics with The Emmy Awarded Series, Orphan Of The Nation
SABC to launch a streaming service
Current status of TV licence
Government enforcing local quota on streaming platforms

New Series Alert: Forensics Season 1 Coming Soon To CBS Justice Africa


If you are a fan of real crime ‘whodunits’ and CSI’s forensic science, then this show will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. But be warned – sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction. In this series, forensic scientists and police are the ‘heroes’, science is the ‘secret weapon’, and our presenter the ‘guide’, as we unravel the evidence, put science to work, and discover the truth behind real crime case files.

Each programme focuses on a real single crime case that has occurred in the last decade and that was solved by the combination of clever crime investigation and forensic science. The cases are pulled straight from the files of our New Zealand forensic experts, police and scene-of-crime officers. This is in-depth, fact- based, high-tech dramatic storytelling.

The cases cover all facets of forensic science including blood spatter, DNA, tool marking, digital forensics, toxicology, entomology, and the latest in cutting-edge scientific technology.

Sundays at 20:00.
From 4th April until 2nd May.

It is available on DStv channel 170

Read Also:
- EVA & EVA+ going off air on DStv
- EVA & EVA+ final moments

April 2021 On CBS Reality | New Seasons


RUMBLE & HUM Season 2
Weekends at 19:30 and 01:20, from 17th April to 16th May. Repeated on weekdays at 21:10 and 01:25 from 10th to 21st May.
You’ve planned this for months, forged your story into that one timeless image and refrained from drinking for 24 hours. Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and brace for the craziest tattoo experience in town. With the rumble of a V-twin engine and the hum of a state-of-the-art tattoo machine, Johannesburg based tattoo shop Rumble & Hum will knock you where you didn’t see it coming!
Watch as the wackiest mixture of comedy and tears unravel into masterpieces of ink and skin. Established artist ‘Vudu’ Lew Williams takes no prisoners with his piercing shout-casting remarks, pranks and zen-like focus when he puts needle to canvas. These guys are wild, loud and insatiable when it comes to crazy humour, eccentric clients and world-class tattooing. Welcome to the mania and magic Rumble & Hum!

JUDGE JUDY
Season 17
Weekdays quadruple bill from 15:45 until 17:25, from 5th April to 2nd July. Repeated weekends from 11:10 until 17:50 from 8th May until 4th July.
With her outspoken style, hard-hitting decisiveness and engaging wit, Judge Judith Sheindlin single-handedly reinvented the courtroom genre and in the process has become a pop culture icon. A former New York family court judge known for her ability to cut through a dispute and get to the core of the emotional issue at hand, Judge Judy acts as a true moral compass for people seeking guidance, resolution and common sense in their lives. Judge Judy’s goal is to make a lasting impression that will discourage repeat offenders and help heal families and victims of injustice. There are many imitators, but only one Judge Judy!

It is available on DStv channel 132

Read Also:
- EVA & EVA+ going off air on DStv
- EVA & EVA+ final moments

Sunday, March 7, 2021

As Predicted, Akili Kids Launches In Kenya On DStv


A month ago I conducted a list of possible kids channels that might surface on DStv and one of my predictions reached the surface.

Akili Network, creators of Akili Kids!, Kenya’s first and only 24/7 free-to-air children’s learning TV channel, announces a partnership with DStv, a platform from Africa’s leading entertainment company Multichoice Africa. As of March 3rd, DStv will now carry Akili Kids! on channel 311 for all existing DStv customers in Kenya.

Akili Kids! was made in Kenya, for the Kenyan people and is committed to ensuring the wholesome development of children by selectively broadcasting only programmes that have positive learning outcomes. Akili Kids! has a wide variety of programs catering to children, parents, guardians and caregivers across the entire country. Moreover, the channel is deeply dedicated to enhancing relationships between parents and children by airing shows that can be enjoyed by children and the entire family together. Akili Kids! has a weekly viewership of over 5.4 million children and 4.3 million adults between 6am and 6pm, as per a specialized Geopoll report designed to measure viewership of children, parents and caregivers. Akili Kids! has introduced a comprehensive child-protective advertising policy that ensures children are not exposed to unhealthy or potentially harmful marketing messages.

Established in 1995, DStv aims to deliver the right type of content to millions of Africans, anytime, anywhere. As part of the Multichoice Africa family, DStv shares in the vision of making both homegrown and international entertainment more accessible to Africans as well as contributing to the economic growth of Africa by creating employment opportunities and empowering businesses across the continent.

“We are incredibly excited to add DStv as a distribution partner. With DStv’s exceptional brand value and reach, the greatest beneficiaries of our partnership is to Kenyan children, parents and caregivers.”, says Jesse Soleil, President and Co-Founder of Akili Network.

Kenyan children, parents and caregivers can now watch Akili Kids! TV on DStv channel 311 to enjoy a wide range of programmes: school readiness during the day, and action, adventure and learning shows for school-aged children in the afternoons and evenings, all of which promote academic, social, emotional, mental and physical well-being.

That means South Africa (eToonz) and Kenya (Akili Kids) are the only markets where DStv offers an accessible regional kids channel both of which occupy the same channel number in their respective regions.

Read Also:
EVA & EVA+ stop airing on DStv
Paramount+ takes flight, will it lead to the shutdown of several channels?
Will FOX rebrand into Star on DStv and StarTimes (Starsat)?
The WWE app shutting down
NBCSN, channel in charge of certain matches on SuperSport shutting down
When will Star Plus and Star Life on DStv and StarTimes (Starsat) adapt to the Utsav branding?

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