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Universal Networks International responsible for the rebranded Universal Channel (DStv 108) is looking at the possibility of bring more TV channels to South Africa. An investment is also being made for more premiere TV content for The Universal Channel that will roll out later during the year.
''We're working with MultiChoice to look into the possibility of more channels here,'' says François Roux, Universal Networks International managing director for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Read more about the investment in new premiere TV content for The Universal Channel and everything that François Roux has to say (''television is my passion''). Find out how important Africa is as a TV market for Universal Networks International, and why the TV channel's rebranding exercise happened.
For all of that click on READ MORE below.
''Television is my passion,'' says François Roux from Paris, France. He's the Universal Networks International managing director for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and has been involved with the change from The Hallmark Channel to the Universal Channel (DStv 108) that took place on 24 March.
''I came to visit MultiChoice [a while ago] and they were very kind - but at the same time also very honest and very professional. They said very nicely ''You know, The Hallmark Channel is good, but the brand not so good.'' So we worked very closely with Aletta Alberts [MultiChoice's head of content] over the past two years to try to improve the channel,'' he says.
''You know The Hallmak Channel is very well known in many countries - including South Africa - but when you compare it to the brand of Universal, it's completely different. NBC Universal is globally known. We thought: How do we improve The Hallmark Channel by following the guidelines from Aletta Alberts, where the content on the channel is already good?''
''Universal Networks International have TV channels all over the world, but we're also now becoming a producer. We're producing series in several different countries. We've done a Law & Order in the UK, Law & Order in Russia and a Law & Order in France. Universal Networks International have several TV channels and something you may ask me is why do we only have one channel so far in South Africa? But we're working with Aletta Alberts to look into the possibility of more channels here. This market [Africa] is important and with the DStv platform it's really, really big and really important for us to be here.''
John Burnett, managing director for Africa of Universal Networks International says The Hallmark Channel has done really well in terms of performance the last few years, especially with DStv Compact viewers. ''We've been investing in content and the channel still resonates very well. What we felt was that The Hallmark Channel has certain restrictions regarding the name. People confused it with cards and some people wondered what to expect from the channel. So that was very much behind the thinking to move to a stronger brand.''
''With The Universal Channel we're going to continue with a lot of the same and a lot of the same success that The Hallmark Channel has had. The favourite and warm characters from NCIS, Numbers, Being Erica, Midsomer Murders will continue on The Universal Channel. We feel for Africa that The Universal Channel is a really natural evolution. It's a great brand to use and during research we got very good feedback from viewers. It will be a good channel. There's a demand for more American TV programming and there's clearly a demand for that in this market.''
''Our strength is that we're investing in more premiere content such as Monk and Psych and new seasons of Law & Order - and in coming months also Law & Order Special Victims Unit and new seasons of Being Erica. Later in the year we're also co-producing brand-new content that will be exclusive to the channel – a Steven King series about a FBI agent and there's also a really fascinating police drama show called Copper which is about rookie police starting - a little bit like Grey's Anatomy but set in the police world. We're going to continue with movies and series in a 50/50 ratio. It works really well.''
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