DStv dumps the [ED] educational and documentary channel from Kagiso Media's Urban Brew Studios after 3 years following disappointing viewership.

MultiChoice is dumping the [ED] educational and documentary channel from its DStv and GOtv satellite pay-TV platforms in South Africa and across Africa after three years, following a lackluster performance from the Urban Brew Studios produced and packaged channel.

DStv will shut [ED] (DStv 190) down at midnight at the end of this month at midnight on Wednesday 30 November - just shy of three years on the air since it launched on 10 December 2013.

The shuttering of the [ED] channel follows MultiChoice's removal of channels from DStv like AMC, BET2, CBS Action, CBS Drama and True Movies over the past year and terminating the M-Net Movies Comedy, M-Net Movies Family and M-Net Movies Romance channels all as part of ongoing content consolidation plans.

[ED], the first channel owned by Kagiso Media's Urban Brew, at launch in 2013 touted that it would be a locally packaged educational channel specialising in "high-end" international and local documentaries and educational TV content.

After a year on air, in December 2014, [ED] announced a revamp in its offering with a raft of locally-produced series and new faces to anchor its local content offering, but it didn't help lift viewership.

[ED] struggled to gain traction and viewership despite being made available beyond South Africa on MultiChoice's GOtv platform across Africa and is now being axed after MultiChoice decided not to renew the contract.

Since [ED] is not available on eMedia Investment's OpenView HD platform from Platco Digital or StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media's (ODM) StarSat, the termination of the channel on DStv means its shutting down completely.

It means the end of locally produced programming like the well-received Ayanda's Fashion House, and shows like the technology programme EDGE, The Criselda Dudumashe Show and #myopinion, while [ED] since 2015 also started covering and bringing viewers a unique first-hand look at South African film festivals and TV markets ranging from DISCOP in Johannesburg to the Durban International Film Festival.

"Thanks to our loyal [ED] valued viewers and advertisers for their continued support over the years," says Roberto Carletti, [ED] station manager. "Through our content, our viewers have remained curious and been inspired".

[ED] on DStv covering Durban International Film Festival from 21 June with daily live interview show; will show 3 films daily including opener The Journeyman.

[ED] (DStv 190) will be doing a week of special programming centered around the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) from 21 to 25 June.

During this period [ED] through its AfricaFocs programming strand will broadcast 3 films from DIFF daily that will include the opening night film, The Journeyman, with a full day of rebroadcasts on 26 June.

Besides the films, [ED] will do a daily live broadcast from the film festival in Durban from 16:00 that will include interviews with filmmakers and film industry experts.

[ED] will show films like the powerful documentaries The Revolution Won't be Televised from Senegal, Sweden's Martha & Niki, the international arms-trade story based on Andrew Feinstein's book Shadow World and Soweto, Times of Wrath by a group of 6 Soweto filmmakers that cast the spotlight on contemporary Soweto.

Here is what films will be shown on [ED] from 21 June:

Tuesday 21 June

I Shot Bi Kidude | Tanzania | 2015

This film, shot and directed by British filmmaker Andy Jones, is a moving tale of the legendary singer's last 10 years before her death in 2013. Shot mainly in Zanzibar's Stone Town and in the UK, the movie shows Bi Kidude's musical journey. 

The Journeymen | South Africa | 2016

The Journeymen chronicles the journey of three young South African photographers, Wikus de Wet, Sipho Mpongo and Sean Metelerkamp, as they travel 24 000km in a motorhome throughout South Africa, with cameras strapped to their chests, to explore the mood and feel the pulse of contemporary South Africa..

The Revolution Won’t Be Televised | Senegal | 2016

Thiat and Kilifeu, Senegalese activists and underground hip-hop singers, lead this one-year revolution against President Wade, until his fall in 2012. But what is beyond a revolution? 

Wednesday 22 June 

Girls Don’t Fly| Ghana | 2016

Girls Don’t Fly delves into the daily routine of the AvTech Academy and tells the story of four young Ghanaian girls learning to fly.

Soweto, Times of Wrath | South Africa | 2016

Captured by a sextet of young Sowetans, these snapshots present a country whose people are angry, wearied by corruption so endemic they are blind to it. But there are those activists, young and old, that challenge social and administration ills.

Independencia | Angola | 2015

This documentary was born out of the need to preserve history and the stories of participants in the struggle for the liberation of Angola. 

Thursday 23 June

Those Who Jump | Morocco | 2016

Three directors made this frontier-set documentary offering viewers a raw glimpse into the lives of African migrants hoping to make it into Europe by scaling a barrier between Morocco and the outlying Spanish city of Melilla.

  

Action Kommandant | South Africa | 2016

The untold story of slain South African liberation fighter, Ashley Kriel. During the oppressive apartheid era Ashley was known as the Ché Guevara of Cape Town’s notorious ‘Cape Flats’. 

A Syrian Love Story | Syria | 2015

Filmed over 5 years, A Syrian Love Story charts an incredible odyssey to political freedom in the West. For Raghda and Amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and despair: for the revolution, their homeland and each other.

Friday 24 June 

Walls | International | 2015

Filmed in four continents, Walls presents eight personal stories of people who are personally affected by physical barriers.  The Mexico/USA border, the Moroccan/Spanish border and the Zimbabwe/South African border all have barriers to prevent people crossing, but that doesn’t stop their attempts. 

Martha & Niki | Sweden | 2016

In 2010 Martha Nabwire and Niki Tsappos took part in the biggest international Street Dance Competition, Juste Debout in Paris. It was the first time ever that two women became World Champions in Hip Hop. This film depicts their love of dance, each other and about friendship put to the test. 

Shadow World | International | 2016

Weapons manufacturers, world leaders, arms dealers, military leaders, and behind-the-scenes movers come under director Johan Grimonprez's scrutiny.

Saturday 25 June

District Zero | Jordan | 2015

This film tells the moving and simple story of Syrian refugees as told by their phones and memory cards.  The film takes place in one of the biggest refugee camps in the world: Zaatari, in Jordan. 

Shake The Dust | USA |2014

Shake the Dust is a feature documentary that tells the stories of break dancers from conflicted "third- world" communities around the globe who, although separated by cultural boundaries and individual struggles, are intrinsically tied to one another through their passion for dance and hip-hop culture.

Democrats | Camilla Nielsson  | Zimbabwe SA | 2014

Democrats was filmed over the course of three years following two political rivals in Zimbabwe.

INTERVIEW. Fashionista Ayanda Nhlapo on her new [ED] show on DStv: 'I want Ayanda's Fashion House to be what I didn't get growing up'.

Fashionista and TV presenter Ayanda Nhlapo, also known as Queen YaYa, just started her own weekly show dedicated to all things fashion on [ED] (DStv 190), Ayanda's Fashion House.

Ayanda Nhlapo who previously presented Corner Talks on [ED] and studied drama and fashion design, now takes the reigns with a local dedicated fashion show that will be seen in South Africa and across the African continent.

What do you want to achieve with Ayanda's Fashion House?
Ayanda: I hope to inspire and teach people through Ayanda's Fashion House.


Why do you think its important for a dedicated, local, weekly show about fashion to be on television for South Africa and Africa?
Ayanda: The fashion industry is a very untapped industry and a lot of information is only received through going to fashion school or if you're in the fashion scene.
I feel that on TV we don't really have a show that is fully about fashion, and I feel that it's very important because I could be helping someone choose their career, so something like this is definitely needed.

Will you be talking to emerging new designers or people entering the fashion scene, will you be chatting to established fashion icons, looking for new talent? 
How are you going to find the weekly guests? And who is it that you want to showcase to South Africa and the rest of Africa?
Ayanda: On the show I speak to all kinds of people, so I get to chat to different kinds of people - from students and lecturers to business experts and up-and-comers.
Especially I want to give exposure to students and up and coming new talent.
I feel that they need to be on Ayanda's Fashion House so they get to be on a platform where they get exposure and people can get to know about them.


What do you think has led you to this moment, to Ayanda Nhlapo doing Ayanda's Fashion House on [ED] and to get to this point and what do you want to be with it?
Ayanda: You know what, when I grew up I always knew that I wanted to be in fashion - whether it be a model or designer - just to be in fashion.

If I grew up watching a show like Ayanda's Fashion House, I probably would have chosen my career sooner, and I would have had an advanced fashion knowledge. So for me, I think that's exactly what I'm doing with this show.

I'm going to give back, I want Ayanda's Fashion House to be what I didn't get growing up. The show is for those people currently growing up and want to be in the fashion industry.


And your advice for people about following their dreams and their passion even when it seems impossible and difficult whether in the fashion world or not?
Ayanda: My advice is never ever give up on your dreams. If you want something, go for it and let nothing stop you.


Ayanda's Fashion House is on Mondays at 18:55 on [ED] (DStv 190), with a repeat on Saturdays.


ALSO READ: [ED] on DStv launches local weekly fashion show, Ayanda's Fashion House, with vibey fashionista Ayanda Nhlapo.

[ED] on DStv launches local weekly fashion show, Ayanda's Fashion House, with vibey fashionista, Ayanda Nhlapo as a new 'signature show'.

The edutainment channel [ED] (DStv 190) has launched a brand-new, locally produced weekly fashion show, Ayanda's Fashion House with Ayanda Nhlapo on Mondays at 18:55 as a brand new "signature show" designed to bring more edge and local relevance to the Urban Brew produced TV channel.

In Ayanda's Fashion House, with repeated on [ED] on Saturdays, fashionista Ayanda Nhlapo who previously presented Corner Talks on [ED] and who studied drama and fashion design, talks all things fashion.

ALSO READ: Interview: Ayanda Nhlapo on her new [ED] show on DStv: "I want Ayanda's Fashion House to be what I didn't what I didn't get growing up":

It's the first time since Nicky Greenwall's cancelled Style Report on eNCA (DStv 403) that South African television, in fact Africa - since [ED] is seen across Africa on MultiChoice's DStv and GO platforms in 49 countries - can tune in to a locally relevant weekly style programme with a dedicated focus on fashion.

Ayanda’s Fashion House is part of a new series of entrepreneurial concept shows rolled out by [ED] in line with the Kagiso Media TV channel's vision to be more engaging, more relevant, more local and to inspire young people.

[ED] is one of 6 TV channels that Urban Brew manages.

Each of the 13 episodes of Ayanda's Fashion House will focus on a different aspect of the industry, from the actual fashion design, to blogging, trend forecasting and fashion shows. Guests include a number of fashion industry personalities, ranging from Gert Johan Coetzee, Lucilla Booyzen, Dion Chang, Trevor Stuurman and Felipe Mazibuko to Joelle Kayembe.

"Viewers are invited to sit in on her conversations with industry experts, they're invited to boost their business savvy together with her and they're invited to share in all the insider tips that she gleans," says Trish Taylor, CEO of Urban Brew.

"Ayanda's Fashion House not only equips other aspirant designers, but will inspire them too," says Trish Taylor.

"It's all about fashion, but it's more than fashion and that's what I'm looking forward to. It's also about a very rich and compelling story so it's certainly not to be missed. Ayanda Nhlapo is a vibrant, determined and gutsy young lady who did not allow any circumstances to get in her way of fashion or success," says Trish Taylor.

"We're going to hear about her story and perseverance as well as interesting insider tips and all about the fashion industry woven into a beautiful tapestry of Ayanda's Fashion House. We're looking forward for the show going from strength to strength."

"Ayanda's Fashion House fits in perfectly with the vision of [ED]. The vision of [ED] is one of engaging and inspiring young people who are embarking on their particular career paths. So this particular signature programme speaks strongly to the positioning of [ED]," says Trish Taylor.

"I was born in Springs in the East Rand in 1991," says Ayanda Nhlapo who went to primary school in Brakpan and then to the National School of the Arts to study dramatic arts. After high school she went to study film, but wasn't really happy.

She took a gap year and joined an agency and started selling vintage clothing. "For me that's when I got into fashion and started realising my passion".

I took part in a series called Young Designers and won the third season. Those were all the signs that were leading me to where I am today. I decided to study fashion design and after that I got the opportunity to be the presenter of Ayanda's Fashion House".

"Ayanda's Fashion House is a show that gives insight about the different facets of the fashion industry. Being the anchor of the show, I'm so honoured because I get to learn so much - and I also get to teach people through interviewing guests like up and coming designers or fashion experts."

"I feel that if I grew up watching a show like this, I would have learnt so much - I would maybe have picked up on my love of fashion sooner, and I would have had advance fashion knowledge," says Ayanda Nhlapo.

"Ayanda's Fashion House is a show that is definitely, definitely needed. It's a platform for different voices - it's a platform for all kinds of voices from the fashion world".

Educational channel [ED] on DStv will show Rehad Desai's Emmy award-winning documentary, Miners Shot Down, this Sunday 3 times during the day.

Miners Shot Down, the International Emmy award winning South Africa documentary of filmmaker Rehad Desai about the Marikana massacre by the South Africa police will be broadcast this Sunday 29 November on [ED] (DStv 190) on DStv in South Africa and across the African continent.

Ordinary South Africans haven't seen Miners Shot Down since the SABC and e.tv refused to shown Miners Shot Down on the public broadcaster and South Africa's only free-to-air commercial TV channel.

Miner Shot Down has been shown on [ED] before in 2014, as well as earlier this year on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) and the community TV station, Cape Town TV (CTV).

Miners Shot Down won the International Emmy Award on Sunday night in New York in the documentary category.

Yesterday e.tv and eNCA (DStv 403) condescendingly said it would broadcast Miners Shot Down but won't pay to show it and that it would broadcast the Emmy award winning documentary "if Rehad Desai drops us a free copy".

Miners Shot Down will be rebroadcast on [ED] this Sunday 29 November at 10:55, 14:55 and 18:55.

"It's an opportunity for South Africans to tune in to a documentary that has the whole world talking," says Roberto Carletti, [ED] station manager.

"As the first channel to air the documentary as far back as July 2014, we feel it's only fitting to repeat it. There's been growing viewer demand for the documentary in light of the recent success at the International Emmy Awards."

"Heeding these calls is in line with [ED]'s vision of empowering viewers through the dissemination of knowledge."

HORRIFICALLY BAD. [ED] on DStv rivals the SABC with black screen, sound problems, manic promos cuts and total chaos as live broadcast gets totally botched.

On Thursday and again on Friday [ED] (DStv 190) the educational channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform definitely gave an education: an education in how not to do television.

After horrifically bad interruptions, blackouts, promos starting and stopping and being cut off, interviews being cut off and terrible sound problems on Thursday trying to do live broadcasts from the Sandton Convention Centre at the Discop Africa 2015 TV market, [ED] repeated it all on Friday ... and went one step further, with no sound at all.

The irony of the [ED] channel surpassing the SABC in terrible on-screen disasters wasn't lost on viewers, since the Urban Brew Studios channel was trying to highlight and focus on television itself.

Instead [ED] and Urban Brew Studios' eye-poppingly bad production, broadcast disruption and terrible production values became the story.

There was no explanation from [ED] and Urban Brew Studios for the ongoing problems and why [ED]'s live broadcast was interrupted on Friday after sound problems gave viewers a silent channel - a channel which is seen in South Africa and across the African continent on DStv and GOtv.

It's anybody's guess how many viewers were still left or bothered to wait when [ED] eventually went back to the live broadcast on Friday marred by production problems, similar to Thursday when a guest had to to be given a handheld mic and the video signal cut out.

[ED] tried to do twice daily live broadcast sit-down interviews from Discop Africa 2015 but it looked and was for the most part totally terrible and reflected badly on [ED], Urban Brew Studios and DStv broadcasting the mess of a channel.

The [ED] "live broadcast" Discop Africa shows were astoundingly amateurly produced.

It had some inappropriately chosen guests, an unprepared host who didn't seem to know enough about various aspects of television to ask relevant enough questions, bizarre breaks, starting and stopping and interrupting promos and ongoing sound problems as well as too soft sound.

Add in terrible switches between promos, recorded interviews suddenly being played as filler, as well as very poor, pixelated video quality, and [ED] looked like a poor African country's disastrously underfunded public broadcasting channel struggling desperately to find the "on" and "zoom" and "volume" buttons.

Of course the live broadcasts and interviews were about the business of television - hugely ironic given the utter, ongoing mess [ED] made of trying to cover Discop Africa 2015 with very little quality.

More embarrassing was that Markus Davies, the chief content officer of Urban Brew Studios was part of the on-air panel discussions on [ED] on Thursday and again on Friday ... while the Urban Brew Studios content being broadcast was laughably shoddy and completely terrible.

"Welcome to channel [ED], we do apologise for that interruption in broadcast, technically, we are sorted and we are back on track," said presenter Thabo Mdluli when [ED] eventually returned to the interrupted live broadcast on Friday which abrutly ended after several long minutes of zero sound.

The big irony is that if film and TV students produced this TV trash in studio for an assignment they would get a fail.

Yet Urban Brew Studios, the [ED] channel and MultiChoice produced and broadcast it for real -  atrociously badly as it is - as part of a pay-TV product that's supposed to be much, much better, but that is actually so much worse than what the SABC churns out.

Why do a live broadcast from location if you don't have the skills or are not devoting, or don't have, the resources necessary to do it properly? Why then not rather record it, edit it and play it out later?

Why are producers not pre-screening the guests for what they might talk about? Its terrible to put people on television who are not advancing the/a story, and who are not enlightening or informing or educating the audience, and who just play for time or waste time.

If you have audio, video and other technical problems, why are people not working late and actually fixing it, replacing equipment and adding resources? The same thing kept/keeps happening because the same thing will happen if you do nothing about it.

Everybody talks about how South Africa's TV biz needs to be taken more seriously. But we can't and we won't because we keep doing Kideo television.

Educational channel [ED] on DStv adds new local business lifestyle show with presenter Nthabiseng More looking at career decisions.

The educational channel [ED] (DStv 190) is starting a new business empowerment series, Turning Point on 21 October at 18:25 with presenter Nthabiseng More.

Turning Point is the 3rd local South African show with months starting with the same theme - the others are Kicking Doors with DJ Sbu on CNBC Africa, and Visionaries' Lounge on SABC2 with Ayanda Allie-Paine that started on Tuesday night.

[ED] is an Urban Brew Studios produced TV channel for DStv and is owned by Kagiso Media.

[ED] calls Turning Point a locally produced business lifestyle show. Turning Point will look at how one pivotal career-making decision changed the course of someone's life and led them on the path to success.

Turning Point will have stories from influential business people, prominent public figures, aspiring entrepreneurs, thought leaders and role models in Africa - exactly like Kicking Doors and Visionaries' Lounge.

Some of the guests on the new [ED] show will include fashion designer David Tlale, music industry stalwart Don Laka and entrepreneur Gil Oved.

"Turning Point will inspire, motivate and invoke creativity by examining the real life experiences of people who’re at the top of their game," says Roberto Carletti, [ED] channel manager.

"It will also uncover how critical events converged for each of our guests. Viewers will be allowed a glimpse into the thought process and determination required to pave the direction of their lives and careers".

Nazarene Khan appointed new TV channel manager responsible for Glow and [ED] TV channels on DStv and OpenView HD.

Nazarene Khan has been appointed to the position of TV channel manager at Kagiso Media and will henceforth be responsible for the Glow (DStv 167 / OVHD 108) and [ED] (DStv 190) TV channels on MultiChoice's DStv and Platco Digital's OpenView HD.

Nazarene Khan played a key role according to Kagiso Media in the conceptualisation, creation and start-up of Glow and has been the marketing manager of Glow since it launched in July 2013.

"Nazarene Khan will define each channel's target market, positioning, proposition, programming mix and on-air look and feel," says Kagiso media. She will also monitor audience reception of channels.

"Naz, brings with her experience from years working within the media landscape and we look forward to the collaboration within the group as well as the strengthening of current brands," says Mark Harris, Kagiso Media group CEO.

MultiChoice moving education TV channel [ED] from channel 318 to channel 190 on DStv from Tuesday 13 May.

The educational and documentary TV channel [ED] on DStv will be moved to a new channel number on DStv from Tuesday, 13 May.

[ED] that launched on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on 10 December 2013, will move from DStv channel 318 to DStv channel 190 from Tuesday 13 May.

The reason for the DStv channel number change after 5 months is not known.

[ED] which is now seen in several African countries is packaged by Urban Brew Studios in South Africa.

[ED] says that despite the channel number change the channel will continue to bring viewers "the best of global documentary television, combined with hundreds of hours of brand-new local and continental content" when it comes to informative and educational programming.