The deal comes as Southern African countries outside of South Africa will soon be deprived of the "free" SABC1, SABC2, SABC3 and e.tv channels which viewers in Zimbabwe, Botswana and others have been watching illegally for years since the South African parastatal signal distributor Sentech failed to properly encode and protect the broadcasters' TV signals outside of South Africa.
Viewers in these countries are set to start losing these signals from the end of this month. The SABC TV channels and e.tv are often some of the most popular - yet illegally watched - TV channels in other African countries where very little choice in channels and very little new entertainment programming exist.
The "colonisation" of the rest of Africa with South Africa's popular culture as the sought-after TV export product, will now continue "legitimately" from this Monday, when viewers will be able to tune in on satellite for Generations which is set against the backdrop of South Africa's advertising industry, and Isidingo which is set against the backdrop of the fictitious Horizon Deep community and South Africa's TV, hospitality and mining industry.
Generations and Isidingo will start on Monday on AfricaMagic Entertainment, channel 128 of DStv outside of South Africa, with recent episodes, after M-Net concluded a deal with the South African public broadcaster for the broadcasting rights to the soaps.
Generations will be shown on weekdays at 21:30 on AfricaMagic Entertainment with repeats the following day at 13:00, and a Generations omnibus on Saturdays. Isidingo will be shown on weekdays at 22:00 on AfricaMagic Entertainment with repeats the following dat at 16:00, and an Isidingo omnibus on Saturdays.
"The fact that we will be screening the latest episodes shortly after the SABC is a great benefit to our audiences," says Biola Alabi, M-Net Africa's managing editor.
"As in all soaps, rivalry, treachery and blackmail between siblings, friends and foes alike make Generations one of the most forceful dramas South Africa has ever produced," says Biola Alabi. And of Isidingo: "The structure of the mining community from the community from the miners to executive management reflects South African society as it is in the new millennium."
