Development Alert: TNT Sports Expands To The United States Through TruTV, Impractical Jokers Moves To TBS

Warner Bros. Discovery is making cable network TruTV a regular home for sports, adding a weeknight sports block and shifting established franchise Impractical Jokers to TBS this summer.

A mix of live sports, original sports programming and ancillary sports content will start appearing on TruTV next Monday, March 11, under the banner “TNT Sports on TruTV.” The block will start at 6 p.m. ET and run through late night.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, aka March Madness, gets under way the following week. WBD, which shares in March Madness rights with Paramount, often makes use of TruTV as a home for early-round tournament games.

The push toward daily sports programming comes as WBD, Fox and Disney have embarked on a joint sports-focused streaming venture. The JV, scheduled to launch this fall, will bring 14 linear network feeds to subscribers via the internet. Apart from the NCAA tournament, TNT is known for its NBA coverage and TBS broadcasts Major League Baseball.

Impractical Jokers, a cornerstone TruTV property since its premiere in 2011, will move to TBS with a batch of new episodes this summer. During the transitional period, the series will continue to simulcast on both truTV and TBS through early April. Series from the TruTV library, including past seasons of Impractical Jokers, will air on TruTV prior to 6 p.m. each day. 

“We are constantly striving to create and deliver the best sports content and experiences to sports fans wherever they are, and this is an exciting opportunity to expand the reach of our premium TNT Sports programming with greater consistency throughout the year,” said Luis Silberwasser, Chairman and CEO, TNT Sports. “By creating a primetime block of sports programming on truTV, in addition to our existing premium live sports on TNT and TBS, we are now able to deliver a more comprehensive sports offering for our fans, while generating additional growth opportunities for our sports division and strategic business and league partners.”

The upcoming programming lineup will include select alternative presentations of live TNT Sports games; simulcasts of games appearing on TNT or TBS; a new 30-minute news and highlight show, TNT Sports Update, airing nightly at 6 p.m.; betting show The Line, airing weeknights at 6:30; NBA-centric show Handles airing in late night; and a House of Highlights show produced weekly as a TruTV exclusive. (WBD’s digital subsidiary Bleacher Report is known for its House of Highlights vertical.)

Also in store for the new sports block are movies and documentaries, including The Inside Story, which looks at TNT’s Inside the NBA studio show; in-season episodes of The Steam Room vodcast featuring Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley, and special editions of Shaqtin’ a Fool, among other originally produced programming; and an upcoming schedule of MotoGP races.

April 2024 On Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. And Nicktoons Across South Africa | New Series Alert: Dora | Returning Shows Including Deer Squad And Rubble And Crew | More

Nickelodeon

Young Dylan 

New Episodes

Premier: 01/4 – 11/04

Slot: Weekdays

Time: 18:15

New eps: 410 - 418

Dylan continues to explore his art and his adolescence as he leans on his cousins and. learns from his aunt and uncle. Yasmine, Myles and Viola guide the kids and each other toward what it means to continually grow together as a family.

Monster High 

Premier: 15/04 – 26/04

Slot: Weekdays

Time: 17:00

New Eps: 119 - 126

The series follows Frankie Stein, Draculaura, and Clawdeen Wolf, the respective children of Frankenstein, Dracula and a Werewolf, as well as other children of famous mythical monsters they navigate the hilarity of high school in the hallowed halls of Monster High.

SpongeBob SquarePants 

New Episodes

Premier : 29/04/24 – 09/05/2024

Slot : Monday - Thursday

Time: 15:00

New eps: 294, 295, 298, 299

The misadventures of a talking sea sponge who works at a fast-food restaurant, attends a boating school, and lives in an underwater pineapple.

Nicktoons 

Monster High 

Premiere: 15/04/2024- 26/04/2024

Episodes: 119-126

Slot: Monday- Friday

Time: 17:30

NEW EPISODES

Life gets wild when human girl Clawden discovers Monster High, school where anything is possible

Rock, Paper, Scissor

Premiere: 29/04/2024-10/05/2024

Episode: 101-110

Slot: Monday- Friday

Time: 17:00

Rock, Paper and Scissors are three best friends who share an apartment together and compete over everything. Week to week, they have tiny problems that always get out of hand.

Nick Jr.

TINY EXPLORERS STUNT

Premier: 01/04/2024 – 12/04/2024

Slot: Monday-Friday

Time: 09:30am/pm, 06:00pm

Including sneak peek of Dora #102

Premier : 05/04/2024 – 12/04/2024

Slot: Friday

Time: 10:15am/pm, 06:45pm

Two weeks with the most curious world explorers.

Featuring Nick Jr’s most beloved series: Paw Patrol, Rubble and Crew, Baby Shark’s Big Show, Blaze and the Monster Machines. Including a very special sneak peek into our newest shows: Dora

DEER SQUAD

NEW EPISODES

Episodes: #311-320

Premier: 01/04/2024 – 12/04/2024

Slot: Monday-Friday

Time: 07:50am/pm, 04:00am/pm

The Deer Squad are back with more amazing adventures and heroic rescues! In Season 3 the brave squad learn more about spectacular space, discover an incredible Sparkle Island, and travel to the depths of the awesome Sparkle Sea!

DORA 

SERIES LAUNCH

Episodes: #101-110

Premier: 15/04/2024 – 26/04/2024

Slot: Monday-Friday

Time: 09:30am/pm, 03:10am/pm, 06:00pm

RUBBLE & CREW

NEW EPISODES

Episodes: #121-123, 125-126

Premier: 15/04/2024 – 26/04/2024

Slot: Monday-Friday

Time: 07:25am/pm, 09:05am/pm,

02:45am/pm, 05:30am/pm

Rubble moves with his family of construction pups to the nearby town of Builder Cove where they live, play, and build whatever the community needs.

Could WildEarth Also Be Looking To Exit DStv As Broadcaster Hints At A Streamlined Portfolio?

WildEarth is a interactive wildlife channel which brings viewers to closer to nature with two daily live safari shows within the hotspots of Africa. Aside from DStv (Africa), the channel can also be viewed on Sling TV (USA), Freeview (UK and Ireland) and Samsung TV Plus (Global).

Viewers across Africa! We need your help with this hugely important survey. Link in the comments below.

Posted by Wildearth on Saturday, December 16, 2023

In December 2023, WildEarth held a survey for consumers across Africa in regard to its future within the DStv platform. In a statement to fans, they mentioned these questions will determine whether the channel would be removed from the pay-tv platform.

Consumers expressing worry and grief had requested that the channel remain onboard their platforms. Although WildEarth has yet to share it's findings on the matter the mere thought of it exiting/consolidating within DStv wouldn't seem far fetched.

In recent months, MultiChoice has been removing various local channels on their platforms: Maisha Magic Movies, HONEY, People's Weather, ROK GH and NWTV. As part of a streamline/cost cutting attempt, these closures were said to be building the lineup for their current offering.

Prior to People's Weather closure, they had forged a content deal with WildEarth extending the reach of the brand to free-to-air households. Other broadcasters to have offered programming from WildEarth include National Geographic and SABC 3.

News Shorts: Warner Bros. Discovery To Close Rooster Teeth After Plans To Sell Backfire, A Rebroadcast Of Timeless Love Launches On TLNovelas Across Africa And Young Sheldon Spinoff Officially In Development At CBS

Rooster Teeth is a bust

Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, after unsuccessful attempts to sell the unprofitable fandom, gaming and comedy entertainment division, is shutting down Rooster Teeth’s operations. RT general manager Jordan Levin announced the shutdown of Austin-based Rooster Teeth at an all-hands meeting Wednesday and in a memo distributed to staff.

Warner Bros. Discovery is currently in talks to sell the rights to certain Rooster Teeth catalog content and intellectual property such as the popular anime-style series “RWBY” (pictured above), pioneering sci-fi spoof “Red vs. Blue,” and Michael B. Jordan’s animated mecha series “Gen:Lock.” In addition, WBD is seeking to sell the Roost podcast network, with shows spanning gaming, true crime, fandom, comedy and food, which for the time being will continue to operate.

Primetime is halted 

After announcing the inclusion of Shadows Of The Past, TLNovelas will be making another U-turn in their upcoming plans with a repeat of Timeless Love from April 22. Further growing the number of reruns on the channel to take on rival Telemundo.

Based on the 1988 telenovela La Mentira, Timeless Love (Cuando Me Enamoro) is the story of Renata and Jeronimo, whose all-embracing love for each other is undermined by bitterness and betrayal, and by the insidious poison of a malicious lie.

Georgie and Mandy TV series in development 

CBS has formally ordered a spinoff of Young Sheldon — itself a Big Bang prequel — that will focus on Georgie (Montana Jordan), Sheldon’s older brother, and his fiancée, Mandy (Emily Osment), as they raise their young family in Texas. The project has been in the works since January, and a straight-to-series order was expected after deals closed.

Young Sheldon executive producers Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro and Steve Holland will continue in their roles on the new series, which will be part of CBS’ 2024-25 slate. Warner Bros. TV, Lorre’s longtime home, is producing.

News Shorts: Twilight Animated Series In Development With Daria Spinoff Jodie Cancelled, And Avatar: The Animated Series Renewed On Netflix For Season 2 And Season 3 With Monsters At Work Moving To Disney Channel For Season 2

Twilight Animated Series In Development 

Michael Burns, vice chairman of Lionsgate, shared the news during a Q&A at the Morgan Stanley media conference on Tuesday, revealing, “We’re going to go out with the ‘Twilight’ series, an animated series, I think there’ll be a lot of interest in that.”

The animated series would be based on the Stephanie Meyer book series of the same name, which was previously adapted into a film franchise, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.

There were four “Twilight” novels — “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn” — published between 2005 and 2008. In 2015, Meyer released the book “Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined,” which gender-swapped the two main characters, Bella and Edward. Meyer then released “Midnight Sun” in 2020, which told the story of the first book from Edward’s perspective rather than Bella’s.

Jodie axed on MTV

The long-gestating project first began as a series that would feature Daria and Jodie, and then was narrowed to just focus on the latter character. In 2020, Comedy Central picked up the adult animated show from creator and head writer Grace Edwards and MTVE Studios with hopes to pair it with South Park.

Two years later, it morphed into a movie.

“Jodie will not be moving forward at MTVE Studios,” said an MTVE Studios spokesperson. “We have loved working with Tracee, Grace and the whole team on creating a film that is full of joy and genre-bending fun with an inclusive, diverse, and incredible cast.  We are fully supportive of them finding a home elsewhere and look forward to partnering with them in the future.”

Avatar: The Last Airbender cancelled on Netflix

Netflix announced that it has greenlit Albert Kim’s take on Avatar: The Last Airbender for another two seasons that will “bring The Legend of Aang to its proper conclusion.”  Netflix also shared a new teaser image suggesting that, like the animated series, the live-action show’s second and third seasons will focus on Team Avatar’s adventures in the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, respectively.

There’s no word yet on when production on the new seasons will begin or when we might expect to see them on Netflix.

Monsters Inc. coming to Disney Channel 

The second season of the animated series “Monsters at Work” will premiere April 5 on the Disney Channel, and begins streaming on Disney+ May 5 in the United States. With the first reason rolling out in Africa by March 25 on Disney Channel. 

Based on Pixar’s “Monsters” franchise and a sequel to Monsters, Inc., the series follows a maintenance crew at the monsters factory as it transitions from scaring kids to making them laugh to generate energy for the city of Monstropolis.

The first season won an Emmy for Individual Achievement in Animation.

Development Alert: Arise News Coming Soon To DStv And GOtv In More African Countries

Arise News is a London based television network that offers news and current affairs to audiences across the United States, Europe and Africa. It is operated by Arise Broadcasting Ltd., which is owned by Nigerian media mogul Nduka Obaigbena.

It offers programs such as Arise 360, Global Business Report, Arise Newshour and Daybreak Nigeria. This is accompanied by a streaming service known as Arise Play in 2021 with select titles can be live streamed with content from BBC Studios.

Since 2017, Arise News was only viewable on DStv Channel 416 and GOtv 24 in Nigeria. By 2020, Arise News can be found streaming on Freeview via its own service on Channel 269 and formed part of the Visiontv line-up on Channel 264.

As seen not long ago, MultiChoice might be looking to allocate Arise News in more African countries through DStv. This was after the channel had been spotted by several viewers taking up transmissions formerly occupied by B4U Movies.

The inclusion to more DStv customers doesn't seem far fetched a stretch as they offered news centres in Johannesburg and Lagos. The only mystery now is why they'd wait 11 years after it launched to expand to other markets with 5 years in Nigeria.

Die Fakulteit: Schools In Session With eExtra's New High School Drama This April, Will Be Available On e.tv

Not long ago, it was reported that eMedia Investments was filming a new Afrikaans drama that was set to rival with KykNET and replace 18:00 on SABC 2. Now it has been reported that eExtra will be launching a new series titled Die Fakulteit (The Faculty).

The project will ensemble a new and familiar cast alongside including Bibi Du Perez, Carien Botha, Abel Knobel, Tabitha De Jager, Carl Trautman, Leigh Ann Fourie, Tène Minderon and Zöricke Snyman with guest appearances from Zoé Jacobs and Geraldine Pilay.

Die Fakuliteit was produced by Marno Koen and Michael Van Zyl of Coolerbox Brothers with George Van Rooyen serving as director. The crew have produced various content for M-Net and Via including Klankbank, Konings van Kitskos and Die Rusbank Sessies.

Die Fakulteit begins 14 April 2024 on eExtra replacing Ouma Sarie at 19:30. Prior to this, Chrysalis would be returning to the channel with season 2 from 8 April 2024 replacing Soos Dag En Nag at 20:00.

Details of a plot has yet to mentioned but this is what we've got about the show

Our school's coat of arms - At Hoërskool Oos we are proud to say that in terms of sports, academics and culture we are considered one of the most average schools in the East Rand. As our motto goes: we think, we know, "we can?"

Recap To The Month: e.tv Reportedly Looking To Replace 7de Laan With New Afrikaans Drama, Could This Be The Final Nail In The Coffin For SABC?

As some readers are aware, SABC decided to cancel 7de Laan after 23 years on air with repeats of Snoozefest Vetkoekpaleis taking up its timeslot. Prior to this, there was a whole debate amongst viewers urging either DStv or e.tv to revive the soap.

Since 7de Laan is technically a product of SABC that makes its almost impossible to consider. Another theory shared by a viewer was the possibility of e.tv looking to ramp up a similar offering seeing as kykNET already has Suidooster and Binnelanders and not everyone has DStv.

According to insiders, e.tv is currently filming a new local drama of course details of a name or plot has yet to be revealed. This drama which will be in Afrikaans (not dubbed) is set for release sometime in the year most likely after Ouma Sarie seeing as it forms a block on e.tv.

Ouma Sarie launched on e.tv in 2023 and is said to be the most watched Afrikaans drama with 1.8 million viewers. This was basically half of 7de Laan's viewers and even shows like Droomvelore and Die Vreemdeling which serve as imported content had more viewers than 7de Laan.

During the week, it was reported the public broadcaster would be moving their Afrikaans programming on SABC 3 (excluding Vetkoekpaleis). With rumours swirling around that SABC would be cancelling further Afrikaans programs across their channels.

Although SABC denied such allegations the public broadcaster hasn't introduced any new content in that area. With the cancellation of FOKUS, the public broadcaster was warned that further alienation of Afrikaans programming would lead to a loss of viewers and advertisers.

Following the cancellation of 7de Laan, Nuus now serves as the most watched Afrikaans program on SABC 2 currently in the top 10 with 500,000 which is 300,000 less from 7de Laan. This move to SABC 3 would lead it to lose its ranking with audiences fleeing.

It's not just the channel but the timeslot to be direct 20:30 which is where consumers are probably tuning to their Turkish stories on eExtra or other local content on kykNET.

Vetkoekpaleis as mentioned is also being brutalized with its viewership sitting around 500,000 (300,000 drop) while 7de Laan bowed with 800,000 viewers. With e.tv rolling out this drama in the coming months consumers of Vetkoekpaleis will likely revert to e.tv once it launches.