M-Net is not moving its new local telenovela The River on the 1Magic (DStv 103) channel to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and the pay-TV broadcaster has no plans at the moment to make episodes of the series available to lower-tiered DStv subscribers.
M-Net says The River - produced by Tshedza Pictures where it's written and executive produced by Phathutshedzo Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon with Connie and Shona Ferguson as supervising producers - will remain exclusively on 1Magic as a viewing offering for a DStv Premium audience.
"It was definitely a joke. The River is not moving to Mzansi Magic, Nondumiso Mabece, head of publicity at M-Net local entertainment channels, tells TVwithThinus.
It comes after the writer and producer Portia Gumede on social media told people on Monday - that happened to be 1 April - "Great news. The River on 1Magic is being moved to Mzansi Magic. Now we can all watch it". It turns out that it was an April Fool's Day joke.
The River on 1Magic is only available to DStv Premium subscribers since it started on 29 January this year, while Mzansi Magic is available to more pay-TV viewers including Premium but also DStv Compact Plus and DStv Compact subscribers.
While the ratings of The River of just a few thousand viewers per episode over the past two months has been so-so, it's to be expected and not out of line with some other Premium only DStv channels like M-Net (DStv 101), since the premium audience targeted telenovela is only available to the smallest potential pay-TV audience.
That upmarket audience lured to tune in to the weekday drama starring Sindi Dlathu and Hlomla Dandala - although small - are however highly courted and the most sought after by advertisers, justifying higher per thousand viewer ad spot rates for the 1Magic channel.
