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Food lovers can rejoice since I can reveal that The Food Network is coming to South Africa and will be added on MultiChoice's DStv platform although an official launch date still has to be agreed.
I tried to keep it secret and not be a complete spoil-sport too long before the time, but once some of my competitors start to catch up and put things together it forces me to become wikileaky.
''The channel's launch date hasn't yet been confirmed,'' international sources I reached out to during the past week and who are aware of the dealmaking told me on Wednesday. Other sources tell me The Food Network will most probably be activated early in 2011 on DStv's channel 185. Several details still need to be ironed out. The Food Network, An American TV channel, is distributed internationally as a joint venture between America's Scripps Networks Interactive and the London-based programmer Chello Zone.
When asked whether The Food Network that will be broadcast in South Africa will be the same feed as that already seen elsewhere in Africa, international sources told me ''that's correct''. The Food Network will be DStv's third attempt at a dedicated food channel after The Carlton Food Network and BBC Food that used to be on the DStv platform, both folded.