You're reading it here first.
Although they would have the option, the new Universal Channel (DStv 108) will not be showing Martha, the daily talk show of Martha Stewart in South Africa.
Martha Stewart's talk show Martha moves to The Hallmark Channel in America in 2011, and The Hallmark Channel will change its name to the Universal Channel at 21:00 on 24 March.
Since South African viewers saw the first two seasons of Martha on The Home Channel (DStv 182) before it was discontinued because the licencing rights were too expensive, I asked the Universal Channel whether Martha Stewart will become a programming strategy option (since NBC Universal International actually has an ownership in Hallmark).
''No,'' is the answer from John Burnett, vice president of commercial operations and Universal Networks International's managing director for Africa. ''The shows we've highlighted, more the crime procedurals, the quicky characters like House, NCIS - they're a core part of our content but stuff like Martha Stewart, no.''
