Netflix CEO Ted: 'We're competing with Pokemon GO and Star Wars and Jurassic World. We're competing for attention in a really noisy world'.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has finally admitted what overwhelmed viewers realised a while ago, that there's just too much television - but he said it with a caveat: a lot of it is trash.

Ted Sarandos who spoke yesterday at America's Television Critics Association's press tour said "there are too many mediocre, safe shows on linear television."

Ted Sarandos said that the global streaming service - that's also available in South Africa since the beginning of 2016 along with rivals like Naspers' ShowMax and PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com - isn't going to stop rolling out a growing number of original series and films.

Netflix will in fact start new series and new seasons even quicker to shrink the waiting time in-between.

"If you keep the shows great and people are loving them, why make less? It seems like a real arbitrary thing that there should only be X number of shows on TV. When people talk about Peak TV, they talk about it in an old media lens."

"That's not true any more. The viewer has total control as to when they want to watch shows and what they want to watch. It's almost infinite in terms of the possibilities to have somebody really passionately connect with a show."

"We're not just competing with Fresh Off the Boat, we're competing with Pokemon GO and Star Wars and Jurassic World. We're competing for a lot of attention in a really noisy world."

"At a time when the industry has a glut of series that fail to have an impact, we've been able to give fans what they want: adventurous storytelling with original voices," said Ted Sarandos.

While Netflix is struggling worldwide since its global roll-out in 130 countries at the beginning of the year and missed its latest global subscriber growth target, its total content budget will rise from $6 billion this year.

Netflix says quality and availability of broadband hampers uptake of the service in territories like South America and that every country is different and requires a specific strategy.

"We found out that everything we learned about Latin America wasn't helpful at all in Italy and nothing we learned in Mexico really helped us in Taiwan."

Free year-round Olympic Channel coming from the International Olympic Committee, launching on 29 August on the day the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games ends.

A free Olympic Channel that will run permanently will launch on 29 August on the same day that the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro ends.

The plan for the creation of such a channel was announced in July 2014 with the aim of promoting the Olympic Games and keeping it in people's global consciousness during the years in-between the games, to showcase lesser known and shown sports, and to attract a younger audience to Olympic Games sports.

The free Olympic Channel from the International Olympic Committee will go live after the colsing ceremony of the Olympic Games as an internet streaming channel at olympicchannel.com and on Android and iOS devices.

The Olympic Channel will have original programming, in English, and showcase content from around the world, including live sports events, news and highlights, as well as features about sports and athletes all year round.

"The launch of the Olympic Channel on 21st August is the start of an exciting new journey to connect the worldwide audience with the Olympic movement all year round," says Thomas Bach, IOC president in a statement.

"Fans will be able to follow sports, athletes and the stories behind the Olympic Games. The Olympic Channel will inspire us all and reach out to new generations of athletes and fans."

Meanwhile SuperSport will run 7 TV channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform from 5 August for the 2016 Olympic Games, including a 24-hour Olympics news channel on DStv channel 212.

SuperSport says it will bring viewers more than 2 500 hours of Olympics coverage over 15 days during August and will broadcast every gold-medal event live.

MultiChoice and SuperSport will be making extensive event highlights available on the DStv Catch Up service that will include every gold-medal winning performance, and highlight packages will also be broadcasting daily.

SABC news staff in open revolt against boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng, stage a silent sit-in 'blackout' on Friday in solidarity with their fired #SABC8 colleagues by all wearing black.

SABC news journalists in an open revolt against boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng and showing their united support for their fired #SABC8 colleagues, on Friday all wore black in a brave silent protest sending a very clear message to SABC management and South Africa that they're tired of newsroom intimidation and censorship

The move - surprising SABC bigwigs and blindsiding SABC bosses while viewers actually remained unaware of the incredibly symbolic silent off-air and on-air protest - was secretly organised without any paper trace.

Wearing black was a resolute show of strength by SABC staffers to show their open defiance of the public broadcaster's draconian policies and newsroom interference the last few months.

The on-air "blackout" on SABC News and the SABC's various TV news bulletins was however primarily done to show their united support for the 8 SABC journalists who were suspended, then fired for voicing concern over chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng's censorship orders and who appeared in labour court on Friday afternoon.

From junior to senior SABC reporters and producers to anchors, SABC news staff on Friday sent a powerful and very clear message to SABC management and South Africa that they're tired of intimidation in their radio and TV newsrooms and the misguided news censorship policy that was unilaterally imposed on SABC journalists on 26 May.

Since no SABC staffers openly talked about why they're suddenly all dressed the same, and with a large number of SABC journalists and anchors who showed unspoken solidarity by "co-incidentally" wearing black, the SABC's acting CEO James Aguma and foolhardy Hlaudi Motsoeneng won't be able to suspend or fire, or take them all off the air for their "blackout" protest.

If SABC management suspended or took steps against every SABC staffer who "happened" to wear black on Friday the SABC's television news division, its various TV news bulletins and its SABC News (DStv 404) channel would literally grind to a halt and implode.

The "blackout" was organised after SABC executives like Hlaudi Motsoeneng and SABC board members, SABC chairperson Obert Maguvhe and Aaron Tshidzumba at the last recent SABC press conference on 11 July told the media that there's no crisis at the SABC since the only time there would be a crisis would be when there's a blackout of the SABC's broadcast signals and the SABC's TV channels not being on air.

Aaron Tshidzumba.who slammed South Africa's print media "for lying to the public" about the crisis-riddled public broadcaster said: "What crisis is there? I never saw SABC off air. Why you telling this company is in crisis? If Eskom is on crisis, there's what? Load-shedding. So if SABC is on crisis, we must be off air. Have you evern seen that off-air?"

On Friday, without saying anything, SABC news staff decided to create a symbolic "blackout" to send a silent insider message from Auckland Park that they feel the SABC indeed is in crisis and that they all support their fired colleagues.

The SABC "blackout" started early in the morning with the Morning Live anchor Leanne Manas in a black jacket doing an outside broadcast.

The dressed in black protest carried on throughout the entire day on all the SABC's various TV news bulletins across all its channels, and on the SABC News channel where reporter after reporter and anchors dressed in unified black showed unity until just before the channel ended its live coverage of the day after 23:00 with reporter Tumaole Mohlaou as the last one appearing dressed in black on Your World.

The labourt court that on Friday heard the case of four of the eight fired SABC journalists - Foeta Krige, Suna Venter, Krivani Pillay and Jacques Steenkamp - is expected to deliver a judgment on Monday or Tuesday.

The other reporters who were fired this week include Thandeka Gqubule, Busisiwe Ntuli and Lukhanyo Calata with SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko who was told his freelance contract won't be renewed and who is also taking the SABC to court.

BREAKING. Viacom Africa says it will censor gay dads from Nickelodeon in Africa; MultiChoice's DStv will not show The Loud House episode with animated gays.

Viacom Africa is "reassuring" DStv subscribers in South Africa and the rest of Africa that it will be censoring the gay parents out of its animated Nickelodeon series, The Loud House, on its DStv channel.

According to Viacom, showing gay people on Nickelodeon is not appropriate for its Africa audience.

Viacom's Nickelodeon censorship is the latest in a growing trend the past few months where various channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is censoring and pulling content for DStv subscribers across Africa, that is deemed inappropriate for subscription television viewers to be exposed to.

In October 2015 Discovery Networks International that runs the TLC Entertainment channel on MultiChoice's DStv was forced to pull the innocuous new docu-drama, I Am Jazz, about a transgendered teen's struggle and life journey from the channel across the entire Africa just before it was to begin broadcast.

In May NBCUniversal International Networks was suddenly forced to pull the second season of I Am Cait, a reality show about the transgendered Caitlyn Jenner – formerly known as Bruce Jenner - from its E! Entertainment channel on MultiChoice's DStv making it unavailable for the entire Africa.

The increasing censorship of DStv content comes as South Africa's crisis-riddled public broadcaster, the SABC has been mired in a public battle over the decision of its foolhardy chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng, to censor SABC TV News visuals of public protests.

Now Viacom Africa is the latest content and channel provider to MultiChoice to censor what it makes for the rest of the world but that it deems is bad for Africa's DStv viewers - in this case the introduction of a bi-racial, married gay couple who show up in a short scene during which they're seen dropping off their son at a party.

Following a recent episode of Nickelodeon's (DStv 305) animation series The Loud House featuring two gay dads, Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) says it wants to "reassure" its consumers that "the episode will not air on the channel".

"Nickelodeon has confirmed that an episode of The Loud House featuring two gay dads will not air on its channel in sub-Saharan Africa," says VIMN Africa.

For VIMN Africa, showing married gay parents on TV in Africa is inappropriate. Viacom says "on-air content can differ from market to market".

Ironically Viacom Africa says "The Loud House is an animated series about the comedy and chaos of family life in all its forms".

For Africa's DStv subscribers it will however not include or show the animated gay dads, since "Nickelodeon strives to ensure that content respects the varying traditions and family values in each country." For The Loud House episode in question that was recently shown overseas, Viacom is however not just censoring it for specific countries but for the entire Africa.

Viacom Africa says The Loud House is "rooted in the creative team's own experiences from childhood and their observations today as parents themselves.  Its stories and characters are all grounded in the realities of many modern families today, as seen from the perspective of the 11-year old main character."

Nickelodeon previously showed a drag queen character in its series Bubble Guppies and a same-sex kiss in The Legend of Korra.

BREAKING. M-Net picks up new Mr. Robot after show, Hacking Robot for M-Net Edge on DStv; will broadcast it right after the second season Mr. Robot premiere tonight.

That future of television you wished you could get to and life in? Well, you're finally actually living in it: I can reveal that M-Net is adding yet another great after show for a popular drama series and will be showing the new Hacking Robot as part of the new second season of Mr. Robot on M-Net Edge (DStv 102).

Dedicated viewers who want more about certain hit shows and critically acclaimed dramas and who will stay tuned to TV longer to find out more about it - as opposed to going online to look for answers and community - can increasingly stay tuned for "after shows".

With Mr. Robot adding a new after show for its second season, M-Net sparked to quickly pick Hacking Robot up for broadcast on M-Net Edge, just like it did a few months ago with the After the Thrones companion show to Game of Thrones.

Hacking Robot with Andy Greenwald, who just recently was a co-presenter of After the Thrones, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the breakout drama.

Hacking Robot will be broadcast on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) right after the linear broadcast of the first episode of the new second season - just like in America.

It means that Californication will take a break on-air and the next episode of that show will go out next week.

The second season of Mr. Robot about the vigilante cyber hacker Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) who works with the underground cyber hacking group fsociety is an Express from the US title on M-Net Edge, with episodes broadcast on Fridays at 03:00 for viewers who simply can't wait to see it quickly.

Mr. Robot episodes are then shown again in prime time on Thursday nights.

Also take note that the first and last episodes of Mr. Robot's second season have been scheduled as two-hour long episodes on 15 July and 16 September. The episode order of the second season of Mr Robot has also just been increased from 10 to 12 episodes.

"The first season of Mr. Robot was everything we hoped for – and then some," says Chris McCumber, the president of entertainment networks at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment in a statement.

"From the first moments of the new season, it'll be clear that audiences are in for something incredibly special and wholly unexpected".

"The extraordinary ride that is Mr. Robot continues with a wild season two. It's a brilliant and immersive journey that demands to be watched again and again," says Jeff Wachtel, the chief content officer of NBCUniversal cable entertainment and the president of Universal Cable Productions and Wilshire Studios.

SuperSport, MultiChoice will run 7 24-hour TV channels for the 2016 Olympic Games from Rio on DStv from 5 August, including a 24-hour Olympics news channel.

SuperSport will run 7 24-hour TV channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform with coverage of the 2016 Olympic Games from 5 August, including a 24-hour Olympic Games news channel produced by the International Olympic Committee.

SuperSport will use the SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7 as well as SS12, SS13 and SS14 channels on DStv to bring DStv subscribers dedicated coverage of the 2016 Olympics, with SS1 and SS3 that will be used to cover overflow content, mostly Sevens rugby,golf and soccer.

The 24-hour Olympics news channel will run on SS12 on DStv and the Blitz channel will broadcast regular updates and direct viewers to the big daily events.

SuperSport says it will bring viewers more than 2 500 hours of Olympics coverage over 15 days during August and will broadcast every gold-medal event live.

Crystal Arnold, Carol Tshabalala, James Wokabi, Ryk Neethling and Rui de Oliveira (doing coverage in Portuguese) are being dispatched to Rio de Janeiro to report from various Olympic Games venues and the team village.

SuperSport will have a staff of 80 involved in producing the live broadcast of the 2016 Olympic Games from its Randburg headquarters, with another 20 people involved in production at the International Broadcast Centre in Rio de Janeiro.

With multiple feeds available, SuperSport will pick and aggregate the best content for viewers - mostly with a Pan-African leaning, that will be played out across the various channels.

MultiChoice and SuperSport will be making extensive event highlights available on the DStv Catch Up service that will include every gold-medal winning performance, and highlight packages will also be broadcasting daily.

OLYMPIC SPORT CHANNELS
SS4         Opening ceremony, swimming, athletics, marathon, walk, closing ceremony.
SS5         Hockey, handball, volleyball (beach and indoors), gymnastics, trampoline.
SS6         Tennis, basketball, four cycling disciplines, table tennis, badminton.
SS7         Boxing, weight lifting, judo.
SS12       Olympic News Channel.
SS13       Watersport: rowing, diving, etc.
SS14       Fencing, modern pentathlon, equestrian.

SS1         Golf, Sevens rugby (when not clashing with live non-Olympic sport).

SS3         Football (when not clashing with live non-Olympic sport).

The SABC TV News anchor Vabakshnee Chetty-Miller pregnant; expecting her first child, a girl, and 'off for a new adventure' as she goes on maternity leave.

The SABC's SABC TV News anchor Vabakshnee Chetty-Miller is pregnant and expecting her first child, a girl, with husband Geoffrey Miller.

Monday night was the last time SABC viewers saw Vabakshnee Chetty-Miller who left for maternity leave.

Co-anchor Peter Ndoro said viewers have been wondering for months why it seemed as if Vabakshnee Chetty-Miller was putting on weight behind the anchor desk. 

"I will miss being here, but I'm off for a new adventure," she said.

"It's a little girl!" said Peter Ndoro, as Vabakshnee Chetty-Miller took out a pair of small pink shoes at the end of Monday evening's bulletin, after which he reached over and hugged her on-screen.

The professional and beloved news reader on SABC3 and SABC News (DStv 404) got married in November 2014 in Stellenbosch.

Black Sails on History cancelled after 4 seasons and Cape Town Studios lot fire that destroyed one of the on-set ships; will end with final season in 2017.

Black Sails on History (DStv 186) has been cancelled after 4 seasons and a devastating fire that ravaged the set of the pirate drama in May that was filmed in Cape Town at the Cape Town Studios.

The recently filmed 4th season of Black Sails that will be broadcast in 2017 will be the last of the adventure drama series produced for the Starz channel in America and licensed by A+E Networks UK for its History channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and Africa.

In early May a devastating fire that took hours to bring under control, engulfed one of the on-set prop ships at the Cape Town Studios that was burnt out and destroyed in the blaze and caused massive damage.

Afterwards Starz told TVwithThinus it didn't want to comment about the fire and the on-set damage. Now no further episodes of Black Sails for another season on the sprawling lot that included a big pirate town complete with a shoreline recreation, won't be filmed.

The show, seen in more than 200 countries and territories, follows the exploits of Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and takes place 20 years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, Treasure Island.

"It's a rare privilege in television to be given the kind of creative freedom we've enjoyed on this show over the last four years," says Jonathan E. Steinberg, co-creator and executive producer in a statement announcing the Black Sails cancellation.

"While it was a difficult decision for us to make this season our last, we simply couldn't imagine anything beyond it that would make for a better ending to the story".

According to Starz the final 4th season "will bring us to the shores of Treasure Island as was always intended. Black Sails has been a tremendous success; from the loyal fan following and strong viewership numbers to awards recognition and the skill of our world-class production in Cape Town, we could not be more proud of this very special series."

SABC's SABC2 TV news anchor and RSG presenter Ivor Price resigns; slams Hlaudi Motsoeneng whose 'poisonous tentacles have infested the entire public broadcaster'.

The well-respected SABC TV news anchor Ivor Price has resigned, saying he cannot remain silent any longer and slammed the SABC's controversial boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng, saying "his poisonous tentacles have infested the entire public broadcaster".

In Ivor Price's open letter (in Afrikaans) published by Netwerk24, the SABC2 TV news anchor and presenter on the SABC's Afrikaans radio sttion RSG, says that even if Hlaudi Motsoeneng "resigns tomorrow or is fired,it will take long before good journalists will get over the debilitating fear".

Ivor Price on Tuesday revealed that he resigned from the SABC after the public broadcaster fired all 8 of its journalists who voiced concern over Hlaudi Motsoeneng's sudden diktat on 26 May that the SABC will censor SABC TV News visuals of public protests and will not be broadcasting the destruction of property.

Without any disciplinary hearings, flouting labour law and without any due process, Sebolelo Ditlhakanyane, the SABC's head of news and actuality, emailed dismissal letters to Suna Venter (senior journalist), Foeta Krige (RSG executive editor), Jacques Steenkamp (senior investigative journalist) and Krivani Pillay (SAfm current affairs executive producer).

Then Nyana Molete, the latest acting head of SABC News signed dismissal letters for Busisiwe Ntuli (specialist producer for the investigative programme Special Assignment on SABC3), Lukhanyo Calata (a SABC journalist in Cape Town whose father Fort Calata was one of the Cradock Four anti-Apartheid struggle activists), and Thandeka Gqubule (economics editor).

Contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko as the 8th person of the #SABC8 group who spoke out against SABC censorship was a freelance journalist and the SABC will not be continuing his contract.

In his letter Ivor Price writes that in May this year it was "no longer always enjoyable going to work in the morning. It felt more and more like dark clouds were gathering" and that SABC journalists feel they are being watched, and details a May incident of how Hlaudi Motsoeneng threw his toys on the floor.

"More and more SABC journalists say straight up in the corridors they don't want to touch SABC related stories because they have too much to loose," Ivor Price writes.

In June he says, when the Right2Know Campaign held national public protests at various SABC offices countrywide in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town and which the SABC decided not to cover at all, "all hell broke loose inside the SABC."

"The SABC has become a place where you can lose your job because you differ from a colleague."

"I can't sit and watch helplessly how unjust actions are perpetrated in my name," writes Ivor Price whose last working day at the SABC is on 5 August.

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng sees to it that all 8 suspended SABC journalists are fired without disciplinaries; news anchor Ivor Price resigns.

Where to begin with the trash-crush and crises-riddled demimonde that is the SABC?

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng - as chief operating officer (COO) the boss over all operations of the SABC - has now seen to it that all 8 of the suspended SABC journalists, known as the #SABC8 are immediately fired.

1. All 8 were fired, without due process, without any disciplinary hearings, and with blatant disregard for South Africa's labour law and by only getting an email, simply for voicing their concern and another opinion to the draconian and famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng's 26 May diktat that the SABC's SABC TV News division must censor news coverage of public protests and not show the destruction of property.

On Tuesday a day after the SABC outright fired Suna Venter (senior journalist), Foeta Krige (RSG executive editor), Jacques Steenkamp (senior investigative journalist) and Krivani Pillay (SAfm current affairs executive producer) with a letter from Sebolelo Ditlhakanyane, the SABC's head of news and actuality, the SABC also fired the other 4.

On Tuesday the SABC fired Busisiwe Ntuli (specialist producer for the investigative programme Special Assignment on SABC3), Lukhanyo Calata (a SABC journalist in Cape Town whose father Fort Calata was one of the Cradock Four anti-Apartheid struggle activists), and Thandeka Gqubule (economics editor) with dismissal letters.

Contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko as the 8th person of the #SABC8 group who spoke out against SABC censorship was a freelance journalist and the SABC terminated his contract.

The letters firing the other 4 SABC journalists were carbon copies of the firing letters of the first four, this one signed by Nyana Molete, the latest in a string of SABC news staffers filling the position as acting head of SABC News since everyone keeps quitting or getting fired.

"It is common cause that you have made it known to the SABC that you will continue to disrespect the SABC, your employer," reads the firing letter.

"It has now become clear to the SABC that you have no intention to refrain from your conduct of undermining the SABC and the authority of its management. In the premise your continued acts of misconduct have become intolerable. Your employment with the SABC is thus terminated with immediate effect."


2. The SABC TV News anchor Ivor Price resigned.
Ivor Price, a SABC TV News anchor on SABC2 who is also a presenter on the Afrikaans SABC radio station RSG, resigned, saying he could no longer remain silent, telling Netwerk24 in an open letter than Hlaudi Motsoeneng's "poisonous tentacles have infested the entire SABC."

"Even if Hlaudi Motsoeneng is fired tomorrow or resigns, it will take long for SABC journalists to get over the fear."


3. Political and other reaction - and those staying silent.
Meanwhile the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, and a backer and ally of the controversial and famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng, has remained completely silent, not saying or doing anything, and doing nothing to resolve the growing number of crises at the SABC.

The ANC political party when asked for comment over the SABC's firing of the 8 journalists, said "no comment".

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in a statement said the firing of the 8 SABC journalists who questioned the SABC's censorship decision was a "reflection of structurally deeper administrative and governance decay" at the SABC.

The Democratic Alliance political party who on Tuesday held a public protest at parliament said action must continue until the integrity of the SABC is restored. "The ANC are complicit in the complete breakdown of good governance at the SABC".

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says in a statement it ts shocked by the firing of the 8 journalists without due process and deeply distressed over the ever-unfolding crisis at the SABC, saying it will possibly call on its members to stop paying their SABC TV licences.

"If the impasse at the SABC is not resolved without delay the IFP will again call on its rank and file to stop paying their TV licences as a form of protest."

The COPE political party says in a statement that the SABC is "an illegitimate institution overseen by an illegitimate COO".

COPE says it "urges South Africans to withhold their SABC TV licence fees" and is calling on "every advertiser to cancel with the SABC with immediate effect. Their failure to act appropriately will signify that they place no premium on freedom of expression and the rule of law".

The Organisation Against Tax Abuse (Outa) is called for an urgent investigation the non-existent Faith Muthambi into the SABC.

"By dismissing these journalists‚ the SABC's autocratic leadership will simply engender more fear and cause less inclusiveness to critical internal discussion and debate," says Outa.

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) on Tuesday called for an urgent parliamentary meeting over the crisis-riddled SABC and its latest shame.

"Parliament is once again failing to exercise its constitutional responsibilities to hold the executive and the SABC board to account. The rebuke the National Assembly recently received from the Constitutional Court ruling in the Nkandla matter appears to have fallen on deaf ears," says Casac.

The Right2Know Campaign and SOS Coalition calls Hlaudi Motsoeneng a tyrant, saying the firing of the 8 SABC journalists was a "show trial" with "trumped-up and nonsensical charges".

"It is the sort of thing we now expect under the tyranny of COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng."

"It is also telling of the complicity of higher-ups, like Faith Muthambi who insist on propping up the COO, in contempt of the courts and the Public Protector."

"This has continued as the SABC lurches from crisis to crisis, as the climate of fear for journalists grows and even as unions, civil society, opposition parties, and even factions of the governing party condemn Hlaudi Motsoeneng".


4. Trade unions: The Communication Workers Union (CWU) who got a raise from Hlaudi Motsoeneng recently says it supports Hlaudi Motsoeneng and his SABC censorship isn't saying or doing anything.

Bemawu says it will take the SABC to Labour Court after firing the 8 SABC journalists without disciplinary hearings, no due process, no warning letter and over something that's not even a fireable offense. That is besides the trade union Solidariteit that is also taking the SABC to the Labour Court over the same issue.

The Mwasa trade union in an open letter slammed the matricless broadcasting demagogue, telling Hlaudi Motsoeneng that "the world will not be silent as you continue your viral destruction and wreak havoc". Mwasa told Hlaudi Motsoeneng to "just resign and leave".


5. Amnesty International in a strongly-worded statement said firing the 8 SABC journalists is "a cynical and sinister ploy to entrench fear".

"The dismissal of eight SABC journalists following their suspension over their questioning of editorial decisions by the broadcaster's executives is a cynical and sinister decision designed to entrench a climate of fear at the institution‚" says Muleya Mwananyanda‚ Amnesty International's deputy director for Southern Africa.

"Their dismissals will only serve to undermine journalistic and media freedoms at the SABC. The eight journalists must be re-instated immediately".


6. Longtime SABC news staffers told TVwithThinus on Tuesday: "In the last year this [SABC] has become one of the ugliest and most oppressive places I've ever worked at" and "Every step further where nothing happens to him, he [Hlaudi Motsoeneng] feels emboldened to go further".


7.Scared SABC news staffers no longer want to cover and report on SABC stories, fearful they will end up in internal SABC real politik cross fire.

8.SABC bad reputation damaged further. SABC PR tzar Kaizer Kganyago who wasn't available for comment according to several reports, told one newspaper after the firings that the SABC "isn't concerned about and won't be influenced by the public reaction over the dismissals".

Meanwhile the SABC continues to make front page, lurid headlines in newspapers across South Africa ... literally daily (weekdays and on weekends non-stop) that's trashing the SABC's already trash reputation and its negative brand perception.


9. It's deja vu at the SABC (1) where the Public Protector found in her February 2014 report that Hlaudi Motsoeneng was directly involved in getting rid of every single SABC staffer who opposed him and who testified against him in earlier disciplinary hearings against him.


10.It's deja vu at the SABC (2) where the Public Protector found in her February 2014 report that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's last purge of SABC staff cost the beleaguered public broadcaster millions of rand, finding that firing senior employees "had cost the broadcaster millions, due to its procedural and substantive injustices".

"Most of the cases were handled without following proper procedure. All 14 suspensions and terminations were successfully challenged in court and at the CCMA".

The avoidable legal fees and payouts ballooned the SABC's salary bill with a massive R29 million that was unnecessary, and fruitless and wasteful expenditure.


News round-up:
■ Ray White, now assignment editor at Eyewitness News who worked at the SABC, says at the SABC a "Hlaud has dimmed the SABC's bright future", detailing how a young Hlaudi Motsoeneng was essentially a moron and struggled and was transferred to Bloemfontein.

"Journalists are no longer in charge of bringing you the news - the SABC is now the news."

■ Meanwhile after the SABC fired its 8 suspended journalists, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) is slamming South African brands like Wimpy, Checkers, Vodacom, Clientele Life, Spur and others saying they better weigh the damage they do to their own brand being associated with and directly supporting censorship and undermining South Africa's democracy.

■ Meanwhile initially over R50 000 in donations was made by South Africans to help the fired journalists climbing to over R84 000 late on Tuesday from 124 people.

■ Trade union Solidarity says the SABC is behaving like a kangaroo court,

■ Daily Maverick has Ranjeni Munusamy weighing in on Hlaudi's Kill Bill: The Slippery Slide towards manipulating the news and that what started out as an attack on media freedom is fast becoming an attack on democracy.

SABC fires 4 of its suspended 8 journalists - Suna Venter, Foeta Krige‚ Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay - for opposing Hlaudi Motsoeneng's SABC News censorship edict.

Without any disciplinary hearings, the SABC has outright suddenly fired 4 out of the SABC's 8 suspended journalists on Monday afternoon who were suspended for merely speaking out against SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng's sudden SABC News censorship policy.

The four journalists – Suna Venter, Foeta Krige‚ Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay – received a letter of dismissal on Monday afternoon from Sebolelo Ditlhakanyane, the SABC's head of news and actuality that they're fired.

"It is common cause that you have made it known to the SABC that you will continue to disrespect the SABC, your employer," read the SABC letter.

"It has now become clear to the SABC that you have no intention to refrain from your conduct of undermining the SABC and the authority of its management."

"In the premise your continued acts of misconduct have become intolerable. Your employment with the SABC is thus terminated with immediate effect, being 18 July 2016".

The sudden firing, without due process and in contravention of South Africa's labour laws, has strong echoes of what the chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng did, according to the Public Protector's February 2014 report.

The Public Protector found that Hlaudi Motsoeneng was directly involved in the purge, and got rid of every single person at the SABC who opposed him and who testified against him when he had disciplinary hearings earlier against him at the SABC for transgressions.

Last week the 8 SABC journalists, known as the #SABC8, filed an urgent application to South Africa's Constitutional Court to have their charges declared unlawful.

The trade union Solidarity representing the 8 SABC journalists said it would apply this Thursday to the Labour Court for an urgent interdict to have their suspensions set aside.

The other four suspended SABC journalists are Thandeka Gqubule‚ Busisiwe Ntuli‚ Lukhanyo Calata and Vuyo Mvoko.

A week ago the Independent Communications Authority of South African (Icasa) ruled that Hlaudi Motsoeneng's censorship of the SABC News' coverage of public protests is wrong and ordered the crisis-riddled public broadcaster to reverse its ban on visuals of property destruction during public protests, backdated to 26 May 2016 when the SABC took the decision.

On the same day after the decision, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the SABC won't comply with the broadcasting regulator's ruling and that "no-one will tell us what to do".

Netflix beams up CBS Studios International's new Star Trek series; grabs international licensing rights and will add entire Star Trek TV library by end of 2016.

Netflix is where South African viewers will have to watch the new Star Trek TV series from early 2017, with Netflix that has grabbed the exclusive international licensing rights for the new drama series.

While the expectation was that either M-Net or Naspers' subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) ShowMax would secure the 13-episode first season from CBS Studios International, its Netflix that grabbed the international rights.

While CBS All Access will show Star Trek in America, Netflix will be the home of Star Trek in 188 countries. Each episode of the new Star Trek - no cast or time period setting has yet been announced - will be available globally within 24 hours after an episode is shown in The United States.

Unlike most Netflix series where whole seasons and series are available for binge-watching, Star Trek will roll out a new episode weekly for online streaming.

Besides grabbing the new Star Trek, Netflix in a statement says that by the end of this year all 727 existing episodes of the iconic Star Trek television library - Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise will be available on Netflix around the world.

Both Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation that were remastered into a new high definition (HD) version, as well as Star Trek: Enterprise will be available on Netflix in HD.

Filming on the new Star Trek with Alex Kurtzman and Bryan Fuller as co-executive producers will start in September in Toronto, Canada, with the first episode show in January 2017.

"The launch of the new Star Trek will truly be a global television event," says Armando Nuñez, president and CEO of CBS Studios International.

"Star Trek is already a worldwide phenomenon and this international partnership will provide fans around the world, who have been craving a new series for more than a decade, the opportunity to see every episode virtually at the same time as viewers in the United States."

"Thanks to our world-class partners at Netflix, the new Star Trek will definitely be 'hailing on all frequencies' throughout the planet."

"Star Trek is one of the most iconic shows in television history and we're thrilled to partner with CBS to bring the beloved series to Trekkies around the world," says Sean Carey, the vice president of Global Television at Netflix in the statement.

"The newest chapter of the story promises to continue the rich tradition of adventure and is sure to excite fans everywhere Netflix is available".

SABC puts its treasurer and chief financial controller both on 'special leave' after they warn public broadcaster it will be out of cash by November.

The SABC has summarily put both its treasurer and chief financial controller on "special leave" after they warned the SABC that it will be out of cash by November without intervention as the beleaguered public broadcaster has been bleeding hundreds of millions of rand monthly.

The Sunday Times reported that SABC treasurer Arrie Thomas and chief financial controller Petra Campher were both placed on special leave this past Wednesday. 

With two of the SABC's top three financial executives gone, it leaves James Aguma as the chief financial officer (CFO).

James Aguma however is now acting CEO after the previous acting CEO Jimi Matthews abruptly quit three weeks ago over the SABC's news censorship policy.

Meanwhile the permanent but suspended CEO, Frans Matlala reportedly got a R18 million SABC payout as part of a golden handshake to go away. 

Frans Matlala was appointed in November 2015 and got suspended after just four weeks, with the SABC and the SABC board unwilling to explain to the public exactly why the public broadcaster's highest ranking executive is gone.

After the SABC's chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng lied to parliament's portfolio committee on communications in April 2015 - saying that the SABC would make a profit after which the SABC posted a loss of R395 million a few months later - the SABC is once again on track to post another annual loss, this time likely in the region of R500 million.

Earlier this year Hlaudi Motsoeneng again said the SABC is "profitable". 

In May Hlaudi Motsoeneng ordered an increase of 90% needletime for local South African music, announced an increase in the royalty payment fee percentage, ordered that all local TV content on the SABC's TV channels should immediately be increased to 90%, starting with SABC3.

He also announced that the SABC will roll out 4 new "language-based" TV channels that will cost the SABC R1 billion, while the SABC is struggling to adequately programme and fill its existing terrestrial TV channels that's awash in bad quality programming and numerous rebroadcasts and repeats.

The crisis-riddled SABC currently burns through roughly R600 million per month while what remains of the public broadcaster's gutted top executives and unstable SABC board came under fire with near universal harsh criticism over Hlaudi Motsoeneng's dramatic recent policy to censor public protest visuals on SABC TV News.

The South African broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), ordered the SABC to stop censoring its public protest news coverage, backdated to 26 May, but Hlaudi Motsoeneng said last week "no-one is going to tell us what to do".

Meanwhile 8 suspended SABC reporters who oppose the SABC's new censorship decree and face disciplinary hearings, have lodged an urgent application straight to the Constitutional Court for their case to be heard there.

Connie Ferguson is the queen in Mzansi Magic's new telenovela, The Queen, produced by Ferguson Films, that will 'strip bare the rich's insatiable lust for power''.

Connie Ferguson is proving why she's the queen of South African television; the soap star turned TV producer will appear next in her second role and producer credit in Mzansi Magic's The Queen from August.

The Queen, a new telenovela from Ferguson Films starting on 1 August on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) at 21:00 has Connie Ferguson in the lead role as the high-powered executive Harriet Khoza, together with stars like Senzo Ngqobe, Loyiso McDonald, Mbali Nkosi, SK Khoza, Themba Ndaba, Natasha Thahane.

The Queen also sees Connie Ferguson and Sello Maake Ka-Ncube reunite on-screen who thrilled viewers for years as the sister-brother pair Karabo and Archie Moroka in SABC1's Generations while Sophie Ndaba was Queen Moroka.

Now it's Connie Ferguson's turn to play the queen after producing and starring in seasons of her and husband Shona Ferguson's Rockville.

It is in fact the additional Mzansi Magic commissioning and workload of The Queen that saw Connie Ferguson dump Generations earlier this year where she took up her old role of Karabo again for two years after the SABC and Mfundi Vundla fired the principal cast.

In The Queen, Connie Ferguson will be seen as a successful business woman whose husband is hiding a big secret.

When his secret is revealed, it forces the character of Harriet - a dedicated wife and mother -  to "do the unthinkable" in this new telenovela that will "strip bare the insatiable lust for power among the rich and the victims who find themselves at their mercy".

Besides producing Rockville and The Queen for Mzansi Magic, Ferguson Films is also responsible for the channel's viewership hit Igazi.

More More 7de Laan soap stars exit the SABC2 soap as Melanie du Bois, Masego Sehoole and Corné Crous contracts are not renewed; Anelisa Phewa quit.

More 7de Laan soap stars are exiting the long running Afrikaans soap on SABC2 with the characters of Felicity, Pulane, Sifiso and Kim who will also soon be disappearing from viewers' TV screens and the fictional Hillside community.

Melanie du Bois is done with her fashion designer character of Felicity Daniels Croukamp in 7de Laan after 15 years, with her character that will make an on-screen exit in October from the Danie Odendaal Productions show.

Also leaving is Masego Sehoole who played Pulane, Corné Crous who played Kim, and Anelisa Phewa who played Sifiso.

Melanie du Bois, Corné Crous and Masego Sehoole's were essentially fired; their contracts were not renewed by the soap, while Anelisa Phewa quit.

Anelisa Phewa was offered the opportunity to lecture in film and studies but due to new changes enforced by the SABC, actors are not allowed to do other work. Anelisa Phewa decided to leave the soap production to focus on the new lecturing opportunity at Afda, the Sschool of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance.

The latest 7de Laan exists follow the recent announcements that Diaan Lawrenson who played Paula, Jo da Silva who played Gita and Christo Davids who played Errol are also done with the soap.

Melanie du Bois who is going through a divorce from Reginald Botha after 14 years will be filming her final 7de Laan scenes on Friday and is opening up about her divorce and soap exit in the cover story of the latest issue of Huisgenoot.

'Clearly intoxicated' Top Chef SA and Top Billing presenter Lorna Maseko upstages YOU Spectacular 2016; drops F-word on-stage in rambling speech.

An apparently drunk Lorna Maseko upstaged the YOU Spectacular 2016 when she went off message in a rambling speech on stage while she dropped the F-word, said she wanted to be a rapper and revealed that she is divorced and "newly single".

The awkward and cringe-worthy on-stage drama unfolded when Lorna Maseko was supposed to present the award for Rising Star at the YOU Spectacular 2016 on Saturday evening.

While YOU Spectacular 2016 host Anne Hirsch valiantly tried to wrestle back control from Lorna Maseko who was "clearly intoxicated" according to reports, the presenter of Top Billing and Top Chef South Africa on SABC3 launched into a rambling speech, including on-stage profanity, instead of properly presenting the award to rapper Emtee and leaving the stage.

Dropping the F-word, Lorna Maseko told the audience she always wanted to be a rapper. 

Commenting about short men, she also felt it appropriate to share that she's newly single and divorced. According to reports, Anne Hirsch eventually took Lorna Maseko's mic away after Lorna Maseko also said she's even ready for a lesbian relationship with Anne Hirsch.

Lorna Maseko married Gcina "GC" Lukhele in December 2010 in at the Memoire wedding venue in Muldersdrift attended by 150 close friends and family members.

Petition calls on advertisers from Clientele Life, FNB, Vodacom and Checkers to Telkom and Chicken Licken to boycott and stop advertising on the SABC.

A Petition has started calling on advertisers to boycott the SABC and to stop advertising on the South African public broadcaster due to the SABC's unwillingness to end the censorship of SABC TV News regarding the broadcast of public protests.

The petition, started on the community advocacy organisation Amandla.mobi's website, is asking advertisers to stop advertising on the SABC until its ends SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng's censorship decree, and is asking the South African public to let advertisers know that they will no longer buy their products and services if they continue to advertise on the SABC.

The online petition asks that Clientele Life, Chicken Licken, FNB, Vodacom, Carling Black Label, Checkers, Telkom boycott the SABC and stop advertising on the SABC.

"More and more organisations and political parties including the ANC, agree with us that what is happening at the SABC is wrong. But the situation at the SABC is deteriorating rapidly, with journalists facing suspension and more and more evidence surfacing of censorship. This calls for a different approach," says the petition.

"We know the SABC makes much of its revenue from advertising, so together with our allies from the SOS Coalition and Media Monitoring Africa, let's call on some of the SABC's largest advertisers - Clientele, Chicken Licken, FNB, Vodacom, Carling Black Label, Checkers, Telkom and others - to pause their advertising with our SABC until this censorship is brought to and end".

The South African broadcasting regulator, Icasa, on Monday ruled that the SABC's censorship of SABC TV News is wrong and needs to be stopped immediately, retroactively to 26 May.

The SABC's controversial chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the SABC will not listen to Icasa, that "no-one is going to tell us what to do", and that the SABC will fight the ruling to the Constitutional Court.

Game of Thrones 7th season will be delayed as the fantasy drama series is literally waiting for winter weather.

Following the just-concluded 6th season of Game of Thrones on M-Net Edge (DStv 102), the next season set for 2017 will be delayed as the hit global fantasy drama series is literally waiting for winter.

Co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss told UFC Unfiltered in a podcast that the show's sprawling production needs real-life bad winter weather for the upcoming seasons.

The 7th and 8th Game of Thrones seasons will also be shorter in episode number (around 7 episodes) than the 10 per season of the previous ones.

"We don't have an air date yet," said David Benioff. "We're starting a bit later because at the end of this season, 'Winter is here' - and that means that sunny weather doesn't really serve our purposes any more."

"So we kind of pushed everything down the line, so we could get some grim, grey weather even in the sunnier places that we shoot."

It means that Game of Thrones won't be starting in April 2017 but later next year. The change to winter weather means that Game of Thrones will literally look darker than before.

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng orders SABC2 Venda soap Muvhango to move from Johannesburg to Thohoyandou in Limpopo.

The SABC's controversial boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng has ordered the SABC's Venda soap Muvhango, filmed on sets in Johannesburg, to move its production to Thohoyandou in Limpopo.

There's no film and TV studios in Thohoyandou equipped to produce the two and a half hours per week Venda soap, nor the underlying film industry services needed to support a TV production like this, for instance equipment rental.

The Muvhango move will mean an increase in production cost, meaning that the SABC will have to pay more for the show to be made outside of Johannesburg.

It's not clear when the Venda soap, produced by Word of Mouth Productions will have to start doing episodes away from Johannesburg. The big move from Auckland Park will affect the cast and crew as well as their extended families who are living in Gauteng.

Muvhango is the most watched programme and most watched soap on SABC2 with 5.8 million viewers per episode.

The SABC's existing contract with Word of Mouth's ends in August. The SABC is expected to renewed the contract to produce Muvhango for another three years.

Although Word of Mouth's contract hasn't been renewed yet, Hlaudi Motsoeneng in late May ordered Muvhango boss Duma Ndlovu to give principal cast members three year contracts as well when the show's contract officially gets extended.

Muvhango having to move to the bha-Venda area of the Limpopo province comes as Hlaudi Motsoeneng visited the VhaVenda king Toni Mphephu Ramabulana at the royal palace last month, with the king who there publicly stated that he supports the SABC's censorship decision of the public broadcaster's SABC TV news when it comes to public protest visuals.

PhalaPhala FM is also moving to the town of Thohoyandou and will broadcast from there from 1 September where there's a bigger building that was previously used by Radio Thohoyandou. The SABC said it will be upgrading the building and radio studios.

"We have buildings there. We need to build studios so that when production house come and you produce content, you don't go to Auckland Park, you are able to shoot here in Thohoyandou," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

He said the people who will revamp the Thohoyandou building must come from Thohoyandou.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng's move of Muvhango out of Johannesburg is part of his macro edict of 90% local content on the SABC's radio stations and TV channels under which new local SABC TV content will have to be produced in various different provinces by new and emerging TV producers.

On Monday Hlaudi Motsoeneng suddenly announced that the episode order of Uzalo on SABC1, filmed in Durban by Stained Glass Pictures, will almost double, increasing it from three days to five days per week.

It follows revelations that Hlaudi Motsoeneng single-handedly overruled and reversed a decision by a 6-person SABC executive panel who cancelled Uzalo after its first season, ordering the prime time soap to continue.

About the show's R158 million contract price tag that costs R14 000 per minute to produce, Uzalo co-producer and co-owner Gugu Zuma-Ncube, daughter of president Jacob Zuma, said "it is more expensive to produce television in Durban than it is to produce television in Johannesburg".

Adult conundrum: You're probably going to miss it because M-Net is showing the sci-fi TV mini-series, Childhood's End, on one of its M-Net Movies channels.

The devil's in the details:  Once again DStv subscribers and M-Net viewers who are the potential audience and who would potentially be interested in watching it, will likely miss out on watching the new science fiction mini-series Childhood's End.

M-Net is literally once again scheduling and showing it wholly wrongly on one of its M-Net Movies channels instead of on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) or M-Net (DStv 101).

Once again M-Net is not slotting programming where that programming belongs - where viewers and DStv subscribers would most expect to find it. The result: It comes, and goes, and it's gone, followed by anger and regret once you discover it's been on and gone already. 

In February 2015 I first reported that Childhood's End is coming as a new upcoming science fiction drama mini-series, based on science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke's novel. 

In February this year I reported that Childhood's End wasn't yet scheduled for any M-Net channel.

In the series, an alien visits Earth, takes over certain civilisation "things", gets a human "representative" to speak for him while humanity wonders about the alien's true good or bad intentions, and then more things (heaps of twists!) take place.

Well, Childhood's End has clearly now been scheduled alright, and it will play out not on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) where it belongs most (given what M-Net Edge shows and has shown there before), or M-Net (DStv 101) late-night ... but on M-Net Movies Action+ (DStv 106) with the first episode at 06:00 on the morning on Thursday 14 July.

Who makes these scheduling decisions? Who actually isn't reading up on, and watching the actual content before slotting or allocating it? Why is Childhood's End on M-Net Action+ if the exact same type of shows like Ascension, Under the Dome, Defiance, Dominion, Helix and The Magicians are on M-Net Edge?

Like Lucifer on M-Net Edge, there is a great twist in Childhood's End that also has a "devil" in it. So why is the one show on M-Net Edge, and the other show on M-Net Movies Action+? 

If you actually watch both you will see how they "fit" together, right down to the same type of character that's presumed bad, that's actually good. 

It even has Mike Vogel as one of the lead characters, who was also one of the main ensemble cast members of Under the Dome. 

If you work in television scheduling, my assumption is that something should tell you or you should know, that if you've watched the content you've bought, that a viewer who was shown and watched the science fiction drama Under the Dome on a specific TV channel with Mike Vogel, might be interested in watching Mike Vogel in another, very similar, and also science fiction drama on the same channel.  

I only happened to notice that Childhood's End is coming up on M-Net Movies Action+ this week during my weekly long slog on Sundays scanning and scrolling through the DStv electronic programme guide (EPG) for the upcoming week. 

Normal viewers don't do that. Someone who might want to watch Childhood's End, won't know it's finally showing - on a whole other not-right-fit channel.

Last month M-Net said it will work harder to make it easier for DStv subscribers to find the right programming on the right M-Net channels provided to MultiChoice's satellite pay-TV service, as well as, presumably, "allocate" and schedule acquired programming better so that viewers know where to expect what shows.

Well, Childhood's End is another classic example of how M-Net, in my view, is slotting and allocating content wrongly, where viewers won't find it, won't expect it, and won't even know it's showing. 

Perhaps we do need Overlords. Perhaps as a TV making and watching species we are too like children to properly programme for ourselves.

Whatever the case, M-Net slotting Childhood's End on M-Net Movies Action+ instead of on M-Net Edge is definitely a case of "the devil may care" - and you'll come to understand exactly what I mean, if you watch it.

Upcoming 5th season of MTV Base's sex edutainment drama series, Shuga, will be shot in Johannesburg, South Africa; Quizzical Pictures producing.

The fifth season of Viacom International Media Networks Africa's (VIMN Africa) sex edutainment drama series Shuga will be filmed in South Africa for the first time later this year, following seasons in Kenya and Nigeria.

The South African production company Quizzical Pictures - also producing e.tv's Rhythm City and Umlilo, Intersexions for the SABC, MasterChef SA for M-Net and several others shows - will be filming the 8-part 5th season of Shuga for MTV Staying Alive Foundation and MTV Base (DStv 322).

Like what SABC1's Skeem Saam did for South Africa, Shuga, which started in 2009, is doing in a more broader pan-African version, in a series targeting young people that focuses strongly on spreading public health messages around sex through telling stories linked to subjects like drug use, HIV status, sexual assault and unplanned teen pregnancy.

Besides being shown on MTV Base on DStv across sub-Sahara Africa, seasons of Shuga have been broadcast on SABC1, e.tv, MTV and M-Net in South Africa.

The 5th season of Shuga will be filmed in Johannesburg in a few months with pre-production that has already started.

Several roles must still be cast, but the new season will include Mohau Mokoatle as the schoolgirl singer Bongi who gets pulled into a world she's unequipped and unprepared to handle in storylines that will focus on adolescent girls and their vulnerability to HIV infection and unplanned pregnancy.

"Shuga is a trailblazing edutainment property that has had real world impact and changed lives by making viewers reflect on their life choices," says Monde Twala, the vice president for the BET channel and youth and music at VIMN Africa.

"We look forward to working together with Quizzical Pictures to evolve the franchise in a South African context for the first time."

"We have always admired the Shuga project so we are excited to be part of its South African season," says Harriet Gavshon, Quizzical Pictures managing director.

STUDY. Leave my DStv alone: Cash-strapped South Africans would rather eat less, buy less, cut back on everything else before they let go of their DStv and M-Net.

With the worsening South African economy and disposable income dropping, a new study shows that people simply cannot bear to be without their pay-TV: South African consumers would rather eat less, buy less groceries, give up cigarettes, buy less clothes and even drink less, than to give up their DStv and M-Net.

New market research from Old Mutual looked at various South African income groups and what they would be willing to give up first, and then in a continuum, if they're forced to cut back on discretionary spending.

The Old Mutual survey, conducted across 1 000 households across various income groups, indicated that South African households, across the board - from those earning less than R6 000 to those earning over R40 000 and more per month - are least likely to cut back on their children's education and school expenses and then electricity and water bills.

Across the board, as South Africans cut back with a squeeze on personal households budgets, travel and holidays are first to go. Next is eating out and spend on entertainment (but not in-house entertainment like DStv), followed by things like cutting back on alcohol, buying shoes, clothing, spending money on hair and beauty and cigarettes.

Although MultiChoice's pay-TV services like DStv and M-Net are actually a luxury discretionary service, the survey reveals that South Africans - when it comes to paying for subscription television that's better than for instance the weak offering from the SABC as public broadcaster - actually regard it more like a must-have necessity in their daily lives.

As consumers are tightening their belts as they feel the money squeeze, they absolute loathe letting go of their DStv or M-Net once they have it. 

According to the survey, financially stressed South African households simply cannot bear parting with their DStv or M-Net and will rather eat less and buy less groceries, cut back on expenses regarding domestic workers and a gardener, buy less shoes and clothing, and entertain less at home before giving up their satellite TV dish.

Interestingly, the higher the monthly income of a household, the more adamant they are that they won't give up their DStv subscription - although it's actually a non-essential expenditure item. 

While DStv is the 4th last thing households earning less than R6 000 per month will give up or cut back on, households earning more than R40 000 per month are even more adamant not to lose their access to pay-TV once they have it.

Households earning R40 000 and more, absolutely abhor the idea of being without their DStv: for them it ranks as the last thing they're cutting back on or are willing to cut back on, at only 16% of the group falling in this household income bracket.

Defiant boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng says SABC will defy Icasa's order to end SABC TV news censorship because Icasa 'not a court'; SABC risks losing it broadcast licence.

The famously matricless and belligerent chief operating officer (COO) of the SABC, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the SABC will defy the order of South Africa's broadcasting regulator, Icasa to immediately end censorship of SABC TV News visuals of protests because Icasa is "not a court" and said that the SABC will take the case to the Constitutional Court.

The autocratic broadcasting tzar Hlaudi Motsoeneng said nobody can dictate to the SABC what to do and what not to show, not even the South African broadcasting regulator that oversees the SABC's broadcasting licence and monitors its adherence to its licence conditions.

Icasa says its rulings and orders as the broadcasting regulator are binding.

At yet another late-start, mangled, confusing and off-message SABC press conference on Monday afternoon, 4 SABC'ers - the SABC chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe, SABC board member Aaron Tshidzumba, Hlaudi Motsoeneng and the SABC's PR tzar Kaizer Kganyago - all uttered 4 different comments regarding the SABC's stance regarding the regulator's order for the SABC to end its ban on broadcasting the destruction of property during public protests introduced in May.

Interestingly both Mbulaheni Maguvhe and Aaron Tshidzumba - the only two SABC board members present at the SABC press conference - have been the most vocal, publicly, the past month, in their support of both Hlaudi Motsoeneng, as well as his decision of SABC TV News censorship of public protests in South Africa.

Interestingly, the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi, on Monday afternoon defied an ANC summons to appear before a meeting of the ruling ANC political party's subcommittee on communications to explain the litany of crises at the SABC, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, and the SABC's news censorship decree.

The bombastic exclamation on Monday afternoon by Hlaudi Motsoeneng that the crisis-riddled SABC will ignore and defy the order from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) handed down on Monday morning.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said that he will not ends his censorship decision that will be fought to the Constitutional Court. This follows the stubborn pattern exhibited by the controversial SABC boss.

The dictatorial Hlaudi Motsoeneng ignored the Public Protector's February 2014 report from the Chapter 9 institution that implicated his in maladministration, found that he lied about qualifications and a matric he doesn't have and said "Hlaudi Motsoeneng should never have been appointed at the SABC".

The beleaguered Hlaudi Motsoeneng is also embroiled in several court cases over his appointment as COO at the SABC and other matters.

All court rulings so far has found against him and ordered the SABC to suspend him immediately, all of which he has defied, with ongoing appeals, adamant to fight and take his court cases to the Constitutional Court.

The latest of South Africa's Chapter 9 institutions that Hlaudi Motsoeneng is now trampling on, is the broadcasting regulator, Icasa, that regulates the entire South African TV industry - the authority that could revoke the SABC's TV broadcasting licence should it fail to comply with its order on Monday for the SABC to stop censoring SABC TV news broadcasts.

The South African broadcasting regulator found the SABC guilty of  breaching both the Broadcasting Act and its licensing conditions, as well as the South African Constitution and ordered it to end its SABC censorship decision, backdated retro-actively to 26 May.

"No-one is going to tell us what to do within organisation," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"I don't know why people want to dictate to the SABC. We are clear on what we are doing, and we still believe that we are within the Broadcasting Act," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"The Icasa ruling, we are challenging that ruling. If we need to go to the Constitutional Court, that is where the matter will end," said a defiant Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"We are not going to change anything. You must forget," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng at Monday afternoon's hastily convened SABC press conference that was interrupted by a Right2Know protester who shouted "Hlaudi must go, away with censorship. Away with Hlaudi. History will judge you."

"People have been talking elections, saying SABC is not going to be fair, because blah, blah, censorship. I don't know what is censorship," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.


■ Compared with Hlaudi Motsoeneng's utterances on Monday, tho other SABC board members and the spokesperson said wildly different things - different messages about the same subject, illustrating how confused the SABC has become internally when it comes to sending a message to the press.

SABC chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe said: "I still believe that we were right [to censor SABC TV news]. And I maintain that we are right. For us it's not a blanket ban, it's just a veil. You can see through it."

"Between now and 5 days we are going to engage our legal team. If their advice is that we are going to review this matter with the relevant authorities, which would include of course the High Court or the Constitutional Court, that is what we are going to do."

"Freedom of information doesn't mean that our children, whose minds are not yet ready to digest these visuals, that we should expose them to these visuals, to grow to be hooligans and irresponsible citizens".

Mbulaheni Maguvhe said the SABC "won't retract the decision" to censor SABC TV News.


SABC board member Aaron Tshidzumba said: "Icasa is Chapter 9. It is not a court of law. It recommends issues."

"We will go to all avenues to answering this Icasa's issue. To prove to them that if they've recommended using rumours, or legal advice which is not informed by broadcasting, we are broadcasters, we're still correct on that".


SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: "You are saying we are ignoring Icasa. We are not. We are saying we are taking Icasa on review. Which is a different matter altogether."