SHOCKER! 7de Laan - the past 3 years voted the Best Soap - suddenly dumped as a choice by the NFVF and the upcoming 6th Saftas.

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I can exclusively break the shocking news that ''South Africa's most popular TV soap'' 3 years running as chosen by viewers - 7de Laan on SABC2 - will unceremoniously get dumped as a choice and deleted as a contender by the National Film and Video Foundation's (NFVF) for the upcoming South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) set to take place on 10 March.

I can reveal that 7de Laan, produced by Danie Odendaal Productions, has suddenly been dropped as an option in the Best Soap category - a category for which soaps don't have to and can't enter, and which is determined through a popular viewers' vote. All the other local South African soaps will still appear in the category when the full 6th Saftas nominees list is announced tomorrow evening. Just not 7de Laan effectively shut out of the Saftas for the prize to win.

While viewers will get to choose Generations (SABC1), The Wild (M-Net), Muvhango (SABC2), Isidingo (SABC3), Rhythm City (e.tv) or Scandal! (e.tv), the Saftas has banished 7de Laan by leaving it out as an option.

7de Laan won in 2009 as Best Soap at the 3rd Saftas, won again in 2010 as Best Soap at the 4th Saftas, and won in 2011 at the 5th Saftas again for Best Soap as voted for by viewers. The cast and crew of 7de Laan however boycotted the Saftas last year after a massive mess and voting fiasco with the wrong SMS number for the soap.

Generations previously also had a major falling out with the awards ceremony purported to praise the best of South African television and film, but often come in for criticism regarding the judging process as well as dubiously shoddy productions values.

With the incomplete list, insiders now say the ommission of 7de Laan which could have won again as most popular but won't get the chance since viewers won't be able to vote for the show, is further proof of the ongoing credibility problem of the Saftas.

Behind the scenes drama also erupted earlier this month when the 6th Saftas, scheduled for 10 and 11 March, had to be moved a day earlier to 9 and 10 for the non-fiction and fiction ceremonies.

SABC3, which will tomorrow officially be announced as the broadcasting partner - news I exclusively broke last month RIGHT HERE already (after the event - due to a lack of timeous organisation wasn't broadcast last year) will have to move its Saftas broadcast to 10 March to keep it a live broadcast or now go with a recorded broadcast if kept on 11 March where it was originally scheduled.

This year's 2012 Saftas drew a record number of 233 entries. The Saftas is often derided by TV and film critics who are shut out from actually judging the award categories. Instead the Saftas winners are decided upon by 104 so-called ''judges'' who works within the TV industry and who are previous winners. According to Saftas critics, this represent a conflict of interest.

I asked the NFVF and Saftas why 7de Laan is suddenly being dropped as a contender from the Best Soap category which will make the soap ineligible to be voted for by viewers after winning the public vote and coming out tops the past 3 years.

''7de Laan didn't submit any entries for the Saftas this year, that is why they are not eligible to be in the Best Soapie category,'' says the NFVF.

I asked 7de Laan and Danie Odendaal Productions what the soap is making of this shocking development and of being left out in the cold. ''We did not submit entries for the Saftas this year because we have reservations about the selection process,'' Colin Howard, 7de Laan's line producer tells me.

''We were unaware of the fact that we wouldn't be eligible for the Most Popular Soap category if we didn't submit entries in the other categories. As a South African soap, we thought we would be entered into that category automatically.''

I asked, am I'm also waiting for an official response from SABC2 who was also stunned when I told the channel the news.

BREAKING. Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola set to return to the eNews Channel for a 4th season in April.

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I can reveal that the brilliant Late Night with Loyiso Gola is set to return to the eNews Channel (DStv 403) (simulcast on e.tv) with the satirical faux news show that has been renewed for a fourth season which will start on the news channel in April.

Sources told TV with Thinus last month that the excellent and hilarious LNN - Loyiso Gola ably assisted on-screen with angry puppet Chester, roving international correspondent David Kibuki and comedian Riaad Moosa - will be back on the eNews Channel soon. e.tv has now confirmed the news, telling me ''LNN is coming back in April this year''.

The eNews Channel would do well to make Late News News with Loyiso Gola as well as the newer-better The Tech Report both permanent full year additions to the channel's schedule instead of 13 episode runs at a time. Both shows have excellent production values, is clearly well-researched and planned and deals very aptly with current news events and issues in their own distinctive ways.

BREAKING. Gugu Duda appointed as the new permanent chief financial officer at the SABC.

Gugu Duda has been appointed as the new permanent chief financial officer (CFO) at the SABC.

The struggling South African public broadcaster has been battling to fill several top key executive positions who've been long vacant and have been filled by acting executives.

Gugu Duda's appointment will come into effect on 1 March this year and is for the regular five year period.

Gugu Duda, a chartered accountant, was previously the CFO for internet at telephone banking at First National Bank (FNB). She left to join Wipcapital as executive investment manager, before departing for AngloGold Ashanti to take up the position of vice president for strategy and risk integration for continental Africa.

BREAKING. Shahan Ramkissoon from the eNews Channel is in New Jersey, America for Whitney Houston stories.

The eNews Channel (DStv 403) has dispatched its reporter Shahan Ramkissoon to America who is currently in New Jersey, America, to file stories about Whitney Houston who's public funeral is expected to take place this coming weekend.

The usually snappy dresser filed some of his story today from inside a rental vehicle, in East Orange, with stubble and a shemagh scarf.

In today's story on the eNews Channel Shahan Ramkissoon visited and interviewed neighbours (who seemed reluctant to talk) living opposite Whitney Houston's childhood home, and went to a bakery, the Supreme Bakery where she often went to.

I asked the eNews Channel as to why Shahan Ramkissoon was sent and how long he will be staying in America, with the channel telling me that he was actually already there on holiday and quickly roped in to assist with additional Whitney Houston news coverage.

''Shahan Ramkissoon will stay in New York and New Jersey until the weekend. He's looking at Whitney Houston's life and rise to fame – the colour pieces behind the story. The news desk is covering the hard news angles via international news agencies.''

''It was a collective editors' decision to keep Shahan in New York - he was already there on holiday - when the eNews Channel heard of her death,'' the news channel tells me.

Cape Town branch of the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) to kick off the year with filmmaker Revel Fox on Thursday, 23 February.

The Cape Town branch of the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) will be kicking of 2012 officially with filmmaker Revel Fox who will be talking next Thursday evening, 23 February about the scriptwriting process.

Booking are essential (send email to: admin@writersguildsa.org)
since the event includes wine, snacks and parking access at the University of Cape Town's Hiddingh Campus in Gardens. All performance writers stand to benefit from the latest developments at the WGSA and the organisation says non-writers are also welcome to attend.

The official Cape Town opening of WGSA for 2012 takes place at 18:00 for 18:30 next Thursday evening at UCT's Hiddingh Campus in Orange Street in Gardens (opposite the Labia Cinema).

Disney Junior orders a third season of Jake and the Never Land Pirates which is the preschool channel's number one show.

Disney Junior (DStv 309) has ordered a third season of Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

Jake and the Never Land Pirates which started exactly a year ago is the preschool channel's most popular show and will now reach 100 episodes, Disney Junior announced.

''The series is connecting with kids on every level and brings them closer to characters they're already familiar with and introduces them to new, original characters they have made their friends," says Nancy Kanter, the senior vice president of original programming and the general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide, in a statement.

Jake and the Never Land Pirates is based on the world of Peter Pan and revolves around a group of kid pirates as they attempt to outwit the infamous Captain Hook and Mister Smee.

BREAKING. Wendy Williams cracks up and breaks down live on her talk show, talking about Whitney Houston 'the addict'.

In a highly emotional ''hot topic'' segment, talk show host Wendy Williams of The Wendy Williams Show (weekdays at 13:00 and 23:00 on BET, TopTV 190; episodes seen same day in South Africa as America) cracked up and broke down live on air, talking about the death of Whitney Houston.

As a recovering drug addict herself, the emotional Wendy Williams who broke down in front of her silent studio audience, said her dream for Whitney Houston was redemption one day - a dream that will now never be realized.

''Everybody's talking about it. After I say what I say, I'm not talking about it anymore. You'll have to turn on Entertainment Tonight; The View - their hot topics. I'm out.''

''Whitney and I - the same age. And both plagued with the demon of substance abuse,'' said Wendy Williams whose voice started cracking up.

''It's been almost 15 years since I smoked last from a crack pipe,'' said a downcast Wendy Williams who looked down and started sobbing.

''It's been almost 15 years since I waded to Rome Avenue in the Bronx ... for my ... drugs.''

''We love you Wendy,'' shouted an audience member.

''I'm not proud of the girl that I was. But without that girl I wouldn't be the woman that I am today. I wished for us both to be really sober and to be really aware.''

''I always pictured us being in our late 50s, 60s, with her being the number one spokesperson for 'Say No'. I just thought that we would meet, we would hug, and we'd be older and sober.''

Looking straight into the camera and with conviction, Wendy Williams continued: ''She's my Jersey girl. She's a woman like me - part of the subculture of our society: the addict.''

In silence the camera panned out and across The Wendy Williams Show studio audience. Solemn audience members held up mounted Whitney Houston photographs as the segment faded to black.

Programming note: Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN International tonight at 22:00 is a Whitney Houston tribute with Chaka Khan, Wyclef Jean.

CNN/Piers Morgan Tonight

In a hastily arranged special tribute to Whitney Houston, Piers Morgan of Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN International (DStv 401) will talk to Chaka Khan and Wyclef Jean at 22:00 (South African time) remembering Whitney Houston.

CNN International just sent me an advisory to the Piers Morgan Tonight special of tonight, as well as a rush transcript, with Chaka Khan who will be telling Piers Morgan that the decision to proceed with Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party just hours after Whitney Houston's passing was ''complete insanity''.

''I thought that was complete insanity," Chaka Khan tells Piers Morgan. "I don't know what could motivate a person, to have a party, in a building, where the person, whose life he had influenced so enormously, and whose life had been affected by her ... I don't understand how that party went on."

''I too, was an addict,'' Chaka Khan will be telling Piers Morgan. ''I will never do cocaine again, I know that. But we are sensitive, highly sensitive people, entertainers.''

''I've cried for her a lot over the years, so many times, Chaka Khan says later in the interview tonight, ''And I've - in a way, I've mourned her because I felt that she was - something was going to happen because she was - we were - she was so close to the wire.''

BREAKING. Zama Mkosi is the new CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).

Zamantungwa Mkosi, known simply as Zama Mkosi is the new CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) (and not Terry Tselane as I was told in November last year).

Zama Mkosi, who've served on numerous boards is an admitted high court attorney.

''We have followed Zama Mkosi's career closely and are pleased that such a well-rounded person with incredible intellectual and commercial rigour is our new CEO,'' says Mmabatho Ramagoshi, the NFVF chairperson of the NFVF council in a statement announcing the news.

According to the NFVF Zama Mkosi was chosen as CEO due to her ''effective leadership, excellent project management, sound interpersonal skills, prescient vision and strategic planning.''

Zama Mkosi, in the same statement, said ''I am keen to tackle the challenges facing the industry and harness the many opportunities present in the South African film and television industry.''

Shes worked as a senior legal advisor to the media and motion pictures business unit at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and have advised the IDC on the viability of its potential investments in the media and entertainment industries.

Zama Mkosi was also the executive producer for SABC2's Heartlines – a television series that addressed social issues in South Africa and she has had extensive training in intellectual property law.

BREAKING. M-Net gets brilliant new drama Homeland; 'new 24' set to start on pay channel on 18 April.

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M-Net has scored another great new TV title and this one is going to the M-Net channel (DStv 101): Homeland - called ''the new 24'' is starting on the pay TV channel on Wednesday 18 April at 20:30.

I heard yesterday from the pay TV broadcaster who told me that Homeland is coming after M-Net scooped the broadcasting rights for South Africa. The brilliant show (which I've already started watching) is a ''newer'' kind of 24 - packed with mysteries, suspense, hidden clues, action, and lots of drama revolving about family life, but also how to be a great professional and not come across as crazy.

Homeland centres around an American soldier, suddenly found after a few years in Iraq. He comes back and literally gets a hero's welcome. Yet a secret agent - who has a chip on the shoulder and is a bit crazy because of 9/11 - got a tip that an American soldier has been turned during captivity and is now working for an extremist terrorist organisation.

Is the soldier who he appears to be and is she she just crazy for spying on him and trying to convice her one boss about a big terrorist plan? Or is the soldier, suddenly back in his family's life, secretly now against America?

Damian Lewis as the platoon sargeant who returns, Claire Daines as the CIA analyst, and Mandy Patinkin as her boss willing to go out on a limb and believe her, make Homeland true must-watch television.

Interestingly there's two concurrent trends taking place on the M-Net channel. Firstly, on the one hand M-Net (the channel) is continuing the way in which it's watering down and diluting its perceived brand value. The channel is fast losing what it once stood for, which was/is the best TV shows shown as quickly as possible. Once Upon a Time, The River, White Collar and other shows, and now even the Grammy Awards, are shows which in my opinion should actually be on, and belong on, M-Net as a channel.

More and more great stuff - which made M-Net distinctive content wise and solidifies its place as a premium channel - is trickling away.

Then the M-Net channel is also becoming more edgier and envelope pushing again. Remember when M-Net showed Eden, the late night risque tropical resort soap? That was decades ago. Also M-Net isn't and won't give viewers and go Spartacus Vengeance edgy (sadly that will never happen) there is a renewed focus on edgier and riskier fare - Game of Thrones, Shameless - which for a long time M-Net somewhat moved away from.

Oprah to be punished after the talk show queen begged viewers to please watch her OWN channel.

Oprah Winfrey is going to be punished after she begged viewers to please watch her TV channel on Sunday.

In a tweet on Sunday - since removed - Oprah Winfrey  said ''Every 1 who can please turn to OWN especially if u have a Neilsen box.'' After that people started started attacking her as being desperate and pathetic.

According to Deadline the problem is that according to the contracts TV channels have with Nielsen - the viewership measuring company - channels and shows cannot make a direct appeal to Nielsen households specifically to watch a specific programme and thereby influence their normal viewing patterns.

When it happens, Nielsen usually refused to issue a viewership number for that viewership on that day, and it might now happen for OWN for Sunday because of Oprah Winfrey's tweet.

In a new statement Oprah Winfrey says ''I removed the tweet at the request of Nielsen. I intended no harm and apologize for the reference.''

According to Entertainment Weekly that got a statement from Nielsen the company is ''reviewing this incident with our clients and we may withhold, breakout and/or make a note in the ratings. We take any violation of our policy seriously and will work with clients to resolve the situation.''

Programming note: MSNBC adding Melissa Harris-Perry with her own show to the Saturday and Sunday line-up from this weekend.

MSNBC (TopTV 410) will be adding a new show this coming Saturday and Sunday with Melissa Harris-Perry, simply entitled Melissa Harris-Perry, The New York Times reports.

Why it's significant is because Melissa Harris-Perry will be the only tenured professor in America who is a television presenter on a TV news channel. She will continue to hold her position as a professor at Tulane University.

BREAKING. South African TV viewers distraught; can't find the 54th Grammy Awards on the M-Net channel where it's always been.

Could it be possibly further evidence that the M-Net channel (DStv 101) is losing its mojo? I'm hearing from distraught, angry and upset viewers who are sad, dumbfounded and distraught that the 54th Grammy Awards is not to be found on the M-Net channel (DStv 101) tonight.

The live 54th Grammy Awards was moved to Channel O (DStv 320) this year (so no possibility for any DStv subscribers to see it in high definition (HD). The usual primetime broadcast on M-Net was meanwhile shunted off to Vuzu (DStv 123).

M-Net analogue viewers won't see it, M-Net digital viewers might not know where it ''disappeared'' to, and DStv viewers who wanted to, can't see it in high definition. Meanwhile the 54th Grammy Awards in America scored it's second highest viewership ever yesterday.

''Where are the Grammys on M-Net, do u know?'' an M-Net viewer who wanted to watch asked me minutes before the broadcast began at 20:30. ''Thought it would be tonight as its always on a Monday on M-Net after the event but it doesn't look like it. Any ideas?''

One reader of TV with Thinus put it quite succinctly. ''This just confirms that there is something HORRIBLY wrong at M-Net. The first time in many, many, many years, the Grammy's are not shown on M-Net, but instead on Vuzu, so that means that there is no HD broadcast of the event. To top it all off, apparently the live show was shown on Channel O - again, no HD. This is not good. I'm sure you'll agree.''

I asked M-Net just after 20:00 this evening why the 54th Grammy Awards were moved off of M-Net this year and why it wasn't possible to show it in HD.

M-Net says ''M-Net did not broadcast the Grammy Awards this year or in 2011. We are grateful for the feedback and will be considering the platform on which we broadcast the Grammy Awards in 2013. The Grammys Awards are a music awards show and suited Channel O as the most relevant platform.''


In related commentary: MTV Networks Africa which runs MTV, VH1 and MTV Base on MultiChoice's DStv seemingly couldn't care less about telling viewers about programming and programming changes. On Sunday morning I asked both MultiChoice, as well as MTV Networks Africa specifically to please inform about possible line-up changes, tributes, or special programming regarding Whitney Houston. (I asked several other TV channels and operators individually and specifically as well.)

Whereas American TV channels immediately responded with information in line-up changes to American publications, those running TV channels in Africa and South Africa have not yet learnt to care at all. The lazy or simply clueless MTV Networks Africa couldn't muster the effort to tell about the Evolution of Whitney Houston TV special on MTV Base (DStv 322) earlier this evening at 19:30; or the special Whitney Houston corner marker on MTV Base saying ''Rest in Peace Whitney Houston''; or the tributes on MTV (DStv 321) or the MTV logo adaptation with Whitney Houston imagery inside it.

Its really, really disappointing - not for me personally, but for viewers interested in specific things who are simply just not being served by the channels and by timeous information from TV channels who purport to trade in viewers' select niche interests.

BREAKING. The Nate Berkus Show's new starting date on SABC3 is now 9 April - but it will no longer be the show replacing All My Children.

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I can exclusively break the news that The Nate Berkus Show (which SABC3 wanted to start on 2 January and which would have been the replacement for All My Children - news I broke RIGHT HERE last year) will now start on Monday 9 April at 09:30 on SABC3 and will run from Mondays to Wednesdays.

While SABC3 is still definitely planning on killing All My Children, the SABC didn't sign the licensing agreement in time before the start of the Christmas holiday.

Subsequently The Nate Berkus Show couldn't start in time. The administrative and financial malaise at the content acquisitions division of the SABC basically gave All My Children a reprieve, with the soap currntly continuing on a month to month basis.

Since last year I have on a weekly basis trying to get official answers from SABC3 regarding All My Children (still no response) specific dynamics, but what I can reveal is that The Nate Berkus Show, once it starts on 9 April, will no longer replace All My Children which was the original plan.

All My Children will continue for the time being in the doldrum 14:00 weekday timeslot, while the Sony Television Production will get the 09:30 slot - for 200 episodes of Nate Berkus.

Time running out for TV reporters in South Africa and the rest of Africa to enter the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2012.

Time is fast running out for TV reporters in South Africa and Africa (and journalists in other mediums) who only have until next Wednesday, 22 February to enter for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2012.

Over 17 years it has grown, and the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2012 is and remains the most prestigious annual awards ceremony recognizing great journalism in television, radio, print and online originating from the African continent.

The judges this year include several names who've judged the competition before and will judge all the entries again at the end of March: Ikechukwu Amaechi (editor of the Daily Independent in Nigeria), Amadou Mahtar Ba (CEO of African Media Initiative), Jean-Paul Gerouard (deputy editor-in-chief of France 3 TV, Ferial Haffajee (editor-in-chief of City Press in South Africa), Joel Kibazo (journalist), Arlindo Lopes (general manager for regulatory and corporate affairs for MultiChoice Africa in Angola and Mozambique), Zipporah Musau (managing editor for magazines at The Standard Group in Kenya) and Kim Norgaard (CNN International's bureau chief in South Africa). Pedro Pinto (CNN International's sport anchor) will help with the judging of the Portuguese general news category.

The entry form, details and all the rules on how to enter for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2012 can be found at www.cnn.com/africanawards