Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 15 September 2015


SABC fires Sammy Sosa.
"Sick" Sammy secretly used her time to film Vuzu AMP (DStv 114)'s hip-hop reality show The Hustle.


India gripped by murder mystery of the TV executive who allegedly murdered her sister - who was actually her daughter!
India's numerous 24-hour TV news channels are all going insane with lurid live coverage, panel shows, discussions, gripping satire and commentary of TV executive Indrani Mukerjea, Indian's first TV mogul, who allegedly strangled her sister Sheena Bora to death ...
... only for the shock revelation that Sheena Bora was actually ... her daughter!
... with the irony that her husband was a pioneer of satellite TV 24-hour TV news!
... going from setting up 24-hour TV news, to be covered by it incessantly!
... who now claims his domineering wife abused him!
... viewers across India are gripped - just like South Africa's Oscar Pistorius trial, by the surreal, real-life crime drama about rich and famous people engulfed by murder, hidden identities and a body burnt in a forest!
... it's a sensational TV news moral fable about materialism, media and motherhood.


Tumultuous exodus underway at Bloomberg Television (DStv 411).
A dramatic string of TV executives are out at the business news TV channel. Also went through one of its biggest firings last week when 80 Bloomberg editorial staffers globally were shown the door.



M-Net South Africa CEO Yolisa Phahle shares her story.
M-Net top executive who was raised in Britain with South African parents, tells CliffCentral how she got to the position and her music history in a wide-ranging 54 minute interview.
The relevant M-Net part starts at minute 22 until minute 46 where she talks about Mzansi Magic, reveals she was worried and panicked about the Channel O youth day mock-up ad, talks hit shows and scandals, transformation, reveals she was involved in casting the judges for The Voice South Africa and that they've been chosen and says M-Net wants to make "TV that people will talk about".


John Oliver forced to shut down his fake church.
After exposing some unscrupulous televangelist practices by starting his Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption "church", the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver host on M-Net (DStv 101) decided to shut down his church - because people mailed him sperm. It comes after he asked viewers to send him their seed (meaning money).


Isha Sesay is doing NewsCenter from Los Angeles
since she and John Vause will soon be doing a new, simulcast show on CNN International (DStv 401) and CNN.

Can Uzalo on SABC1 just bring Gxabhashe back already?
The character that was "killed off" is set to return (and fake, unsourced tabloid stories that there was friction between the actor and the production wasn't true).

Doctor Who needs a lot more kissing
Says Peter Capaldi.

A must-watch sneak peek at the The Unauthorised Beverly Hills, 90210 Story.
The Lifetime channel's unauthorised biographical film about the hit 90s teen drama is absolutely spot on.

Vanity Fair looks at why American late-night television is "better than ever".
But sadly completely excludes women and female comedians. It's "Manity Fair" and such a great unintended example of a "boy's club".


On Digital Media (ODM) and director and consultant Eddie Mbalo's fight continues in licence and shares battle.
Eddie Mbalo says its impossible to place a value on a company that was near liquidation.

The X Factor UK has long ago lost all credibility says Graham Norton.
The ITV star seen in South Africa on BBC First attacks the reality competition show seen on M-Net and says he "hasn't watched in years".

Public pressure group SOS Coalition slams parliament over the SABC.
Vacant positions for the SABC board remains unfilled and vacant.

Four key elements for over-the-top (OTT) television to survive and flourish.
The same elements hold true for South Africa's growing number of video-on-demand (VOD) players like Naspers' ShowMax, Times Media Group's VIDI, MTN's FrontRow and others.

e.tv has started moving to its new high-definition (HD) Cape Town building.

Orange plans to start a video-on-demand (VOD) service in South Africa.
Orange Horizons wants to launch it in 2016 and want to partner with a local player under the name Orange VoD.

Jon Farrar at BBC Worldwide explains new BBC channels
Is responsible for the programming and acquisition strategy for BBC Worldwide's new channels BBC Earth, BBC Brit and BBC First. He explains how the channels are different, what they're looking for and more context to the channels' alignment.

M-Net's ex boss in Africa starts her Grooming for Greatness project.
Former managing director of M-Net Africa Biola Alabi is starting a leadership development initiative.

Comedy Central (DStv 122) is taking a "multi-platform" ad approach to market Trevor Noah.

The real history of The Golden Girls theme song.
Which has traveled down the road and back again and is now 30 years old.