TCM's (DStv 137) viewership is up by 85% in South Africa between April and June this year compared to the period between January and March, horror movies will be screened on Saturdays in October on TCM, and an exclusive Star Wars documentary about George Lucas is on the schedule for December for the channel.
Turner Broadcasting Africa didn't release the TCM channel information and press release to South Africa's media when it was handed out at the MultiChoice Content Showcase in Mauritius earlier this month and that South African press and TV critics were not invited to.
However the information is highly relevant and applicable for the TCM channel as seen on DStv in South Africa as well, and I now finally got it and can now share it.
Since introducing its new on-screen look earlier this year, TCM at the MultiChoice Content Showcase touted its South African viewership on DStv: up 85% according to AGB Nielsen's South African ratings data for April to June 2015, compared to January to March this year.
According to AGB Nielsen's ratings data, TCM now has a total monthly viewership of 2.3 million viewers in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv.
The channel from Turner Broadcasting Systems (TBS) also climbed 4 places in the movie channels ranking on DStv in June compared to January 2015.
TBS says TCM is now "poised to be the go-to channel for entertaining American cinema" following Turner Broadcasting's overhauled TCM offering with a refreshed look and feel as well as an updated programming slate.
"By introducing this major change in the channel's tone, brand image and programming strategy, the TCM experience has initiated a whole new level of quality entertainment," says Guillermo Farre, the head of general entertainment channels for Africa at Turner Broadcasting.
"We are delighted with the growing success of the TCM brand as it delivers new and exciting programming to existing and new viewers."
"Prime time and weekend specials have also been rejuvenated to include explosive action-blocks, chilling thriller specials and frontier-pushing sci-fi events."
Turner Broadcasting in Africa will do more on social media in 2016 to try and further create awareness for the refreshed TCM brand.
In October DStv subscribers can look forward to the seasonal event of Halloween being celebrated on TCM when the channel will screen "some of the most terrifying movies of all time".
Horror will be served every Saturday at 21:00 and on the last Saturday, 31 October, viewers will be able to enjoy a whole day horror marathon," says Guillermo Farre.
In December TCM will also be scheduling an exclusive in-house documentary about George Lucas to celebrate the release of Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens at cinemas.
