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Wednesday, September 20, 2023

New Series Alert: Eve Coming Soon To Novela E Plus

Novela E Plus, a dedicated telenovela channel tailored for StarTimes which features various English dubbed shows from Latin America, Turkey and Asia had acquired broadcasting rights to the 2022 Korean melodrama Eve (also known as Eve's Scandal).

Eve tells the story of a chaebol family divorce lawsuit that shocks the entire nation, of which, at the center of the lawsuit is Lee La-el, the daughter of the chaebol family who seeks vengeance against those that killed her parents when she was a child.

It starred Seo Yea-ji as Lee La-el/Kim Sun-bin, Park Byung-eun as Kang Yoon-gyeom, Yoo Sun as Han So ra, Lee Sang-yeob as Seo Eun-pyung and Lee Il-hwa as Jang Moon-hee.

The series debut last year on Korea's #1 entertainment channel tvN and spawned 16 episodes each with a 1 hour duration. It was part of the APAN Star Awards where Yoo Sun was presented with the Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries at the time.

Eve would eventually make its African debut on Novela E Plus from September 23 at 22:30. Aside from Eve, other shows from tvN to have been viewed in the market include Flower Of Evil, The K-2, Tails Of The Nine Tailed, Cheese In The Trap, Ghost Doctor and Ice Adonis.

Development Alert: Blind Eye Has Been Silently Added On The eVOD Streaming Service Despite Being Released In 2021

During the year, eMedia Investments was scheduled to air the youth drama Annekan Die Swa Kry on eExtra but was silently added onto eVOD after failing to launch on the channel and now another local production titled Blind Eye had been snubbed by the streamer.

Zandile, a young vibrant auditor with the Auditor General is driven to root out corruption wherever she finds it. She is dispatched to go and verify assets of a notorious municipality before its audit begins. Standing in the way is Gogo Dlamini, a fearless and corrupt businesswoman.

The film starred Noxolo Mathula as Zandile, Thembi Mtshali as Gogo Dlamini and Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe as Nhlanhla. Mengameli Nhlabathi served as director whose previous work include Double Life (BET) and Swartwater (SABC 2).

Blind Eye was screened at the 30th African Diaspora International Film Festival and won the Roma Short Film Festival which took part last year and a few months ago it was also screened at the ADIFF Chicago 2023.

As mentioned, Blind Eye wasn't part of the streamer's initial offering when it rolled out in 2021 and not much marketing was done to promote an 'original production'. It's like eMedia Investments doesn't seem to care about how the film performs with consumers.

What To Expect On Da Vinci Across Africa In October 2023?

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE 
Becoming Xtraordinary presented by Bear Grylls         
SERIES PREMIERE (10 x 30’)
From October 01 I Sundays at 20:00
Get ready to be inspired and motivated by the incredible journeys of the world's most exceptional individuals! From Julia Roberts to Roger Federer, Courteney Cox to Channing Tatum, you'll gain insights and inspiration from today's most accomplished individuals. Our captivating 10-part docuseries takes you on a journey through their lives, as we uncover the secrets to their success and explore the qualities that set them apart. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from the best at Da Vinci and unlock your full potential. 
Genres: Documentary, Educational, Interview, Public Affairs, Self Improvement
Presenter: Bear Grylls - British Adventurer, Survivalist, and TV host. Recipient of Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Daytime Program, Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program, & 2015 BAFTA. 

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
Operation Ouch GROSS ALERT! 
From October 31 I Tuesday at 11:30
Get set for a hair-raising Halloween with "Operation Ouch: GROSS ALERT"! Join Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand in a spooktacular medical exploration, unveiling eerie bodily functions and spine-chilling scientific marvels. From ghastly ghouls to jaw-dropping experiments, this special edition delves into the spine-tingling side of the human body. Get ready for an educationally thrilling experience that will leave you laughing, shivering, and on the edge of your seat. Tune in to "Operation Ouch: GROSS ALERT" for a ghoulishly good time!
Genre: Medical, Health, Science, Educational, Comedy
Awards: BAFTA Children’s Award Best Factual 2013 & 2014 Winner, BAFTA Best Children’s Programme 2015 Winner, and BAFTA Nominees for Best Presenter Award 2016 & 2017. 

NEW EPISODES
Did I Mention Invention?
(17 x 30’)
Wed, Thurs, Fri at 16:10
A robot snake that can help with surgery. A jet ski submarine that flies underwater. Stone sculptures created using physics. You’ll find them all on “Did I Mention Invention?” Host Alie Ward meets the inventors of the present and future and discovers how their ideas grew from a glimmer of inspiration to things that improve our world. Got an idea for an invention of your own? She’s got tips for budding inventors too! And some fun facts on everyday inventions that we take for granted now. Fascinating!
Genre: Science, Technology, Documentary 

Marvellous Makes Lab (S02)  
(16 x 10’)
Weekends at 9:00
Welcome back to Season 2 of “Marvellous Makes Lab”, where science meets creativity! 
Join us as we explore fun experiments using everyday household items, unveiling the fascinating science behind each creation. Let the excitement begin!
Genre: Arts/Crafts, Science, How-to, Educational


What To Expect On Curiosity Channel Across Africa In October 2023?

SUPER SCIENCE MONDAYS

Oops, I Changed the World 
Returning Series 
02 October 2023 
CAT: 20h00
Episodes: 15 x 60 mins
Oops I Changed The World! tells the fascinating stories of accidental and surprise inventions that have transformed our lives.
02/10 The Beat Goes On 
09/10 Flash of Success 
16/10 Get A Grip 
23/10 How Saran Wrap Saved D-Day 
30/10 Sleeping on the Job 

Attack of the Zombie Fungus
New Special 
Premieres 23 October 2023 
CAT: 22h00 
Episodes: 1 x 30 mins
We think of fungi as the bottom of the food chain, the recyclers in the circle of life. But fungi are predators. They feed on life. And there are more out there than we ever knew. As we spread into every corner of planet Earth, they are also discovering us –and that we might be the perfect host.

Breakthrough
New Special 
Premieres 23 October 2023 
CAT: 22h30 
Episodes: 1 x 30 mins
Breakthrough takes a deeper look at some of the recent developments in physics, astronomy and other sciences. This episode details the Sargassum seaweed invasion off the coast of Florida.

HISTORY LOVER TUESDAYS

Hitler’s Circle of Evil
New Series 
Premieres 03 October 2023 
CAT: 20h00
Episodes: 6 x 60 mins – ends 07 November 2023
This is the story of the rise and fall of the Third Reich as told by the personal relationships of its most notorious members.

Finding the Graf Zeppelin 
Docu Special - 17 October 2023 
CAT: 21h00 
Episodes: 1 x 60 mins
While exploring the Baltic Sea in 2006, a Polish oil firm stumbled upon the remains of Germany’s first –and last –aircraft carrier at 80 meters depth off the coast near Gdansk. It was a discovery that solved an enduring maritime mystery that had baffled experts for over half a century.

The Auctioneers: Profiting From the Holocaust 
New Special 
Premieres 24 October 2023 
CAT: 21h00 
Episodes: 1 x 60 mins
The systematic antisemitism of the Nazis peaked with the pogroms of 1938/39, the outcome of which was incomparable violence and despotism towards Jewish citizens. The events that culminated in the ‘Reichspogromnacht’ also led to a massive wave of expropriation.

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAYS

Life at the Limits
New Episode 
Premieres 04 October 2023 
CAT: 20h00
Episodes: 3 x 60 mins – series ends 04 October 2023
This spectacular three-part series presents extreme habitats all around the globe 

Giants
New Series 
Premieres 11 October 2023 
CAT: 20h00
Episodes: 5 x 60 mins – ends 08 November 2023
Circle the globe on this exhilarating five-part epic series that “connects the dots" between the GIANTS of the natural world, past and present.

Expedition Wallacea
New Special 
Premieres 11 October 2023 
CAT: 21h00 
Episodes: 1 x 60 mins
Marine biologist Matthias Kopfmüllerwants to know whether the Wallace Line exists underwater. We descend deep into a subterranean crevice and shine a light on a universe that has never-before been captured on film.

Nature’s Greatest Secret – The Coral Triangle 
New Special 
Premieres 18 October 2023 
CAT: 21h00
Episodes: 3 x 60 mins – ends 01 November 2023
The exploration and management of the Coral Triangle may well hold the key to the survival of marine species from all over the world.

HISTORY LOVER THURSDAYS

The Real Wild West
Series Continues 
12 October 2023 
CAT: 21h00
Episodes: 4 x 60 mins – ends 26 October 2023
The famed Wild West: where outlaws rampage and lawmen become legends. Cowboys and native Americans are eternal archetypes, but this is the real American West, filled with diverse pioneers, unprecedented opportunity, ambition and fortune, and technological marvels that change the world.

HUMAN STORIES SATURDAYS

Dangerous Waters S4
New Episodes 
Premiere from 07 October 2023 
CAT: 21h00 and 22h00
Episodes: 16 x 60 mins – ends 28 October 2023
Follow the Dangerous Waters crew members as they embark upon an epic adventure riding their JetSki personal watercraft around the world.

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Development Alert: Wie Laaste Lag Currently Streaming On eVOD + Coming Soon To eExtra

During the week, eMedia Investments added the first 10 episodes to the highly anticipated Turkish romcom Wie Laaste Lag (Aşk Mantık İntikam) to the eVOD streaming service with the series slated to rollout on eExtra in the coming weeks and not 6 months as seen with past shows.

Based on the Korean drama Cunning Single Lady, Die Wie Laaste Lag follows a couple who gets divorced after several years of marriage. But things change when the man suddenly gets rich, with his ex-wife starts working with him.
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It starred Burcu Özberk, İlhan Şen, Zeynep Kankonde, Günay Karacaoğlu, Süleyman Atanısev, Mehmet Korhan Fırat, Ceren Koç, Emir Güler, Sevda Baş, Mehmet Yilmaz, Burak Yörük and Melisa Döngel.

The series was broadcast between 2021/2 with total of 42 episodes each consisting of 2 hours. It joins other programs from the FOX brand including Dokter Ali (Mucize Doctor), Doodsondes (Yasak Elma), Om Elke Draai (Her Yerde Sen) and Daai Crazy Somer (Son Yaz).

Wie Laaste Lag is slated to rollout on eExtra from October 4 replacing Chrysalis at 20:00. Prior to its debut, Roekeloos Dade returns to the channel for a new episodes after being ripped away from e.tv after 68 episodes from October 18 replacing Winter Son at 19:00.

Recap To Last Month: Play Room Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Nickelodeon's Paw Patrol And Game Shakers

Play Room offers a world of learning and fun combining education and entertainment in a uniquely local package carrying original South African and international content, including favourite animation titles dubbed in Zulu. 

The channel is operated by Ngwato Nkosi Group who also manage other brands on the DStv platform including news channel Newzroom Afrika and movie channel Movie Room which launched a year ago.
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Play Room is set to go live on DStv channel 300 from November 6 featuring educational content which promote physical movement and creative thinking for viewers aged 4-6 in the morning and live-action shows for tweens in the afternoon.

Game Shakers and Paw Patrol both of which hail from Nickelodeon were the first confirmed titles set to join Play Room's line-up at launch.

Game Shakers revolves around two seventh graders, Babe and Kenzie who create a video game app called "Sky Whale" for their school science project. When the game proves to be wildly successful, they form a gaming company called Game Shakers, and hire their friend, Hudson.

Paw Patrol focuses on a young boy named Ryder who leads a crew of search and rescue dogs that call themselves the PAW Patrol. They work together on missions to protect the shoreside community of Adventure Bay and surrounding areas.

Monday, September 18, 2023

eLocal: Could eMedia Investments Revive The eKasi Concept Onto A New Channel?

eKasi+ (now eExtra) was a general entertainment channel operated by eMedia Investments that distributed various archived alongside first run local productions like eKasi: Our Stories, Backstage, I Love South Africa and Tropika Island Of Treasure.

Part of the reason this brand never worked out had to with viability as Openview wasn't profitable at the time for eMedia Investments. Another would be the lack of new content as eKasi+ local offering was very repetitive to a point where eMedia had to build an international portfolio.

Now serving as eExtra, it had seen a lot of success with consumers particularly for their local infused international dramas which was spun off onto a standalone network ePlesier and folded under a tile for the eVOD streaming service.

In the last years, eMedia Investments had been building their original portfolio to better take on brands like SABC and MultiChoice which had seen success with those endeavours for decades. Before all of this content was consolidated on e.tv now the brand serves as a catch-up platform for part of this offering.

Similar to ePlesier and SABC Encore, eMedia Investments has managed to build as much local content for their brands that the idea of them possibly converting this into a standalone service where you can relive some of these moments wouldn't seem far fetched.

Before they had problems sustaining the lineup but as seen in 2021, e.tv has become a large chunk of SABC that they gave brands like eReality and eXposed the chance to expand on what could have been e.tv should they have kept the offering and that included Botched, Catfish, The Walking Dead and House Of Cards.

On top of eReality running a 2 hour block for local reality shows like Pay Back The Money, Date My Family and Beef with other programming from eExtra such as SterStatus and Die Kontrak could help sustain this brand and not burn it to the ground like eKasi+.

Could A Zulu Dubbed Version To Ethiopia's SuperSport Liyu Be In Development?

During the month, Zee Entertainment Enterprises and MultiChoice unveiled South Africa's first Zulu dubbed Bollywood channel, Zee Zonke. Amidst that period, the pay-tv company was rumoured to have more multilingual projects in development with Play Room slatted for November.

Although, not much details is shared on the number of projects said to be in development for the pay-tv company one project that wouldn't come as a shock to some consumers would be a Zulu adaptation to the current SuperSport Liyu which is applicable to consumers in Ethiopia.

SuperSport Liyu since March 2022 has been regarded as the foray to football with the Ethiopian Premier League with select matches from La Liga, Serie A, Premier League, Europa League UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Conference League.

In keeping with the packed football calendar, the channel supplemented football with occasional marathons and athletics, none of which clash with live football broadcasts.

A Zulu dubbed version to SuperSport Liyu would be one way for SuperSport to compete with the likes of SABC whose sports channel has seen a rise in viewership on Openview and puts them at a disadvantage seeing as Access consumers lack a decent sports channel.

What To Expect On DreamWorks Across Africa In October 2023?

NEW EPISODES
BOSS BABY: BACK IN BUSINESS

Season 1 ended with Boss Baby on a career high. He had taken down Frederick Estes and the Consortium of Ancients and was summoned to the Board of Directors for what could only be the culmination of his journey at Baby Corp – to be named CEO. But Season 2 starts off with him being dragged back down to earth when he’s blamed for every bad thing that’s ever happened to Baby Corp and fired. Now surrounded by regular babies Boss Baby must get his mojo back in order to return to Baby Corp. To do he assembles a new field team of regular babies, which he’s determined to whip into shape. Meanwhile the Bubbeezzee corporation - a company dedicated to making babies easy – emerges and Boss soon realizes they are not about increasing baby love but destroying it.,

From Monday 2nd October
Weekdays at 6am, 4pm, 9pm. Weekends at 8am, 1pm, 4pm,9pm

NEW EPISODES
DAWN OF THE CROODS

The world's first family is back and funnier than ever in this all-new family sitcom! Eep, Grug, Thunk, Ugga, Sandy and Gran are taking the prehistoric Croodacious era by storm as they deal with modern-day problems for the first time ever in history. School, slumber parties and elections are some of the hilarious wonders of the modern life The Croods are discovering!

From Monday 2nd October
Everyday at 2pm, 7pm

NEW EPISODES
THE MR PEABODY & SHERMAN SHOW

"The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show" is back and funnier than ever! After last season's cliffhanger, this season opens with Peabody and Sherman teaming up with alter-ego versions of themselves to defeat an evil cyborg version of Mrs. Hughes and fix the course of history! The zaniness continues when the Penthouse is invaded by neighbors, a slippery mouse, a radioactive meteor, a massive storm flood and a full-blown forest with woodland creatures. And you won't want to miss when Peabody and Sherman switch bodies, turn into hideous monsters, and discover a rival late-night talk show.
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From Monday 2nd October
Everyday at 12pm

NEW EPISODES
THE SPOOKY TALE OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS
‘HACK-A-WEEN’

When Melvin and Krupp conspire to cancel Halloween, George and Harold need to remind their parents why Halloween was fun in the first place. But Melvin catches wind of their plan and uses his Inaniaminator2000 to turn the kids’ haunted house into real horrors! After summoning Captain Underpants to fight the monsters off, the boys find that Krupp and Melvin have gone one step further. Halloween isn't just cancelled - it's now ILLEGAL! George and Harold team up with their friends and hack their favorite holiday, creating Hack- A-Ween! They’ll wear disguises instead of costumes, carve cabbages instead of pumpkins,
and get snacks instead of candy. The new holiday is a hit! But when Melvin fights back, George and Harold realize that in order to beat him, they may ultimately have to make peace with him.

From Monday 30th October at 7pm Tuesday 31st October at 1pm, 5pm

MOVIES
Fridays and Saturdays
Fridays at 5.15pm
Saturdays at 9am

WEEKEND MOVIES
THE BOSS BABY

From the studio that brought you "Shrek," "Kung Fu Panda" and "Madagascar" comes DreamWorks Animation's "The Boss Baby," a hilarious family comedy about how a new baby's arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator – a wildly imaginative 7-year old named Tim.The most unusual Boss Baby arrives to Tim's home in a taxi, wearing a suit, carrying a brief case and speaking with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin. The sibling rivalry between the two brothers is reluctantly cast aside when Tim discovers that Boss Baby is actually a spy on a secret undercover mission, and only he can help. An outrageous adventure ensues as the pint-sizedpartners prepare to thwart a dastardly plot involving an epic battle between puppies and babies. Inspired by the best-selling picture book by Marla Frazee, thisriotouscomedy for all ages features the voices ofAlec Baldwin as Boss Baby, Steve Buscemi as the villainous Francis E. Francis, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow as Tim and Boss Baby's unsuspecting parents, Miles Bakshi as Tim, and Tobey Maguire as the film’s narrator.

Friday 13th at 5.15pm and Saturday 14th at 9am

WEEKEND MOVIES
SING

Academy Award®-winner Matthew McConaughey lends his voice to this animated comedy from Illumination Entertainment, the creative team behind the "Despicable Me" franchise. Written and directed by Garth Jennings, "Sing" follows a koala named Buster (McConaughey) who decides to host a singing competition to attract more customers to his theater business. Sing also features the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlet Johansson, John C. Reilly, Tori Kelly and Taron Egerton.

Friday 20th at 5.15pm, Saturday 21st at 9am

SPECIALS

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: SCARED SHREKLESS

Halloween is Shrek's favorite holiday - and this year he's planning a night of frights, ogre style. Instead of the usual tricks and treats, Shrek ups the ante and challenges Fiona, Donkey,
Puss in Boots and the other fairy tale characters to spend the night in Lord Farquaad's castle, telling scary stories. One by one, they compete through the night, putting their own fairytale spin on infamous spine-tingling tales that everyone knows and loves! The last one to be scared-Shrekless wins. "Scared Shrekless" is a half-hour animated special delivering fun for the whole family.

From Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October
Monday 30th at 8pm Tuesday 31st at 2pm, 5pm

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: THE PIG WHO CRIED WEREWOLF

Of the famous Three Little Pigs, Heimlich is the one porker who finds a conspiracy around every corner. When The Big Bad Wolf moves in next door, Heimlich tries to warn his piggy pals Horst and Dieter that this may not bring a fairy-tale ending. Tired of hearing him 'cry wolf,' they ignore Heimlich's warnings until it's almost too late for them to live happily ever after. The chase is on!

From Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October
Monday 30th at 8pm Tuesday 31st at 2pm, 5pm

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: NIGHT OF THE LIVING CARROTS

It's Halloween and a mutant alien pumpkin explodes on the Murphy's carrot garden. Now, zombie carrots rise up to attack the town, biting the townspeople and taking over their minds. B.O.B., Dr. Cockroach and The Missing Link must join forces to take on the zombie carrots and somehow, someway find a way to defeat these denizens of the dirt if they are ever going to take back the night.

From Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October
Monday 30th at 8pm Tuesday 31st at 2pm, 5pm

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: GHOST OF LORD FARQUAAD

Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey are on their way to the hotel where Shrek and Fiona will spend their honeymoon when they encounter Lord Farquaad's ghost!
Farquaad sends his henchman, Thelonious, to bring Princess Fiona to him where he will force her to become the queen of the ghostly world. Now, Shrek and Donkey must save the princess in this timeless tale that’s filled with spooky-good fun.

From Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October
Monday 30th at 8pm Tuesday 31st at 2pm, 5pm

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: FAR FAR AWAY IDOL

Join Shrek and the rest of the Far Far Away characters in this hilarious spoof as they battle it out in a singers’ showdown.
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From Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October
Monday 30th at 8pm Tuesday 31st at 2pm, 5pm

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: MUTANT PUMPKINS FROM OUTER SPACE

Susan, B.O.B., The Missing Link and Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D., are back to investigate a mysterious alien presence on Halloween and innocent-looking pumpkins are revealed for what they really are – mutant aliens!
Luckily, the Monsters smash the mutants’ wicked scheme to take over Earth in this action-packed adventure starring Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie and Kiefer Sutherland.

From Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October
Monday 30th at 8pm Tuesday 31st at 2pm, 5pm