There's been no official announcement from SABC3 but I can exclusively break the news and reveal that major scheduling and programming changes are coming to the SABC's only commercial TV channel from 1 April.
SABC3 is once again rejigging its programming line-up with some huge changes including moving its daily news bulletin to 18:30 and lengthening it to an hour, dumping its comedy block, and moving its longrunning premiere magazine show Top Billing to yet another new day and time.
The SABC3 broadcasting schedule will once again undergo a major overhaul from 1 April now with Lefa Afrika as the new acting channel head at the public broadcaster's sole commercial TV channel after Ed Worster left in the middle of February.
From April The Nate Berkus Show, on weekdays at 09:30 on SABC3 will be moving to 14:45.
The News @ 7 won't be called that anymore - SABC3 is getting rid of its low-rated comedy slot at 18:30 which was littered with dated library titles such as The Cosby Show and which is now moving to SABC1.
Instead the the news on SABC3 will now start at 18:30 from April and expand from a half hour bulletin to an hour long bulletin on weekdays. The News in 60 Seconds update which was broadcast at 20:59 is getting cancelled.
Top Billing, SABC3's premiere lifestyle magazine show produced by Tswelopele Productions which was moved to Tuesdays from Thursdays exactly two years ago in April 2011, is being moved back to Thursdays but to 20:30 from 4 April.
Hawaii Five-0 will be starting on Mondays on SABC3 from 1 April at 21:30 - SABC3 will have to educate viewers though that it's not the dated 70's library title the channel has been running in the afternoon the past year but the first season of the newly updated drama which started on M-Net two years ago.
The 5 minute Sportswrap on weekdays are moving about an hour later on the SABC3 schedule from April and a Days of Our Lives omnibus of the week's soap episodes are now introduced on Saturdays at 11:00.
That purple dinosaur Barney will now say hello on weekdays at 08:30 from April on SABC3 in Barney & Friends; the Saturday morning cartoon line-up is undergoing a complete change as well and the late night matric revision rebroadcast is moving from SABC1 to SABC3.
