by Thinus Ferreira
After almost 8 years the version of the Lifetime (DStv 131) TV channel from A+E Networks shown in Africa is being shuttered at the end of May on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service following A+E Networks' termination of its channel in Europe.
A+E Networks UK launched Lifetime in July 2014 in South Africa and across other countries in sub-Saharan Africa as a female-centric brand in its stable of TV channels that once included a set of TV channels including History (DStv 186) and Crime+Investigation (CI).
At the time, A+E Networks UK executives said that they believed that there was a real gap in the market for Lifetime in South Africa as a female-centric entertainment TV channel.
Lifetime provided a mix of drama series, made-for-TV movies, scripted reality shows and factual entertainment programming, and produced some localised series like two seasons of Married at First Sight SA, Love at Second Swipe and Four Weddings South Africa.
"A+E Networks Africa is closing its Lifetime Africa channel, on both linear and non-linear platforms on
31 May 2022," says Nazarene Khan, A+E Networks Africa regional manager, in a statement.
"This follows the closure of Lifetime in Great Britain, Ireland and Malta and will coincide with the shutdown of the channel in Poland."
A+E Networks Africa says "We are proud to have brought audiences local shows such as Married At First Sight, Love At Second Swipe and Four Weddings South Africa. We have been delighted to have worked with local celebrities like AKA and Pabi Moloi."
"We thank our viewers and clients for their invaluable support over the years. A+E Networks Africa's History channel is still available on DStv and Crime + Investigation Play will remain active in the
region."
