Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:
■ SuperSport allegedly grabbed the T20 Global League cricket rights for a discounted $5.8 million.
But SuperSport on Wednesday said no deal has been signed and that it remains in discussions with Cricket South Africa (CSA).
According to reports, the initial ticket price of $10 million is lower since SuperSport has "increased expenditure" to set everything up at short notice. Cricket South Africa (CSA) allegedly also had to tone down and cut down on the costs of the tournament. Haroon Lorgat got fired as CSA CEO last week after his failure to get foreign broadcasters to sign on.
- ESPN reports an announcement will be made on Thursday and that Cricket South Africa will look to see how the cash-strapped SABC can be accomodated.
■ MultiChoice Nigeria, StarTimes and other pay-TV providers shocked at the unilateral tax relief given to new competitor TStv.
Even Nigeria's corrupt National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is dumbstruck, saying the minister of information and culture "made that announcement. He is the one that can explain better".
■ Ordinary Zambian TV viewers still in the dark about the country's failed DTT switch-over process.
Zambia was supposed to complete the switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT) by 1 October 2017 but hasn't.
■ In a world without TV, what do we call TV?
We continue to call them "TV shows" even though a larger number of programming isn't being watched on actual TV sets.
■ Ugly TV tower loses its babies.
The tallest building in the Czech capital, Prague, is without its landmark babies - now teenagers - for the first time in 16 years.
■ TV censorship alive and kicking in Hong Kong.
Censorship overdrive as words and images are censored out, similar to what is happening in Africa.
■ Local TV station, Royal TV, in Rwanda has shut down.
50 out of jobs after loss-making TV channel is closed down after just over a year.
■ Australia's other TV channels want out of its local drama content quotas.
Wants Australia's public broadcaster, ABC, to be responsible for local content and they also want to completely get rid of having to do original children's programming.
■ Entertainment Weekly is moving from East to West.
The magazine is relocating its New York headquarters and staff to Los Angeles.
■ FX's John Landgraf pens an open letter about Silicon Valley's obsession with Netflix and Apple.
"Wall Street is wrong about the bets it is not placing on the future of the strongest TV brands. People still go to HBO, Showtime, AMC, Starz, BET, Nat Geo and numerous networks for a great new original series".
■ HBO's CEO on Netflix's massive content spend: "More is not better, only better is better".
HBO says the pay-TV channel will continue to "spend what we need to spend" to keep up its reputation for prestige programming.
■ Men earn 9% more at the BBC than women.
If this is the gender pay gap at the BBC, how much bigger is it at the SABC?
