What To Expect On DStv's Newest Addition, NWTV?

During the month, it was reported MultiChoice was working on yet another community station for the DStv platform. From what we were able to uncover this channel would be airing a variety of international content part of which trace back to Soweto TV alongside various local content.

Not long ago, North West TV (NWTV) was unveiled and to our surprise this channel matched the description of the upcoming TV channel MultiChoice was working on for several weeks as seen on their website: blockbuster movies, lifestyle and culture and exclusive series.

Here's a sneak peek to what's expected from this channel

TRAVELLING UNPLUGGED

Genre: Lifestyle, Travel

DINGO UNTAMED

Genre: Wildlife, Actuality

From the world's most dangerous animals to wildest of adventures, Dingo Untamed is the show for high octane animal & nature encounters.

BIKER MICE FROM MARS

Genre: Animation, Children

When three alien motorcycle riding mice are forced to leave their home planet of Mars thanks to the evil mining Plutarkians, they rebel against their enemies on planet Earth and the city of Chicago.

DORK HUNTERS FROM OUTER SPACE

Genre: Animation, Children

Alien Dorks disguise themselves as humans to use Earth as a base to take over the universe, but they face opposition from unlikely teenage heroes.

THE GIRL

Genre: Telenovela

Eight-year-old Belky is kidnapped by guerrillas in her brother's stead and brought up in the jungle. Years later, she manages to escape and is reunited with her family, but as a different person.

LAKEHILL

Genre: Drama Series

Set up on the shore of Lake Kariba. It is driven by the journey of Mr. KABWE KABWE, popularly known as KK. We meet him at Lake Hill Lodge where he serves as the General Manager and husband to the owner of the establishment.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: THE RED BARON

Genre: Documentary, Film

Officially labeled 'The greatest driver Formula One has ever seen', Schumacher has redefined this elite sport through his ability, dedication, media presence and appeal. The first German to ever win the Formula One World Championship, Michael Schumacher is revered and single-handedly credited with popularizing this sport in his country and beyond.

SKIN DEEP: ANGELINA JOLIE

Genre: Documentary, Film

Angelina Jolie has already lived a life that few could rival. She is the third actress in history to earn 20 million US dollars for a single film. She is driven by a genuine commitment to help those less fortunate. This quest runs skin deep in this remarkably loving individual.

New Channel Alert: MultiChoice To Add Second Community Based Channel On DStv In The Month, NWTV

NWTV is set to premiere on DStv channel 266 from Thursday, 30 November 2023 on DStv Premium, Compact+, Compact, Family, Access and EasyView.

NWTV, a community channel deeply rooted in its commitment to local heritage, proudly announces its mission to be the beacon of local and national entertainment. With its reach spanning from the North West province in South Africa to notable coverage across Southern Africa, NWTV is poised to inspire, educate, and entertain viewers from all walks of life, celebrating the heroes within our midst.

NWTV is more than a channel: it is a community general entertainment platform that embraces its enriched roots within the landscapes of the North West province. It's a tribute to the vibrant culture and remarkable stories of the region, yet it extends its appeal to the Republic of South Africa and Southern Africa, touching hearts with its stories and narratives.

“At NWTV, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire and uplift, to celebrate our very own iconic role models and influential storytellers," says Maximus Magwaza, Chief Operating Officer at NWTV. "No matter where you are, be it the platinum streets of the North West Province or the luscious landscapes of the Southern African Region, NWTV is here to cater to your entertainment needs."

“We happily welcome NWTV on our platform as it speaks to our continued effort to strengthen the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of our country,” says Georginah Machiridza, Executive Head of General Entertainment Channels at MultiChoice Group. “We also understand the important role that community TV stations take within our local economy, this partnership allows us to enrich lives of the communities we operate in through job creation and skills development."

In the coming months, NWTV is set to offer a diverse range of family-friendly programming, enriching the hearts and minds of its viewers. NWTV's content not only entertains but also educates, informs, and narrates the captivating stories that define our communities.

No matter who you are or where you are, NWTV has you covered.  We are your go-to destination where you will find stories for the people, that are about the people and created by the people.

Development Alert: BBC's Rastamouse Is Coming To Play Room This December, Play Room Reloaded Takes Up Weekdays On The Channel

Play Room (stylised as Playroom) is a children's channel operated by Ngwato Nkosi Group which offers fun and learning with popular animated shows dubbed in Zulu alongside live-action shows will be rolling out the first new program in less than a month, Rastamouse.

The stop-motion animated series features an all-mouse reggae band, Rastamouse and Da Easy Crew, who play music at the 'Nuff Song Studio' when they're not solving mysteries for the President of Mouseland. All the characters speak with a Jamaican accent.

Rastamouse debuted on CBeebies from 31 January 2011 to 15 June 2015 spawning 3 seasons with 104 episodes produced each with a duration of 11 minutes. The series was nominated for the British Academy Children's Award for Pre-School Animation twice, in 2011 and 2012.

It will replace CoComelon: Animal Time on weekdays at 09:00 from 5 December with repeats at 11:15 on Play Room.

Prior to that time, Play Room Live might be going on production break and if we had to guess it most likely has to do with the festive season meaning new episodes might resume by 2024 if not earlier. By 5 December, Play Room Reloaded airs on weekdays at 15:00 and repeats at 21:00.

The channel hasn't been around for less than a month so we presume either a rebroadcast to Play Room Live will return right after Play Room Reloaded or weirdly enough new episodes to Play Room Live as the first season consists of 40 episodes and only 20 had aired.

Drafted: What To Expect On Cartoon Network And Cartoonito Across Africa In December 2023?

Cartoon Network

Ninjago: Dragon's Rising

Two teenagers from different worlds use their Ninja powers to defend dragons from villains who want to harvest the dragons' life forces.

Pokémon: Sun And Moon Ultra Adventures

This season takes place in the Alola region and follows the continuing adventures of Ash; his classmates Lillie, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, and Sophocles; Ash's rival, Gladion; and antagonists James, Jessie and Meowth of Team Rocket. 

Other attractions: Prince Ivandoe Festive Special

Cartoonito

Tom And Jerry In Snowman's Land

Through the use of magic, Jerry's nephew Tuffy makes a snow mouse named Larry who comes to life. In an attempt to keep Larry from melting, Tuffy and Jerry rush him to the fabled Snowman's Village. However, Tom and the devious Dr. Doublevay have their own plans for Larry's magic.

Interstellar Ella

In the year 3021, on a space station somewhere between Mars and Jupiter in the Milky Way, eight-year-old Ella Ryder sets out with her friends on exciting adventures of discovery.

Bugs Bunny Builders

Bugs, Lola, Daffy, Porky and Tweety use their amazing vehicles to take on the looniest construction builds while learning valuable lessons -- they never give up, because The Looney Builders always get the job done.

Bugs Bunny Builders Looneyburg Lights

The Looney Builders prepare to host a big holiday lights festival in Looneyburg Park when an unexpected snowstorm sadly prevents Looneyburgers from attending and enjoying themselves.

Batwheels Holiday On Ice

Frustrated by the Batwheels' holiday distractions, Batwing decides to go solo to thwart Mr. Freeze's evil Christmas-time plot, but Batwing soon realizes how hard it is to stop Mr. Freeze on her own.

Other attractions: Cartoonito World Tour

Paramount Executives Could Be Exploring Selling Off Parts of the Media Company

New developments suggest Paramount might be considering exploring more media and acquisition deals.

Last week, the media company filed an 8-K form with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission that said top executives like CEO Bob Bakish, CFO Naveen Chopra, and executive vice president Christa D’Alimonte could get severance if they’re let go within two years “following the consummation of a change in control.”

On Monday, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) completed its purchase of Paramount’s Mixed Martial Arts company, Bellator. The deal was announced after Paramount said it was shuttering its Showtime sports division at the end of the year.

This year, “significant buyer interest” has seen Paramount’s stock to climb, according to Yahoo!Finance. Due to its smaller size, Paramount has historically been viewed as a potential acquisition target.

Paramount, like a majority of streaming services, has been struggling over the last few years. The loss of high viewership amid the pandemic in 2020, rising inflation rates, and increasing competition from other streamers has forced media companies to pare down workforce numbers, anticipate financial losses, and raise service prices.

The media company has taken a number of steps to keep itself afloat including relieving itself of “non-core assets.” For example, Paramount completed its sale of publishing company Simon & Schuster to investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts last month. Rumors also suggest Showtime and BET Media Group could be for sale in the future.

Last month — before the actors strike resolved — Bakish said Paramount would continue to license content beyond its own channels, Advanced Television reported. As an example, Paramount unveiled a multi-year deal with Greek pay-TV service Cosmote TV.

Bakish said content licensing provides “a robust supply of content from diverse creatives to entertain consumers” and anticipates that Paramount will begin to recoup streaming losses next year.

Moshe Ndiki’s Heart-Warming Journey Into Fatherhood Premieres This January On Mzansi Magic

Rediscover charismatic TV personality Moshe Ndiki as he embarks on an exciting and transformational chapter of his life in the reality series Life with Moshe, a 13-part reality series premiering on Sunday 28 January 2024 at 19h30 on Mzansi Magic.

 

Moshe's story goes beyond the ordinary. As a black, gay man choosing the path of surrogacy to start his family, his decision challenges the dilemma of modern parenting pitted against traditional customs. With the surrogate well into their pregnancy, Moshe's life is on the brink of an emotional transformation.

From the joys of expecting twin boys to the complicated balance of his demanding showbiz career and deeply rooted family ties, Life with Moshe promises to deliver hope, joy and determination.

  

"Moshe's energy, charisma, and infectious optimism light up the screen," says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net. "Viewers will not only witness the highs and lows of his journey but also be able to resonate with the universal themes of love, family, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams."

What makes Moshe's story truly unique is the mystery that surrounds it: How does this form of parenting work? And how will traditional lineage and ancestral connection customs play out in this scenario?

 

Moshe's dedication as he navigates therapy and seeks guidance from his ever-supportive mother will move you. His interactions with close friends who stand by him through thick and thin will inspire you.

 

Don't miss the heartfelt moments, laughter, and tears as they all unfold on Life with Moshe, premiering on Sunday 28 January 2024 at 19h30 on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161).

Noggin Will Cut The Ribbon On Its Nogginville World Next Month

Nickelodeon’s Noggin streaming app is looking to make learning more personal and help kids build real-life skills with its new game world Nogginville, which launches in early December. 

In Nogginville, kids can explore different locales from the Nick universe, play mini-games and meet their favorite characters. It’s launching with 15 different learning games (shopping for groceries and doing basic math to calculate the total, for example), Nick Jr. characters and avatars, branded locations and videos (some of which will be interactive). And the plan is to eventually expand the offering with additional branded locations and characters, including more Nick IPs and also potentially third-party brands, says Noggin EVP Kristen Kane. 

The key goal behind Nogginville is to provide a more personalized learning experience that kids can control themselves, says Kane. Noggin has to compete with numerous kids edutainment SVODs also in the market, plus it has to stand out from other streaming services that carry Nick and Nick Jr. content, like Paramount+ and Pluto. As the platform scales, focusing on interactive content, and offering a personalized, walled-garden experience have been identified as important differentiators. 

Nogginville’s game world proposition is also similar to hot platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, where kids can explore and guide their own play. But it’s built with an audience of two- to seven-year-olds in mind, which is why it’s a single-player experience that only exists within the app. 

Noggin currently has more than 1,000 educational games, videos and books in its library, and it also streams Nickelodeon series such Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues, Noggin originals like Noggin Knows, and third-party acquisitions including JoJo and Gran Gran (BBC Studios Kids & Family/A Productions) and Little Bear (Nelvana). 

Noggin has had success in the past with “dollhouse games” in which kids roleplay real-world skills, such as Peppa Pig: Shopkeeper. But Nogginville takes this immersive practice-makes-perfect experience a significant step further. “We like to call it a little world that helps kids prepare for the big one,” says Kane.  

Development Alert (Rumour): Tourism Queen Has An Upcoming DStv Project, Might Roll Out By Next Year

Tourism Queen Beauty Pageant South Africa is a one stop Fashion Beauty and Tourism event targeting to promote and explore the adventures in all corners of our beautiful country South Africa. This event is involves individuals from across all nine provinces to take part in this annual event.

Through their socials, it was revealed they would be made available on the DStv platform through an "independent channel" and would broadcast on online platforms. Not is known in regards to the channel or what content would be made accessible to consumers.

During the month, MultiChoice had begun field work on another TV channel which is using the frequencies of Novela Magic. Judging by the programming, this could be a female tailored channel and this would pertain shows like The Girl and also Ladies In Heels.

Taking a look at Tourism there's Dingo Untamed and Travelling Unplugged while the Queen portion of the brand has The Girl and doccies centred on Angelina Jolie and Marilyn Monroe so would it seem surprising if this two happened to be possible be the same channel.

The only setback here is that Tourism Queen is being advertised as an HD brand while the current tests reflect an SD channel. If anything, it's likely a different channel probably in relation with Soweto TV and Tourism Queen would serve as a separate addition on DStv.

Compared to previous years, MultiChoice has been very slow in allocating new channels and if Tourism Queen were to surface on the platform. Could it be added as a new addition to the platform or in place of another TV channel like Spice TV (or eExtra) for instance.

Development Alert: A Rebroadcast Of Crown Of Tears Launches On TLNovelas Across Africa, Season 2 Might Follow Shortly

A few months ago, it was reported TLNovelas would broadcast the telenovela If They Let Us (Si Nos Dejan) later in November. Following months of anticipation, the channel opted to air rebroadcast to one of their initial shows, Crown Of Years (Corona De Lágrimas).

Based on the 1965 story produced by Valentín Pimstein, Crown Of Tears follows a woman is forced to raise her three sons by herself. Now that her sons are adults, the family's relationship is affected by each of their personal matters and issues.

It starred Victoria Ruffo, Maribel Guardia, Ernesto Laguardia, Africa Zavala, Adriana Louvier, José María Torre, Mané de la Parra and Alejandro Nones.

The series was renewed for a second season with filming of that upcoming season which wrapped earlier in the year. Similar to the Overcoming franchise, it's likely that TLNovelas wants to reintroduce Crown Of Tears in order to create hype on the new season.

As for If They Let Us, it may rollout by next year possibly in another timeslot alongside the anticipated second season of Crown Of Tears. Another theory would be the channel removing the drama from its release schedule as seen with A Shelter For Love.