by Thinus Ferreira
While M-Net has kept courting advertisers with annual shindigs to crow about its existing and upcoming content, MultiChoice's blue-ribbon channel and the rest of its premium channels division hasn't held press court and presented or spoken to the media collectively in over three and a half years.
It's something that has been rankling the media covering television in South Africa, left wondering what's going on and why M-Net stopped interacting with journalists in this way.
It's been over 3 and a half years since February 2020 which was when M-Net last bothered to invite media to any kind of showcase or upfront presentation, to show and tell the media about its content and upcoming programming, to do any roving mic Q&A sessions with executives and talent, and to show sizzle reels and talk about its schedules and acquisitions.
The disappearance of M-Net's centre court get-togethers with media directly ties into the evaporation of a lot of the constant coverage and top billing press that DStv's 101 channel got in previous years - with several media that moved on and got their attention stolen by video streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and others that moved into the vacuum M-Net left as the new shiny baubles on the TV Christmas tree hogging press attention.
While M-Net has dropped and not done any upfront or showcase events either virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic or in-person over the past three years with media, M-Net has kept doing its annual showcase session with advertisers.
The latest one where M-Net invited and met with advertisers and ad buyers collectively in-person took place on 29 June in Johannesburg.
Since February 2020 which was the last time M-Net got the media together to showcase its international and latest local content slate and to take questions, M-Net has lost its entire top executive block in a massive seachange with all of the people who used to appear before the press who have moved away and on.
The highly experienced and well-known publicist Lani Lombard exited M-Net in mid-September 2020 after 25 years who was responsible for and spearheaded numerous M-Net media events and M-Net showcase and upfront presentations.
The veteran and highly respected M-Net boss Jan du Plessis had to retire at the end of March 2023 and was then snapped up to lead Primedia Studios.
Meanwhile, top-programmer and executive Tracy-Ann van Rooyen left M-Net in mid-2021 for The Walt Disney Company Africa where the media-favourite has gone on to appear and present about upcoming content in front of the collective media multiple times in both online and in-person presentations, and to take questions.
Then there's the sparkling and highly capable former M-Net exec Kaye Ann Williams who also left M-Net in the latter part of 2022 where she headed up local productions and independent films, to become the head of scripted series and movies at Amazon Prime Video in South Africa.
This institutional M-Net quartet - Jan du Plessis, Tracy-Ann van Rooyen, Kaye Ann Williams and Lani Lombard - all gone - were, together, the face of M-Net 101 in the auditorium whenever M-Net got the media together.
Journalists covering South African television and the TV industry say that they don't know why M-Net stopped interacting with the press group through collective events and haven't done any collective upfront since February 2020, that they no longer have any "feel" for or familiarity with who the top people are now running M-Net, and no longer has an accurate sense for where M-Net is or its place within the broader TV landscape.
An experienced newspaper journalist who has covered M-Net (DStv 101) and the other M-Net channels for many years told TVwithThinus that M-Net's decrease in collective media interaction and the lack of in-person events and upfronts has led to a decrease in the perception of the stature it once had.
"I believe that the showcases added so much value. Aside from helping us (journalists) keep abreast with new and upcoming shows, it also helped us with planning and we got to interact with the PR team on more than just an email or telephonic basis," the person notes.
"We knew the team and it helped us when communicating about shows. Nowadays when we send an email, we get an automated reply saying "expect a delayed response". I would say M-Net has lost the stature it once had."
"Now that things have changed and we have not been notified, it's definitely harder to plan interviews. The team does not even reach out to say if anyone is available nor do they offer press packs or transcripts of any sort."
"I honestly focus on streaming channels nowadays because information is ready when you need it. On a deadline-driven day, it is hard to wait for information."
Another media practitioner who has covered M-Net and its content for many years and was included and attended numerous M-Net physical and virtual media events previously, notes that M-Net has been seceding not just top-of-mind space but press space.
"M-Net's increased lack of engagement with the SA media covering TV and entertainment for over three years in the form of showcases and programming events is quite concerning," the journalist says.
"Engaging with the media through events like showcases is common practice in the TV industry. It allows networks to present their upcoming programming line-up, share exciting shows and create buzz among both the media and the audience. By not holding such events for the media, M-Net is losing valuable opportunities to generate positive coverage."
"During early lockdown, under the reign of Lani Lombard, head of publicity, M-Net still made an effort to host virtual events, creating buzz with promotional packs to create awareness and media involvement."
"Pushing out press releases without any form of engagement suggests M-Net no longer recogsnise and value the importance of fostering and maintaining relationships with media partners. One can only wonder what M-Net's underlying motivation are."
"When a major network like M-Net fails to engage with the media, it prevents the exchange of information, and the sharing of the network's planned programming and pipeline developments for the coming period."
"M-Net's "decision" to discontinue showcase events for content and upcoming shows, coupled with the media no longer knowing the current M-Net executives since the departure of Jan du Plessis at the end of March and Waldimar Pelser stepping into the role of head of both M-net and kykNET channels in April, raises concerns about the networks' communication strategy providing media representatives with first-hand access to upcoming content, and opportunities to interact with key executives and talent."
"Merely pushing out a press release with no direct engagement means that M-Net is missing out on valuable opportunities to generate excitement and interest in shows among the media and the viewing public."
"As a journalist, it would be interesting to understand the reasons behind M-Net's decision and underlying motivations, as 2023 specifically has seen very little, if any, drive to create excitement and buzz with media partners," he says.
"No sneak peeks or series-branded press packs to build anticipation and encourage media coverage to generate interest. One can only ask, is the future as a media partner with M-Net going to be a bleak one?"
Another longtime journalist who has covered M-Net for many years, says M-Net should at least have kept doing the same when it comes to personalised media interaction - not less - and should have kept up with the times as streamers flooded in "to take M-Net's crown".
"Amazon Prime Video and Netflix SA and Disney+ and other channels that used to be far lower in terms of prestige and press attention are seen to be doing things and constantly trying to one-up each other when they get the media together and showcase their content."
"It feels as if M-Net oddly sat back and has just let them take its crown. Isn't M-Net supposed to be DStv's 101 at the top? You wouldn't think that anymore."
TVwithThinus put the following questions in a media query to M-Net after its Disrupt M-Net 2023 showcase event for advertisers on 29 June: Why hasn't M-Net done any showcase/upfront for media either in person or online since February 2020?
It's been over 3 years with nothing for journalists in the way that M-Net used to liaise and interact with media by showcasing upcoming content, making announcements and doing Q&As. M-Net is interacting with ad buyers and advertisers. What is the difference and why is M-Net no longer doing the same with media as with ad buyers?
A M-Net representative responded to the questions by saying that M-Net is planning another M-Net showcase for media and is working on exciting and exclusive media previews.
