by Thinus Ferreira
Discovery Inc.'s TLC and Investigation Discovery (ID) channels both turn 10 years old in South Africa with special programming on both channels, with Discovery reaffirming its content commitment to the continent, saying that Africa has been an important market for Discovery for over 2 decades and that it's looking forward to the next decade.
Discovery has not yet launched its Discovery+ subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in South Africa or Africa or made any announcements that it plans to launch in sub-Saharan Africa, as Canada becomes the latest country to have Discovery+ rolled out there on 19 October.
Marking the decade-anniversary of TLC Africa and ID in South Africa, Anouska Widdess, senior director TLC and channel operations and head of content for TLC in South Africa, says that "Africa has been an important market for Discovery for more than 20 years, and we look forward to the next 10 years as we hope to continue to collaborate and engage with South African audiences".
Discovery says that TLC that ranks as the number one lifestyle TV channel on the Africa continent "remains the flagship channel for Discovery with an impressive share of 1.13%. It consistently ranks within the top 25 channels across total TV and premiere episodes frequently achieve over 100 000 viewer from our loyal viewers".
"TLC has a show for everyone; our audiences turn to their televisions to seek comfort, solutions and inspiration. Each of our viewers has an unforgettable memory, heart-warming moment or special connection with our shows and the growth of the channel has surpassed all expectations."
TLC programming
During its birthday month, TLC (DStv 135) will show viewers "2 weeks of nostalgia" from 1 November at 9:25 daily, with another chance to watch episodes of shows like Gypsy
Weddings, Honey Boo Boo and I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant.
TLC will also show Toddlers & Tiaras: Where
are they now? with viewers who can catch up with what happened to the various toddler beauty queens, who are now young women.
A new season of Theresa Caputo in Long Island Medium: There in
Spirit will start on TLC in November. Then the couples of 90 Day Fiance will have to compete with each other for the first time ever in 90 Day Fiance: Love Games.
Other "memory lane" TLC shows during the 2 weeks include Gypsy Weddings, Breaking Amish, Honey Boo Boo, Jon & Kate, Our Little Family, My Giant Life and My Teen Is Pregnant and So am I.
ID programming
Investigation Discovery (ID) is also marking a decade on the air in South Africa with 10 years' worth of criminologists, journalists, pathologists and
psychologists exploring the worst of human behaviour.
From 15 to 24 October ID will bring viewers another chance to immerse themselves in true-crime documentaries, detective shows and
stories where love goes awfully wrong, as episodes uncover some of the most shocking crimes in recent
years with a line-up of all-time favourites.
ID will show episodes from series including The Madeleine McCann Mystery, Gypsy's Revenge, Evil Stepmother, Perfect Murder, Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall, Deadly Affairs, and Crime to Remember.
