How Warner Bros. Discovery May Look Into Rolling Out TNT Sports In Africa And Global?

TNT Sports is a brand name Warner Bros. Discovery which serves as the parent company had trademarked for its sports channels and prior a division within America. It currently maintains an active presence in Latin America, United Kingdom, Argentina and Chile with more international territories to be added.

After obtaining rights to select content from wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling, Warner Bros. Discovery is planning/exploring to get this brand trademarked within Africa. The current structure of the brand has yet to disclosed but if we had to guess they'll be time sharing with the current TNT channel. 

Another would be obtaining a structure similar to that of ESPN channels on DStv which is basically a SuperSport Blitz infused channel with NFL and NBA. Or rivaling with SuperSport's WWE and making TNT Sports an AEW oriented channel with doccies, films and highlights. 

Warner Bros. Discovery already operates the Eurosport channel in parts of Europe and with its division branded TNT Sports International. That is likely to all fold under one branding and the only other means Warner Bros. Discovery has in the establishment of such brand.

On top of licensing agreements, Warner Bros. Discovery is also producing original content so similar to Cartoonito's rollout globally. The likely scenario is that content from TNT Sports will just pop-up on Eurosport in an attempt to get consumers accustomed to a new brand name. 

Eurosport is basically SuperSport so there's not really much it has to offer for consumers in Africa that consumers aren't getting. There's a bidding war various sporting events and Warner Bros. Discovery wouldn't be able to outbid a broadcaster like SuperSport for something like PSL.

The question arises as to how Warner Bros. Discovery would balance a wider collection of sports content onto TNT's existing offering. For decades even dating back to TCM, it garnered prestige for its movies lineup and AEW's inclusion has caused conflict which led to numerous timeslot changes.

eExtra, eToonz, eMovies And eMovies Extra Continues On MultiChoice's DStv As eMedia Investments Looks To Take Legal Action Over Their Pending Demise

Since 2022, eMedia Investments and MultiChoice have been embroiled a carriage dispute regarding eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz. These channels are also allocated on the Openview platform with eExtra that is available on StarSat in a separate agreement. 

A hearing was scheduled for this August but according to a report it has been delayed once again with a date that has to be finalized. 

eMedia Investments is looking to take legal action against MultiChoice over the impending demise of these money grabbers. These channels ranked first, fourth, seventh and tenth serve as additional revenue stream to aid in the distribution and licensing of content. 

Other disputes these two parties engaged in revolved on the 2023 Rugby World Cup where SABC and MultiChoice reached an agreement worth R57 million. Of course, this agreement restricted these matches from being allocated on Openview and StarSat as they failed to obtain free-to-air rights.

In a court ruling, MultiChoice wasn't allowed to make such restrictions forcing the SABC to have their current agreement set in place scrapped. Following SABC’s absence from these events, sports minister warned a warning to these broadcasters for their failure to come into terms with a new agreement. 

MultiChoice And Canal+'s DStv Turns 30 In 2025

DStv is a pay-tv platform which was launched in 1995 by MultiChoice was an alternative to the SABC. Initially comprising of 18 TV channels which included M-Net, TNT (series channel) and Cartoon Network became one of the leading pay-tv platforms across the African market.

For decades through the parent company MultiChoice had been known for supporting local talent across the market with shows like Isibaya and Binnelanders. They had also introduced audiences to array of content across the African market and the world including Battleground and Riona.

In recent years, this dominance has come under threat from the likes of streaming services such as Disney+ and Netflix that had been bleeding DStv dry.  It led MultiChoice to explore other avenues for survival including SuperSportBET, DStv Insurance, Namola and Showmax. 

Now left technically insolvent, it is in a position where bankruptcy or possible liquidation is on the cards. This matter won't improve overnight unless Canal+ acquisition of MultiChoice moves ahead but even then nothing is guaranteed when it comes to the fate of the DStv company.

Canal+ is like Disney and Paramount a content company and their avenues revolve on this content unlike MultiChoice. Similar to DStv Insurance, it's likely that most or these avenues could get sold off if not scrapped to its entirety. 

Before venturing to casinos and cybersecurity, MultiChoice was a content company above else through DStv and Showmax and this is what Canal+ is pivoting toward. With them being constraint to French speaking countries in Africa with MultiChoice it helps them get more exposure. 

It will be interesting to see how #DStv30 will look like with the company that brought on films like Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Retribution. Especially with a brand like M-Net that too is constrained but in recent years worked with global players like Acorn TV on shows like Recipe For Love And Murder.

This two could as well fuse into one brand or M-Net jumps ship and becomes whatever is left of Showmax. Another with M-Net tons of money on the latest everything that could be minimized to again boost the endeavors of Showmax. 

What is going to be more worrisome is what awaits DStv in 2025 when a new company comes into the equation something is going to cut. Canal+ offers France24 on Openview and SPI International offering with StarSat none of which reside on DStv at the moment. 

If Canal+ was looking to include them on DStv, they'll probably cut something alongside the already scrapped offering in 2024 to save up on costs and lessen duplicate content. M-Net Movies could be traded in for Canal+ Cinema's offering or FilmBox seeing as they'll all have the same owner.

Cartoon Network's Future In Doubt As Warner Bros. Discovery Pulls The Cord On Its Website

During the week, it was announced that Warner Bros. Discovery had closed/merged Cartoon Network's websites in America with the Max streaming service. Home to clips, video games and and other content from various shows on the network had been axed without prior notice. 

According to Warner Bros. Discovery who have accumulated 40 billion dollars in debt making a sale impossible less people people were using this website. So they'll put more focus on Cartoon Network as a channel alongside its multiple social platforms including Facebook and YouTube. 

Whenever users try to access CartoonNetwork.com consumers are being directed to Max probably an attempt to get consumers to pay. What is also odd in this scenario is that all of Discovery's channels websites even Adult Swim were unaffected unlike Cartoon Network. 

Now questions amount to whether a similar fate could await consumers in Europe and other parts of the world as well. Warner Bros. Discovery is technically insolvent and the only option they have is to sell portions of the company in order to reduce their expenses if not close them.

Although the linear part of Cartoon Network remains intact in other countries whose to say that this will be like that for the foreseeable future. Look at Paramount for starters before Skydance made its bid to acquire the company a lot of feeds within Europe for the MTV and Nickelodeon channels had merged.

On top of that, Nickelodeon Africa's Facebook page had a regional block (for some weird reason) and consumers were redirected to one used by America while the page continued adding new content. Whose to say that Cartoon Network may not as well undergo a similar fate as Nickelodeon. 

There's a lot of fear amongst consumers of Cartoon Network potentially shuttering its doors or for Adult Swim to someday takeover its operations. It has more hours on the channel in America than Cartoon Network itself on top of that there hasn't been much content coming to the channel. 

That's exactly what happened with Boomerang before becoming Cartoonito in other parts of the world. It started out as a block on the channel before gaining more hours and taking whatever content was left of Boomerang while others like Mr. Magoo reverted to Cartoon Network. 

Developing Story: A Rebroadcast Of Family Secrets Launches On Star Life With Evil Affairs Rebroadcasts Scrapped Due To Timeslot Changes

Sometime ago, it was revealed that You Have My Heart would be moving to 22:30 once Soulmates debuts on Star Life but it turns out to not be the case. With You Have My Heart that will instead air 22:00 where the controversial supernatural drama Evil Affairs currently resides as it moves to 23:00.

Due to some themes illustrated on Evil Affairs, Star Life was forced to pull the series from daytime and restricted its broadcast to late nights as seen with Telemundo's Super Series. This affected former series Beyond Love that shared a portion of its timeslot to get the same restriction.

Consumers took their socials to express their dissatisfaction and pleaded to reinstate Evil Affairs daytime repeats. Due to restrictions, the channel was only able to offer Evil Affairs in the later hours of the night were there's less viewers with repeats allocated at 00:30.

With Soulmates rolling out in the coming weeks, daily rebroadcasts of Bitter Sweet Love will now take up Evil Affairs repeats at 00:30 as the supernatural show airs an hour later at 23:00 from 20 August. Similar to the endeavors occurred a few months ago Evil Affairs has only 1 timeslot meaning no repeats. 

In other developments, Titli will be coming to an end and drama bomb a rebroadcast of Family Secrets replaces it once it ends. Instead of Evil Affairs, they'd rather give a rebroadcast a much earlier timeslot as opposed to grouping the primetime altogether with repeats in the other corner. 

Family Secrets is a story of a seventeen-year-old Anami, who was abandoned at birth and adopted by a pandit family in Banaras. She returns to her mother as the sole yet reluctant heir to a royal family in Laal Mahal, Bihar where she faces secrets and scandals in the family.

America's TruTV Becomes TNT Sports In October

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has announced that it will rebrand TruTV’s primetime lineup as “TNT Sports” beginning this October, which could be a seismic shift for sports broadcasting and wrestling entertainment.

The news came from WBD CEO David Zaslav during the company’s Q2 earnings call. This move is seen as a potential win for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) amid ongoing talks about its future on WBD networks. Media analyst Brian Steinberg tweeted details of the rebranding strategy, noting that TruTV will transition to become a home for sports under the TNT banner.

According to sources, this new programming block will operate similarly to Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block, which functions as its brand despite sharing channel space.

Strategic Sports Expansion

The focus on sports is timely for WBD after NBA broadcasting rights recently shifted to Amazon Prime.

With AEW potentially joining Ring of Honor (ROH) whose importance within AEW Khan said has not been overstated but was not yet confirmed for TV on WBD airwaves at some point soon, it would appear the company wants more hours of live sports content under its belt.

In fact, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp pointed out earlier today that AEW talents are being featured prominently in early promotions for “TNT Overdrive,” suggesting Khan’s team will play a key role in the new TNT Sports lineup that night -- and grow more influential within the broader sphere of televised athletics-entertainment.

At present, though, these are only good signs; Khan himself called talks with WBD “complicated," but recently expressed optimism following a meeting with Zaslav during the Olympics when reached by @SeanRossSapp. The exclusive negotiating window between parties expired yesterday, allowing AEW to engage with other networks unless/until WBD closes a deal.

Regardless of whether or not anything comes from current conversations between AEW and WBD, the ripples from this news could fundamentally change how wrestling is presented to audiences, aligning AEW with WBD’s rekindled focus on sports and entertainment.

Such an alliance would be expected to ensure All Elite Wrestling continues growing as a major player in the increasingly crowded field of televised athletics entertainment.

Developing Story: Udne Ki Aasha Debuts On Star Life As Soulmates In The Coming Weeks, You Have My Heart Changes Timeslots

Earlier in the month, it was reported that a former soap opera Saraswatichandra would be rolling out on Star Life this wad due to some details pertaining to the show. In new developments, it turns out that Udne Ki Aasha will actually be the series entering the channel under the title, Soulmates. 

Not only that but one of the channel's existing shows You Have My Heart seems to changing timeslots as well with the show now slated for 22:30. It will be replacing Titli another series which was also seen in its timeslot before getting brushed off to a much later timeslot for some reason.

Soulmates showcase the story of violent taxi driver Sachin who is good at heart but is uneducated. On the other side destiny gets him married to florist Sailee who belongs to poor middle class family. Sachin’s father Paresh likes Sailee as lot and hence wanted her to marry Tejas. 

It starred Pari Bhatti as Juhi, Mamta as Negative Friend, Manish Verma as Creative Director, Rohit Gill as

Police Inspector, Tanya Lal as Young mother, Neha Harsora as Sailee, Kanwar Dhillon as Sachin and Bharat Jethwani as Mangesh.

Soulmates airs daily at 21:30 on Star Life from August 20 replacing You Have My Heart when it's airs an hour later at 22:30 with Titli that would have concluded. Other Indian dramas set to rollout in the month include Betrayal on Zee World and The Pain Of Loving You on Zee One. 

Could Canal+ Acquisition Of MultiChoice Signal The End Of M-Net As We Know It?

In an era where the competition among media giants continues to intensify, the recent acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+ has sparked significant debate about the future of M-Net, one of South Africa's most iconic entertainment channels. As Canal+ seeks to expand its footprint across Africa, this strategic move raises critical questions about the potential shifts in programming, audience engagement, and market dynamics that could follow. M-Net has long been a staple in South African households, known for its diverse offerings and local content that resonate with viewers. However, with the influence of Canal+ and its distinct vision for content delivery, many are left wondering: will M-Net be able to maintain its identity, or are we witnessing the dawn of a new era that could redefine the landscape of television in the region? In this post, we will explore the implications of this acquisition, the challenges that lie ahead for M-Net, and what it all means for the future of television in South Africa.

1. Overview of the Canal+ Acquisition of MultiChoice

The recent acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+ has sent ripples through the media and entertainment landscape in Africa, prompting discussions about the future of major players like M-Net. Canal+, the French multinational media company, is strategically expanding its footprint in the African market with this significant investment in MultiChoice, a leading provider of pay television services across the continent. This acquisition not only represents a shift in ownership but also signals Canal+'s ambition to leverage MultiChoice’s vast subscriber base and content library to enhance its competitive edge in the region.

MultiChoice, known for its flagship DStv platform, has long dominated the African broadcasting space, providing a diverse range of content that caters to a variety of audiences. The acquisition is poised to usher in new opportunities for content creation, distribution, and innovation, as Canal+ looks to integrate its own expertise in content production and global partnerships into MultiChoice's existing operations. This merger comes at a crucial time, as the media landscape is rapidly evolving, with streaming services gaining ground and audience preferences shifting dramatically.

As Canal+ takes the reins, industry stakeholders are left pondering how this acquisition will impact M-Net, a subsidiary of MultiChoice that has played a pivotal role in shaping the African entertainment industry since its inception. Will the new leadership bring about a transformation in M-Net’s programming and strategic direction, or will it maintain the status quo? The acquisition raises critical questions about the future of local content production, the potential rebranding of established channels, and how M-Net will adapt to the growing competition posed by international streaming giants. As Canal+ embarks on this journey with MultiChoice, the implications for M-Net and the broader media landscape in Africa are yet to unfold.

2. The Historical Role of M-Net in South African Television

M-Net has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of South African television since its inception in 1986. As the first privately owned subscription television service in the country, M-Net broke new ground by providing viewers with a diverse array of content that was previously unavailable. It introduced a revolutionary model that combined local and international programming, showcasing everything from blockbuster films and popular series to groundbreaking local productions.

At a time when the South African television industry was predominantly dominated by state-run entities, M-Net offered a refreshing alternative that catered to the tastes and preferences of a burgeoning middle class eager for more varied entertainment options. The channel was instrumental in nurturing local talent, commissioning innovative shows that resonated with South African audiences, and even giving rise to iconic series such as "Egoli: Place of Gold" and "The Wild," which became cultural touchstones.

Moreover, M-Net has consistently been at the forefront of technological advancements in broadcasting. The launch of M-Net's digital satellite platform, DStv, in the late 1990s revolutionized how South Africans consumed media, paving the way for a new era of television viewing characterized by greater choice and convenience. This transition not only expanded M-Net's reach but also established it as a formidable player in the competitive pay-TV market across the continent.

As the dynamics of the media landscape continue to evolve, the historical significance of M-Net cannot be overstated. It has been a beacon of innovation and creativity, fostering the growth of the local entertainment industry and influencing viewing habits across generations. However, with the recent acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+, questions arise about the future trajectory of M-Net. Will it retain its unique identity and commitment to local content, or will the pressures of corporate consolidation lead to a dilution of its original mission? The answers may very well determine whether M-Net can continue to thrive in the rapidly changing world of television.

3. Potential Changes in Programming and Content Strategy

The acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+ holds significant implications for programming and content strategy, which could transform the landscape of South Africa’s broadcasting industry. With Canal+ known for its diverse and high-quality offerings, viewers can anticipate a shift toward a more varied and enriched content library. This could mean an infusion of international programming that reflects Canal+’s commitment to delivering premium content, including exclusive films, documentaries, and series that may not have previously been accessible to South African audiences.

Moreover, the acquisition could catalyze a reevaluation of M-Net’s existing programming lineup. As Canal+ takes the helm, we may witness a strategic overhaul that prioritizes content that resonates with a broader demographic—potentially integrating more local productions alongside international hits. This could enrich the viewing experience by not only providing globally recognized content but also fostering homegrown talent through bespoke local productions.

Additionally, the marriage of Canal+’s innovative content strategy with MultiChoice’s established distribution network may lead to the creation of new channels or the revamping of existing ones. Imagine specialized channels that cater to niche audiences or genre-based programming blocks that deliver curated content tailored to viewers’ preferences. This evolution could also usher in more interactive viewing experiences, leveraging technology to engage audiences in new ways, such as through on-demand options or interactive storytelling.

However, these changes could also come with uncertainties. Longtime viewers of M-Net may find themselves adjusting to a different programming philosophy, which might not always align with the legacy content they have come to love. The fate of beloved shows or formats could hang in the balance as Canal+ seeks to establish its voice within the MultiChoice framework, raising questions about which aspects of M-Net’s programming will be preserved and which will be phased out.

In essence, while the Canal+ acquisition of MultiChoice heralds the potential for exciting new programming and content strategies, it also invites speculation about the future direction of M-Net. As the industry watches this unfolding narrative, viewers will undoubtedly be eager to see how their viewing habits might evolve in response to this transformative partnership.

4. Impact on Audience Engagement and Viewer Loyalty

The potential acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+ could lead to significant changes in audience engagement and viewer loyalty, reshaping the landscape of entertainment in the region. With Canal+’s extensive experience in content creation and distribution, viewers might anticipate a more diverse offering of high-quality programming. This shift could foster greater audience engagement as the new ownership could introduce innovative content strategies, such as localized programming and exclusive series that resonate with specific demographics across Africa.

Moreover, the integration of Canal+’s resources could bolster MultiChoice’s ability to invest in emerging talents and original productions, creating content that speaks directly to the cultural nuances of its audience. As a result, this could lead to enhanced viewer loyalty, as audiences often gravitate towards networks that reflect their stories and experiences.

However, the transition might also pose risks. Existing viewers accustomed to the current M-Net programming might feel alienated if the new content direction strays too far from what they know and love. A delicate balance will need to be struck to maintain the loyalty of long-time subscribers while simultaneously attracting new viewers with fresh, innovative offerings.

In this evolving landscape, it will be crucial for the newly formed entity to prioritize audience feedback and adapt its strategies accordingly. Engaging with viewers through social media platforms, surveys, and community events can help the network stay attuned to its audience's preferences and maintain a loyal viewership. Ultimately, the fate of viewer engagement and loyalty will hinge on how well Canal+ can navigate these changes and deliver on the promise of an enriched viewing experience.