Exclusive details are starting to emerge after last week's announcement - first teased on-air - that MultiChoice and Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) have signed a carriage agreement for FOX (Fox Entertainment rebranding as FOX and becoming available on DStv and remaining on TopTV) as a TV channel to start on DStv from 9 April on channel 125.
The deal was done "quickly" - it's described as a "very quick negotiation". All the best shows on FOX are going to be rerun from the beginning to help catch up DStv subscribers before new seasons roll out episodes close on the heels of American broadcasting dates.
The carriage deal which is also giving FOX an even wider footprint will also help to bring even more first-run TV shows exclusively to FOX and South African viewers, with a very narrow gap between episodes being shown overseas.
FOX is switching on 9 April to high definition and a 16:9 aspect ratio - as well as rolling out a brand-new on-air look, and FOX is hard at work at creating "appointment television" for South African viewers.
I asked FIC Africa about the FOX carriage deal, repeat programming, what TV shows are moving, what is happening to FOX and FX, how viewers feel about the channel since it's been available on TopTV, and the imminent brand refresh. Here is how FIC Africa, from their office in Johannesburg, responds:
As we are already on DStv with the Nat Geo channels, it was our goal to expand our distribution with more channels, especially a Fox branded channel. We have been in various discussions over the past three years on extending the number of channels on the platform. We finally, a few weeks ago, entered into and agreed on a deal for FOX. It has been a very quick negotiation and we are very pleased with the outcome.
With The Walking Dead and Falling Skies et cetera, is FIC Africa now moving all of those big-profile, big-buzz shows exclusively to FOX - for instance no longer on FOX and FX but all on just FOX? If this is the case, are the first seasons of these shows going to repeat to catch up DStv viewers? Has there been plans and discussions and programming decisions which grew out of and happened because FOX is coming to DStv?
Only The Walking Dead has been shown on FX and on FOX - all other shows have been run only on FOX. We will be repeating all our big shows such as The Walking Dead and Falling Skies from episode 1, season 1, to give DStv viewers the opportunity to catch up on these shows and to prepare all subscribers of all platforms for the new upcoming seasons.
The press release says FOX will now be the flagship Fox channel. Does this mean FOX will become the main, most important Fox channel? How does it then also change what FX (currently on TopTV) is, and what FX will be doing or showing in the future?
Globally a decision was taken to make FOX the flagship channel of our entertainment portfolio. The rebrand if FOX follows this decision and will see future flagship shows that are the right fir for the channel coming to FOX first. FX is a male-skewed channel and will remain so. There are no major programming changes for the channel at this point in time and it will continue to carry series such as Hell on Wheels, our ever-popular Friday Fight Nights and our award-winning documentary strand, Only in Africa.
What has been the response to FOX from viewers the almost 3 years it has been seen in South Africa?
We have had excellent feedback from viewers who have loved shows such as The Walking Dead, Falling Skies, The Simpsons, Twin Peaks and our MMA specials. All platforms across the continent that carry the channel confirm that it is the most appreciated international entertainment channel and is a well-respected brand by audiences. The new carriage deal will allow us to further improve the quality of the channel and increase our first-run pipeline.
Like all other channels, there are complaints about the amount of repeats. What can FIC Africa say about the amount of repeats on FOX, and would it always remain so, or get less in future, or whatever response do you have on the issue of the scheduling of repeats?
It is the nature of the pay-TV environment to repeat programming and this is the key differentiator to free-to-air channels. The pay-TV channels are thematic by genre and the mission is to deliver great content to its viewers related to its positioning and promise.
The viewing habits of audiences of a pay-TV channel is different from a free-to-air (FTA). On pay-TV platforms there is much more on offer and audiences move across all channels looking for the content they want in any given moment.
In this scenario the repetition gives viewers the opportunity to view programming at a time convenient for them. Or see it the first time if they've missed it. Or they can view again their favourite series and episodes as they like. This is the nature of pay-TV all over, globally, not only in Africa and as a channel we need to deliver what is expected.
How is the branding going to change or be refreshed or be adapted with the change from Fox Entertainment to FOX?
Our new branding is fresh and it engages our show talent to talk about their love of TV and their love of FOX. There is a completely new on-air look and feel that will be coming to viewers' screens. The new branding will go love on 9 April - the same day that the channel launches on DStv - in high definition (HD) and our standard definition (SD) feed will see the new branding from the morning of the 10th of April as this is when we change aspect ratio's for the channel from 4:3 to 16:9.
This rebrand is not related only to the launch on DStv but is part of a global rebrand of the channel decided by the company and has been rolling out since late last year across all territories.
Da Vinci's Demons. A big-buzz new show which will start on 6 May on FOX. And in HD. Are you excited about this show and what kind of push would there be behind this show? Likewise with Falling Skies and The Walking Dead, is FOX looking at becoming or entrenching the feeling that the channel offers real must-see "appointment television"? Why should viewers tune to FOX?
We are extremely excited about Da Vinci's Demons. We have a major international marketing campaign as part of the launch of the show which will be rolled out in South Africa. Our content strategy is to ensure that we deliver "appointment television". We are doing this more and more through owned productions and sourcing content that uses the best talent available.
Why tune to Fox? Because it is the top television entertainment brand that will be delivering more and more exclusive content airing at the same time as the US.
ALSO READ: Starting date of Da Vinci's Demons on FOX moved out to 6 May at 21:45.
ALSO READ: Da Vinci's Demons coming to FOX in South Africa just days after it starts in America.
