Massive fascination in the sensational Oscar Pistorius murder trial with its court proceedings beamed worldwide, and the surging popularity of MultiChoice's special Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel on DStv on channel 199 is now not just lifting DStv viewership but driving DStv subscribers to upgrade their bouquets to follow the live court room drama.
Where DStv subscribers in the past usually made use of their once a month upgrade option in order to see major sport events, TV with Thinus is now hearing from DStv subscribers who decided to upgrade their DStv bouquet specifically to get the Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel, in order to follow the dramatic and confrontational court room action on channel 199.
Viewers are fascinated and tuning in in droves to follow the melodramatic court proceedings since an emotional - and often times wailing and crying - Oscar Pistorius took the stand on Monday and started testifying under pounding cross-examination from sudden "people's hero", state prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day last year, and is now in the dock, accused of premeditated murder in a court case the world is watching with rapt attention.
Viewers are fascinated and mesmerised for hours per day by the new soap-like court room drama playing out in the North Gauteng High Court - beautifully contained in terms of one room and daily running hours, as well as a plethora of archetypal characters: a grieving mother, a fallen sport star hero, a "pit bull" lawyer, a tough-talking defence lawyer, a strict judge, a weeping sister and a menagerie of witnesses.
MultiChoice, asked whether it can say how many, or if more DStv subscribers have requested upgrades for a month specifically due to the Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel, tells TV with Thinus that MultiChoice cannot share any subscriber figures.
Cherise de Wet, a practising attorney from George is one of the DStv subscribers who've upgraded for a month specifically to watch the Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel.
She tells TV with Thinus that their TV household did so this past Friday in order to watch and hear Oscar Pistorius.
"There was uncertainty about it, but when we heard Oscar Pistorius is definitely going to take the stand this week we upgraded immediately last Friday. We wanted to hear and see Oscar Pistorius explain what he's done".
"Every day when I get home at 18:00 the first thing I do is to switch on and watch the Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel on DStv - all the daily updates until 20:00".
"We used to watch 7de Laan and the news. I'm leaving the news for now which is Oscar anyway, because I watch it directly on the Oscar channel. I want to see and hear exactly his words. I want to see the exact court procedure and how it all happens".
