Starsat And StarTimes Subscribers Lose 2 More Channels: Smile TV And Animaux

Just as the whole drama concerning the Disney channels came to light with Starsat on a fast track to source out more replacement channels. Viewers woke up to the loss of two more channels Smile was removed sometime last year while Animaux was removed a week ago.

Smile (formerly Smile of a Child) is Christian-based network owned and operated by the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The network is aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 12 years, and offers a mix of children's religious and family-oriented programming. Trinity also supplies several channels and programming across Africa through DStv, OpenView, Azam and several more.

Animaux is a French television channel run by AB Group with animal-based/inspired programming for the whole family.

Subscribers have been rampaging onto Starsat and StarTimes account demanding answers on the sudden loss of these two channels and after week they finally reply and yes they confirmed that they'll no longer supply those channels and are looking into possible replacement channels.

So far, they only managed to National Geographic and Wild with cheaper and more affordable channels such as Love Nature and Smithsonian channel. Now they have to source out even more replacement channels Lord only knows how many of these channels are likely to being replaced. With a channel such as POP it wouldn't matter since you can find something similar on Star Kids of course it's not the same but both channels don't have original content and target the same audience.

Theory: The Future Of Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, And Nick Jr In Africa

Nickelodeon the number one platform for kids worldwide by ViacomCBS International launched 11 years ago on DStv. You had a variety of programming from animated to live-action skewed towards preschoolers such as Dora The Explorer and Peppa Pig and preteens such as iCarly and Legend of Korra.

In 2014, Nickelodeon expanded the brand with two more channels to take up Koowe and KidsCo's place. Since the launch the two channels have been performing well with the likes of Paw Patrol and ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks.

These channels were Nick's successors not to mention their downfalls starting 2015 all the acquired animated stuff which Nick usually airs were handed over to Nicktoons leaving the original stuff on the main channel with Jr inheriting all the preschool content.

In the same year, Nickelodeon was on a cancelling, delaying, next big thing or a short series spree thanks to the person handling the channel in the United States (Cyma). She's the same person that helped kill the remaining action genre in the kids animation industry and left you with goofy series like Teen Titans GO! and Rise of the TMNT and graced us with popular series such as The Loud House.

Due to Cyma's misdeeds and mismanagement, Nickelodeon lost more and more viewers on a yearly basis compared to Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. By the time she left her position and Brian came in he's been working really hard to bring the channel to its former glory including making and distributing content to Netflix, working on more reality series and acquiring animated series.

Throughout 2019, the Nick channels were filled with too many marathons, stunts not to mention reruns which were taking up most of the premieres slots. Trust me there was premieres but the old stuff was overairing in a TTG type of manner.

The deal with Netflix means viewers will see less programming or less exclusive programming across the Nick channels and viewers may have to wait even longer to see some of these programs on Nickelodeon that is if they're made available.

If Nickelodeon doesn't resolve the matter within the next year or 2 with reruns, marathons and stunts very soon you may see operators across the world cut down or scrap the brand.

With South Africa and the rest of Africa alone you may find a case where Nick Jr and Nicktoons dissolve with all the remaining programs like ALVINNN!!! and Paw Patrol heading to the main channel with a reruns channel carrying acquired series similar to Nickelodeon 2 or Splat take their place.

VIMN Africa now known as ViacomCBS Africa has renewed their partnership with MultiChoice in this agreement it's not stated how long the agreement lasts so maybe just maybe they are reviewing their portfolio in the market due to the merge with CBS which may include cutting back on channels e.g. MTV and/or CBS Reality, Nick Jr and/or Nicktoons.

Two Shows Return In February 2020 For Second Season On Lifetime Africa Along With Movies To Celebrate The Month Of Love

Brand New Season
MONICA THE MEDIUM S2
Starts 5th February, Wednesday at 20:05 CAT
Being a college student is hard for any young person having to deal with schoolwork and exams while try- ing to maintain a good personal life. For co-ed Monica Ten-Kate, college life is even more complicated than it is for most pupils. Monica is a medium who can talk to dead people, an ability she didn’t fully accept
untl she was in college but now uses to help clients communicate with loved ones who are no longer with them, to deliver healing messag- es from the aferlife. This series tells emotonal and engaging stories of the people who come to Monica looking to contact the great beyond.

Brand New Season
COPYCAT KILLERS S2
Starts 14th February, Weekdays at 17:35 CAT
This new season chronicles the real-life copycat crimes and criminals inspired by blockbuster movies and TV series. The series features hits like ‘Scream’, ‘Fatal Atracton’, ‘Natural Born Killers’, ‘Hannibal’, ‘Heathers’ and others where real life has imitated the silver screen. Each episode details the real-life crime and its parallels to a Hollywood hit with dramatc recreatons and insight from police detectves, psychologists, and other experts familiar with the case and film.

Love Month
LIFETIME ORIGINAL MOVIES
Weekends starting 01 February at 19:20
HARVEST MOON
Brand New and Exclusive
Trust fund baby, Jennifer Stone is devastated when she fnds out her family is bankrupt. To restore her family’s fortune, she moves from fabulous Beverly Hills to a struggling farm in hopes of turning it around. But she is not welcome by the handsome farm manager, Bret, and his staf. They do everything to get her to leave. But Jen isn’t the worst thing that happened to the farm, she discovers an old pumpkin skincare recipe that could put the farm back on the map, but could this city girl survive in the rural country.

LOVE BY DESIGN
Brand New and Exclusive
Danielle is living the dream in New York working for Vivan the ferce and ruthless fashion editor of Beguile magazine. But Danielle’s world comes tumbling down when a co-worker steals her idea and her boyfriend, and Vivian fres her. With no prospects in the big city, Danielle returns to her small rural town, where reconnectng with her roots proves to be a challenge. Eventually she runs into a charming businessman and with the help of her family, Danielle discovers her true passion in life when she designs clothes for the locals. And when pictures of her dresses make it to Vivian’s desk, Vivian is determined to fnd out who this secret designer is and to showcase the collecton at Fashion Week in New York City.

ALL YOURS
Brand New and Exclusive
Cass, a high-powered atorney and single mother of two, is on the hunt for a new nanny afer her precocious kids ran of the last one. Mathew is a world traveller who cannot setle down untl his father challenges him to plant roots as part of a bet. To prove to his father wrong and win the bet, Mathew interviews for a job as a nanny for a tough client, Cass. Cass refuses to hire him as her nanny but is forced to when she can’t fnd anyone else to take the job. Mathew wins over the hearts of her kids and eventually the boss. But all can be lost when Cass fnds out the real reason Mathew took on the job in the frst place.

OCTOBER KISS
Brand New and Exclusive
Poppy Summer, likes things to be temporary, both in her career and personal life. She is ofered a job by Ryan, a widowed work-obsessed executve, as a nanny to his two mischievous children. Soon, Poppy learns what pulled this family apart and forced Ryan to bury himself in his work. Using unconventonal wisdom, Poppy wins over the children, and together they team up to bring Ryan back, pulling him away from his work. But the task may prove too much for the temporary nanny as her feelings for Ryan get in the way just as much as Ryan’s new girlfriend.

THE DATING LIST
Brand New and Exclusive
Career driven Abby agrees to help her busy boss fnd the man of her dreams, but she encounters a dilemma when she starts falling for the same man.

A LOVER SCORNED
Brand New and Exclusive
Neglected housewife Brooke meets younger insurance salesman Jake and a steamy love afair ensues. Unsuspectngly Brooke is lured into a bloody plan of murder. As she unravels her partner-in-crime’s sociopathic tendencies she is forced to play the game of ultmate decepton or become a victim herself.

The Nineties And Britain's Greatest Bridges And The Strongest Man In History Premieres In February 2020 On History Africa

Brand New And Exclusive
THE NINETIES
Starts 2nd February, Sundays at 19:20 CAT
Rarely does a decade begin as dramatcally as the 1990’s. The world was just catching its breath afer the fall of the Berlin Wall when a series of extraordinary events crowded across the world stage. The collapse of East European communism, the freeing of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, the reunifcaton of Germany, the Persian Gulf War and the dissoluton of the Soviet Union. In the United States, the electon of Bill Clinton over George Bush signaled a politcal changing of the guard as the Greatest Generaton was ushered aside by the Baby Boomers. Grunge, Hip Hop and boy bands defned the decade musically as artsts like Nirvana, Tupac Shakur and N’Sync provided an almost dizzying variety of music. And of course, everything from culture to commerce was irrevocably altered as the world went online with the inventon of the Internet and the World Wide Web. AOL sought to connect everyone, Microsof seemed to dominate the world and Y2K threatened to bring it all to a crashing halt.

Brand New And Exclusive
BRITAIN’S GREATEST BRIDGES
Starts 6th February, Thursdays at 19:20 CAT
Engineer Rob Bell tells the story of some of the most iconic and interestng bridges in the UK. The Forth Rail Bridge, Tower Bridge, The Clifon Suspension Bridge, The Britannia Bridge, The Tyne Bridge and The Humber Bridge all feature in this astonishing series where we discover how six of Britain’s most iconic bridges were designed and constructed.

Brand New And Exclusive
THE STRONGEST MAN IN HISTORY
Starts 17th February, Mondays at 21:10 CAT The legendary feats of strongmen have been celebrated throughout tme, but just how true are these fabled acts? Afer years of competng as rivals, the four strongest men in the world are teaming up to fnd out. Eddie Hall, Brian Shaw, Nick Best and Robert Oberst travel the world investgatng strongman legends and taking on epic feats of strength in a quest to prove who really is The Strongest Man in History. In each episode, the four strongmen take on three strength challenges from history and try to beat the legend and each other. They separate fact from fcton replicatng legendary lifs to determine what they weighed, while competng to see who among them is the strongest.

Brand New Season
FORGED IN FIRE S7A
Starts 24th February, Mondays at 20:15 CAT
In this new season of Forged in Fire, bladesmiths are sent on an Odyssey worthy of the Greek Gods. Forging blades from Greek armour and artefacts using the Go-Mai, or the fve-layer technique. The smiths wrestle with steels of varying hardness to try to create a blade that would make the weapons ‘God Hephaestus’ proud. Two smiths get through the brutal testng and head home to re-create the mythical Sword of Perseus. Which smith will return to the forge with a weapon formidable enough to take down the mighty Medusa, and be crowned Forged in Fire Champion, earning $10,000?

What's New In February 2020 On TLC Africa

Say Yes To The Dress America
From Sunday 9 February at 19:00
Wedding guru supremo, Randy Fenoli, is taking the ultimate wedding road trip around America. In this heartwarming series, he travels the length and breadth of the USA to tell unsuspecting brides that they've just been selected to represent their state in the most epic wedding event of the year! One couple from every state - plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico - will be married together in a massive ceremony held at one of New York City's most iconic locations. And Randy will be officiating the whole thing! The magic starts with a VIP consultation at Kleinfeld so they can find their dream wedding dress. Get ready: Randy is ready to marry America!

My Feet Are Killing Me
From Saturday 15 February at 21:00
For some people, their feet can be a source of embarrassment - they could be a little smelly; maybe their toes are excessively hairy. But for others, foot problems are not just unsightly, but hugely painful. Luckily, podiatrists Dr. Brad Schaeffer and Dr. Ebonie Vincent are coming to the rescue! In this extraordinary series, patients with shocking foot conditions undergo surgery to have them radically transformed, changing their lives forever. From painful bunions to extreme fungal infections, Dr. Schaeffer and Dr. Vincent have seen it all - and they're determined to get their patients up and running again.

Curvy Brides' Boutique
From Sunday 23 February at 18:00
Every bride dreams of the perfect wedding day, yet for curvy women around the UK the reality of shopping for that showstopping dress can be a nightmare. But help is at hand deep in heart of rural Essex, with an exclusive boutique dedicated to curvy brides. Here, best friends Jo Cooke and Alison Law are transforming wedding dress shopping for big brides-to-be, making the difficult task of finding a bridal gown a positive and stress-free experience. And this series brings more brides, more dramas and more stunning transformations; from an indecisive bride overcome with self-doubt just three months before her big day, to a sassy bride-to-be whose fiance is 21 years younger than her. Each bride has her own unique set of requirements - and challenges - but with both empathy and fashionable flair Jo and Alison help even the most body-conscious bride look and feel like a princess.

What's New In February 2020 On Discovery Family Africa

50 Ways To Kill Your Mama
From Tuesday 4 February at 19:20
Get ready for some awesome adventures as thrill-seeking celebrities embark on a series of harrowing adventures - and take a close family member along for the ride! Each episode, a big-name star, from supermodel Coco Rocha to actor Jennie Garth, and their relative - usually their parent or child - travel to an incredible location in the US or Canada for their exhilarating experience. Locations include New Mexico, New Orleans, Miami, Hawaii, Alaska and Montreal, where the star dreams up their list of dream life experiences that they've always wanted to share with their family member. And, as well as being an adrenaline-pumping, laugh-out-loud travelogue, it also provides a moving portrait of family relationships.

Mutant Weather
From Wednesday 12 February at 19:20
Extreme weather, from tornadoes to hurricanes, is not a rare phenomenon. But over the last 20 years as climate change has accelerated, weather has mutated and become more dangerous and unpredictable. And with that, a whole new vocabulary of new and extreme weather has been born. This compelling series charges to the front line of the shocking new weather phenomena that, due to climate change, are changing the world around us faster than we can keep up. The series tells the stories of these mutations, from gestation and birth to their cataclysmic impact and how they will evolve next.

What's New In February 2020 On Discovery Channel (Africa)

Richard Hammond's Big
From Saturday 1 February at 19:10
In the world of engineering, size can be everything. And this action-packed series is going supersized as iconic British motoring presenter and engineering enthusiast, Richard Hammond, embarks on a global adventure. From the UK to Germany to the US, he's on a mission to explore the world's biggest structures and machines, going behind-the-scenes to understand the science of 'big' - how engineers go about building, maintaining and using these superstructures. Each episode takes him to a new location and mega structure, where he meets the unsung heroes at the front line making them work and explores the science behind them with a series of experiments. From the world's longest underground railway tunnel to a cargo ship the size of four football pitches, Richard immerses himself in some truly huge examples of engineering genius in action.

Moonshiners
From Thursday 6 February at 20:00
As they bury one of their last old-time legends, a dozen surviving moonshiners must join forces to fight for their way of life, before it's gone forever. Branded "outlaws" for generations, unprecedented demand for their backwoods spirits is making it harder than ever for these masters of distilling to practice their craft in the shadows. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, veteran moonshiner Tickle returns to the woods after years in jail; and it's not long before he lures his friend Tim back to the outlaw side. Meanwhile, Mark and Digger start a new shine season, but make a risky move with a new hired hand. Facing double the number of government raids driven by corporate greed to profit from the "hand-made" spirits boom, the very culture these moonshiners stand for is on the line. The heat is on as they strive to keep their traditional way of life alive.

Unexplained & Unexplored
From Tuesday 18 February at 20:55
Urban explorer and detective Justin Fornal and nature filmmaker Emiliano Ruprah team up in this exciting series. Using rare and detailed historical maps along with high- tech imaging, they investigate some of the world's most enduring mysteries. An English ship filled with stolen treasures long-rumoured to be hidden under the sands of the California desert. A lost gold mine in the mountains of Arizona, said to contain over 200 million dollars' worth of pure gold. And, the mysterious death of famous explorer Meriwether Lewis that some say was an assassination. Together, with the help of their antique maps, the duo aims to find out the truth behind these legendary tales and more.

Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine
From Monday 24 February at 20:55
Veteran miner, Dave Turin, is an expert gold hunter. He has spent years working alongside Todd Hoffman, earning the nickname 'Dozer Dave' after relentlessly bulldozing for gold. Now, after two years out of the game, he's using his expertise and the backing of financiers to help families who want to resurrect their failing mines and turn a profit. In this series he crosses the USA, from north to south, on a mission to prospect multiple lost and abandoned sites, hoping to find the one that will make a fortune. From the Yukon to the Nevada Desert, Dave meets people with the most incredible stories, and they all have one thing in common: no matter how tough the conditions or how big the gamble, they won't give up on their quest for gold.

Kids And Young Adult TV Ratings In The US

Nickelodeon -21% (728000-152880=575120)
Adult Swim -23% (646000-148580=497420)
Nick@Nite -24% (555000-133200=421800)
Disney Channel -31% (534000-165540=368460)
Disney Junior -25% (424000-101760=322240)
Nick Jr -14% (403000-56420=346580)
Cartoon Network -29% (386000-111940=274060)
Nicktoons -1% (151000-1510=149490)
Disney XD -22% (122000-26480=95160)
Boomerang -8% (98000-7840=90160)
TeenNick -25% (89000-22250=66750)
Baby First TV -27% (35000-9450=25550)
Universal Kids -3% (31000-930=30070)
Notes:
-The result of these drops is due to streaming and operators lack of initiative towards linear channels.
-Nickelodeon has more viewers than the rest of the other channels even Adult Swim.
-Cartoon Network has the least amount of viewers compared to Nickelodeon and Disney Channel due to the repeats of Teen Titans GO! and lack of attention towards their original series.
-Universal Kids manages to stop the large loss of viewership compared to other years where the channel lost 70% and 30%. If they're able to live over 10 years the channel could witness some growth in viewership and give Cartoon Network a run for their money. Unless the kids channels do nothing in 10 years and reach the same amount of viewers as this channel.
-Nicktoons manages to pull in more viewers than Disney XD since Disney moved all the XD animated series to Disney Channel and cancelled all the live-action series making it a reruns channel with less ads to promote the channel.
-Despite WarnerMedia's efforts to bring something different on Boomerang viewers must be tired of the lack of new series reaching this network on a yearly basis along with the movie blocks packed with the same old same old characters that brought this channel to life.
-The live-action slate is dry on Nick and since TeenNick is used to air live-action series from Nickelodeon the channel must be on hyper repeat mode like FOX Life Africa. After all Nickelodeon only has 1 and a quarter series left (All That and Henry Danger) unless you're counting game shows anyways don't expect the sitcom slate to be as big as it was in 2010 and with the decrease in sitcoms whose to say if this channel will stuck around in 10 years time. They'll probably scrap it for Nick Rewind along with Nicktoons.
-Nick Jr pulls in more viewers than Disney Junior reason being the repeats despite Nick Jr having old programming they don't make it the main attraction like Disney Junior and unlike Junior they make an effort to give new programs more timeslots.
-Baby First TV, the problem doesn't have anything to do with the channel it's just that there's so much alternatives for toddlers. It doesn't have to be on the internet even something like teaching your baby how to walk or potty is an obstacle for these kind of channels.

February 2020 On Disney Channel, Disney Junior And Disney XD Africa

Disney Channel:
Raven’s Home (S3 New Eps)
Weekdays @17:00 from 10 – 28 February
Synopsis: Raven Baxter and her twins Booker and Nia—along with Raven’s long time best friend Chelsea and son Levi, and Nia’s best friend and neighbour Tess—are focused on pursuing their creative dreams. Booker, Nia and Tess form a music group, The Chi-Lective, with Levi as their music video director, while Raven is determined to launch her fashion line and Chelsea has found her niche as a life coach. Meanwhile, Raven and Booker’s glimpses of the future continue to lead to hilarious predicaments and mishaps at every corner!

101 Dalmatian Street (S1 New Eps)
2nd February – 1st March (Sunday Double Bills Only) @22:00 + 22:25
Synopsis: Follow the adventures of eldest siblings Dolly and Dylan, their Mum Delilah and Dad Doug, and their 97 younger brothers and sisters as they embark on urban adventures and extreme sibling rivalry. Together, the pups explore growing up and finding their own spot inside the biggest, messiest, furriest blended family ever.

Disney Junior:
Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures
Weekdays @17:30 from 3rd – 21st February
Synopsis: Hot Dog! Get mixed-up with Mickey and all of his pals in his new house in Hot Dog Hills! Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, Daisy, Pluto and Chip 'n Dale have new surprises in store!

Bluey
Weekdays @08:30 and 17:00 from 10th February
Synopsis: Bluey is an inexhaustible six-year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures, developing her imagination as well as her mental, physical and emotional resilience.

Vampirina
Weekdays @18:30 from 24 February
Synopsis: The newest monster on the block is back with more batty adventures and surprises! She may be blue with pointy teeth, but she’s not that different underneath!

Disney XD:
Big Hero 6 (S2 New Eps)
Weekdays @17:00 from 10 – 14 February
Synopsis: Having defeated Obake, Big Hero 6 have arrived as real superheroes! But when San Fransokyo becomes overrun by monsters, the future of Big Hero 6 and the city hang in the balance.

Star vs the Forces of Evil S4 + Finale
Weekdays @17:30 from 17 – 28 February
Synopsis: Season 3 will show us how Gabo and his teammates dispute a School World Championship, where they will pursue their objective of being champions, but also fight to achieve their most cherished desire; to become professional football players.