The loss-making channel from Kagiso Media was set to shut down due to the bad South African economy, but in a press statement the Nismedia Group, based in Centurion, Johannesburg, announced on 30 June that it has taken over Glow TV and will continue broadcasting Glow TV on MultiChoice's DStv channel 167, Platco Digital's OpenView HD channel 108 and On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media SA's StarSat channel 570.
Glow TV, that caters to Indian viewers and launched with big fanfare in 2013, will continue with the existing programming that has been on the schedule.
GlowTV tells TVwithThinus that "for the month of July, content will be repeated while the new owner transition. Thereafter soapies will be replaced with either newer episodes or if it has reached end of life of the series then it will be replaced with a new soapie".
Kagiso Media and Urban Brew Studios that said Glow TV's shutdown is due to the bad economic climate in South Africa and the higher cost of programming, has given Glow TV to Nismedia that amongst others own a number of newspaper publications.
"I believe that Glow TV has great potential and can continue to impact positively on the South African market," says Nazeer Noormohamed, head of Nismedia group.
"We approached Urban Brew Studios to acquire the channel from them. Our entry into the television sector will offer Nismedia a new and exciting national and international footprint," says Nazeer Noormohamed.
"Our initial decision to discontinue the channel was not an easy one, so we're delighted that the loyal Glow viewers will still be able to watch their favourite entertainment channel and the shows they've come to love," says Trish Taylor, Urban Brew CEO.
It's not clear how Nismedia plans to make Glow TV work after Mark Harris, Kagiso Media group CEO said shutting down the loss-making Glow TV is in the best interest of Kagiso.
