MultiChoice's Showmax kept Allan Sperling's exit as its head of content secret - who is now surfacing as Warner Bros Discovery's Nordics programming boss

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's Showmax streamer, struggling with an embarrassing and constant exit of top execs over the last few years, has also kept the exit of Allan Sperling, its executive head of content, a secret - with Sperling now surfacing after 7 months as Warner Bros. Discovery's group vice president of programming, networks and streaming for the Nordics.

Allan Sperling who had oversight of Showmax content production until the end of April, will now oversee programming and operations for Warner Bros Discovery's channel portfolio in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

He will also lead the development of local Nordic productions for WBD's video streaming service Max.

Showmax that continues to struggle with a highly embarrassing revolving door of top executives didn't announce Allan Sperling's exit to South Africa's film and TV industry when he left at the end of April 2024. 

In August, TVwithThinus reported that M-Net and kykNET's Nicola van Niekerk was upped as Showmax acting content boss while continuing in her role as M-Net's head of premium content and co-productions.

Even in August Showmax didn't want to say that Nicola van Niekerk taking on acting content boss duties for Showmax was due to Allan Sperling exit.

MultiChoice continues to struggle with constant instability on Showmax top executive level which is now once again losing its CEO as well just months after the relaunch of the so-called ""Showmax 2.0" with Comcast's NBCUniversal.

MultiChoice South Africa CEO and Showmax CEO Marc Jury has resigned and will exit his Showmax CEO role in four months' time by the end of March 2025.

Marc Jury was forced to take over as interim Showmax CEO besides his MultiChoice SA CEO responsibilities just a year and two months ago after the abrupt departure of Yolisa Phahle as Showmax CEO in September 2023.

Just a month later in October 2023 Barry Dubovsky was out as Showmax chief operating officer (COO), with Joe Heshu quickly moved into the role as a stop-gap measure.

In August 2022 MultiChoice lost Candice Fangueiro as Showmax content boss who decided to jump to Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video in August 2022 to head up the creation and development of local content there although that initiative crashed and burned after less than two years.

MultiChoice and SHowmax also kept the exit of John Kotsaftis a secret to the industry and the media when the founder and first Showmax CEO left at the end of 2017. 

Over all of the Showmax executive exits hangs the aggressive buyout attempt by Vivendi SE's Canal+ in France that wants to take over MultiChoice.

The erratic Showmax turnstile leadership at this point must definitely not just be a massive point of concern for MultiChoice and partner Comcast but also for Canal+ which will very likely bring and make for yet another round of executive changes within Showmax if its buyout is approved in 2025. 

MultiChoice and eMedia secretly settle TV feud over channel carriage and sports sublicensing showing

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and eMedia have secretly settled their long-running TV feud regarding both the carriage of e.tv channels on DStv, as well as the blackout on Openview of SuperSport content acquired by the SABC.

While the details of the confidential settlement agreed to in September are not yet known, e.tv's additional TV channels continue to remain available on MultiChoice's DStv which means that a channel carriage extension deal was signed.

On the sports rights sublicensing issue, if the SABC were to acquire rugby or football matches from SuperSport again - and if this is also shown on the version of the SABC's TV channels carried on eMedia's Openview - that would mean that MultiChoice has entered into an amended deal with the SABC and e.tv as well.

Neither MultiChoice nor eMedia will be able or allowed to keep the details of the part of their so-called "confidential" settlement regarding the sports sublicensing matter secret.

This is because their months-long skirmish and public fight pertains to, and involves, the SABC as South Africa's public broadcaster which was dragged into the squabble, with even Gayton McKenzie, South Africa's latest minister of sports, arts and culture, who told MultiChoice, eMedia and the SABC to settle the issue or the government will become involved.

In its half-year results until the end of September, eMedia Holdings notes that "The Competition Commission's complaint against MultiChoice South Africa by eMedia for removing eMedia's four entertainment channels from the DStv bouquet as well as DStv's preclusion of the Rugby World Cup matches from the Openview platform has resulted in significant legal fees for the Group."

"The matter has, however, been satisfactorily settled by both parties in September".

Issue 1: e.tv channels to remain on DStv

The settlement means that eMedia's long-running TV fight over its TV channels on DStv has been settled exactly two and a half years after it started in March 2022.

At the time MultiChoice decided to dump the e.tv-packaged TV channels of eExtra (DStv 195), eToonz (DStv 311), eMovies (DStv 138) and eMovies Extra (DStv 140) from DStv, following the termination of a five-year channel carriage agreement that MultiChoice didn't want to renew, opting to keep only e.tv and eNCA (Dstv 403).

eMedia then took MultiChoice to the Competition Commission and accused MultiChoice of an abuse of marketplace dominance under the Competition Act. 

MultiChoice was forced to keep all of the e.tv channels it wanted to remove on DStv until the conclusion of the case.

Issue 2: Sub-licensed SuperSport rights

On the second matter the heat was really turned up in a really acrimonious fight between MultiChoice and eMedia after MultiChoice decided to resell SuperSport content to the SABC.

MultiChoice however forced the public broadcaster to black out the SuperSport content on the SABC's version of its SABC1, SABC2, SABC3 and SABC Sports channels carried on eMedia's Openview.

eMedia argued that content that is on the SABC should be available wherever the SABC's TV channels are carried and shown.

MultiChoice argued that eMedia is "free-riding" and that eMedia "wants to broadcast content to their Openview customers without paying a cent to do so".

This case also went to court after eMedia dragged MultiChoice to the Competition Commission and the Competition Tribunal.

In response to a media query MultiChoice on Tuesday told TVwithThinus "The terms of the settlement are confidential but we can confirm that the litigation between MultiChoice and eMedia Holdings has been settled amicably between the parties".

eMedia in response to a media query on Tuesday told TVwithThinus "The issues between the parties have been satisfactorily resolved by agreement, which brings to an end to the legal proceedings between MultiChoice and eMedia. We have entered into a confidential settlement agreement on the matter. We are very pleased with the outcome."

WildEarth channel returns to DStv as CEO André Crawford-Brunt makes grovelling apology for nasty MultiChoice comments

by Thinus Ferreira

WildEarth is set to return to MultiChoice's DStv from December as its interim CEO André Crawford-Brunt is apologising for nasty comments he made earlier this year when he said he's removing the TV channel.

Seven months after WildEarth was yanked from DStv at the end of April, the nature channel will return to DStv's channel 183 and all packages, although it's not yet known whether WildEarth is getting paid or how much according to the new channel carriage agreement.

Earlier this year André Crawford-Brunt, chairman and interim CEO, went on a scathing public rant against MultiChoice, slamming the Randburg-based pay-TV operator on social media and in interviews, saying WildEarth will be removed from DStv over non-payment.

This was despite the existing channel carriage agreement that WildEarth had entered into with MultiChoice in August 2020 which wasn't one where the channel would be paid. 

MultiChoice agreed to carry and give WildEarth exposure on the DStv platform where it could then leverage that viewership to get advertising and sponsorships but André Crawford-Brunt was no longer happy with the contract.

In comments André Crawford-Brunt cast aspersions on South Africa's TV ratings system, claiming that the measurement of TV viewership in South Africa and on DStv was "archaic".

He also slammed MultiChoice repeatedly and said that WildEarth was "getting binned by a big corporate because someone sitting in an ivory tower or sitting in an office in London can make a decision that this doesn't fit the short-term goals and needs of a big corporate".  

André Crawford-Brunt also told 702 that MultiChoice "has put their head in the sand" and slammed MultiChoice for "having just increased prices" and saying "people are particularly unhappy with them".

Behind the scenes, insiders told TVwithThinus in March that MultiChoice was shocked and taken aback by André Crawford-Brunt's public outburst. 

MultiChoice at the time was only willing to comment and say that it was "disappointing that WildEarth is seeking to publicly pressurise MultiChoice into providing additional commercial support".

The pay-TV operator said that it "wouldn't comment further on this matter and wishes WildEarth success in its future endeavours" when the channel went dark on DStv.

Seven months later, in response to a media query, MultiChoice confirmed to TVwithThinus that WildEarth will now be back from December on DStv.

Asked why it's returning WildEarth to the DStv channel line-up, MultiChoice says it follows after "constructive discussions" that led to MultiChoice and WildEarth reaching a new agreement to bring the channel back to DStv.

"Both companies are dedicated to delivering unique, immersive local content, allowing customers to experience African wildlife in a truly engaging way. This aligns with MultiChoice’s commitment to providing African-centred content that resonates with audiences".

MultiChoice declined to say whether it is now paying WildEarth, after it earlier offered to pay WildEarth R6 million per year which was rebuffed. 

"The contractual terms between DStv and WildEarth are confidential. Both parties reached an agreement that benefits viewers by bringing back unique, nature-focused content to DStv," MultiChoice says.

André Crawford-Brunt, striking a much more conciliatory tone, is now apologising and says "Our transition from MultiChoice was deeply emotional for everyone involved, reflecting the genuine passion and dedication we all feel toward bringing wildlife into people’s homes".

"In the heat of this change, there were moments when things were said that, in hindsight, would have been better handled privately."

"In this regard, I express regret and thank MultiChoice for the willingness to re-engage and find a way forward. Our shared vision for connecting people with nature remains, and we look forward to exploring new ways to bring this vision to life."

Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO, in a statement, says "We're pleased to have WildEarth back. Local, African-centred content has always been a focus of MultiChoice, and the unique programming on WildEarth is one of the ways we're fulfilling our priority of delivering the best and most inspiring local entertainment to our customers." 

ALSO READ: MultiChoice: GinX gone from DStv with WildEarth set to follow.

 ALSO READ: MultiChoice wishes WildEarth well away from DStv as channel will get yanked from its pay-TV service at the end of April.

Scandal! crew member Gary Megit dies in tragic accident after moving set on e.tv's Ochre Moving Pictures show

by Thinus Ferreira

Gary Megit (50), a crew member working on e.tv's Scandal! has died following a tragic accident after the team moved a section of the set.

Gary Megit, also known as "Gaz" and "Gazza", and who worked as a vision controller, was injured this past Friday while crew members helped to move a section of the Scandal! set and was taken to hospital.

The Arena Holdings-owned production company Ochre Moving Pictures confirmed to TVwithThinus that Gary Megit died in hospital on Sunday.

Gary Megit joined Ochre Moving Pictures in 2011, and previously worked as a vision controller at e.tv, eNCA, Stark Films, as well as Urban Brew Studios.

Stan Joseph, Ochre Moving Pictures CEO, says the team is devastated by the incident and Megit's passing. This is a time of immense sadness. Our deepest condolences go out to Gary's family."

"We are a very close-knit team on the show and are heartbroken by what's happened. Gary was a cherished member of the team and will remain in our hearts forever. We ask that Gary’s loved ones and the Scandal! team be given privacy and allowed to mourn with dignity during this painful time."

Joseph says the production team of Scandal! "places immense value and importance on the safety and security of its cast and crew".

"We take the safety of our cast and crew very seriously. This was an unforeseen and tragic accident."

Marc Jury resigns as MultiChoice SA and Showmax CEO, will exit April 2025, replaced by deputy CFO Byron du Plessis from December

by Thinus Ferreira

Marc Jury has resigned as MultiChoic South Africa and Showmax CEO, stepping away at a crucial point as MultiChoice is bleeding DStv subscribers, while trying to get traction for its streaming service and waiting to see whether an aggressive buyout from Vivendi SE's Canal+ in France will get the greenlight in 2025 from South African regulators.

Marc Jury will continue to work with MultiChoice for four months until the end of March next year to help with a handover with Byron du Plessis, MultiChoice deputy chief financial officer (CFO), who will take over as MultiChoice SA CEO from December.

The well-liked and respected former SuperSport CEO who became MultiChoice SA CEO a year and a half ago in April 2023 also suddenly took over responsibilities as Showmax CEO when Yolisa Phahle suddenly left in September last year.

Marc Jury jumps to pursue new opportunities in the sports business.

Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO, told MultiChoice staff in an internal memo that TVwithThinus saw, that "Marc has decided to leave MultiChoiceon 31 March 2025 to pursue opportunities in the business of sport, a field that has always been close to his heart".

"While we are sad to see him go, we are immensely proud of the legacy he leaves behind and are grateful for the contributions he has made to the business. Marc has held key leadership roles, including CEO of SuperSport and most recently, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa and Showmax."

Byron du Plessis has been with MultiChoice for 13 years.

"As MultiChoice SA CEO Byron will focus on driving growth, enhancing execution, and fostering a winning culture for the South African business and its integrated product suite," says Calvo Mawela.

"His leadership will continue to prioritise localised go-to-market strategies, further strengthening out customer-centric approach. Byron will continue to support MultiChoice CFO Tim Jacobs on key strategic projects at group level but his primary focus will be on the South African business."

"While this is a bittersweet moment for us as we bid Marc farewell, we are confident in Byron's ability to build on this legacy and take MultiChoice to even greater heights."

White is the new black: MultiChoice's next DStv Explora Ultra will be white and likely voice-controlled

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice decided to leak a first look of its next DStv Explora Ultra decoder which will be white - a first-ever in this colour - together with a brand new form factor for its top-end decoder that is another radical departure from previous versions.

The 4th generation DStv Explora Ultra also has a completely redesigned remote control, likely AI voice-controlled, similar to what overseas pay-TV operators have been offering their subscribers the past few years.

Taking its design cues from Sky in the United Kingdom's "Sky Q box" decoder, the new DStv Explora Ultra box doesn't have a market release date yet although it will be rolled out to consumers within months.

MultiChoice included the first look at its latest DStv Explora Ultra decoder in its 2024/2025 half-year financial results documentation for investors. MultiChoice declined to comment on various questions TVwithThinus asked last week about this to-be-released decoder.

The new DStv Explora Ulta decoder unveiling is similar to June 2020 when MultiChoice showed investors in its financial presentation that it was going to add both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as third-party streaming apps to its DStv Explora Ultra, after which it later did so.

The next generation DStv Explora Ultra decoder will be the latest hardware release from MultiChoice and takes the place of the much-hyped DStv Glass - a customised version of Comcast's Sky Glass for South Africa that MultiChoice planned to release here but scuppered because of its worsening financial position.

Initially, Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO in September 2022 announced that DStv Glass - a proprietary smart TV set with a built-in DStv decoder - would launch in South Africa in 2023. 

In May 2023 this was suddenly pushed out by two years.

In June this year Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice chief financial officer (CFO), told me that DStv Glass is dead - one of the victims of the financially stretched pay-TV operator's drastic cost-cutting measures coming as MultiChoice awaits an aggressive buy-out by France's Vivendi SE's Canal+ to help it fight against Netflix's streaming proliferation in Africa.

The latest DStv Explora Ultra decoder is inscribed with a Norman window design on top, a brand design flourish that MultiChoice adopted two years ago. 

The Norman window, in grey, also appears on the right of the decoder front-face and inside it, the word "DStv". 

The words "Ultra decoder" appear on the decoder front-face on the left.

The DStv Explora Ultra does away with the black plastic grate design in exchange for a smooth white plastic surface, a grey bottom-third base, and a thin grey trim around the top border. 

The decoder's form factor is a rectangle with rounded corners, very similar to the Sky Q box. 

Sky has what it calls a Sky Q Booster box, an extender to help with a better and amplified Wifi signal in the home. The new DStv Explora Ultra looks 90% similar to this white box. 

Sky New Zealand's latest new decoder box is now also white and also looks similar - and now also has a white remote control.

The new DStv Explora Ultra is the first white DStv decoder line ever from MultiChoice. 

MultiChoice's previous DStv decoders were black, its first PVR decoder line was metallic silver, and it also made one very rare, golden decoder. 

This 24-carat gold-plated M-Net decoder was made in 1993 to celebrate M-Net's millionth decoder and is part of MultiChoice's corporate museum.

Remote control with voice control

The new DStv Explora Ultra remote control represents a somewhat shocking and eye-popping departure from the "half-banana oval" black shape shipped with DStv decoders up until now, with the next generation remote control switching to white.

The new white remote control has a reduced number of buttons.

The white remote control is very much similar to the design of the Sky Q remote control - even having a dedicated blue button directly underneath the grey circle omni-directional arrows and "Enter" button.

On the Sky Q remote control this blue button is pressed to activate voice control AI and to give voice commands to the decoder like "Find Sky News", "Go to movies", "Tune to channel [channel number]", "What should I watch?",  "Open my recordings", "Take me to Catch Up" and multiple others.

Since MultiChoice and Comcast's Sky are Showmax 2.0 IT partners and worked on DStv Glass until its rollout was abruptly canned, it's clear that MultiChoice decided to go the Sky Q route with its next top-line decoder and remote control design.

While Sky Q has the functionality of pressing the "Q" button on the front-face of the decoder to find a lost remote control that will then beep for30 seconds, it doesn't look like this functionality will be included with the new DStv Explora Ultra that doesn't have a pressable button on the front-face.

Like the existing DStv Explora Ultra (its latest version in this range is 3B), the newest version will allow the recording of hundreds of hours of TV, give access to live linear and on-demand library content, as well as access to other video streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.

In its latest half-year financial results MultiChoice said that DStv decoder sales increased 46%.

The Expanse creators developing The Captive's War sci-fi series for Amazon Prime Video under their new Expanding Universe content banner

by Thinus Ferreira

The team behind The Expanse science fiction series on Amazon Prime Video is developing a new science fiction series with Amazon MGM Studios based on The Captive's War book trilogy in which prisoners in a galaxy of civilisations destroy the totalitarian society from within.

The new multiplatform content company, Expanding Universe, has a development deal in place at Amazon MGM Studios and is developing The Captive's War into a TV series.

The first book in The Captive's War trilogy, The Mercy of the Gods, was launched in August.

Expanding Universe is led by showrunner Naren Shankar, director Breck Eisner and novelists and screenwriters Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck who publish under the pen name James S.A. Corey.

The Captive’s War is set in a distant future of galactic empires and alien civilisations. 

It is inspired by the Bible book of Daniel and follows a group of prisoners "who rise from the ashes of catastrophe to destroy their conqueror's society from within. It is an epic tale about the transformative power of individuality in a totalitarian world". 

The Captive’s War is executive produced by Naren Shankar, who also serves as writer and showrunner; Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, who will also write; as well as Breck Eisner, who will also direct. 

The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios. 

"Expanding Universe is focused on developing sci-fi narratives with sweeping world-building and elevated storylines, geared toward multi-platform expressions in filmed entertainment, gaming, and publishing. The Captive’s War is a perfect launchpad for our model," says Breck Eisner.

Naren Shankar says "On The Expanse we built a deep, immersive universe filled with great characters and intense, emotional stories - on a budget that wasn't insane. And now we're bringing that expertise to new storytelling universes and platforms".

Ty Franck says "The Expanse was originally created to be a video game, then it became an RPG, then a novel, then a show and then a couple of video games. In a way, it was a roadmap for how Expanding Universe is developing projects now."

Daniel Abraham says "Our track record has already attracted some exciting material: original features, adaptations by other novelists' work, and even legacy IPs, which would be a blast to reimagine in a modern context. In success, we have the opportunity to bring a new generation of science fiction to the screen."

4-episode documentary Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story coming to Amazon Prime Video on 5 December

by Thinus Ferreira

A 4-episode documentary series, Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story will be released on Amazon Prime Video on 5 December, looking beneath the veneer of the neon-hued world of Lisa Frank Inc. - a brand that defined girlhood for a generation only to seemingly disappear overnight.

"Behind the rainbows and psychedelic illustrations, Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story unravels a nostalgia-soaked, stranger-than-fiction tale that takes us into the hidden world that has been lurking at the heart of the company for decades," Amazon Prime Video says.

Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story features never-before-seen footage and over 20 interviews with Lisa Frank Inc. insiders, enthusiasts, and journalists.

The series is produced by Maxine Productions, a part of Sony Pictures Television. Executive producers for Maxine Productions are Mary Robertson and Lisa Kalikow. Arianna LaPenne is director and co-executive producer.

Class-action lawsuit against Netflix over botched 'unwatchable' Jake Paul and Mike Tyson live-stream fight

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix has been taken to court in a class-action lawsuit over the video streaming service's "unwatchable" and botched live-stream fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson that the streamer claims over 60 million users tried to watch on Sunday morning.

Ronald "Blue" Denton of Florida in the United States, has filed a lawsuit, according to media in the United States, seeking unspecified monetary damages and class-action status on behalf of all Netflix users who were affected by the streamer's botched live-stream.

According to Ronald Denton, Netflix was "woefully ill-prepared" to do the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight.

Thousands of people worldwide, including South Africa, complained that they couldn't watch it and joked about Netflix's buffering and live-stream implosion which was also marred by other technical mistakes and problems.

According to the lawsuit "60 million Americans were hyped to see 'Iron' Mike Tyson, 'The Baddest Man on the Planet' versus YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul. What they saw was The Baddest Streaming on the Planet".

"Netflix customers experienced massive streaming issues and should have known better because it’s happened before," the lawsuit states.

It is in reference to April 2023 when Netflix did its first major live event which was a Love Is Blind reunion live-stream which suffered massive delays due to various technical problems.

It only became available on Netflix 19 hours later as a recording.

According to the lawsuit, "there were over 100 000 people complaining online with boxing fans, along with the average American who wanted to see a legend in what would most likely be his last fight, but faced with legendary problems, including: no access, streaming glitches and buffering issues".

"Instead of providing the programming its viewers pay for every month, Netflix was completely unprepared and unable to fix the issues."

Many South Africans complained about Netflix's crashed stream.

Anele Mdoda told Netflix South Africa "I'm sending you okes my subscription money in phases next month. Going to buffer it across the month".

Peter Ndoro said "Unbelievable! Netflix sets up this big fight Tyson Paul and doesn't prepare for the huge online demand and now we are struggling to see it.What a mess!! Netflix, stick to movies!"

ALSO READ: 'Unwatchable': Down and out Netflix crashes - Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight live stream attempt marred with buffering, sound and technical problems

Wie word ’n miljoenêr? finally gets R1 million winner as George flower farmer Herman Bosman (47) answers all 15 questions correctly: 'Now I can always boast I was kykNET's first winner'

by Thinus Ferreira

The Afrikaans version of Sony Pictures' Who wants to be a Millionaire? finally produced a R1 million winner when the George flower farmer Herman Bosman (47) on Wednesday night became the first South African to answer 15 questions correctly to go home with the big prize in the 4th episode of Wie word ’n miljoenêr? on kykNET (DStv 144).

He used his final lifeline – a call to his mother Vida Bosman (75) – who helped him with the correct answer in the 12th episode of the show's fourth season on Wednesday night.

The question he had to answer was "Which relic, preserved in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, remained intact after the 2019 fire?" with his mom who told him it's "the crown of thorns".

Herman Bosman is a flower farmer in George with his partner Anthony Rau and became the first Afrikaans winner of Wie word ’n miljoenêr?.

Herman Bosman is a nuclear engineer who studied chemical engineering at the University of Pretoria and completed his PhD at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Herman Bosman says it was the first time he entered for Wie word ’n miljoenêr? after his dad told him about the show.

"I decided to give it a shot at the last minute just before entries closed because a little extra cash is always welcome."

"I had to answer a few general knowledge questions. I must have done well because the production team contacted me within a few days for an online video interview, where I answered more general knowledge questions. After that, they informed me I'd be a contestant on episode 12, the penultimate episode of the season."

Herman Bosman says he has loved general knowledge and quiz competitions since school.

"During holidays, I'd take my Trivial Pursuit cards to my uncle and aunt's farm in Morgenzon and read through them. I was on my high school's quiz team at Richards Bay High, which won the interschool quiz competition in Zululand around 1993."

"In Grade 11, I entered a quiz show for schools on Afrikaans radio (the predecessor of RSG). My mom even drove me to the SABC studios in Durban one afternoon after school to participate. I was eliminated in the first round, but at least the guy who beat me went on to win the entire competition."

"I still remember one of the questions – guessing the name of a famous person based on clues. The answer was Johnny Clegg, but I was just a second too slow on the buzzer. Even 30 years later, I'm still a little bitter about it."

Herman Bosman says in the weeks leading up to the show, he watched a lot of documentaries to sharpen his general knowledge.

"I was nervous about my knowledge of sports, so I focused on that as well. Since it was an Olympic year, I brushed up on South Africa’s history at the Games – and sure enough, I got a question about it on the show."

He says he was conservative with his lifelines, saving his "Phone a Friend" for the final question.

"I included my mom as one of my Phone a Friend contacts, and I had a feeling this was the kind of thing she would know."

"I was also prepared to walk away with R500 000 rather than make a wild guess. But when she said she remembered something about a crown, I was certain she's right."

Herman Bosman says a question about the name of the helicopter on Mars almost stumped him.

"All four options sounded similar. I used my 50/50 lifeline and, thankfully, was able to choose correctly between the two remaining answers."

He says his love for reading comes from his mom.

"She never came back from the library with just one book – it was always a whole stack. And she remembers everything: books, music, names, dates. After the show, I realised this was a real family effort. My dad encouraged me to apply, and my mom helped with the million rand question."

Herman Bosman says "The million rand is, of course, incredible, but honestly, the best part was getting all the questions right".

"I'm very competitive with these kinds of contests, and now I can always boast that I was kykNET's first million rand winner". 

He says the money will go into their farm and flower business.

"We have more plans than we have money for. So, we'll need to think carefully about where to start. But the farm bakkie has already been bought shortly after the recording of the show, and so far, it's driving like a dream!"

National Geographic commissions new shows about planets, Pompeii with Tom Hiddleston, Princess Diana and finding the real Nemo

by Thinus Ferreira

National Geographic (DStv 181) has commissioned a series exploring the legacy of Pompeii with Tom Hiddleston, finding the real Nemo clown fish, exploring the planets and has cancelled Life Below Zero, The Incredible Dr Pol and Dr Oakley Yukon Vet.

"These new unscripted series epitomise everything National Geographic stands for - bold, captivating storytelling rooted in world-class research and expertise," says Tom McDonald, executive vice president of global unscripted and factual content, at National Geographic.

"Whether it's the cutting-edge innovation of The Real Finding Nemo, the storytelling panache of Surviving Pompeii, the sweeping ambition of Meet the Planets, or the unparalleled access in Diana: One Day in Paris, National Geographic is building on its reputation as the home of the most distinctive factual series from the very best storytellers in the world."

National Geographic describes The Real Finding Nemo as "an intimate and entertaining journey through the thrilling underwater world of charming characters where life is filled with epic drama and relatable life situations".

"Inspired by Pixar's smash hit film, this series will immerse viewers in the intricate dynamics of life on the reef and beyond as the underwater citizens engage in friendship, deception, romance, and resilience."

"From Freeborne Media along with the world's best underwater cinematographers, our ocean characters will transport viewers into the world below with themes that are relevant to sea creatures and human creatures alike. Dive into a clownfish's epic quest, the unpredictable danger-filled 'drop-off', and experience the everyday jobs that keep Reef City alive like any thriving metropolis in the human world."

The Real Finding Nemo is produced by Freeborne Media with James Honeyborne as executive producer.

Tom Hiddleston brings his passion for ancient history to life in Surviving Pompeii, produced by Plimsoll Productions.

Tom Hiddleston leads a groundbreaking historical exploration "that immerses audiences in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD and the hauntingly preserved Roman city it left behind".

National Geographic describes the series as "a creatively ambitious meld of documentary and drama on a journey into the past that is still echoed in the present".

"Tom Hiddleston, who studied Classics at Cambridge University and is a dedicated enthusiast of ancient history, embarks on a detective-like quest, breathing life back into the lost voices of Pompeii's people."

Each episode uncovers real stories hidden for centuries, revealing the everyday life of 2000 years ago.

"Through richly emotional narratives, Tom Hiddleston unveils a remarkably modern city and brings to light the lives of ordinary Romans - not just the elite - showing how their resilience and choices still echo in our world today."

For Plimsoll Productions, Grant Mansfield, Alan Eyres, Helen Flint and Tom Barbor-Might are executive producers. 

Meet the Planets is produced by Maximum Effort and BBC Studios Science Unit, with Andrew Cohen as executive producer at BBC Studios Science Unit. 

It is an astronomy series that "brings the galaxy's most famous family to life, with the sun as the matriarch, surrounded by her unruly planetary children".

Diana: One Day in Paris from 72 Films is a three-part documentary series exploring the tragic death of Princess Diana on the 30th anniversary of that fateful paparazzi car chase through a Parisian motorway tunnel. 

Produced by the team behind 9/11: One Day in America and JFK: One Day in America, the series will use the One Day In...  franchise's trademark present-tense approach that bypasses conspiracy theories in favour of factual accuracy. 

National Geographic says it will "uncover new insights using rare archives and interviews with witnesses who have never spoken publicly. This landmark series will look at the 24 hours before and after Diana's death in forensic detail and follow the story through to her funeral one week later when the world mourned the passing of an icon".

Comcast to announce it's getting rid of its NBCUniversal pay-TV channels carried by internationals like MultiChoice's DStv

by Thinus Ferreira

The Wall Street Journal reports that Comcast on Wednesday will announce it is dumping its set of NBCUniversal pay-TV channels like E!, MSNBC, CNBC, Universal TV, Studio Universal, DreamWorks and others with many carried by international pay-TV providers like MultiChoice's DStv across Africa.

According to the newspaper, Comcast is set to announce several leadership changes as it spin-off these legacy pay-TV channels which used to be the golden goose for companies but are now being discarded in favour of streaming.

Comcast's coming announcement is another visible signal - and admission - of traditional linear television's decline in the streaming age.

Comcast will retain its NBC broadcast network but dump its set of NBCUniversal pay-TV channels, which are still profitable for now but are no longer seen as having any future growth value or being an asset to Comcast's balance sheet. 

Once highly sought-after during the rise of pay-TV, these channels are now all in decline as the number of pay-TV subscribers continues to fall.

Mark Lazarus, NBCUniversal Media Group CEO will apparently be the CEO of the new company.

Comcast bought 51% of NBCUniversal in 2011 and two years later the whole of it in 2013 in a buyout.

Comcast jettisoning its legacy linear pay-TV channels has big implications for MultiChoice which not only carries several of these linear pay-TV channels, but is also buying and sharing its content as part of a joint venture in its Showmax 2.0 video streaming service.

It's not yet clear how NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer, distributing channel like E!, Universal TV, Studio Universal and Telemundo, will realign. 

Possible branding and name changes - or channel closures - for channels like Universal TV and Studio Universal - might also be in the future since they will no longer be a part of NBCUniversal, in the same way "Fox" was eventually removed from everything, from studios to channel names, after Disney bought over Fox.

The content offering across NBCUniversal's pay-TV channels has weakened considerably over the past few years as NBCUniversal has cut back on budgets for keeping programming line-ups of these traditional pay-TV channels strong - redirecting money and budgets to making content for streaming and for instance its Peacock streamer.

The effect of weaker pay-TV channels has an impact on traditional pay-TV services like MultiChoice, with DStv subscribers noticing the decline of the value on these channels with less original content, less good content, more repeats and more zombified TV channels that have less to watch that what they had to offer years before.

On 31 October during Comcast's third quarter investors' call, Mike Cavanaugh, Comcast president, said "There are a lot of questions to which we don't have answers, so we want to do the work".

"I think the idea of playing some offense when you combine the balance sheet strength that we have, the assets we have, and the management team we have, there may be some smart things to do, and we want to study that."

"We are now exploring whether creating a new well-capitalised company, owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks, would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the changing media landscape and create value for our shareholders."

"We are not ready to talk about any specifics yet, but we’ll be back to you as and when we reach firm conclusions."

UPDATE Wednesday 20 November 2024 3pm: It's official.

Comcast announced that it is getting rid of its NBCUniversal pay-TV channel portfolio getting bundled into a new spin-off company, for now called SpinCo.

"As a standalone company with these outstanding assets, we will be better positioned to serve our audiences and drive shareholder returns in this incredibly dynamic media environment across news, sports and entertainment," Comcast says in a statement.

"When you look at our assets, talented management team and balance sheet strength, we are able to set these businesses up for future growth," says Brian Roberts, Comcast chairman in the statement.

"With significant financial resources from day one, SpinCo will be ideally positioned for success and highly attractive to investors, content creators, distributors and potential partners."

Streamer unveils global programming for 2025 at Netflix International Showcase including French Love Is Blind, more Physical 100 and Shah Rukh Khan series from India

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix held its first ever Netflix International Showcase in Los Angeles for its non-English global content, announcing a raft of new international content coming in 2025 and that its next live-streamed event would be two American NFL games on Christmas Day, including Beyonce's halftime show during the Houston vs Baltimore game.

"Many people assume that the easiest way to program for such a huge audience is to make global hits that everyone can enjoy. Once in a rare while, that’s the goal, but mostly it’s not," Bela Bajaria, Netflix chief content officer, told the media.

Netflix is doing another localised version of Love Is Blind, Love is Blind: France which will be released in 2025 and be Netflix's 11th version of the show.

Reality series Physical 100 has been renewed for a third season, entitled Physical 100: Asia, and will now have contestants from across Asia.

India's Shah Rukh Khan is doing an as-yet-untitled series for Netflix set inside Bollywood, produced by his Red Chillies Entertainment.

"Set against the backdrop of the film industry, this multi-genre project promises an audacious, unabashed, entertaining ride through the adventures of a charming, ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood," is Netflix's description of this series.

"This series blends a high-stakes narrative with self-aware humour, featuring blockbuster cameos and larger-than-life characters for an unforgettable, tongue-in-cheek take on Indian cinema."

In Italy Netflix produced The Leopard, One Hundreds Years of Solitude (pictured) in Colombia, Senna in Brazil, as well as The Last Samurai Standing in Japan.

From Spain comes El Refugio Atómico and Alcatraz (docuseries), with the second season of Squid Game from South Korea that will be released on Netflix on 26 December.

Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight from France is a limited animated family series. Atrapados is a limited crime drama series from Argentina and Celda 211 from Mexico tells the story of a human rights attorney who gets trapped in prison during a riot.

Germany's The Empress gets a second season.

Asian series on Netflix that have been renewed for further seasons include Japan's Alice in Borderland for a third season, India's Delhi Crime getting a third season, Kuwait's The Exchange getting a second season, as well as India's Heeramandi and Rana Naidu both getting second seasons.