M-Net has decided to dump its youth-centric weekday entertainment magazine show V-Entertainment on VUZU AMP (DStv 103) that it believes is no longer properly aligned to the youth entertainment culture, saying the show is abruptly "going on a break" but telling TVwithThinus that it isn't cancelled.
V-Entertainment served as VUZU's flagship daily half hour entertainment magazine show since 2009 when M-Net's GO channel rebranded as VUZU, and again transitioned to the premium channel VUZU AMP when that channel launched in October 2014.
V-Entertainment, produced by Don't Look Down Productions, as a South African pop culture version of E! News, gave rise to presenters like Lalla Hirayama while providing opportunities for people ranging from Nonhle Thema and Siya Ngwekazi, Dineo Moeketsi, Denise Zimba and Shelton Forbez.
The show inflicted brand and reputation damage when a new crop of presenters introduced in April 2016 didn't gel with viewers.
M-Net told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry that V-Entertainment isn't cancelled. Yet the show is going off the air after 8 years for a break, instead of staying on-air while doing a retool. V-Entertainment will end with a "special" hour long episode on Friday 30 June at 18:00.
According to insiders, a reformatted V-Entertainment is likely to return as a weekly episode from August but definitely won't be back as a weekday show. The show that's been seen on VUZU AMP and VUZU will likely also become a VUZU AMP show only.
"V-Entertainment broke boundaries and introduced audiences to fresh new talent," says Reneilwe Sema, M-Net's director of local entertainment channels. "Entertainment culture is always evolving and we must change along with it."
M-Net said "fans need not despair though, as the changes coming in August will reflect our aim of being at the forefront of innovative entertainment".
