eVOD: With 1.3 million registrations eMedia wants it to become 'the Netflix of South Africa'.

by Thinus Ferreira

eMedia says it is positioning its eVOD video streaming service "as the Netflix of South Africa" primarily filled with e.tv's local content in video-on-demand format and that its streamer passed 1.3 million registered users with 1.3 billion minutes in watch-time.

In eMedia's latest annual financial report for the year ending 31 March 2024 it just released, eMedia says it is planning further enhancements before the end of March 2025 "to increase registered viewership and ad revenue".

eVOD - with e.tv that continues to commission and produce and release eOriginals on the streamer - competes with the South African public broadcaster's SABC+ which passed one million users but earlier this month relaunched yet again, now requiring user registration which means that SABC+ is starting anew for a third time to lure users and viewers to build a base.

eVOD that launched in August 2021 is also competing with MultiChoice's Showmax and a flurry of global streamers operating within South Africa like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and a few smaller ones. 

According to eMedia, eVOD racked up 1.3 billion minutes in watch-time by the end of March - representing 19% growth in watch-time, and now has 1 129 162 registered users. It should be noted that the 1.13 million registered users don't represent active users, the number of which eMedia doesn't want to provide.

Over 23 eVOD original movies were released during the financial year, as well as six eOriginal series.

eVOD did its first-ever live-stream event in October for the Red Bull Sound Clash and is working to introduce live-stream advertising and display banner advertisements for viewers.

eMedia says e.tv continues to "lead the group and maintains a market share of approximately 33.5%". 

This is slightly down from its 34.5% in March 2023, although it outperforms the SABC's 27.3% and DStv's32.9% market share.

Antonio Lee, eMedia financial director, says eMedia's prime time share "averaged 34.4%, surpassing both the SABC's 30.5% and DStv's 28.9%, solidifying the group's position as the largest broadcaster during both 06:00 to 24:00, and prime time."

"This marks the third consecutive year that the group has outperformed the SABC in prime time."

About its free-to-air satellite TV service Openview, eMedia says it's "another key component of the group" and that eMedia's TV channels available on Openview "consistently rank among the top 20 satellite TV channels nationwide, indicating strong performance and audience engagement".

"The group is pleased with the growing market share of its channels on Openview and further growth in audience market share is anticipated with the increasing activations of Openview set-top boxes."

Openview reached 3 428 523 activated set-top boxes by March 2024.

In its ongoing battle with MultiChoice which wants to remove a collection of e.tv-packaged TV channels from DStv - a case that is still ongoing - Khalik Sherrif, eMedia Holdings CEO, says that "there is a looming threat of the channels being removed once again".

"It is concerning that the matter of dominance seems to be overlooked in a market where DStv commands approximately nine million out of about 12 million satellite homes."

"This absolute dominance has a significant impact on eMedia's revenue as the loss of advertising revenue from the audience viewing the channels on DStv will severely affect eMedia's ability to compete and acquire quality content."

"While eMedia will continue to fight for the channels to remain on the DStv platform, urgent measures must be taken to mitigate the loss of advertising revenue. Alternative strategies will be explored to compensate for this revenue shortfall."

eMedia notes that its legal battles with MultiChoice increased legal expenses over the past year by R8.8 million.

Former BBC News anchor Huw Edwards pleads guilty to making indecent images of children, BBC 'shocked', admits it knew he was arrested.

by Thinus Ferreira

The former BBC News anchor Huw Edwards has pled guilty in a British court on three charges of making indecent images of children, according to overseas reporting.

The BBC in a statement said it was "shocked"; also that it secretly was aware that Huw Edwards was arrested last year and released on bail.

On Wednesday morning the disgraced Huw Edwards - who was the BBC's highest-paid presenter and resigned in April this year after he was simply gone and off-air for 10 months before that - appeared at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London.

Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to the charges of sex abuse images of children as young age age 7 for Category A - the most serious classification, Category B and Category C images.

BBC News reports the three charges relate to 41 images that were shared on a Whatsapp chat between 2020 and 2022. For this he was arrested in November 2023 and charged in April 2024.

These charges are also separate from other claims that were reported last year and that led to the spectacular downfall of the BBC News anchor.

Huw Edwards was suspended by the BBC in July 2023 following shocking revelations of sexual misconduct and that he had been paying a teenager for sexually explicit photos. He was hospitalised with depression shortly afterwards.

The BBC said it was "shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. We want to reiterate our shock at Huw Edwards' actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected."

The BBC in a statement said it was in fact " made aware in confidence that Huw Edwards had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation".

"At the time, no charges had been brought against Huw Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health."

"In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC. During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions."

Huw Edwards will again appear in Westminster Magistrates Court on 16 September when he will be sentenced and will likely receive a jail sentence which can be up to 10 years in prison.

How M-Net and Showmax created a jaw-droppingly amazing press drop in South Africa for season 2 of HBO's House of the Dragon: 'A premium gift that's interactive with longevity'.

by Thinus Ferreira

For the second season of HBO's House of the Dragon fantasy drama series seen in South Africa, M-Net and MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax did an absolutely amazing physical press drop, delivered by courier, to selected media. 

Here is this press drop's behind-the-scenes origin story.

Selected media, journalists and some influencers were hugely surprised - with jaws literally dropping - when a big box arrived by courier to coincide with the debut of the second season of HBO's House of the Dragon fantasy drama series on M-Net (DStv 101) and MultiChoice's streamer Showmax.

When the box was opened that the courier delivered, it revealed a glossy black-and-green wraparound with the two differentiated dragon crests and a beautiful "All Must Choose" card. 

This was already extremely creative, beautifully done, and by far one of the best press drops media in South Africa had received in many years.

The inside of the press drop box was even more astounding: A green and black chess set, with the chess pieces in a beautiful velvet bag, and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label premium scotch whisky, and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label whisky.

If there are awards for PR and marketing press drops, this M-Net and Showmax boxed spectacular and its entire creative conceptualisation and execution truly deserve to win best-in-show for 2024. 

Who exactly dreamed this up, went sourcing for green chess pieces, and thought of pairing black and green bottles of Johnnie Walker whisky for winter, all wrapped inside packaging that instantly communicates that a TV show is special, premium and high-quality content?

TVwithThinus went in search of answers about this very unique and completely unrivalled House of the Dragon press drop that was a collaboration between the M-Net and Showmax teams, with Nadine Moonsamy and Kevin Kriedemann as the PR leads for each brand.

"It was conceptualised and designed in the Showmax Creative Studio, briefed in by the M-Net and Showmax PR Teams," Tracy Kirschner, specialist: creative and marketing for Showmax Creative Studio, tells me.

The individual creative team members responsible for the idea and design are Phathu Netshivhungululu (creative and design concept), Tracy-Lynn Kirschner (creative and copy concept), Hendrik Schonken (creative concept), Karabo Makenna (creative concept and design manager), Robbie Makwakwa (packaging design) and Colin Makhubela (creative director).

Also from the Showmax PR team, Stacey Venter was very involved in this campaign.

Once the House of the Dragon press drop was conceptualised and designed, it was then outsourced to a packaging and promotions company to bring it to life.

"House of the Dragon is a global phenomenon, and we wanted our South African media partners to participate in the fun and excitement surrounding season 2 of the title," Nadine Moonsamy explains.

"The second season's narrative focuses on the conflict between two factions, captured by the theme 'All Must Choose' and is symbolised by the colours black and green. This guided the creative direction, ensuring an authentic representation of House of the Dragon while also integrating both the M-Net and Showmax brands," she says.

Tracy Kirschner explains that "Our task was to conceptualise and design a stand-out media drop that built anticipation around House of the Dragon season 2 - the next chapter in the HBO epic which would be landing on Showmax and M-Net on 17 June. The idea had to centre around the HBO global marketing theme of Choose your side".

"In House of the Dragon season 2, House Targaryen is divided over who is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. This has caused the great family to split into two factions: The Green Council, led by the Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower, and The Black Council, led by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen."

"As the power struggle intensifies, the realm - and our audience - must choose a side. To illustrate this key theme and series narrative, we came up with a press drop concept in which every element - from the packaging to the items inside - highlights the Team Green versus Team Black conflict and encourages the recipient to engage with the idea of choosing a side."

"We also wanted to ensure that everything still felt tonally and visually aligned with the world of House of the Dragon, which also influenced our creative choices."

The box design

Tracy Kirschner says the team divided the packaging design in half: one half designed in green - and featuring a green and gold version of the Targaryen sigil - and the other in black - featuring a black and red sigil

"The box was specifically created to open right through the middle - literally splitting the House Targaryen in two and emphasising the dramatic division between the two factions."

"From a logistics perspective, the box also needed to be cleverly designed to house both the chessboard and whiskies - so we made two compartments: the top layer could be removed to reveal a second gift underneath."

The chessboard

Since House of the Dragon's second season is all about political strategy, rivalry, war games and the power struggle within a royal family "What better way to illustrate this than through the game of chess?" Tracy Kirschner says.

"We thus designed a bespoke Green vs Black chessboard, representing the two Councils."

"An extra layer of symbolism connected to the chessboard idea revolves around The Queen piece. In chess, The Queen is the most powerful piece, with the most dynamic moves. House of the Dragon S2 is about two Queens - Alicent and Rhaenyra: two politically strategic, strong female leaders on opposing sides who are vying for power."

"What we liked about the chessboard concept was that, not only was it a premium gift, but it was interactive and had longevity."

"Recipients could literally engage with the 'Choose your side' theme by picking whether to play with the Green or Black pieces. The chessboard would ideally be displayed somewhere in a house or office - acting as a long-term visual reminder of the show to the recipient as well as their friends, family and colleagues."

The Whisky

With the landscape of House of the Dragon (just like Game of Thrones) being a fairly dark, moody, wintery and medieval-inspired place, as an alcoholic drink of choice, whisky fits perfectly into this world, Tracy Kirschner says.

"But beyond simply gifting the recipient with a premium whisky, we wanted to add a conceptual layer."

"We therefore decided on two bottles: a Johnnie Walker Black Label and a Johnnie Walker Green Label. Again, this meant the recipient would have to 'choose a side' every time they chose which bottle to enjoy."

"Overall, our intention was to create a press drop that really stood out and caught the recipient's attention."

"We needed a piece that would clearly bring across the message of 'Choosing a side' - choosing between the Green or Black Council in the series, and also choosing whether to watch on M-Net or Showmax."

"We wanted to deliver something beautifully-crafted and conceptual that created talkability, encouraged social sharing and was as intriguing and epic as the show itself."

Nadine Moonsamy says the press drop was executed by a local agency, Chilli Engine, who ensured that the sourcing and delivery process was seamless.

HBO's House of the Dragon season 2 finale leaks online.

by Thinus Ferreira

Thirty minutes in clips of the upcoming second season finale of HBO's House of the Dragon seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and MultiChoice's Showmax leaked online Tuesday night in yet another damaging blow for the Westeros-set TV franchise.

Tuesday night's leak that saw several clips - a half hour of content - from the upcoming 8th episode of the second season of House of the Dragon end up across social media, is yet another damaging leak for HBO that has been unable to prevent ongoing content leaks from both the latter parts of Game of Thrones, as well as spin-off House of the Dragon.

According to Comicbook.com Tuesday night's leak started on a TikTok account - blocked hours later but too late for Warner Bros. Discovery to prevent the content's spreading virally - where 14 clips were uploaded with over half watched over 100 000 times.

From TikTok the various clips were shared to both other TikTok accounts and also to X, formerly known as Twitter. Clips also ended up on Reddit.

HBO has struggled with multiple leaks over the past few years. 

In 2017, an episode from the 7th season of Game of Thrones was leaked and watched beforehand when it ended up on illegal torrent sites. Then multiple episodes from the 8th season kept leaking before broadcast.

In August 2022 the debut episode of House of the Dragon leaked online before broadcast of the spinoff series even started. Just a few months later in October the entire first season finale of House of the Dragon leaked on illegal torrent sites as well.

Game of Thrones was the most-pirated TV show of the year globally, for several years.

Africa piracy: Limitless demand for cheap content

Frikkie Jonker, director of broadcast cybersecurity and anti-piracy at Irdeto, a partner of MultiChoice Africa, on Tuesday said content piracy "is a type of global organised crime that undermines the creative sector. However, what is not often discussed is what drives content piracy. What leads people to steal content?"

MultiChoice has ramped up its efforts in tracking, raiding and prosecuting TV pirates over the past months, with more arrests to follow.

"African authorities are doing a heroic job fighting cybercrime and content piracy. There have been huge successes in the prosecution of content piracy operations," he says.

"To understand why Africa becomes a target for piracy, it is useful to look at things from the perspective of a global criminal syndicate. They will often follow the path of least resistance – and for better or worse, Africa is attractive territory."

"When it comes to content piracy, Africa has low barriers to entry and an almost limitless demand for cheap content," Jonker explains.

"In terms of penetration success – circumventing cybersecurity measures – they may achieve a success rate of 70%, which compares favourably with other territories. This – coupled with Africa's billion-strong population – is a key supply driver of content piracy."

Jonker says "where there are few consequences, the barriers to using stolen content are so much lower".

"Government attitudes, too, are critically important. Where a government sees content piracy as an insignificant issue, they are allowing the sabotage of their own country's creative and entertainment sector."

"But there are further impacts: When leading content businesses consider entering the African market, they need the reassurance that their content rights will be protected. Where a country is unable to provide such guarantees, the investments do not materialise."

"In the United Kingdom, for example, police recently arrested as many as 2 000 people who were illegally viewing streams of English Premier League (EPL) football matches. Similar cases are being pursued in Africa."

According to Jonker "Many people believe they simply cannot afford to pay for content. Entertainment often takes a back seat behind the need to put food on the table."

"To some extent, premium content is a luxury, so one can understand this perception. However, pricing innovation by content platforms has led to entertainment packages at almost every price point. Financial difficulty is no longer an excuse for content piracy."

"A content sector such as pay-TV has extremely tight margins. Up to 80% of revenue generated goes into producing and securing content. Given these margins, any content theft threatens the viability of the entire industry."

"Major productions across Africa – in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and many other countries – sustain thousands of jobs in production, performance, set and costume design, all the way through to catering, transport and accommodation. The war on piracy is a war to protect these jobs."

Private shareholders consider selling stake in Primedia - report.

by Thinus Ferreira

On Tuesday Bloomberg reports that some of the private equity shareholders in Primedia are considering selling their stake in the company.

A possible deal values Primedia - the owner of radio stations like 702, CapeTalk, 947, Kfm and the Eyewitness News (EWN) - at between $350 million and $500 million.

Primedia is owned by EP Capital Partners Ltd., FirstRand Ltd., Old Mutual Ltd. and the Mineworkers Investment Trust with Jonathan Proctor as CEO.

Also underway is Canal+'s aggressive buyout process to take over MultiChoice as Africa's largest pay-TV operator with MultiChoice's special board that approved Canal+ bid to gobble up the company that is technically insolvent.

Primedia, founded in 1994 and operational across 7 other African countries besides South Africa, has launched Primedia Studios that acquires international format rights to shows and now produce shows like Deal or No Deal SA, Wheel of Fortune SA, MasterChef SA and The Masked Singer SA for the SABC's various linear TV channels.

Primedia now also sells content to video streaming services like Netflix and Apple TV+, and recently started a sports division for advertising and sponsorships.

Adjoa Andoh criticises Netflix's Bridgerton for Shondaland's failure to properly light black actors: 'Nothing's changed'.

by Thinus Ferreira

Actress Adjoa Andoh (61) who portrays Lady Danbury in the Netflix drama series Bridgerton is criticising the Shonda Rhimes show for what she calls its failure to properly light black actors, saying "nothing's changed".

"I just want to come on and be Lady Danbury and do what she's got to do and be totally engaged with that," the actress told the Stirring It Up podcast with Andi and Miquita Oliver about the Shondaland-produced series filmed in the United Kingdom.

"The continuing conversation about lighting black skin - on every show. Nothing's changed," she remarked.

According to Adjoa Andoh, she "will now go: 'Am I blond?'" when she notices that lighting choices on set should be better.

"But I hate doing it, because a bit of me is like 'Oh, I don't want to do this, I don't want to make a fuss."

"When people say we're chippy or we're being militant or we're all that stuff, what I want to say is, 'I'm just a human being and I just want to do the gift that I'm blessed with. I want to do it in a free way like I see many other people doing."

Netflix brought Adjoa Andoh to South Africa in May to promote the third season of Bridgerton on the video streaming service where she appeared at a Bridgerton Tour event in Johannesburg that was was widely criticised by fans.

ALSO READ: South African fans slam Netflix SA's 'very embarrassing' Bridgerton Tour: 'Dear Gentle Reader, South Africa does it again, doesn’t get it right'.

Namibian Film Fund set up by Known Associates and Tulinane Entertainment to support filmmakers and bolster Namibia's film industry.

by Thinus Ferreira

Known Associates in South Africa and Tulinane Entertainment in Namibia together with Moonlighting Films Namibia have created the Namibian Film Fund (NFF) with the aim to bolster Namibia's growing film industry through providing financial support to filmmakers.

The Namibian Film Fund tells TVwithThinus that specific details regarding eligibility criteria, application processes and fund allocation timelines are still being finalised and that more information about the fund to help filmmakers will be shared over the coming months.

The Namibian Film Fund will help with financial support and resources to filmmakers at all stages of their careers.

The Namibia Film Fund is envisioned as a financial anchor to the Namibian film industry, and to try and eliminate some of the massive financial hurdles which filmmakers in the country are facing.

"Known Associates looks forward to supporting the burgeoning talent within the Namibian film industry," said Tshepiso Chikapa-Phiri, CEO of Known Associates.

"Once established, the Namibia Film Fund will provide essential financial resources and support to filmmakers, enabling them to bring their creative visions to life and share Namibia's unique narratives with the world."

Moonlighting Films, with its subsidiary Moonlighting Namibia, has over 30 years of experience in the film production industry, working on international projects such as The Woman King, Beast, Mission Impossible 8, 1923, the TV series Warrior and Boy Kills World.

Moonlighting Films Namibia will now be a joint venture partnership with Moonlighting Films and Tulinane Entertainment.

"Tulinane Entertainment is excited to collaborate with Known Associates and our esteemed partners," says Obed Emvula of Tulinane Entertainment. 

"The Namibia Film Fund represents a pivotal opportunity to empower local filmmakers and spotlight the incredible stories from Namibia."

Florence Haifene, head of the Namibian Film Commission (NFC), says "Funding has always been a challenge in Namibia, and as the Namibian Film Commission, we are excited to unlock talent, foster collaborations, and bring to life the scripts that have been lying on shelves".

"We proudly endorse and advocate for the Namibia Film Fund, a transformative collaboration between Known Associates and Tulinane Entertainment."

"This initiative exemplifies our commitment to empowering Namibian filmmakers and amplifying our cultural narratives globally. We eagerly anticipate the creative projects that will emerge, showcasing Namibia's rich heritage and diverse talent."

MultiChoice Nigeria allowed to hike DStv subscription fees as lawyer suddenly withdraws Tribunal case.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Nigeria is allowed to hike prices in the country whenever it wants after a lawyer was forced to withdraw the case he brought against the pan-African pay-TV operator in the West African country.

On Monday the Nigerian Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal allowed lawyer Festus Onifade to withdraw the case he brought against MultiChoice Nigeria over price hikes to DStv and GOtv subscriptions in May in the country.

The Tribunal initially fined MultiChoice Nigeria N150 million and ordered MultiChoice to give Nigerians one month free subscriptions. 

MultiChoice Nigeria appealed the fine and the order and the case was postponed to November. Festus Onifade then suddenly decided to withdraw his case.

"The oral application of the claimant to withdraw this suit is hereby granted. No cost is awarded," the Tribunal ruled.

Court rules former SABC execs and Hlaudi Motsoeneng not personally liable for unauthorised R2.5 million paid to musicians in 2016.

by Thinus Ferreira

On Monday the Johannesburg High Court ruled that nine former executives at the South African public broadcaster, as well as its controversial and fired former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng are not liable for an unauthorised R2.5 million that the SABC paid to musicians in 2016.

In 2016 Hlaudi Motsoeneng suddenly decided that the SABC will pay 180 random musicians R50 000 each - R9 million in total although the SABC, like now, struggled to pay basic bills and production companies for content.

Besides the R9 million cash gift, Hlaudi Motsoeneng announced that the SABC would start a music TV channel and would also do a programme about poems to showcase the work of poets - neither of which ever materialised as he kept running the SABC into the ground and further into financial disaster.  

In 2021 the SABC suddenly decided that it wanted to recover the millions the broadcaster paid to the musicians from the executives and Hlaudi Motsoeneng who signed off on the irregular payments, although the SABC knew since 2017 that the payments were not properly authorised.

The court on Monday dismissed a second bid brought by the SABC and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to try and recoup the money.

The Johannesburg High Court, in a majority decision penned by Judge Stuart Wilson ruled that ordering the money to be repaid now wouldn't be just and equitable since the SABC's claim on the money paid, had lapsed.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng was the first respondent in the case. 

Other respondents in the case included the SABC's former acting chief financial officer Audrey Raphela, the SABC's former group executive for sports Solly Motsweni, the SABC's former group executive for radio Leslie Ntloko, the SABC's former group executive for television Nomsa Philiso who is now MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, the SABC's former group executive for news and current affairs Simon Tebele, the SABC's former executive of corporate affairs Bessie Tugwana and the SABC's former CEO James Aguma.

Newzroom Afrika adds Mapi Mhlangu as latest editor-in-chief, Stephen Grootes exits Newsfeed PM.

by Thinus Ferreira

Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) has recruited the former eNCA editor-in-chief Mapi Mlhangu as the South African TV news channel's editor-in-chief, while Stephen Grootes is leaving as anchor of Newsfeed PM and The Pulse.

Mapi Mlhangu replaces Njanji Chauke who left as editor-in-chief in March this year just before South Africa's general election, after he lasted just a year and four months since his appointment in December 2022.

According to Newzroom Afrika Mapi Mhlangu will immediately "assume responsibility for leading the channel's dynamic newsroom, evolving its editorial strategy and upholding its commitment to journalistic excellence".

Mapi Mhlangu in a prepared statement says "I'm excited to be back in the fast-paced news environment and honoured to lead a team of distinguished and up-and-coming professionals".

"Considering what Newzroom Afrika has achieved in the five short years since the launch, I'm convinced there is no limit to what we can do together in the future. I look forward to working with my team to continue building on the high editorial standards that the channel has set for itself."

Mapi Mhlangu is the founder and managing director of the content consultancy firm Minsight Content Creation.

She completed an MBA dissertation focusing on the top 5 private legacy news media groups on the African continent and how they can attract funding from commercial and non-commercial sources.

Thabile Ngwato, Newzroom Afrika CEO and co-founder, in the statement says "We are thrilled to welcome Mapi to the Newzroom Afrika team. Her strategic insights and strong leadership credentials will be an invaluable asset as Newzroom Afrika continues to evolve and innovate to remain the trusted platform for credible, up-to-the-minute news, commentary and analysis".

Anchor Stephen Grootes is leaving the Newsfeed PM and Pulse strands as anchor but will according to Newzroom Afrika "remain on the platform in various capacities".

Netflix viewers slam streamer over 'embarrassing' AI recreation used in off-putting Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam documentary series.

by Thinus Ferreira

Britain's Independent newspaper reports that Netflix viewers are slamming the video streaming service for using artificial intelligence (AI) in a documentary series and for using AI to recreate the voice of the dead Lou Pearlman as narrator of Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam.

Netflix viewers are complaining about Netflix allowing the use of AI in a documentary series like Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam which was added to the streamer last week and chronicles the rise and fall of Lou Pearlman who created bands like the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.

Lou Pearlman's voice is recreated artificially and he is used as the narrator of the documentary series. 

In 2016 Lou Pearlman as the former talent manager of the bands, died in jail at the age of 62, after he pled guilty to money laundering, conspiracy and lying during bankruptcy proceedings.

Within the first three minutes of episode one of Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, Netflix viewers are told they will see digitally altered footage of Lou Pearlman, who is narrating his writing across all of the episodes.

"This footage has been digitally altered to generate his voice and synchronise his lips. The words were written by Lou in his book, Bands, Brands & Billions," Netflix tells viewers.

Viewers like Jessica Lynne says "Whoever decided to make AI Lou Pearlman the narrator of this Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam on Netflix, I hope you step on Lego. This is embarrassing."

Alexis Todd-Dinac says "the use of AI-generated voice is not necessary. Really hope this doesn't become a trend - won't be able to tell what's real and what's fake anymore".

Jerry Roe said "Tried watching the Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam on Netflix but the AI Lou Pearlman thing is so off-putting and terrible I'm not finishing it. It makes the documentary actively worse and it's super distracting. Why even bother? What's the point? Were they paid to use it? I don't get it at all".

Michael Johnson, executive producer of Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, said in an interview that the production "hired an actor to deliver those words and we used real footage of Lou Pearlman to capture his true mannerisms and body language. We hired AI experts from MIT Media Lab, Pinscreen, and Resemble AI to execute our vision".

SABC cancels Kids News Room after 20 years.

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC has quietly cancelled Kids News Room (KNR) after two decades as the only TV news programme specifically dedicated and aimed at young people on the African continent.

KNR which started in 2004 on SABC2 as Kids News with teenage presenters, was shifted to SABC1 in 2006 and then back to SABC2 in June last year.

When the SABC moved KNR, presented in a variety of languages from Sesotho to isiZulu, back to SABC2 in 2023, it said that "SABC2 prides itself on fulfilling its licence mandate of informal knowledge building through crafting content that is relevant and relatable to its multigenerational audience".

KNR targeted kids between seven and 16 "with the aim of reflecting their diversity" and the SABC said that the weekly KNR "is a prime example of how the channel continuously delivers on providing an immersive family viewing experience".

Just under a year later KNR has now been cancelled, with no similar replacement after the last episode was broadcast in May.

Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson, confirmed to me that that KNR has been canned.

"The SABC continuously reviews performance of all its content offerings and a decision has been made to discontinue the show Kids News Room (KNR). We can further confirm that the permanent staff members who worked for the programme will be moved to other departments within SABC News".

The South African public broadcaster is technically insolvent, struggling to pay producers and to commission the full volume of local content it is supposed to broadcast in various languages across its three terrestrial TV channels.  

The SABC has been on an ongoing trend of cancelling shows and recently decided to end its long-running Venda weekday soap Muvhango after its contract ran out. 

After a viewer outcry and contentious negotiations with Word of Mouth Pictures, the SABC and the production company agreed to bring a revamped Muvhango back for a 26th season as a cheaper show which will start on SABC2 with new episodes on 5 August.

Filmmaker Anant Singh and cartoonist Zapiro slam South Africa's 'censor panel' for 16LNPSV rating of documentary The Showerhead, plan appeal.

by Thinus Ferreira

Filmmaker Anant Singh and cartoonist Zapiro are slamming South Africa's Film and Publication Board over as 16LNPSV rating for their new documentary feature film The Showerhead and say they will appeal the rating of the "censor panel" early this week.

The Showerhead, directed by Craig Tanner and produced by Videovision Entertainment, had its world premiere Saturday night at the 45th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) but has been slapped with a punitive 16LNPSV rating over its content.

It means that The Showerhead - a documentary profile of the cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro known as Zapiro - will be seen and accessible by a much smaller potential audience when it's released in cinemas in September.

The FPB's 16LNPSV rating means that The Showerhead contains occurrences of moderate and possibly strong impact sexual activity, strong offensive language, nudity, prejudice, sex and violence.

Videovision Entertainment which produced the film will lodge an appeal with the Appeals Tribunal early this week.

The Showerhead title comes from Zapiro who started drawing former South African president Jacob Zuma with a showerhead following his 2006 rape trial where he admitted that he had sex with a young HIV-infected woman. Zuma said that he showered afterwards to prevent himself from getting HIV/Aids.

The Showerhead is a profile documentary of Jonathan Shapiro's life and tells his story as a liberation artist and a political detainee during Apartheid, to his emergence as a defender of freedom of expression and his no-holds-barred career as a cartoonist.

The Showerhead, through a series of interviews, explores how Zapiro's cartoons have captured the essence of a variety of issues plaguing South Africa in the post-Nelson Mandela period like corruption and threats to freedom of expression.

Craig Tanner says "The irony of a film about freedom of expression having extreme restrictions placed upon those who might wish to see it is plainly lost on the guardians who sit on this censorship panel, purporting to discharge what they consider to be their duty of ensuring that young minds are not troubled or encouraged to think".

"Suppression of The Showerhead on the basis that it involves sex and violence illustrates that the members of this panel have failed to appreciate the distinction between gratuitous depiction of such activities and use of metaphor as a creative device to explain social and political issues."

"These are, after all, cartoons that have been published in newspapers, are familiar images in the public domain, and have been the subject of discussion, delight, offence and litigation on the national stage for years."

Jonathan Shapiro says he was "genuinely taken aback and extremely disappointed when told that The Showerhead has been given a 16 age restriction".

"To describe this restriction as an overreaction on the part of the censorship panel would be an understatement. A panel such as this one, misconstruing the nature of this movie in this way is reminiscent of the kind of restrictions imposed on us during the apartheid era by the old censorship board. I hoped we had progressed somewhat beyond this."

He says "A 16 rating also removes the possibility of showing the movie in schools where my cartoons are widely used in classrooms, in exam papers and in textbooks and in a number of subjects: history, art, economics, English and other languages".

"I have often shown the most controversial cartoons in this movie at school presentations where I have encountered young people engaging in the issues raised by the cartoons. Trying to suppress young people from thinking, engaging and questioning is not only futile but, in my opinion, reactionary. I earnestly hope that the appeal board will assign a more appropriate rating."

Producer Anant Singh says "The films that Videovision and I have produced, and distributed, have always been at the forefront of telling stories that supported freedom of expression and spoke out against injustices. Jonathan has done the same with his cartoons over the last four decades".

"This rating goes against the very essence of Jonathan's work and is a threat to freedom of expression in our land. It also goes against the clear directive of our constitution.  We hope the appeal is successful and removes all the restrictions."

The FPB was asked several questions over the rating and for comment over the weekend. 

Obakeng Maimane, FBP campaign and outreach coordinator, on Monday said "We are unable to comment as an appeal has been lodged with the Film and Publication Board".

Zambia broadcasting regulator boss Guntila Muleya abducted and killed after corrupt IBA colleagues allegedly paid police for his brutal murder.

by Thinus Ferreira

Guntila Muleya, the head of Zambia's broadcasting regulator was abducted and murdered, with his killing linked to corrupt colleagues who allegedly paid for him to be murdered.

Guntila Muleya's body was found in the outskirts of the country's capital Lusaka, local media reported.

Zambia police are investigating the abduction and brutal murder of Guntila Muleya who was appointed as the director-general of Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) in May.

Guntila Muleya was abducted on Tuesday in Lusaka after leaving work at the end of the day. 

His family alerted the police after he failed to return home. According to the BBC, two bullet cartridges were found at the murder scene at Palabana NAPSA Housing in Njolwe where Guntila Muleya's body was found with gunshot wounds to his back and head.

The IBA in a statement says it is "deeply saddened" by the murder.

Thabo Kawana, secretary of Zambia's information ministry, in a statement said "I want to assure the nation on this sad development that the people involved in this gruesome murder of the IBA director-general will be brought to book".

Rae Hamoonga, police spokesperson, said that four suspects - under which two police officers and a reservist police officer - have been arrested by the police in connection with the murder. 

The police also seized two vehicles, Guntila Muleya's Pajero three guns - a an AK-47 rifle and two pistols - as well as cash, multiple knives and electronic gadgets. 

The killer is allegedly a Zambia police officer who works at the Scorpion Squad of Lusaka's Central Police and is related to a prominent lawyer, according to reports. The other police officer works at Chelstone police station.

Previously Guntila Muleya was the general manager of MultiChoice Zambia.

The Lusaka Times reports that Guntila Muleya's murder is an IBA inside job by corrupt colleagues who were unhappy and scared over his anti-corruption efforts.

The newspaper quotes a source, saying "Upon his appointment, he instituted corruption investigations in the IBA and some people were not happy. They hired someone to abduct him and break his legs so that he would go on a long sick leave".

The killers were allegedly paid K100 000 (R70 000) each. One of the suspects who hired the murderers has reportedly already fled Zambia. 

M-Net cancels Tshedza Pictures' low-rated Champions telenovela on Mzansi Magic that has ended production after a single season.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net has cancelled the low-rated Tshedza-produced Champions telenovela on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) after a single season with the last episode which will be broadcast on 31 January.

Tshedza Pictures filmed the last episode in June and was told that M-Net doesn't want another season.

Champions, set inside a football club, had an extremely disappointing debut on MultiChoice's DStv on 5 February with underwhelming viewership.

The weekday telenovela in a 19:00 timeslot also suffered because of a lack of marketing, as well as barely any publicity to bring the show and its cast and crew under the attention of the media.

In June, Champions - starring Jo-anne Reynecke, Sello Maake ka-Ncube, Tumisho Masha and Kgomotso Christopher - failed to make the list of even MultiChoice's Top 30 programmes on DStv for the month.

This is what the case has been for every month since Champions started on Mzansi Magic: It never once made DStv's Top 30 most-watched shows list since February and MultiChoice did nothing to try and boost the show's buzz and viewership with no media interaction like virtual press junkets, roundtables or interview blitzes.

Over the past six months, DStv subscribers have continued to complain, as they have since the start, that they don't like and don't relate to the story and setting, and struggle to understand and feel anything for the main characters.

M-Net's Mzansi Magic division is developing new show concepts as it looks at toning down the volume of telenovelas.

Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director for local entertainment channels, says "First to our cast, Tshedza Pictures, sponsors and advertisers, thank you for your ongoing support for Champions, and your efforts in entertaining our Mzansi Magic viewers".

"Mzansi Magic plays a pivotal role in entertaining viewers during prime time, and we continue to keep up with the latest television trends."

"We are currently in the development of several new show concepts not limited to telenovelas and fine-tuning our key returning shows to ensure that Mzansi Magic's prime time 2025 slots are well received."

MultiChoice nabs another TV pirate for selling DStv logins with more raids coming.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice has nabbed another TV pirate in Gauteng following a raid after he was caught for allegedly selling DStv login credentials and streaming devices that give illegal access to premium content.

The suspect will appear in the Lenasia Magistrate Court today.

MultiChoice says a successful raid was done in Gauteng with the South African police and police detectives from the Eldorado Park police station, as part of MultiChoice's broader efforts in Cape Town and Johannesburg to clamp down on piracy. The police also confiscated piracy equipment which will be analysed.

The suspect was arrested and charged with allegedly selling login credentials and internet streaming pirate devices, which enabled illegal access to premium content - actions in direct contravention of South Africa's Cybercrime Act.

"This raid highlights our continuous efforts to dismantle illegal operations that undermine the creative industry," says Frikkie Jonker, Irdeto director of broadcast cybersecurity and anti-piracy.

"More raids are imminent as we intensify our efforts to combat digital piracy. The professionalism displayed by the police before and during the raid was exemplary and contributed significantly to the operation's success."

Partners Against Piracy, an Africa-wide multi-stakeholder initiative, is working alongside local governments and prosecutors to fight against copyright infringement. Among these agencies are the Serious Commercial Crime Unit of the Hawks, South African Police Services and the Cybercrime Units in various provinces.

VIA claims profanity title of its lowbrow reality show Moer 'n Boer already existed, as a Tshwane council case over the same utterance could end at SA's Human Rights Commission.

by Thinus Ferreira

Media24's Afrikaans female lifestyle TV channel VIA (DStv 147) has added a new lowbrow reality fighting show with a nasty and profanity-laced title Moer 'n Boer, while the same utterance this week in a Tshwane council meeting could lead to a case at the South Africa's Human Rights Commission.

Media24's VIA bills itself as a female and family lifestyle TV channel yet decided to add a crass and extremely awfully titled new show Moer 'n Boer to its programme line-up as a new South African television reality TV low.

In this reality series, 12 South African farmers (boers) are trained by Versus Promotions, a mixed martial arts promotions company, to train as MMA fighters. Eventually they will physically fight each other in the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria.

Moer 'n Boer is produced by Versus Promotions president Janneman van den Berg with Cameron Saaiman as presenter.

"Moer" is an Afrikaans swear word, with VIA that says it has no problem adding a show with profanity in its title for MultiChoice's DStv subscribers because that is apparently VIA's type of audience.

TVwithThinus asked VIA why it is fine with Moer 'n Boer as a show's title.

VIA says "The competition already existed as Moer 'n Boer when we found out about it."

"We think it captures the essence of the show's dynamic and unique blend of farming and MMA training. The title is bold and reflects the exciting and high-energy content of the show."

Strangely, Janneman van den Berg told Huisgenoot magazine something different, saying the show considered Klap 'n Boer , as well as a few other titles.

VIA was asked if VIA thinks a show like this and language like this will reflect negatively on VIA and turn off viewers and make them switch away from the channel and its content.

VIA says "The title and content sparks curiosity and engagement rather than offence and so far the majority of our viewers enjoy content that is slightly different or pushes the boundaries".

"The show aims to highlight the strength, and resilience of farmers, and we believe it will resonate with our audience. While the title is bold, VIA is confident that the show will attract and retain viewers who appreciate innovative and compelling content."

VIA was asked who is the specific audience that VIA wants to watch Moer 'n Boer on the channel.

"This show attracts quite a wide audience, for instance people who enjoy reality TV, and human interest stories, fans of mixed martial arts who will be drawn to the unique combination of farming and MMA training as well as viewers who are attracted to dynamic, high-energy shows and are looking for fresh, innovative programming," VIA says.

VIA channel head Azelia Morkel says "Along with the rest of the country, we cannot wait to see how the farmers prepare and harvest success not only in the fields but also in the ring."

Janneman van den Berg says Moer 'n Boer "was an opportunity to establish MMA as a sport in the Afrikaans community. At first Cameron thought it could never work but he soon changed his mind when there was a flood of support from the Afrikaans community".

"The farmers loved the idea, and we were quite surprised ourselves, especially by the farmers who are tougher than tough."

On Thursday the EFF political party council member Obakeng Ramabodu during a council meeting said he "wants to moer 'n boer" because he "wants the blood of an Afrikaner".

Cilliers Brink, mayor of the Tshwane metro and a DA member, said South Africa's Human Rights Commission (HRC) will be approached over the alleged hate speech.

Mncedi Ndzawanana, speaker of the council, asked Obakeng Ramabodu to take back his utterance and to apologise for his "moer 'n boer" remark.