by Thinus Ferreira
M-Net's long-running weekly investigative current affairs programme Carte Blanche is exiting its office space in Johannesburg, with the show produced by Combined Artistic Productions that has decided to switch to a work-from-home format.
Combined Artistic Productions is giving up its office space in Oak Avenue in Johannesburg at the end of March.
What DStv subscribers of Canal+'s MultiChoice however see, and are familiar with on Sunday evenings on M-Net (DStv 101), is the beautiful blue-hue Carte Blanche set, located at Stark Studios, which remains in place.
"Combined Artists will be vacating its rented Ferndale offices at the end of this month as the building has been sold by its
owner," John Webb, Carte Blanche executive producer, told TVwithThinus in response to a media query about the building move.
"We considered finding alternative office space but, given the
experience gained during the pandemic and to
improve operational efficiencies, we’ve decided instead to return to a
work-from-home model."
"As our internal team is small and we rely on
freelance producers and other technical contractors for the bulk of our
content, a fixed office space is no longer a
necessity."
Since Canal+ took over MultiChoice, all local programming is at risk, with Canal+ executives saying they're going with a "fine-comb through everything".
It's not yet publicly known what Canal+'s plans are for channels like M-Net and premium local programming like Carte Blanche, and if channels and shows like these will continue.
The M-Net channel will celebrate its 40th anniversary in October, with the 37-year-old Carte Blanche as the channel's longest-running local show.
