The SABC Answers Questions About the End of Black Brain Pictures Telenovela: 'Paradys Didn't Connect with Enough Viewers in its Slot and That Reflects on the Show, Not on SABC2's Audience as a Whole'

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's TV and film industry is shocked about the end of the SABC's Paradys telenovela on SABC2.

The telenovela produced by Black Brain Pictures will wrap filming tomorrow, 23 October, with episodes that will play out on-air until February 2027.

TVwithThinus asked the SABC about what the end of Paradys means for the broadcaster's plans, announced earlier this year, to revitalise SABC2's content and programming and to relaunch this TV channel's ratings and ad income.

Mmoni Ngubane, the SABC's head of communications, says "We recognise that the end of a production is hard on the people who work on it, and we do not take that lightly".

"The SABC's contract is with the production house, not with the individual cast, crew or suppliers on the show. Those individuals are contracted by the production house, and how and when they are informed is managed by the production house."

"The SABC informed the production house of the decision not to renew well ahead of the season ending in February 2027."

"It's important to emphasise that Paradys is ending as planned, not early. It was commissioned for a full season of 260 episodes, and the production house is being paid for that full season."

"If filming ends on 23 October, that's because that is when production of the contracted season will be complete."

"No episodes have been cut and no one is being short-changed by the SABC."

Question 1

When the SABC announced Paradys earlier this year at the event, it was together with Pimville and other shows.

The broadcaster said these shows (and others) were part of relaunching SABC2's content drive and to lift ratings, bring viewers back, and increase advertising.

Given that Pimville ended after just a few months, and that Paradys didn't meet the ratings and revenue the SABC wanted, does it mean the SABC's start of a turnaround of SABC2 failed?

SABC response:

No. The SABC 2 turnaround is a multi-year programme, and it is measured on the channel's overall performance, not on any single title.

Renewing a schedule means launching new shows, keeping the ones that grow their audience and replacing the ones that do not. That is what is happening here.

Paradys was given a full season and assessed on the same audience and revenue measures as every other programme, and the result guides where SABC 2 invests next.

Pimville ended under different circumstances, which are dealt with separately.

Question 2

The SABC said that ratings and ad revenue decide whether a show returns.

As a public broadcaster, are all content in prime time on SABC1 and SABC2 as public channels subject to this or are there content that deserves to be on air and depicts certain people, languages, themes and stories that are shown regardless of whether its commercially viable content or have high or low viewership?

SABC response:

The mandate decides what we commission. Performance decides which programmes carry it.

As a public broadcaster, the SABC serves audiences in all official languages and carries news, education, children's content and local stories, much of it scheduled for its public value whether or not it is commercially viable.

That does not change, and Afrikaans drama remains part of what SABC2 will offer.

What audience and revenue performance decide is whether a particular programme is the right way to deliver that mandate.

The SABC earns most of its revenue from advertising and commercial activity, so a prime-time programme also has to attract an audience. When one does not, we replace it with something that serves the same audience better. We do not step back from that audience.

Question 3

The SABC said that Paradys in its 7pm timeslot got 275 000 viewers per episode and a 0.71% ratings and 2.2% audience share.

That seems very low for SABC2, and far lower than what 7de Laan, Muvhango, etc got when those shows were on air.

If Paradys couldn't get high enough ratings, does it mean that SABC2 has a viewership problem like SABC3 where there has been an erosion of ratings over years which can't be stopped?

SABC response:

One programme's ratings do not describe a channel.

Paradys did not connect with enough viewers in its slot, and that reflects on the show, not on SABC2's audience as a whole.

The comparison with 7de Laan and Muvhango also needs context. These shows built their audiences over many years, when viewers had far fewer choices.

Today, audiences split their time across more channels, streaming services and on-demand platforms, including SABC+. A new show has to win its audience in that environment, and that is the standard we hold it to.

Question 4

The SABC says Paradys will end in February 2027. Will a new programme immediately fill its/this timeslot after it concludes, or will there be a gap?

After 7de Laan ended, there was a substantial time where there wasn't a new show immediately, which likely led to audience drift, i.e. people who were in the habit of watching 7de Laan, didn't find or watch something new in that timeslot, fell out of the habit and never returned to SABC2. Is this an issue for the broadcaster?

SABC response:

SABC2 is already planning the programme that will take over the Monday to Friday 19:00 slot, with the aim of following on directly from Paradys.

Keeping viewers’ routine in that slot unbroken is part of the planning, which is why the work is being done now, four months before the final episode. We will announce the new programme in due course.

Question 5

Hundreds of people, including suppliers and service providers who worked on Pimville have still not been paid. What is the latest around this SABC production?

SABC response:

The SABC's contract for Pimville was with the production company, not with the individual cast, crew, suppliers or service providers, who were contracted by the producer.

Under that contract, the SABC paid the production company what was due. Paying the people and suppliers the production company contracted is that company's responsibility.

We are aware that some have not been paid, and we understand how difficult that is for them. The SABC's agreement with the producer has since come to an end.

SHOCKER. SABC Abruptly Cancels Afrikaans Coloured Community Paradys Telenovela from Black Brain Pictures on SABC2 After Single Season, Shocked Cast and Crew Have 10 Days to Wrap

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC has abruptly cancelled the very popular Afrikaans telenovela Paradys on SABC2 set in a coloured community, produced by Black Brain Pictures, with the cast and crew who got just 10 days notice that filming will end on 23 October.

When the SABC relaunched SABC2 in February and gave Paradys the prime 19:00-timeslot, it cited Paradys and the now-imploded Pimville as cornerstones of new TV shows that the broadcaster would be launching as part of its overall plan to rebuild SABC2, which is struggling in the ratings, and to lure back viewers and advertisers.

The shocking cancellation of Paradys is searing, especially given that it was a brand-new show depicting South Africa's coloured community and their stories and struggles on the public broadcaster.

The axing of Paradys also leaves the Afrikaans TV news bulletin as the sole piece of regular Afrikaans content left on the channel.

Paradys replaced the cancelled 7de Laan in the 19:00 timeslot after two years and two months.

Paradys has a stellar cast of Lorcia Cooper, Ilse Klink, Zane Meas, Elton Landrew, Chantal Stanfield, Vaughn Lucas, and a supporting cast including Vuyo Ngcukana, Johny Klein, Obed Baloyi, Cindy Jantjies, Reginald Hufkie, Sasha-Lee Kelly, Dillan Park, Sharne Coetzee, Anton Jeftha and Shemane B. Harris.

Paradys is executive produced by Mpumelelo Nhlapo, Mandla N and Annelie van Rooyen, with Joanne Downing and Mamello Ngoepe as creative producers, and Piet Matipa as head writer.

The Paradys shuttering leaves hundreds of people without work, as well as support services being used by the production. Jacqui Achilleas is the SABC commissioning editor and Robyn Verweij the acting SABC2 channel head.

Paradys was one of the most watched shows on SABC2 and did was it supposed to: Pull in new viewers to the channel and bring in advertisers.

SABC2 has been struggling heavily with viewership since the axing of 7de Laan and Muvhango, with Paradys that was commissioned specifically as a heavy-hitting new Afrikaans telenovela to rebuild and anchor the channel's primetime, together with Pimville.

Paradys was highly praised for its authentic cultural representation and for bringing fresh Afrikaans storytelling back to a free-to-air public broadcaster channel, and for setting it in a coloured community like kykNET's Suidooster.

With the financially struggling SABC for whatever reasons, not able to sustain its own flagship telenovelas in primetime - both new shows on SABC2 are now gonners after months - it signals to the rest of South Africa's production industry that doing multi-episode series for the public broadcaster is a massive financial risk.

Paradys' absence will once again leave a massive gap for viewers who rely on the SABC for local content in their own language without having to pay for expensive satellite or streaming.

Insiders tell TVwithThinus that the shocked Paradys cast and crew got told last week, 13 October - just two weeks before the production ends filming - that Paradys is done and the SABC doesn't want to do more episodes.

"This came as a major shock, as the SABC launched Paradys as part of new turnaround strategy earlier this year," a source says.

Another insider notes that the "Paradys cast and crew were kept in the dark until the last minute and people are shocked that they are jobless in less than a week, especially around this time of the year."

It is also said by an insider that the SABC allegedly "had known for quite some time that they are not renewing Paradys for season 2".

"On their last review of the show they were quite positive and were apparently very happy with the telenovela and its performance, and the commissioning for a second season seemed imminent," says a source.

Says another person: "Let it be noted that they spent the minimum on publicity and marketing of the show".

Another insider said, "Paradys isn't getting a second season and we've not been told why not. The SABC apparently doesn't want a second season although the show performs well in the ratings. Paradys is doing great on SABC2 and is number 6 out of all of the SABC shows across its channels."

"Paradys is the SABC's only Afrikaans and coloured TV series. It makes no sense that a show doing so well for the SABC is getting pulled. The production company apparently tried everything possible."

The SABC was asked for comment on the cancellation of Paradys, which will be added here when received.

UPDATE Monday 19 October 2026 17:19: The SABC in a press statement says "SABC2 confirms that the Afrikaans telenovela Paradys will conclude its first season with its 260th episode in February 2027, and will not be renewed for a second season".

"Every programme we commission is given a full season to find its audience," the SABC says.

"As that season draws to a close, it is reviewed against two measures: the audience it attracts and the revenue it generates for the channel."

"Those results decide whether a show returns and where we invest next. This is how renewal decisions are made across the broadcasting industry, and it is how we make sure public and commercial resources go into content South Africans choose to watch."

"Paradys joined SABC 2 in February as part of the channel's new schedule. Between its launch on 23 February and 9 October 2026, the 19:00 broadcast averaged about 275 000 viewers per episode, with an audience rating of 0.71% and an audience share of 2.2%."

"Unfortunately, the show did not reach its audience or revenue targets for the slot, and on that basis it will not be renewed."

"Afrikaans remains part of the SABC's mandate to serve audiences in all official languages, it continues to be served across our platforms and the SABC is already working on how it will continue to deliver Afrikaans drama and entertainment."

"SABC2 thanks the production teams, the cast and crew of Paradys for their commitment and dedication throughout the season. SABC2 will announce the programme that will take over the Monday to Friday 19:00 slot in 2027."

ALSO READ: The SABC Answers Questions About the End of Black Brain Pictures Telenovela: 'Paradys Didn't Connect with Enough Viewers in its Slot and That Reflects on the Show, Not on SABC2's Audience as a Whole'

Where Are Nominees of Postponed 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards That KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority Said Would be Announced 16 October?

by Thinus Ferreira

Questions are growing about the apparent disorganisation, confusing messaging, postponement of the awards show date, and now the abrupt nominees announcement no-show of the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority and its 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards.

The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority promised that it would announce the nominees of the 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards (SSA26) on Friday during a live stream but then failed to do so without any explanation.

After doing nothing on Friday afternoon in terms of any nominees announcement, the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority also said nothing and just ignored its own no-show.

Observers are now wondering what's going on behind the scenes of the organising of this year's 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards.

The 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards (SSA26) was originally scheduled to take place on 10 October. It then suddenly got postponed and moved to a new date of 21 November at The Playhouse in Durban.

On 6 October, just 4 days before the awards show was set to take place, the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority for the first time publicly announced that it is being postponed to 21 November, with editor Jack Esterhuizen heading up the judging process.

The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, through a press statement issued by its PR company, suddenly said on 6 October that the "revised date allows for the adjudication process to be concluded with the necessary rigour, following the strong response of more than 420 entries, while providing sufficient time for the final preparations required to deliver an awards ceremony that appropriately celebrates the depth and calibre of South Africa’s film and television industry".

On the same date, the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, and its PR company, noted that "this year's nominees will be announced online on 16 October, marking the next major milestone in the countdown to the ceremony".

But this self-described milestone was not going to happen on 16 October.

On Thursday, 15 October, the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, and its PR company, issued a media reminder, saying that the "wait is almost over" and that the Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards was going to "reveal 2026 nominees this Friday".

"The excitement is building as the Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards prepare to reveal the stars, storytellers and creative talents vying for top honours at this year's awards," the press release noted.

The "media, film and television industry stakeholders and the public are invited to tune in and follow the announcement live across the Authority's social media platforms," said the media mailer.

The film body once again confirmed that the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority would "unveil the much-anticipated 2026 nominees in a special online broadcast on Friday, 16 October 2026, at 14:00, across its social media platforms".

"From outstanding acting performances and compelling storytelling to excellence behind the camera, the announcement will shine the spotlight on the filmmakers, actors, producers and television professionals whose work has made an impact on South Africa's screen industry," it said.

"With 29 award categories and two additional special awards, the reveal promises to generate excitement across the film and television fraternity as nominees discover who will be competing for recognition at one of the province's premier industry celebrations."

The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority specifically told the media that it would make the nominees announcement on Friday on its FilminKZN and VisitKZN accounts, on both Instagram and Facebook, as well as on YouTube at VisitKZN.

But 14:00 on Friday came and went, followed by nothing but silence, with no update, no press release, no explanation or notification, and no basic advisory to the press as to the no-show or what is going to happen next.

It came just a day after the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority on Thursday still asked media to diarise and give time, attention and effort to the nominees announcement on Friday, and for news editors and lifestyle reporters to cover it.   

Making it even more bizarre is that the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority on its very own social media accounts and pages promoted that it would do the nominees announcement - only to not do it, and then also say absolutely nothing about it.

Following the hyped "countdown", asking the media to sit ready to cover something, then the nominees no-show, and then complete silence for days, the final nominees list remains unreleased.

Nhlanhla Ngwenya, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority PR person, as well as the PR company FBI Communications repping the film body, were asked in a media query for an explanation and what's going on, and for the nominees list.

The response will be added here when received.

ALSO READ: 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards Postponed to 21 November as Awards Show Needs More Time to Judge 420 Entries

SABC's Debt to Sentech Balloons to Staggering R1.8 Billion as Signal Distributor Warns 'Situation is Unsustainable'

by Thinus Ferreira

R1 billion. Then R1.5 billion. Then R1.6 billion, R1.7 billion and now the beleaguered and underpaying South Africa public broadcaster - at risk of getting its TV and radio signals cut - owes the parastatal signal distributor Sentech a whopping R1.8 billion.

The financially struggling SABC is now dragging down and crippling another government-run company, Sentech warns.

So far, SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli, South Africa's minister of communications and digital technologies Solly Malatsi from the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party, and the South African government's National Treasury, have all been kicking the debt can down the road.

After many months of a very glaring and ever-compounding existential problem, nobody has come up with any sustainable plan to deal with the broadcaster's runaway debt owed to Sentech.

Instead of paying it off or having any workable plan, the SABC's massive Sentech debt keeps growing month after month.

Tebogo Leshope, Sentech CEO, told parliament this past week that the SABC's gigantic debt, which it is simply not paying off and that keeps growing, is busy destroying Sentech financially.

"The debt today is sitting at R1.8 billion and this emanates from the SABC's short payments that started in 2020. The shortfalls are ongoing."

"Sentech is under serious financial and liquidity pressure in that regard," he noted.

He said that "the discussions are continuing. The situation is unsustainable.

In July, the SABC in a parliamentary briefing admitted that of its monthly Sentech bill of R71 million, it only pays R41 million per month or less.

Quite shocking, is that Nomsa Chabeli admitted a while ago that the SABC has no signed master transmission contract in place with Sentech - something absolutely crucial and a massive existential risk to the broadcaster's business.

It means that Sentech can rightly cut off the public broadcaster's TV and radio signals at any time since there is absolutely no official agreement in place between Sentech and the SABC to keep its signals on..

The Inside Baseball on How Blindsided Bela Bajaria Got the Boot as Content Boss at Netflix

by Thinus Ferreira

According to insider accounts, Netflix's chief content officer Bela Bajaria, who was spectacularly fired this week, got the boot in a very nasty way, with corporate corridor intrigue to rival the greatest of nasty blindsides in Hollywood.

Netflix bosses decided to get rid of 1 000 staffers worldwide - roughly 6% of its total workforce this week as the video streaming service's growth is slowing, while Bela Bajaria was assured her job is safe and she was even told to console those losing their jobs.

The buzz around Hollywood is that Netflix, now with Peter Rice as new content boss, is planning to pivot back to having the United States as its main market again, and to take on YouTube with a renewed focus on creating big-budget, franchise content for the US.

Bela Bajaria is credited with "globalising" Netflix's content, looking for and developing hits and slates worldwide. She ran roughly 30 of Netflix's international offices, constantly flying around at the expense of her own family.

Now insider speculation points to Netflix refocusing on the American market.

"I know this is a big change in a year that has already had its share. But I also see an opportunity to take our slate to the next level, especially in the United States and Canada where we have an outsize impact in creating big, buzzy hits that our members love and drive conversation around the world," Ted Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO, wrote in the memo to workers about the staff retrenchments.

American reports of how a blindsided Bela Bajaria got fired this week is as legendary shocking as it's breathtaking.

Poor Bela Bajaria reportedly found out she herself is getting axed on Wednesday at 17:00 just before she was to attend a VIP screening of a film called Nobody Wants This - this after she was told she herself is safe from the thousand staffers Netflix is letting go.

Meanwhile, Bela Bajaria reportedly attended some of the Netflix town halls, was told to do some of the staff retrenchments, and attended some meetings about the changes and layoffs.

"She got f- . She got blindsided," a Netflix insider quipped. "What was extra shitty is that they made her go to these Town Halls and meetings of team leaders to be like, 'This is a hard day', and to be all supportive and calm. It's like, just tell her to her face. They could have just fired her."

About her firing, a Hollywood agent said that Bela Bajaria is being made the scapegoat for Netflix's woes and a lack of big hits.

"Netflix is definitely looking for their next hit. They don't have anything to replace Stranger Things. They don't have that big show that's on deck. But how the f- do you blame that on Bela?"

"Other people have greenlight authority too. Bella was grabbing NFL rights and wrestling. I think Netflix is one of those weird new age digital corporations that's like, 'change is good'. They are losing subscribers and the stock is down."

Another insider remarks that "Bela bled for the company. She sacrificed her family and her friends, and now she's a sacrificial lamb. It's sad". 

ALSO READ: SHOCKER. Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria Out at Netflix

ALSO READ: Netflix Axing 1000 staff in Largest Job Cuts to Date as Streamer's Growth Slows

Canal+ and MultiChoice to Relaunch Simplified DStv Packages for Rest of Africa in November: 'Nigeria is Changing, and So Are We'

by Thinus Ferreira

Canal+ and MultiChoice LicenceCo. will relaunch its restructured DStv packages in the rest of Africa in November, two months after it implemented its DStv bouquet changes in South Africa on 17 September.

While DStv Premium will stay as Canal+ and MultiChoice's most expensive and top-end bouquet, the pay-TV service will rejig and introduce DStv Starter, DStv Select, DStv Sports, and DStv Movies & Series, for a total of 5 packages.

The South African market already has this since 17 September.

Kemi Omotosho, Canal+'s MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, on Thursday evening told ad buyers and ad execs in Lagos, Nigeria, that "Nigeria is changing, and so are we".

She told attendees at The Royal Box in Victoria Island that Canal+ and MultiChoice will launch the DStv packages across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, including the West African nation, from November.

Kemi Omotosho said the four new DStv packages is part of a drastic simplification of DStv's offering to try and offer more flexibility, greater choice and more value at specific price points to existing and potential DStv customers.

"Our focus is on reaching more house­holds, delivering compelling con­tent and creating greater value for subscribers and commercial partners," she said.

In East Africa, what used to traditionally be MultiChoice Africa's third-biggest market but saw massive subscriber declines the past few years, MultiChoice Kenya also announced and confirmed that the structural DStv package changes will come into effect from November.

In a message sent to existing DStv subscribers, MultiChoice Kenya said "We're excited to share that we will be refreshing our DStv package offerings in November".

"The new package lineup will be introduced in phases across the continent, giving you an even easier way to navigate your DStv options and choose what works for you."

Teaser in-house DStv adds also started running in countries ranging from Zimbabwe and Botswana to Malawi, Tanzania and other markets.

Earlier this year, after Canal+'s takeover of MultiChoice, David Mignot, Canal+ Africa CEO, said that radical simplification of DStv's packages and decoder offering is on the way.

David Mignot said MultiChoice had too many price points and packages for Africa.

"In MultiChoice markets we have DStv for DTH [direct-to-home], GOtv for DTT, Showmax and DStv streaming in OTT [over-the-top], and there are also a wide mix of premium channel brands and local channel brands."

"We know from our experience at Canal+ in Europe and Africa that this isn't what consumers want. They want simplicity. They want value for money, and that's exactly what we are going to give them".

"Rationalising our brand portfolio is another thing we can do to improve our position in Africa and make better use of our marketing investment," he said.

ALSO READ: DStv Media Sales Execs Wine and Dine Nigeria's Ad Buyers at Glitzy 10th Sales Event to Assuage Fears: 'Our Digital Tech Stack in Nigeria is Ahead of Most European Markets Within Canal+'

M-Net Needs to Show You Can See Everything - Will It?

by Thinus Ferreira

It's critically and publicly beloved. It has exploding, growing buzz. So will the new American documentary film, You Can See Everything, be on M-Net (DStv 101) after its threatical run?

It should, but given how things are going, is M-Net on Canal+'s DStv really still the home in South Africa of the best of television?

There is a new documentary film out in American cinemas and critics and cinemagoers are running out of ways to describe just how amazing You Can See Everything is. 

The mind-bending Elizabeth Holmes pseudo-documentary from filmmaker Nathan Fielder is regarded as basically perfect. 

It was filmed in secret, over 3 years at their beachfront rental home in California, where Elizabeth lived with her partner Billy Evans and their two young children.

For DStv subscribers and M-Net viewers conditioned by M-Net's legacy of high-end Sunday night movie premieres, this You Can See Everything as a film represents the exact brand of bold, prestige television that belongs on the channel.

You Can See Everything is a mind-bending, 3-hour pseudo-documentary directed by Nathan Fielder that explores the infamous Theranos corporate fraud. The film is produced and distributed by A24.

The film blends reality and satire as it follows the aftermath of the scandal, focusing heavily on Elizabeth Holmes and her husband, Billy Evans. Known for its surreal humour and shocking, boundary-pushing footage, the movie examines themes of deception, public perception, and modern American culture.

And by the way: Besides the 3-hour duration, there is also the full-frontal male nudity: Billy is filmed entirely naked in camera, from head to toe, while taking a shower and brushing his teeth.

It's part of, but definitely not the only thematic inclusion that lends You Can See Everything its title.

The critical reception for Nathan Fielder's latest work borders on the mythical. 

Just a day after putting up an astonishing score on Metacritic, the dust has settled with two more records across two other sites - one for 2026, and one that stretches back much longer than that. 

On Rotten Tomatoes, the website issued an official statement confirming that You Can See Everything was the only 100% Certified Fresh movie of the year after its first 80 reviews. 

While it has since dropped to a 99% due to a single contrarian negative review, its 99% average across 101 reviews remains the undisputed record for the year.

Remarkably, the film has achieved a rare feat by completely uniting professional film critics and everyday viewers. 

The Rotten Tomatoes audience score sits at a flawless 99%, matching the critics in near-perfection. 

To put this into perspective for local box-office fans, audiences loved Spider-Man: Brand New Day enough to drive it to a staggering $2.5 billion globally and to smash records in South Africa as well, yet it sits lower with a 97% audience score. 

There are simply no other 2026 releases occupying this stratosphere.

The frenzy over You Can See Everything is even more pronounced on Letterboxd, the social movie-rating platform that has become an absolute obsession for a growing community of cinephiles and casual reviewers alike. 

You Can See Everything has secured a 4.7/5 score, making it the fourth-highest-rated film in the entire history of this site. When looking closely at the data, it arguably stands as the highest-rated traditional feature film ever.

While thousands more reviews will flood the site as the film rolls out wider, its current standing among early viewers represents universal, unprecedented praise.

For M-Net acquisition and scheduling, the obvious question is how a 3-hour documentary about a Theranos scam artist can justify a prime-time slot. 

The answer lies in how Fielder bends the genre. 

This isn't a dry, historical recap of Elizabeth Holmes - it is a deeply surreal, gripping psychological experience that keeps viewers glued to their screens for its entire 3-hour runtime. Unbelievable.

Finally, the film is a masterclass in efficiency. 

Built on a modest budget of just $5 million to $7 million, early box office estimates predicted a conservative $7 million to $8 million opening weekend. However, with word-of-mouth spreading like wildfire, those figures are being completely obliterated.

The ultimate validation for this film will likely happen on Hollywood's grandest stage. 

Industry insiders are now whispering about a very real possibility: You Can See Everything could become the first documentary film in history to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. 

Given the sheer momentum of its critical reception, an outright historic win is no longer unthinkable.

M-Net has always prided itself on bringing award-winning, history-making cinema to South African screens first. 

Securing the exclusive African television broadcast rights for You Can See Everything wouldn't just be a smart programming decision - it's actually an absolute necessity to maintain M-Net's status as the destination for premium, boundary-pushing entertainment on DStv.

For over three decades, South Africans have associated M-Net with the absolute pinnacle of global cinema. Airing a potential historic Best Picture nominee fits perfectly into that premium curation - especially something with this high a film critics score that now immediately entered that "I want to see what the buzz is about" level of interest.

In terms of South African viewers' appetite for true crime drama and scams, the mind-bending look at Elizabeth Holmes will heavily resonate with DStv's core viewership.

Since DStv subscribers have sat through 3-hour films on a Sunday night on M-Net with Titanic, Oppenheimer, Schindler's List, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Avengers: Endgame and Avatar: The Way of the Water, they will surely sit through You Can See Everything as well as a marquee Sunday night M-Net watch event.

Long before its Canal+ takeover, M-Net and its M-Net Movies sister curation channels thrived on broadcasting films that dominate the global conversation, making this record-shattering feature an essential acquisition.

Hopefully DStv subscribers in South Africa get to see You Can See Everything on M-Net soon, with the title of the film that fits perfectly as the lead-out after Sunday night's Carte Blanche and its slogan of "The right to see it all".

SuperSport and SABC Sport Left with Embarrassing CAF Match Blackout Between African Stars and Orlando Pirates as Namibian Club's Host Production Feed Implodes in Botswana

by Thinus Ferreira

Angry DStv subscribers and SABC viewers alike are demanding an explanation from SuperSport and the SABC, which both failed to show Saturday's CAF football match between the African Stars and Orlando Pirates that was scheduled for 15:00.

The Namibian team playing in Botswana, who get to licence the rights, was responsible for organising and doing the broadcast but saw its technical set-up completely implode on Saturday afternoon, leaving SuperSport and SABC Sport with on-air blackouts.

SuperSport and SABC Sport were supposed to show the CAF Champions League secondary preliminary round first leg match between Namibia's African Stars and South Africa's Orlando Pirates on Canal+'s DStv which was set for kick-off at 15:00 on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday's match was played at the Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone, Botswana, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Orlando Pirates.

There was apparently a complete host broadcast failure at the stadium that prevented the live television feed from being transmitted, which caused massive embarrassment to SuperSport and SABC Sport who paid for the rights to show it.

It's important to note that Namibia's African Stars club - rather than Botswana, and although the team played in Botswana - was responsible for producing and distributing the live feed.

Under CAF rules, broadcasting rights and responsibilities during the preliminary rounds belong strictly to the designated "home club", regardless of where the match is physically played.

The host club is the executive producer, and because this was African Stars' home match, they owned the rights to sell or distribute the TV feed.

Consequently, they were responsible for hiring a local production crew, securing the broadcast equipment, and delivering the satellite uplink feed to international buyers like SuperSport and SABC Sport.

The host feed suffered massive technical disruptions right from kick-off of the match.

This didn't just affect SuperSport. The South African public broadcaster's SABC Sport, which also held the rights to air the game on SABC2, suffered the exact same blackout.

The backup stream failed too. 

As a last resort, the SABC attempted to salvage the broadcast by switching to a rudimentary live stream on their official Facebook page. However, that feed quickly cut out mid-game as well, leaving thousands of Orlando Pirates fans completely in the dark.

SABC Sport said "We apologise for the technical difficulties affecting our live broadcast of the African Stars vs Orlando Pirates match. Our technicians are working on it".

SuperSport didn't explain anything and only said on social media that the blackout of its planned coverage "today was due to factors beyond the broadcaster's control".

"SuperSport had intended to broadcast the match, which was scheduled on DStv platforms. We regret the inconvenience caused to subscribers."

TVwithThinus asked SuperSport on Sunday morning why it failed to show the match, what happened and for an explanation of what exactly went wrong. Comment will be added here when received.

Sibusiso Mjikeliso, SuperSport spokesperson, in an exact copy-and-paste response that failed to answer the question of what exactly happened, and just regurgitated the sentences SuperSport placed on social media, send a response on Sunday afternoon.

The emailed answer repeated what's already known and gave no explanation.

The email states, "SuperSport was unable to broadcast the CAF Champions League second preliminary round first leg match between African Stars and Orlando Pirates, which kicked off at 15:00 on Saturday 17 October 2026 due to factors beyond the broadcaster's control".

"SuperSport had intended to broadcast the match, which was scheduled on DStv platforms. However, we were unable to broadcast the encounter. We regret the inconvenience caused to viewers and subscribers."