Sipho Maseko, Former Telkom CEO Is Also Reported To Be Joining Canal+/MultiChoice Deal

Canal+ is currently engaging with local regulators over the proposed transaction to acquire the remaining shares in MultiChoice of which they hold 45%. Vivendi, who serves as the parent company for the broadcaster is looking to spinoff Canal+ with a meeting of a proposed split being held in the coming weeks.

Canal+ is using this proposed transaction to increase its consumer base with them and MultiChoice looking to scale up over giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. For several months, they've been trying to navigate restrictions over foreign investors and other exclusive undertakings.

It was previously reported that South Africa's richest black man Patrice Motsepe was in talks to join the bid to help meet the country's black ownership requirements. Since then, it was stated that the French broadcaster was looking for someone else other than Patrice to help them finalize the deal.

According to another report from Africa Intelligence, Sipho Maseko who served as the former chief executive officer at Telkom could be joining in Canal+'s pursuit over the pay-tv company. Sources familiar with the transaction say he could become a shareholder taking up a stake or a director of the merged entity.

Both companies have given themselves until April 2025 to finalize the transaction and meet all the necessary requirements to get this transaction approved. Should it be greenlit, Canal+'s consumer base would extend to over 40 million households making Africa it's largest market with over 27 million subscribers.

Disney Is Planning To Close Disney Channel, Star Channel, FX, Cinecanal, National Geographic And BabyTV In Brazil By February 2025

The renowned Brazilian journalist Ricardo Feltrín announced for the first time that Disney Channel, Star Channel, FX and National Geographic would be discontinued in Brazil in February 2025. This information was verified and complemented by journalist Pablo Simoes from the PortalTVeStreaming site, to whom it was also confirmed the end of Cinecanal and BabyTV, along with the official closing date of all these channels in the country: February 28, 2025.

Although it has not been confirmed whether these broadcast cessations will apply to the rest of Latin America, Pablo stated that Disney assured him that these changes will apply only to Brazil, although certainly the outlook is not entirely encouraging for those who still tune in to these channels in our region. . TVLaint attempted to get a direct response from Disney on the issue, but at the time of publishing this entry it has not received an official communication.

So far, the only thing that is known is that the decision will not impact the six ESPN channels present in Brazil. Sports signals will, for now, be Disney's only presence on Brazilian pay TV.

Although the measure is not surprising since Disney has been getting rid of its television signals around the world for more than four years in search of boosting its Disney+ streaming platform, it occurs in an ironic context considering that Disney Channel is usually the second children's channel most tuned in in Brazil, and Star Channel is the channel with the largest general audience only behind ESPN itself, according to Pablo's statements on his Twitter/X account.

It is a sad week for Disney Channel fans, since a few days ago it was announced that it would cease broadcasting in Spain after 27 years on the air, leaving fewer and fewer signs of the channel that gave so much joy around the world.

This massive closure of signals in Brazil is the most significant in Latin America since the beginning of 2022, when Disney discontinued the operations of the Star Premium suite and the basic TV channels Disney XD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Kids, FX Movies and Star Life, all in a period of less than three months. Curiously, on that occasion Disney stopped broadcasting Disney Junior in Brazil, but the channel continues to broadcast in the rest of Latin America to this day, with no plans to end. The contents of the preschool channel have since remained in a block on Disney Channel, which is not present in other countries.

A peculiar case is that of Cinecanal, which, although it already existed in Latin America, debuted in Brazil as a replacement for Star Life during the "massacre" of channels in 2022. Now, it will be one of the channels that will cease operations after almost three years in the air.

All content present on Disney Channel, Star Channel, FX, Cinecanal and National Geographic will remain exclusive to Disney+ in Brazil. BabyTV's content is the exception to the rule, which has an official and active channel on YouTube.

e.TV To Kick Off The School Holidays With Angry Birds: Summer Madness

e.tv has acquired broadcasting rights to Angry Birds: Summer Madness animated series which premiered on Netflix in 2021 as it featured a teenage version of Red, Bomb, and Chuck as they head to summer camp. The broadcaster had already launched several animated series including Pororo The Little Penguin and Open Season: Call Of Nature.

The series will air as a double bill from Thursdays at 14:55 from 12 December.

Angry Birds: Summer Madness will follow the beloved birds who will be up to their regular antics and wild adventures, under the direction of their camp counselor, Mighty Eagle. Of course, the rather obnoxious Pigs won't be far away and will be setting up camp across the river, because no summer camp experience would be complete without a rival camp causing chaos.

While this is the first Angry Birds title to come to television, the franchise has already released two successful films, with the first title bringing in $107 million.

Angry Birds creator Rovio Entertainment has elected to continue its partnership with Cake Entertainment to bring the animated series to Netflix. "Angry Birds animated content plays a key role in our long-term franchise strategy," said Rovio's Ville Heijari. "After more than a decade in hit games, blockbuster movies, and licensed products, this is the Angry Birds’ first foray into a long-form series. We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Cake and can’t wait to unveil the world of Angry Birds: Summer Madness to viewers on Netflix."

"Angry Birds are about to smash the small screen and we are thrilled to be making the journey with Netflix as our global partner," said Cake Entertainment's Ed Galton.

January 2025 On History Africa | Channel Premiere Including Jesus: His Life | Returning Shows Including Storage Wars | More

HOLY HISTORY CONTINUES....

JESUS: HIS LIFE

19 January

Sundays 21:05

Explore the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens: the people in his life who were closest to him; Joseph, John the Baptst, Mary Mother of Jesus, Caiaphas, Judas Iscariot, Pontus Pilate, Mary Magdalene and Peter. Each figure takes a turn guiding viewers through the emotonal and epic story of Jesus’ journey, through his birth, death and resurrecton. Utlising some of the world’s most respected biblical scholars and historians, the series weaves together the canonical Gospels and cultural context to create a complete portrait of Jesus - the man and the Messiah.

Repeat: Saturday from 21:55

Brand New & Exclusive 

THE UNXPLAINED WITH WILLIAM SHATNER S4

11 January

Saturdays 20:15

This series explores the truth behind the most bizarre  and mysterious events ever reported. Hosted by Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor William Shatner, each episode in this brand-new season will feature  compelling contributons from scientsts to historians,  witnesses and experiencers - each seeking to shed light on how the seemingly impossible actually can happen.  From forbidden ‘triangles’ to lost treasures and real-life monsters, The UnXplained season 4 explores subjects  that have mystfied mankind for centuries.

Repeat: Sunday 19:25

Brand New & Exclusive  

THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND S12 

24 January

Fridays 20:15

24 January

Fridays 20:15

The wait is nearly over...The Curse of Oak Island is back! As Rick Lagina says the idea of buried treasure is captvatng and if the team find it, they could change history as we know it. Building off the scientfic revelatons from past seasons that large sources of silver and gold lie deep in the Money Pit area, the Laginas and their team will contnue trying to pinpoint the locaton of the legendary treasure. Fans can once again expect massive digs with lots of equipment, guided by a team of experts.

Repeat: Monday 12:35

Brand New & Exclusive  

SECRETS IN THE ICE S4

27 January

Mondays 19:25

Earth’s climate is changing and ice sheets and glaciers  across the world are beginning to reveal perfectly  preserved fragments of history that offer new  informaton about our planet. Secrets In The Ice season  4 will examine the mysterious historical, geological and  biological phenomena that were once frozen in tme and are now beginning to surface. Merging CGI recreatons,  advanced scanning technology and scientfic research,  the series analyses the curiosites that have emerged  from the meltng ice, explores how and why they got  there in the first place and contemplates what may stll  be hidden in the frozen depths.

Repeat: Tuesday 11:45

Brand New

COMBAT SHIPS S2

28 January

Tuesdays 19:25

From the first submarines to modern nuclear warships, vessels and their crews that have played pivotal roles in combat. Combat Ships explores how technology has transformed naval warfare by revisitng great victories, disasters, and near escapes on the sea. Season two looks at Viking longships, covert submarines and 16th century seafaring legends, among other things. Each episode includes powerful eye-witness accounts, interviews with veterans and maritme experts, reconstructons, intriguing technical data and fascinatng historical detail.

Repeat: Wednesday 11:45

Brand New

STORAGE HUNTERS US S2

29 January

Wednesdays 19:25

Think storage auctons are a joke? Think again, because you don’t want to mess with former boxer Brandon Bernier and his wife Lori, the fiercest compettors in a high-stakes sales game. You won’t believe what they find, from hidden bundles of cash to thousand-dollar chairs, from the dangerous to the downright weird.

Repeat: Thursday 11:45

NES: The Punisher + Shatterhand + Shadow Of The Ninja + Spacegulls + The Three Stooges

The Punisher 

The player controls the Punisher from an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective through various New York City locations, shooting thugs and battling supervillains Hitman, Jigsaw, Colonel Kliegg, Sijo Kanaka, and Assassin as bosses. The final boss is the Kingpin. Power-ups can be obtained by shooting them and include extra ammunition, a med kit, Kevlar, a bazooka, a machine gun, and grenades.

Shatterhand

Set in the year 2030, a group of military renegades known as Metal Command, led by General Gus Grover, are seeking to conquer the world by building an army of cyborg soldiers. Steve Hermann, a young police officer from the Bronx, ends up losing both of his arms during a skirmish with members of Metal Command. After the incident, Hermann is offered two specially developed cybernetic arms developed by the Law and Order Regulatory Division (L.O.R.D.) to replace the ones he lost. Hermann accepts the offer and becomes an agent codenamed "Shatterhand," who is now tasked with the mission to defeat Metal Command.

Shadow Of The Ninja 

In 2029, the evil Emperor Garuda has taken over the United States of America, building a stronghold in the middle of the nation's "largest city". To stop Garuda and avenge the innocent lives that were lost in his reign, two ninja masters from the Iga clan, Lord Hayate and Lady Kaede, are sent to infiltrate the dictator's well-guarded stronghold and kill him.

Spacegulls

Spacegulls is a free platformer game by indie developer Morphat Games. This arcade game combines elements of both Joust and Mega Man. It stars a pair of seagulls tasked with a mission to stop an evil doctor by completing levels. However, each stage will have obstacles and enemies.

The Three Stooges 

The Three Stooges must rescue an old woman's orphanage by earning money in minigames based on various Three Stooges films. These include cracker-eating contests (based on the Stooges short Dutiful But Dumb) and boxing matches (based on the short Punch Drunks).

For downloads: click here 

The Simpsons: Bart Vs. The World (NES)

 

The game is based on the animated television series The Simpsons. On the Krusty the Clown Show, Bart Simpson wins the opportunity to participate in a Round-the-World scavenger hunt. However, the contest has been rigged by Mr. Burns' assistant, Smithers, in order for Burns to rid himself of the Simpson family for all the trouble they have caused him over the years. Burns sends his agents and fellow family members to take care of the Simpsons during the scavenger hunt. Bart travels through various real-world locations collecting items, with occasional cameos from the other Simpsons family members.

Download Now

Batman: The Stone King (Justice League of America) (PDF)

In the first volume in a new series chronicling the exploits of the superheroes of the Justice League of America, a mysterious ancient artifact with supernatural powers has engulfed the world and the members of the JLA, and only Batman can free his allies, stop the chaos, and free them all from the secret curse of the artifact. 

Download Now 

Elif Rebroadcasts Move From 09:30 To 16:00 On e.tv And This Is Due To ePlesier's New Show Die Agentskap

 As reported a month ago, ePlesier will be airing it's first exclusive show this month titled Die Agentskap from 2nd December. This series was allocated on eVOD earlier in the year and had been M.I.A. as eExtra allocated more recent shows from the streamer such as Op Dun Ys and Pad Na Die Hart.

There had been questions from several viewers about how eMedia Investments is planning to accommodate Die Agentskap as ePlesier is a repeats channel so the viewership would be minimal. Plans are underway to make daytime repeats available on e.tv at 9:30 as Elif's rebroadcast move almost two hours before it's premiere at 4PM.

For those wondering why Die Agentskap is not airing on eExtra, it had been alleged that reception for the series was dismal after being allocated on eVOD. With eExtra already at it wits with Op Dun Ys can't afford to lose viewers therefore opted to dump the series on ePlesier where the viewership is minimal.

Honestly this is a trend in other countries where channels would often discard a program if it failed to garner traction at least in Die Agentskap's case it gets promotion. Others to have fallen either had received very little marketing with some ousted from viewer's grasp.

Die Agentskap's debut on ePlesier has only made e.tv's schedule more bloated with repeats there's eExtra's primetime shows in the daytime and lastly rebroadcasts of Z'Bondiwe and Nikiwe. Then you have Elif moving to 4PM and it's previous slot as mentioned is being phased out for another repeat.

This has left e.tv with more reruns aside from eExtra's catch-up slots, the channel is already airing Nikiwe and Z'Bondiwe