More pandering Survivor SA. More idolized Idols. A spin-off for Carte Blanche on a Monday. No. Not 2010 on M-Net. Rather the pay broadcaster's ''big'' and ''we want buzz'' TV properties for 2011. The problem is that it's a wash, rinse and repeat. It a ''been there, done that'' for the pay channel that's supposed to be more trendsetting and innovative in its programming. Which begs the question . . . is M-Net in 2011 starting to turn into somewhat stale bread?
Whereas Carl Fischer, later followed by Helen Smit as head of local productions at M-Net, constantly touted the blue M's innovative approach to finding and developing new formats in a quest to create new viewer hits, it appears as if M-Net is sagging in the ''original'' programming department. (Co-incidentally M-Net has still not made a permanent new appointment as head of local productions.)
A case could be made that M-Net is seemingly resting on its laurels. The ''big'' shows of the past few years are still the ''big'' shows. And while that's a good thing, it's also not a good thing. There might be a glimmer of light should M-Net be able to successfully wrangle and bring The X Factor SA to viewers, which could be and would be its first new major hit since, well Survivor SA used to be fresh and new. From Gareth Cliff to Trevor Noah talk shows and Carte Blanche spin-offs have become ''one season only'' appearances on M-Net. Then there's the third-rate promotionless lets-kill-time-over-dead-time reality shows like Sharp Shooter. Indeed not a lot of local on M-Net seems so lekker anymore.
In the positive corner there's All Access that debuted last year and which is a solid local hit for M-Net, although it was forced to ditch its studio and is aping SABC3's Top Billing too much, copying even the very ''lets walk down mansion staircases and talk in glam clothes''. Also, M-Net is ditching Binneland Sub Judice, its last remaing weekday soap, at the end of March saying that the legal storyline extension didn't work. It doesn't leave very much new in terms of new on the Net that is M.
When buzz is your currency and pop culture hotness your barometer, stale and less appetizing is the eight deadly sin. M-Net in 2011 will seriously have to ramp up its touted ''magic factory'' and start churning out hiherto unseen shows, but shows that resonate. For the only thing in TV world scarier than someone saying, ''I told you so'', is viewers saying ''but I've already seen it''.
