I can exclusively break the news and reveal that SABC3 is dumping it's failed 18:30 comedy slot as well as the public broadcaster's flagship daily news bulletin, News @ 7 from April - the news on SABC3 will now be starting at 18:30 on SABC3 from Monday 1 April.
SABC3 and the SABC's television news division prepares to increase the South African public broadcaster's flagship news bulletin on television to an hour on weekdays - the first time in decades that the SABC will have a TV news bulletin spanning 60 minutes again.
There's been no official word from the broadcaster or SABC3 about the major change which forms part of a majorly rejigged broadcasting schedule coming into effect from April for the channel, but insiders are buzzing to me about the changes.
SABC3's failed 18:30 comedy slot gets banished from April, with the news which will now be starting at 18:30 and last an hour on weekdays from Monday 1 April.
The News in 60 Seconds at 20:59 on SABC3 - the minute long news recap on weekdays - is also getting cancelled from April and will no longer exist.
The SABC's television news division and SABC3 is trying to claw back viewers and news viewers who've migrated to e.tv's eNews Prime Time and NewsNight on eNCA (DStv 403) as the subscriber growth of the DStv Compact bouquet continue to surge.
"The comedy slot wasn't working," says an informed insider. "SABC3 is now going to be, and focus on, 'bringing you the news first' - therefore 18:30 when everyone else is at 19:00," says another well-connected source.
SABC3 was wasting money on stale library title comedies such as The Cosby Show which wasn't bringing in the viewers but still cost money, says a source. The new move is now to rather invest in news which the SABC is doing in-house anyway, and to expand on bring viewers more of the day's news and showcase that before they see it elsewhere, says the SABC source.
