SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed quits as the SABC explains the channel's latest course correction after years of 'schizophrenia', asks producers to return, says that SABC3 is now targeting 'progressive aspirant millennials'.

SABC3 is once again rudderless after Aisha Mohamed quit as SABC3 channel head, with the SABC admitting that the multiple programming shake-ups on the public broadcaster's only commercial TV channel the past few years had failed and explaining the struggling channel's latest course correction to try and regain audiences.

"Aisha Mohamed has left us and very soon we will announce a replacement," said the SABC.

The "quality shows" SABC3 - once sought out by viewers as the free-to-air "freemium" competitor to M-Net - will now once again be charting yet another new programmatic and scheduling course to try and restore its erstwhile luster.

The well-respected and well-liked Aisha Mohamed joined SABC3 as the channel boss in March 2014 from 5FM where she was station manager. She inherited a channel mired in a financial, management and identity crisis four years ago that she tried her best to rebuild.

Unfortunately the SABC's former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng made it all but impossible, with unilateral decrees over banishing international content and demands for more cheaply-produced local content.

It led to a flurry of widely panned and low-budget content on the once-prestige channel symbolised by programming like Divas of Jozi, haphazardly introduced and badly unplanned, as part of the notorious "80/20" rule that was introduced from July 2016 on SABC3 and that saw even more viewers flee.

Internal SABC havoc saw SABC3 lose Days of Our Lives to e.tv, ratings plunge for The Bold and the Beautiful after multiple timeslot moves and viewership tumble for the SABC's flagship news broadcast, the English news bulletin, that was once the most watched in the country.

SABC3 also shocked the local TV production industry and damaged relationships with brutal and abrupt moves like cancelling multiple-award winning series like High Rollers mid-second season despite a signed contract and without explaining why. It made producers reluctant to work with SABC3.

The past few years saw SABC3 lose signature shows like Strictly Come Dancing SA and Ultimate Braaimaster to rivals like M-Net and e.tv and would announce programme acquisitions like Come Dine with Me SA and Expedition Impossible only to embarrassingly backtrack and see those shows start on BBC Brit (Dstv 120) and M-Net (DStv 101)instead. 

During Aisha Mohamed's tenure she oversaw two SABC3 channel rebrands, steered and implemented multiple programming line-up changes to try and revive SABC3's lackluster ratings, and had to weather multiple scandals - the last one being the controversy in January with Real Talk that eventually saw the departure of talk show host Anele Mdoda when it was revealed that the SABC engaged in pay-for-play after a government department paid for a minister to do a 2-episode interview on the channel.

While SABC3 is supposed to be the money-spinner to cross-fund the SABC's public mandate channels SABC1 and SABC2, the opposite has been happening the past few years with the public channels keeping SABC3 afloat. It led to speculation, that the SABC denied, that SABC3 should be spin-off and sold so the public broadcaster can concentrate its available resources on SABC and SABC2. 

According to sources who spoke to TVwithThinus, Aisha Mohamed has left for Sony Music. Her last day was last week Thursday. 

David Makubyane, general manager for TV channels looking after the SABC's three channels, will be acting SABC3 channel head for the time being until a replacement can be found.

'The problem with SABC3'

"In the past few years we've had challenges with the channel really changing too many times," said David Makubyane.

"There was this 80/20-rule where there was an introduction of local content for the channel. Once again the schedule had to change. At the time Aisha Mohamed was the head of SABC3. The issue with SABC3 a lot of the times has been the schizophrenia around the channel - people are saying what does it stand for?" said David Makubyane.

"Even if SABC3 stands for a certain position, when you switch on, you find that the content doesn't quite reflect what you're talking about. And one of the things that we want to do is to change that perception - and we want to do that with content that actually says that."

"So we don't want to say verbally, we want SABC3 to speak for itself. When I joined the SABC at the beginning of this year, I went through the whole content with the team, looking at what does it mean when we talk about 'The stage is yours' [SABC3's current slogan], looking at the content on this channel."

"What do we do to actually make sure that the content actually speaks to what the proposition of this channel is? And I found actually, that when we went through the research, and looked at the target audience that SABC3 wants to speak to, that target audience is there."

"The problem with SABC3 is that for many years I think that SABC3 had a hole because the industry wasn't that big. Ten years ago we had SABC1, SABC2, we had e.tv and DStv and now the likes of Mzansi Magic, we've got Netflix, we've got over-the-to (OTT) platforms. The competition at the time was not that big," said David Makubyane.

"So SABC3 could afford to have international programmes, first-run programmes and have an audience that doesn't have pay-TV but will be able to access it."

"But as time went on, around 2010, there was the unbundling of bouquets from MultiChoice, Randburg's acquisition of local sports, so that's when SABC3 I think started to almost lose identity. A lot of audiences that SABC3 was targeting could now afford pay-TV and in this day and age we now have people even moving from pay-TV and getting into the likes of the Showmax and Netflix and so on."

SABC3 now for 'progressive aspirant' millennials

"So currently what we're saying with SABC3, based on the research, is that there is an audience. There's an audience that we are not catering for on SABC1 that's a youth channel. There's an audience we cater for on SABC2 that's the family. But then on SABC3 there are these new millennials - there are these South Africans that are trying to also get content, quality content, that's original."

"They also don't want to watch a programme for the same of 'bubblegum-dance' and so on. They want to engage with the content and they also don't necessarily want to spend too much money. There is an audience as well that is aspirational, that's progressive."

"That's why we say SABC3 is now for the progressive aspirant - that's the target audience. And it's not necessarily based on race. It's not necessarily gender or colour."

"We need to grow with our audiences, move to a stage where we no longer just talk about black or white. We've got this millennial, but not an international millennial. So we go into the psychographics of what does this individual want."

"They want to grow, they're concerned about themselves, they're concerned about their family. They're quintessentially South African, they're proud to be South African but they're very globally inclined. They're globally in touch."

"So what drives them is new technology, lifestyle. They aspire to travel. So it's all of these things that will inform the content that you will see on SABC3 as we move forward, and we would like to talk to that audience."

"The SABC3 audience epicentre is around 30," said David Makubyane. "We're talking to the person who believe that they can achieve whatever."

SABC3 to production companies: Come back to us

"We want to reset the agenda on this channel and move South Africa to the next stage and move away from the typical box and ghetto-ising of audiences. When we say 'the stage is yours' we're saying to production companies, we're saying to those who have licensed products - we're saying to everyone who's got content - we're saying this is also your stage," said David Makubyane.

"Over and above it being a public broadcaster, we really need to make it your stage. So we're going to look at ways of and models of getting content on SABC3 that are not standard. So the pre-sale models, sponsorships - we want to sell out blocks to commercial entities."

"We want to be able to say when we say 'the stage is yours' it needs to be real. You can literally come on SABC3 and own a piece of the channel and feel reflected but within that aspirational, progressive, lifestyle type."

More international content on SABC3 again

'With the financial situation we are in, we need to balance our SABC3 schedule - and that's just the reality - especially SABC3," said David Makubyane.

"So we will be pushing international content slightly up but that's not forever, that's just to make sure that we build back our audiences. As time goes on we really want quality content that is the line to the international content."

"We need to be able to have the budget that will speak to that type of [quality local content]."

"Moving forward we're also going to try and retain the timeslots, just so we can grow habitual viewing on SABC3."

"So we don't want to change the schedule for at least the next two years. Yes, we want to introduce new programmes, but we want to make sure that our 19:30 slot remains stripped for reality, 20:30 is magazine. We've got our 21:30 Thursday night, Friday night - those are the dramas."

"Top Billing is still on. Survivor [Cambodia] is coming back. We've also got a new Top Gear. So there's great content that's coming on SABC3. We really want to make sure that we deliver to this proposition and this is just the beginning."

"By the end of next year - when Aisha left I said to her - it's such a pity because I believe that 12 months from now, SABC3 will be complete and all the slots should be speaking to this type of audience and should be speaking to a South African."

"We want someone to say 'I can tune to SABC3 and get the latest local and international content at the quality that you can get on any other platform in South Africa," said David Makubyane.

SABC3 executives blindsided as Anele Mdoda abruptly quits Real Talk mid-season after the weekday talk show sinks in the ratings.

SABC executives have been blindsided by Anele Mdoda who decided to abrupt quit SABC3's s Real Talk mid-season, leaving the producers of the weekday talk show that's sinking in the ratings scrambling to find a possible replacement by 11 June for the 5 months remaining on the contract.

Although Real Talk with Anele is supposed to remain on-air until October, Anele Mdoda's final live on-air appearance will be next Friday 8 June with producers Cheeky Media that has no replacement and left the broadcaster's programming executives reeling.

For now SABC3 says the channel continues to support Real Talk that will have to be renamed.

There's no explanation yet for why Anele Mdoda abruptly decided to jump ship after less than two years as SABC3 talk show host. Following a sudden break in April with Azania Mosaka who filled in, Anele Mdoda says Real Talk is no longer part of her "career ambitions".

The show's ratings however tanked following huge damage to both Real Talk and Anele Mdoda's credibility, trust and brands after January's scandal in which it was revealed that payment was made for people to appear on the show, essentially turning it into an infomercial - something that was never disclosed to viewers.

The secret pay-for-play happening on Real Talk breached the SABC's editorial policies and the South African public broadcaster apologised and said it will implement changes to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

The damage to the show's credibility under viewers was however done and also reflected negatively on Anele Mdoda, who said she wasn't aware of payments being made and was just an employee. Viewers immediately started to tune out.

Despite a later timeslot move since February to 18:00 on weekdays when a larger potential viewing audience is available, Real Talk's viewership tanked.

While Real Talk still pulled a low 441 795 viewers for its most watched episode in January to claim the 13th place on SABC3's Top 20 most watched list for that month, the sinking show completely dropped out of the Top 20 list in the months since.

In a statement Anele Mdoda says "I feel, for my own growth, it is time to leave the show and to focus on my career ambitions and prospects. I would like to thank SABC3, the viewers and everyone behind the show for the opportunity they afforded me through the show."

With barely a week to find a replacement and scrambling to find a new face, executive producers Janez Vermeiren and Yusuf Stevens say "we are excited to launch the new face of Real Talk which will officially be announced in the near future."

"Anele has been an integral part of the show and an ideal personality for brand SABC3," says SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed, who says the channel for now will continue to support the show.

INTERVIEW. SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed on the channel's new schedule, The Amazing Race, Real Talk with Anele, Top Billing and Bollywood - and what's happening with the news and Supernatural.

At the beginning of February SABC3 once again changed its schedule, with SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed saying the channel's ongoing prime time evolution "is not the beginning nor is it the end. It's definitely the start of much more. It is our journey".

TVwithThinus sat down with Aisha Mohamed, to hear why the new schedule change happened and what it means, why Top Billing moved to Saturdays and why the news and Real Talk with Anele moved to later timeslots.

Aisha explains how SABC3 is trying to catch up with The Amazing Race, those Supernatural episodes that got cut and new seasons coming, what viewers' response are to the Bollywood content and how SABC3's schedule is responding to viewer feedback.




Why did SABC3 decide to change its schedule again from the start of February?
The changes have been coming for a while and we thought it would be really great to start a new year.

The changes are definitely part of our thinking and our strategy and we've spent a lot of time so that the changes we put forward from February are sustainable but also come with longevity. We decided to launch it in February and it can sustain itself to as soon as May when we get new titles in again, and then in the next 3 months again, we get new titles in again. So it made sense for me to start a new year with a new, fresh feeling.

We also had a lot of feedback and time to get feedback from viewers. So we've spent time reading that feedback, researching that feedback, having a look at what people actually want - you know, what are they saying to us.

What is nice about our audience is that they're very vocal. So they will tell you exactly what are the things that they like and that they don't like. And that actually assisted us in this process, with simple things like Real Talk with Anele that we've moved a little bit later. They're very much a part of those decisions, telling us things like "I'm not home when this is on" and SABC3's schedule is very much about those decisions - so we considered all of those things.

The thing is that you're never going to make everybody happy all the time. It's a competitive schedule for us as a channel, so we can compete aggressively but also make our viewers happy in the same vein.

Can you talk a bit about Top Billing and its 25th anniversary and what a show and a brand like that and its longevity means for South Africa and for the SABC and SABC3 and why did you decide to move it to Saturdays at 18:00?
That Top Billing has been on the air for so many years is a testament to the kind of product that it is and the fact that it has such high value. It is regarded in the viewers' mind as something that's really unique.

Top Billing is a very unique property. It encapsulates a little bit of everything. But also we found that in the viewing experience we're moving into a very different age. So as Top Billing is changing and evolving - and you would have seen if you've watched it for the last couple of months - it's definitely moving to a different direction.

It's moving to the direction that SABC3 is moving, but it's also moving in a digital age, it's savvy about how it's responding to it's viewers from a social media perspective, but it's also about ensuring that we give it a home that it can really shine.

And we felt that Thursdays are definitely our home for reality and for drama and that kind of thing. We found from a viewer perspective those people appreciated watching it over the weekend, so it's about giving Top Billing the opportunity tor really shine on a Saturday, and with a repeat on a Sunday. So we're really hoping to see good things in the new timeslot.

The move of the SABC's English TV news bulletin from 18:00 to 21:00, is that to make a less interrupted flow?
That's exactly what it is. So it was about flow and balance, and also allowing our viewers the opportunity to have news and lifestyle strands where they are.

We've got a 2 minute bulletin at 6 o'clock that's you'll still get that's very much the headlines. And then a very detailed bulletin at 9. So it's 2 minutes at 6 and then a very detailed bulletin at 9 encapsulating what's been going on the day.

Also our viewers are very savvy. They're aspirational. They are aware. They are aware of what's happening around them. Often a lot of the news stories, they've seen what's going on around them, they know what's happening. So it's about bringing it all together for a more detailed conversation at 21:00, which I don't think we could have done at 6 o'clock.

And then the rationale for moving the talk shows Afternoon Express and Real Talk with Anele to early prime time, is it to leverage the more viewers that potentially available later?
So definitely, definitely in terms of Real Talk with Anele that has been the feedback from viewers who told us "I have to catch it on YouTube", "I can't believe I missed it again today", "I can't believe I missed so and so" - it's all of that feedback.


So the later timeslot is a testament to the show's success?
Yes. Absolutely. Also, it's a SABC3 production. So we're invested it in. And we want to give it the best possible opportunity to shine. So 6 o'clock makes a lot of sense.

And I hoping that people are comfortably at home then and can enjoy the viewing experience as opposed to being still at work, which is the feedback we got.

Also Afternoon Express has sustained itself over time. It came on as a new show, we weren't sure how it was going to do, and it really has improved our schedule tremendously.

A lot of viewers have been scared about the possibility of Survivor and The Amazing Race disappearing from SABC3's schedule?
We've kept Mondays as adventure, so our reality and adventure on Mondays sustain itself. So Survivor is definitely still on a Monday.

We chose to put The Amazing Race on a Wednesday because we want to bring our seasons forward. So we're looking at what's happening with how many seasons there are and where we are at, and to bring things forward so that we can give viewers the next season sooner rather than later.

So we've got season 25 of The Amazing Race on Wednesdays and then we've got Survivor coming in shortly. And we've got further seasons actually. So there'll be a one and then a break and then another one. But again, just to make sure that we maintain interest and make it relevant, because we find that the gaps otherwise are a bit too far apart.


Will SABC3 ever show the last four episodes of Supernatural's stopped season?
We are still playing the last 4 episodes out. In the schedule change one of the shows that were affected was Supernatural on a Sunday night.

Unfortunately it is a little bit later, so it's not in the same timeslot that it was at, but we are most definitely showing it a bit later, so we are finishing the season. And it's nice that we also have the next seasons of Supernatural coming.

Do you know which ones?
I think its 11 and 12. So they're coming in and will come in on a drama slot on a Wednesday.


What has been the feedback in terms of the Bollywood content and will there be more of that?
So we're very excited about that. The viewer feedback has been well around Bollywood, also the pairing of Mela and Bollywood together was also very much in favour. The movies feedback was really great. So we got a lot of feedback around the types of movies.

We've also got really good titles, and we've got a good combination of for instance Hindi, Tamil and how we can pair them together and can ensure that both communities can enjoy that equally. So it is a bit of a touchy area sometimes. So we are very careful how we schedule them; so that we ensure we have enough titles, pair them nicely.

Also we try to get latest movies, we've just acquired a lot of new ones with some new titles coming on as well. I think we acquired 20 or 25 new ones.

SABC3 in another big schedule shake-up with changes to early and prime time; 'it's definitely the start of much more,' says channel head Aisha Mohamed.

SABC3 has once again done a dramatic makeover of the TV channel's schedule with signature shows moving to new timeslots and new days, including Top Billing that will now be shown on Saturdays at 18:00, Real Talk with Anele moving to weekdays at 18:00 and the SABC's flagship English TV news bulletin moving much later to 21:00.

The latest SABC3 schedule shake-up follows after the big schedule shake-up in April 2016. SABC3 as the SABC's only commercial TV channel remains the public broadcaster's biggest TV headache. 

Supposed to be the cash cow that brings in the money to help fund its public TV mandate, the channel's drop in viewership - caused by unpalatable programmes and bad and interrupted scheduling decisions the past few years worsened by the now-gone controversial executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng - has seen SABC1 and SABC2 having to help SABC3 afloat.

SABC3 latest schedule changes sees shows like The Bold and the Beautiful, Top Billing, Real Talk with Anele, Afternoon Express and the main news bulletin at 18:00 moving to different timeslots.

Retro dramas are moving back to their original time on weekdays at 12:00.

"This is how we're moving forward; how we're taking on 2018 and beyond," says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head.

"It's taken us a lot of time and a lot of effort and focus in terms of where SABC3 wants to go. This is a start of many. We kick off now in February, starting next week, with a lot of key changes in terms of our prime time specifically, but also around streamlining our offering."

"The offering is about how it is that we can make the viewing experience a little bit more pleasurable, and how it is that we can make all of your favourite programmes come together. So definitely early prime time and prime time will see SABC3's biggest changes, and they are definitely key for us in how we move forward."

"But then we've also got some new and awesome shows. I want to emphasise that this is not the beginning nor is it the end. It's definitely the start of much more. It is our journey, we are on our journey, the stage is definitely going to be ours, and February is where we kick it off. Just before May we've got another whole new set of shows coming onto the schedule as well," said Aisha Mohamed.

From Monday 5 February Afternoon Express moves half an hour later to 16:30, with the American weekday soap The Bold and the Beautiful moving to 17:30.

Real Talk with Anele is moving an hour later to 18:00 on weekdays.

A big change is that the SABC's flagship English TV news bulletin, News @ 6, is moving to 21:00 from Monday. SABC3 will do a short 2-minute headlines bulletin at 18:00 but is moving the proper English news bulletin to the latest timeslot it has ever been shown.

SABC3's flagship programme, the long-running lifestyle entertainment magazine show Top Billing is moving from Thursdays at 20:30 to Saturdays at 18:00 from 17 February, with the repeat at 12:00 on Sundays.

The weekly investigative magazine strand Special Assignment is moving from Mondays back to Sundays at 20:30 from 11 February, with a repeat starting at 05:00 from 10 February. The Sunday documentary slot on SABC3 moves from 21:00 to 19:30.

Network changes to 21:30 from 11 February with a repeat at 06:00 on Saturdays.

Movies on Saturdays are moving to the new timeslots of 19:00 and 21:30. When EFC is broadcast live, the 21:30 film will fall away.

The EFC Magazine show moves from Saturdays at 21:00 to Sundays at 22:00 from 11 February.

The entertainment magazine show The Scoop with Khanyi Mbau moves from Wednesdays at 21:00 to Thursdays at 20:30 from 8 February and will be repeated at 15:00 from 9 February. 

A lifestyle variety slot is being introduced starting on Sundays at 13:00 from 11 February and game shows will move from Saturdays at 16:00 to Fridays at 20:00 from 9 February.

Eish! Saan starting Friday 2 February at 19:30 is a new prank show where celebrities prank people in public areas, while Celebrated Love, starting Sunday 11 February at 19:30 explores the love stories of 4 prominent South African couples.

Rustic Chakula with Sizo is a new cooking show starting Tuesday 20 February at 20:30 in which chef Sizo hangs out with African celebrities as they do contemporary cooking. A 13-episode second season of The Hostess with Lorna Maseko starts on SABC3 on 14 February at 20:30.

Staying in their current timeslots on SABC3 are Trending SA, Mela and #WTFTumi.

Three Bold and the Beautiful stars to visit South Africa after viewership of the American soap has nosedived the past few months.

Three cast members of the American daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful will be visiting South Africa, with their visit coming as viewership of the soap has nosedived on the SABC's SABC3 channel the past few months.

The South African public broadcaster over the past year had nothing good to say about the American programming on its schedule, getting rid of sister American soap Days of Our Lives that jumped to e.tv, and constantly making disparaging remarks about foreign content and "American soaps".

The past few years in South Africa's parliament and in press conferences, the SABC also only spoke bad about The Bold and the Beautiful, with the highest ranking SABC executives and board members calling The Bold and the Beautiful "outdated" and saying the SABC can't get rid of it since the broadcaster is locked into a "forever contract".

Viewership of The Bold and the Beautiful in South Africa fell off a cliff the past few months with massive plunges in ratings, luring 495 287 viewers in September for its most-watched episode, 

It will be interesting to see to what degree the SABC and SABC3 heaps lavish and awkward praise on The Bold and the Beautiful when the soap's stars and publicists are in South Africa between 21 and 26 October as part of a global tour of the Bell-Phillip Television Production Inc. produced soap.

The Bold and the Beautiful soap stars visiting South Africa are Heather Tom (Katie Logan), Jacob Young (Rick Forrester) and Karla Mosley (Maya Avant Forrester) as part of the soap's global publicity tour to celebrate the 30-year anniversary.

The soap stars will visit Johannesburg and Cape Town. The visit also includes appearances at the Mall of Africa and Maponya Mall in Johannesburg and Table Mountain in Cape Town. The itinerary also includes a private event and a meet-and-greet with contest winners.

As part of the celebrations in South Africa, SABC3 will re-introduce the Saturday omnibus rebroadcast of  The Bold & The Beautiful from 14 October between 09:00 and 12:00.

"It gives us great pleasure to set the SABC3 stage for The Bold and the Beautiful cast in South Africa," says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head.

"We are happy to bring our content closer to our viewers, and in this case the fans of The Bold and the Beautiful who will get a chance to experience the cast while they are here. We welcome The Bold and the Beautiful cast and crew to South Africa and we look forward to the interaction with our viewers."

Bradley Bell, executive producer and head writer of The Bold and the Beautiful says "I'm so thankful that after 30 years, our South African viewers and our broadcaster, SABC3, remain an integral part of our extended television family."

"To celebrate this occasion, we're sending Karla, Heather and Jacob in person to convey our warm greetings and gratitude to our fans."

Neill Anthony and Lesego Semenya to judge Top Chef South Africa on SABC3; Lorna Masego the presenter of the format chef competition show set to start on 12 July.

Local chefs Neill Anthony and Lesego Semenya will be the judges of the local version of Top Chef South Africa on SABC3 with Lorna Masego as the presenter.

The starting date of the local version of the chef competition format show from NBCUniversal International has been pushed out and will now start on SABC3 on 12 July at 20:00.

So-called "cheftestants" from across South Africa compete in kitchen challenges and are then eliminated in the Urban Brew Studios produced show similar to what viewers saw on MasterChef South Africa on M-Net.

Neill Anthony who will soon be seen in a second season of Neill Anthony Private Chef is the head judge of Top Chef SA, who will be assisted by Lesego Semenya.

Trish Taylor, Urban Brew CEO says Lorna Masego's "love for food, her refined palate and her effortless elegance made her a perfect fit for Top Chef SA" as the presenter.

"Top Chef South Africa is a first to market, brand-new offering to compliment SABC3's revised prime time schedule," says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head.

"The show provides a fast-paced and very real look inside a professional kitchen and what it takes to be a top chef which is a strong compliment to the high production value of the show".

SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed explains SABC3's new channel logo and look: 'A restoration; we call it a kaleidoscope to reflect the variety'.

SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed on Wednesday explained and gave more background regarding the new SABC3 on-air look and new SABC3 channel logo that will come into effect from July 2016.

At a press conference at Auckland Park the new SABC3 on-air look and new, back-to-circular channel logo incorporating a kaleidoscope effect, were unveiled to media - the new look coming a year and 10 months since the channel's previous on-air change in August 2014.

"We thought it would only be fitting to also utilise the opportunity to look at how our brand is perceived in the market," said Aisha Mohamed.

"We felt it necessary to revitalise the look and feel of the channel, simply because we wanted to align with the new strategy and the new focus on growing local stories and local content".

"We spent a lot of time just looking at how our channel is perceived at the moment, and we felt that it really didn't fit very well in terms of our new strategy. So what we've done is we looked at our logo specifically, in terms of the animation and how it flowed."

"We felt that we wanted to look at the aspirational side of what SABC3 is about - also the multiculturalness and South African stories we want to tell. The logo just suddenly didn't speak to all of that".

"So our brief to the agency was to look at how it is that we can provide an aspirational, multicultural tone and how we can bring out that relevance of the South African landscape."

"So the logo went through a little bit of a restoration. We moved from the very sortof square logo that you've got currently on SABC3 to a more circular dimension - we call it a kaleidoscope."

"We wanted it to reflect the variety we've got on the channel specifically about the types of stories. SABC3 still delivers a cross-section of genres, and that was important in the logo build, to make sure that the animation also speaks to that."

"The new logo is very much more circular. It also speaks to the SABC1 and SABC2 logos. It fits a bit more comfortably in terms of the SABC family. It has been developed to showcase a hue of colours that take us from where we are now to a little bit of a more of a variety offering. So there not necessarily one solid colour".

"In terms of the kaleidoscope: just to highlight more and more that the SABC3 brand is evolving and it's changing and the South Africanness and the multiculturalness about SABC3 must come out a lot more," said Aisha Mohamed.

SABC announces yet another new schedule and logo for SABC3 starting from July as it dumps international content from the channel's line-up.

The SABC on Wednesday afternoon at its headquarters in Auckland Park announced yet another new schedule and another new channel logo for its rating-challenged SABC3 channel, eviscerating a large swathe of international shows and replacing it with new unknown local content and older local repeats.

A ranting Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the SABC's controversial chief operating officer (COO) who didn't use a script, once again quickly veered sharply off-message,speaking about a lot of stuff that didn't have anything to do with the new schedule.

The latest new SABC3 schedule, dumping highly rated international content like Survivor, The Amazing Race and Days of Our Lives and coming into effect from July, comes just 4 months after the SABC's controversial chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng in February announced and introduced a TV schedule shake-up for SABC3.

The latest new schedule, yet again moving shows around and removing some of the shows with the highest viewership ratings on the channel, is part of Hlaudi Motsoeneng dramatic makeover of the SABC's three terrestrial TV channels, ordering 90% local content be shown.

Now SABC3 is getting yet another new schedule and some new on-screen talent, with viewers who will once again have to try and find where shows moved to that remain on the schedule, where new shows are scheduled and where repeats are slotted.

The new SABC3 logo that will come into effect from July replaces the previous one that was introduced a year and 10 months ago in August 2014 and that viewers at the time slammed as "ugly" and "unimaginative".

The sweeping change will start with 80% local content on SABC3 from July - the South African Broadcasting Corporation's only commercial TV channel that is supposed to be an income-driver for the channel with a smaller public broadcasting service (PBS) mandate than sister channels SABC1 and SABC2.

While the emphasis on more local TV content is welcomed, academics and TV industry experts say the move is unsustainable long-term, given the size, capacity, skills and money of South Africa's TV biz.

To produce one minute of local content for instance cost a minimum of R5000 and despite promises since October 2014 by Hlaudi Motsoeneng of R600 million made available by the SABC to local producers, this money will not be enough to fill and sustain a 90% local content programming strategy for the three channels without compromising quality and a much higher that usual repeat and rebroadcast frequency.

At the SABC press conference - attended by Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Jimi Matthews (acting SABC CEO), Nomsa Philiso (SABC head of commercial enterprises) and Aisha Mohamed (SABC3 channel head) - Anton Heunis (SABC commercial advisor) said "more local content will stimulate our industry immensely".

SABC staff slammed for sleeping at work, drinking tea
Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "SABC will do what we believe is right for South Africa". "SABC won't be the same. This is a new SABC".

"We have taken a decision. And if I've taken a decision, no turning back. You'll make your own noise.We want to make sure we empower our own people".

"We as SABC we're doing very well. 90% we're doing very well. Reality is, international content isn't doing well for the SABC," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng. "You must watch SABC3. you will see amazing stuff".

"You don't see youth content on our platform. From 1 November we will have a youth content. We will go to universities and broadcast live in those universities. Not about politics, about the issues that affect young people".

"I was an actor. The changes you see you see is in my blood," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng. "You don't know that I work with white people. And they like me. I work with everyone".

"You who write bad about us, I think about you every time. I perform well when I have forces that don't support me". Talking in the third person, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said: 'When this man takes the podium, people clap hands".

"People have been playing here at the SABC. Sleeping here. Playing here and drinking tea". He again said that the SABC will introduce a uniform for workers. "We will have uniform at SABC. But not every day. Why other people have uniform?'

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "I don't know what is prime time. I want prime time to be every hour, every minute". He said the SABC will show all cultural and traditional events. To Anton Heunis he said: "You have your culture. Your boerewors".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng slammed SABC TV news staff. "When you see our own journalists on the news, they're dead. You need more passion". He said: "Why should SABC TV News follow follow print media? Why can't we break news? I don't understand why eNCA on DStv channel 403 is better than SABC News".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said a journalist from Netwerk24 asking why the SABC isn't covering the Tshwane Unrest adequately and what the SABC's stance is on SABC reporters who are unhappy, "is spoiling the party" and that he won't answer her in the press conference.

SABC3 will continue to do lifestyle and entertainment
SABC TV executive Sam Maijang said "SABC3 is where the biggest impact has been to the changes that we've made. The channel continues to speak to local lifestyle and entertainment. This is content for the multicultural South Africa but with a global outlook".

"SABC3 going forward will have no repeats in prime time from July." He said SABC3's daytime line-up has also been "invigorated".

"We've retained some key foreign content blocks. The type of foreign content that will sit on the channel will not necessarily be the same as what has been there". He said "it's a new journey for us. It's unchartered territory for us".

SABC spin doctor Kaizer Kganyago said: "Don't believe the critics. The critics who have never been in broadcasting".

Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head said it was necessary to change the look of the channel after seeing how the channel was being perceived at the moment.

"[It has a] aspirational, multicultural tone. The logo went through a little bit of a restoration. We went from the square logo to a more circular look. We call it a kaleidoscope."

"There is not necessarily one solid colour. And in terms of a kaleidoscope the brand is evolving."


The 2-hour long press conference was broadcast live on SABC News (DStv 404) and was live streamed. You can watch it in its entirety here:

SABC3 at its first 'separate again' content press screening for its latest schedule changes: 'We're not confused, we're experimenting'.

At an upfront media event for some of its new shows, SABC3 didn't make any new announcements that weren't made and are not known already since last month, but did provide more context, telling the press that SABC3 isn't confused but experimenting and trying out different things to see what might work and what won't as it continues to evolve.

Although all three channels are under pressure and dealing with audience erosion in a tough TV market, out of the SABC's three terrestrial analogue channels, SABC3 as the public broadcaster's only commercial TV channel has been and remains under the biggest pressure to improve its performance.

For the larger part of the past half a decade, SABC3 has been dealing with steadily waning audiences, constantly changing programming, a muddled channel identity and struggling to maintain and attract the quality content and upper LSM viewers that it once did in the 2000's.

Although not noted and not asked about, the SABC3 upfront event was highly significant not for the content showcased to the media, but for being held in the first place.

The event, featuring SABC3 channel head Aisha Mohamed back again from her maternity leave, marks the first time that SABC3 again held its own content showcase event for programming after it stopped doing quarterly press screenings almost two years ago.

After it consistently maintained its own regular schedule of press screenings for the media for over a decade and a half, SABC3 in 2014 was lumped with SABC1 and SABC2 in a changed initiative to do a "transversal" upfront over the past two years that didn't play to the strengths of the channel.

Because SABC2 and SABC1 which both used to do their own press screenings, did it less, more irregularly and some years had no content screenings at all, SABC3 suffered by proxy. The overall content showcase for the combined channels took place less regularly and basically only once a year, possibly due to the lack of new content to showcase on the other two channels and less publicity initiative.

It would seem as if SABC3 is now once again unshackled as a TV channel to follow its own best practice regarding press screenings.

At the beginning of last month the SABC overall yet again announced programming changes to its three main TV channels - SABC3 included - undoing and backtracking on several initiatives and scheduling moves implemented a year and a half ago in June 2014.

On Wednesday night at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg, SABC3 reiterated what the SABC said in February, that the move of Afrikaans language shows to SABC3 didn't work with programming strands like Fokus that's now been moved back to SABC2.

SABC3 is at pains to emphasise that the move of Afrikaans back to SABC2 doesn't mean that the lifestyle and entertainment channel is excluding Afrikaans and that it remains a multicultural lifestyle channel including all languages.

As previously announced, the Indian lifestyle magazine show Mela has now moved to SABC3 as a companion show on Sundays for the Top Billing repeat. The new season of the music collaboration show Jam Sandwich will also be changing channels to SABC3.

As it explained in February, SABC3 will change Friday nights to "Comedy Nights" from April with a Friday night comedy strand that will include both local and foreign stand-up comedy offerings. On Saturdays from April, the start of the movie slot is moved from 19:30 to 19:00.

On Saturdays, from April the arts and culture slot is moved earlier to 18:00 and on Sundays SABC3 is introducing a male variety slot at 17:30 for shows like Top Gear and One Day with Bryan Miles.

That is followed by a current affairs block from 19:00 including shows like Interface, Special Assignment and documentaries like Ross Kemp: Extreme Worlds.

The Friday night advertiser-funded show Win a Home will be back for a 3rd "season" but will no longer be a stand-alone show. Instead it will now be folded into the afternoon talk show Afternoon Express since both are produced by the same production company.

SABC3's Presenter Search on 3 winners are Zoe Brown, Danilo Acquisto and Jade Hubner; will join Expresso, Afternoon Express and Top Billing.

SABC3's Presenter Search on 3 reality competition show concluded Friday night naming the three Capetonians Zoe Brown, Danilo Acquisto and Jade Hubner as the winners getting dream TV presenting gigs.

Zoe Brown (25) will join breakfast show Expresso, Danilo Acquisto (24) is added to afternoon variety and talk show Afternoon Express, and Jade Hubner (23) is the latest addition to the weekly glamarama magazine show Top Billing.

The 13-part reality show seeking new on-air talent for the three SABC3 TV shows and which previously unearthed Simba Mhere and Jonathan Boynton-Lee, ended with the three telegenic winners being announced in Zanzibar at a pool-side ceremony.

Like the previous two presenter searches also produced by Tswelopele Productions, the third iteration once again saw thousands of hopefuls line up across South Africa for the chance to audition and show their TV presenting skills.


Part of the SABC that works
Even more than before, the Presenter Search on 3 managed to incredibly successfully and in a unique way for South African television, both showcase to great effect other SABC TV shows and personalities.

Presenter Search on 3 promoted other SABC shows incredibly well while giving viewers a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of these productions ranging from shows like SABC2's Morning Live and Three Talk with Noeleen to SABC3's Expresso, Top Billing and Neill Anthony Private Chef.

While the reality show weekly kept whittling down the number of South Africans dreaming of stardom through becoming TV presenters, the Presenter Search on 3 also managed to show a not often seen and remarkable side of the local and vibrant TV production sector: the part of the SABC that actually works.

Viewers got a glimpse of the production companies and shows that are well-oiled machines, turning out thousands of minutes of TV airtime every year within the South African TV world, as well as another, almost "realer", side of well-known presenters like brilliant guest mentor Ursula Chikane who shined in her advice, hands-on approach and admonishment; and Leanne Manas revealing the secrets of success of doing early morning television.

Ordinary viewers who will never be on TV had the chance to see presenters like Ursula Chikane candidly give away secrets and coax contestants to be better on camera in various TV presenting challenges, making for fascinating Friday night viewing.


Fanning out across the SABC3 schedule
Although the original plan was to add another woman, Danilo Acquisto, the former Hectic Nine-9 presenter on SABC2, will now be added to Afternoon Express on SABC3 to try and boost the ratings of the weekday afternoon gaggle-fest with Bonang Matheba, Jeannie D and Bonnie Mbuli. The show debuted last month with flat viewership and a lukewarm reception from viewers and TV critics.

Zoe Brown with a degree in international relations from the University of Stellenbosch will join SABC3's perky live weekday breakfast show Expresso, while Jade Hubner will be doing recorded inserts for the style and lifestyle show Top Billing.

Besides the presenting work, the three get to each drive a Mercedes-Benz for a year, R10 000 in cash, and a R50 000 Woolworths gift card to buy a better wardrobe.


Excited for the future
"Our top three finalists have really exceeded our expectations this year," says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head. "It's not easy finding a presenter, let alone three who have all the qualities to appeal to our vast audience.

"We wish Zoe, Jade and Danilo much success as they pursue their dreams on Expresso, Top Billing and Afternoon Express. May their careers continue to grow from strength to strength".

"Winning still feels surreal," says Zoe Brown, thanking viewers for their support. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would make it all the way to the end."

"I am grateful to be a new presenter on Afternoon Express," says Danilo Acquisto. "I look forward to making magic on SABC3. A big thank you to all the South Africans from all walks of life who supported and encouraged me."

"It's hard to believe this is actually happening," says Jade Hubner. "I used to joke that if you had to match my personality to a job, it would be as a Top Billing presenter. Well, as it turns out it wasn't a joke. It was my destiny. I'm overwhelmed with joy and humbled and grateful. I'm so excited for the future and can't wait to get started."

Memorial service for Simba Mhere this Thursday, funeral Sunday; Top Billing presenters 'beyond broken' after his death.

A memorial service will be held this week for Simba Mhere, the Top Billing presenter who was killed in a car crash on Saturday morning as his co-presenters on the popular lifestyle show expressed that they're "beyond broken" after his unexpected death this weekend.

Top Billing has also pushed out its already produced episode for this coming Thursday evening on SABC3 and behind the scenes producers at Tswelopele Productions are now working on a new special tribute episode dedicated to Simba Mhere in honour of the presenter "as a final goodbye".

Simba Mhere, who would have been a co-presenter with Top Billing presenter Jonathan Boynton-Lee on the upcoming Presenter Search on 3 looking for three new TV presenters, died when the driver of a VW Polo crashed into the Mitshubishi Simba Mhere was driving in Johannesburg on William Nicol Road near the N1 onramp early Saturday morning.

The driver of the VW Polo was not tested for alcohol and will be charged with reckless and negligent driving and two counts of culpable homicide. Simba Mhere's father who was also in the car survived is now recovering at home.

Edna Mamonyane, Johannesburg Metro police spokesperson said on Monday morning that "this guy [the VW Polo driver] crossed over the middle island and then hit Simba's car from the side." The impact killed Simba who was the driver and the person sitting behind him. 

A memorial service for Simba Mhere will be held this Thursday, 5 February, at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg from 15:00 to 17:00.

Simba Mhere's funeral will take place on Saturday, 7 February at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg at 09:00, and he will be laid to rest at the Westpark Cemetery in Roosevelt Park.

Meanwhile tributes continue to pour in for Simba Mhere with Jonathan Boynton-Lee saying "Can't believe my brother is gone".

Top Billing presenter Jeannie D said "we are beyond broken and sad. Simba who we loved so much! Words fail us at this time but we just pray for his family and friends".

Lorna Lukhele said "words cannot express how shocked I am. Such a sad day to have lost one of the most amazing guys in the industry. At the brink of his career, not even 30. Gone too soon."

Basetsana Kumalo, the executive producer of Top Billing said "As a Top Billing family we're very, very devastated about the passing of Simba. He was an incredible human being, a gentle soul. He was fun and loving, a true hard-working individual, he was always just a delight and a pleasure to be with".

Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head said Simba Mhere "was so real, so humble". "People really felt a connection with him. Always a big smile. Always a big hug. He had a warmness and a presence about him that you will never forget and it resonated on screen but he was also just as real in person".

"For me its just so heartbreaking to think he was on such a rise, and he's gone so soon. He had so much more to give," said Aisha Mohamed. 

Both of the SABC's two breakfast shows on Monday morning which are produced live, Morning Live on SABC2 and Expresso on SABC3 - which is also produced by Tswelopele Productions - reflected on Simba Mhere's passing and had tributes.

"People fell in love with Simba. He just had such a charismatic, real openness about him," said Expresso presenter Leigh-Anne Williams, close to tears, on Monday morning.

"There's a reason why he was voted among South Africa's best and most popular TV presenters," said Expresso presenter Katlegoe Maboe.

"It's been a sad weekend and we send our condolences out to the family and colleagues of the late Simba Mhere," said Morning Live anchor Leanne Manas on SABC2 Monday morning. "Simba was only 26 years old - his whole life ahead of him. It really is a devastating story."

Expresso celebrates its 1 000th episode as SABC3's weekday morning breakfast show.

Expresso, SABC3's weekday breakfast show, is celebrating its 1000th episode this morning since it started on 4 October 2010.

Presenters Katlegoe Maboe and Ewan Strydom are still part of the on-air talent team and have been since the beginning.

"We've had 1 000 feel-good mornings," says Ewan Strydom. "Expresso was a complete blessing in disguise for me and for my family. I am very proud of the team who has worked so hard to bring these feel-good mornings to South Africa".

"Expresso has become a special home to me and we've become part of people's families," says Katlego Maboe.

"It's quite something to know that we are part of a team that did groundbreaking work reintroducing lifestyle entertainment to the morning. It's fantastic to bring this show to people every day and to do it with such a diverse team is an honour".

"There's nothing like Expresso on local television and its ability to stay relevant, entertaining and informative each and every day has been a big factor in its success," says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head.

"It is definitely a perfect example of being able to find something for everyone on SABC3 and we congratulate the production team on this wonderful achievement".

SABC3 finally responds over 'ugly' and 'unimaginative' new SABC3 on-air look: 'The beginning of a turnaround in fresh new ideas and content'.

SABC3 is finally responding about the SABC TV channel's sudden, new on-air look that viewers and TV critics call "ugly", "unimaginative" and "dreadful", saying the look is "the start of someting new and fresh" and that the new look signals "the beginning of a turnaround in fresh new ideas and content for SABC3".

SABC3 is finally responding about questions regarding the SABC's only commercial TV channel's new look days after it was suddenly introduced with no warning or explanation - and which has been instantly panned by viewers.

SABC3 says the "colour pallet is colour-appropriate" - although viewers intensely dislike the new look which they feel is old, dated, flat and a major step backwards for the ratings-challenged TV channel.

Unlike when SABC1 and SABC2 changed their on-air looks and logos, the SABC and SABC3 failed to issue a style guide or basic brand change advisory to the press prior to, or when, the change happened and didn't respond to media enquiries seeking clarity following the change.

While SABC3 ditched its sparking and elegant spinning blue and white circles-within-circles design because it was apparently not good enough anymore, premium pay-TV broadcaster M-Net - SABC3's biggest competitor for high LSM viewers and advertisers - took over the exact design idea.

On M-Net viewers can now see blue and white spinning circles for its "Express from the US" on-air promos which M-Net now uses to market its premium American content.

Now SABC3's channel head Aisha Mohamed says the new SABC3 on-air look - a far departure from the previous two SABC3 logos and on-air imaging used the past decade - "identifies a clear and simple brand proposition, a multi-dimensional look with depth, innovative treatment and distinctive sound design".

"We want our viewers to feel like this is the start of something new and fresh, the beginning of a turnaround in fresh new ideas and content for SABC3," says Aisha Mohamed.

"This is where the pay-off line 'Fine it on 3' was born. We are promising to reflect a young and modern South African television viewer through programming in one place".

Aisha Mohamed says the new SABC3 logo's aesthetic was inspired by "contemporary global design trends" - a "move out of the circle, no rules, versus evolution".

"The logo is simple but not simplistic, it has a surprising interplay between positive and negative shapes with the '3' figure constructed from three shapes".

"The idea was to find a symbol that could be a little surprising every time viewers saw it. The chosen colour pallet is colour-appropriate and functional for all screens," says Aisha Mohamed.

"SABC3 went for unexpected, brave, young (but not too young) multi-colour schemes to reflect a sense of variety".

"This is complemented by an airsoft typeface that allows a clear, easy on the eye communication but with a friendly approach. The on-screen visual identity expresses the idea of variety through its dynamism and multi-dimensional treatment – something that isn't done on any other station"

Aisha Mohamed says SABC3 plans to become a TV channel "providing the excitement of one long variety show where viewers can expect to find shows that cover a range of experiences - Be it new, informative, inspiring, riveting and entertaining".

"In a nutshell, viewers can expect a place where their viewing entertainment expectations are met, thus – 'Find it on 3' ".

'Drastic' scheduling changes for the SABC's 3 TV channels starting from right after the 2014 FIFA World Cup on 14 July.

Changes the SABC top TV executives themselves describe as "drastic" is coming to the South African public broadcaster's three terrestrial TV channels - SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 -  from 14 July after the conclusion of the SABC's 2014 FIFA World Cup coverage.

SABC1 will change first with some big changes on SABC2 and SABC3, and then other changes later on SABC2 and SABC3 later during the year.

TV with Thinus already revealed - and stands by those stories - of how the Afrikaans news bulletin that was on SABC2 and moved to SABC3 for the duration of the World Cup,will be shifted to SABC3 permanently.

The Afrikaans drama slot on SABC2 which has been there since 1976 when SABC television started on the then TV1, is moving to SABC3 - the SABC channel received by the least number of TV households in the country.

Several other Afrikaans programming, from Fokus, Voetspore and others are moving to SABC3 permanently, SABC2 and SABC3 TV programming executives and channel heads told the press and advertisers.

SABC1: The schedule will change completely
SABC1 won't be the same from 14 July," says Sam Mpherwane, SABC1 channel head. "Coming out of the World Cup we're looking to create and offer a schedule which hasn't existed and not been seen in the country before"

"The schedule will change completely - both in primetime and daytime. For the first time we're launching a soapie in primetime at 18:30 something that has been a dream for a decade. We've moved our news bulletins from 19:30 to 19:00 because that is when the people want to catch them. We've moved our sitcoms from 19:00 to 19:30. Generations stays at 20:00".

"Its important for us to go out with this fresh, exciting content that we'll be offering to viewers. Largely the SABC1 schedule will change drastically".


SABC2: Introducing game shows and reality
"The Afrikaans news as we had it on SABC2 is moving to SABC3 from 14 July, said Jacqui Hlongwane, SABC2's acting programme manager. "What does for us on the schedule is that it opens it up so that it flows better. It's been quite a challenge for SABC2 in the past. We really have been like a schizophrenic channel".

"We've been serving two markets - the Sesotho audience as well as the Afrikaans audience - and it's been really quite a struggle to serve both those very important audiences. But in one channel that kind of positioning has become unsustainable."

We will still have all the languages on our channel, including Afrikaans, not all the content is going to SABC3 that's Afrikaans, but we do feel that it's about family viewing, that it's about family values and all the good things that we need to build this country," said Jacqui Hlongwane.

"At 18:30 on SABC2 we have 7de Laan. That stays on the channel from Monday to Friday. And then after that where we had the Afrikaans news we will start introducing things like family game shows and reality and factual content".

"After that we will put some sitcoms in - both foreign and local sitcoms - as well as a new telenovela that we want to introduce. In primetime you will see these changes."

"Unlike SABC1 those changes will come in a phased-in approach. We will start in July slowly. Then in September we will go bigger. It will be an evolusionary process".

"We will allow them [SABC1] to first take the space and shine. Hopefuly all these changes will work to make all three channels better so that we offer a solid network of content that every South African can watch," said Jacqui Hlongwane.

Interface is moving from SABC3 to SABC2.


SABC3: Going younger, a 'whole new SABC3 by February 2015'
Aisha Mohamed, SABC3's new channel head said the troubled commercial TV channel of the broadcaster is going younger.

"We're going to focus a lot on local productions, so there's a strong focus on generating good local content especially within the genre of lifestyle and entertainment - fashion, food, travel - all of the things viewers have come to expect from SABC3 - just with a younger look".

"SABC3 will slowly start changing. It won't be jarring. Once the World Cup is over viewers won't get brand new programmes and content. You will get a new schedule for sure. Repeats will get knocked off quite a bit. The schedule definitely changes. The focus will be on younger".

"What you might also get in July and what we're aiming for, is a new on-air look and feel. So SABC3 will no longer be blue necessarily. In July it might have a new look and feel."

"By August there will be more change; by September. By the time we get to next year February [2015], it will be a brand-new SABC3," said Aisha Mohamed.


SABC has to stay relevant
"We can't exist in the way that we've always existed," says Leo Manne, the general manager for TV channels at the SABC. "It's important that a public broadcasting platform like the SABC stays relevant as far as South Africa's development is concerned. That's why is necessary that we react to the times".

TV with Thinus asked specifically about ongoing scheduling disruption at the SABC and why the SABC channels are changing schedules again shortly after the World Cup changed schedules.

SABC schedules changed in a big way last year when The Bold and the Beautiful was moved from SABC1 to SABC3.

"There is no broadcaster in the world which doesn't change schedules," says Leo Manne.

"It is a challenge with three channels, to try and accomodate and speak to, and be relevant to millions of TV households. But we do it and we try and do it to the best of our ability. Naturally you can't please everybody; you won't please everybody".

"The challenge is perhaps we can try and become a lot better in the way we communicate and how we communicate these changes," says Leo Manne.

BREAKING. Roxy Burger, Katlegoe Maboe Strictly Come Dancing's new presenters' duo for the upcoming 7th season on SABC3.

You're reading it here first.

I can break the news and exclusively reveal that Roxy Burger and Katlegoe Maboe of morning show Expresso, will be the new presenters' duo of the popular ballroom dancing floor format show Strictly Come Dancing's upcoming 7th season on SABC3.

The 7th season of Strictly Come Dancing, produced by Rapid Blue, will start on SABC3 on Friday 18 July at 20:30 for 10 episodes of two hours each.

The reality dancing show was successfully revived last year by SABC3, which is looking to build upon the new momentum.

The reality show - one of the few broadcasts outside of news and sport the SABC still does live - helped to not only lift SABC3 ratings but also helped SABC3 in a new metric measure of success: online and social media buzz, where viewers engaged and talked about the show and the contestants.

According to various TV with Thinus sources the new 7th season of Strictly Come Dancing has Roxy Burger and Katlegoe Maboe as presenters. The various celebrity dancers and the professional dancers they're paired up will be announced tonight in Johannesburg at the VSP Lounge in Sandton.

Roxy Burger is still on honeymoon in France and not in South Africa.

"We've spent a lot of time on who our presenters will be, who the celebrity dancers will be, what kind of music will be selected for the show, what kind of sets we're looking for, the kind of artists that are performing in-between, simply because we want to set a tone" says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3's new channel head.

"We simply want to bring Strictly Come Dancing back to what it was, which is a really beautiful show".

BREAKING. SABC ready to dump several Afrikaans language TV shows from SABC2; moving news, drama to smaller SABC3 permanently.

You're reading it here first

The SABC is getting ready to dump almost all of the remaining Afrikaans language shows still left on SABC2 and will  move this Afrikaans programming to SABC3 - a channel with a much smaller footprint - meaning that Afrikaans is getting marginalised even further as an overall broadcasting language on SABC terrestrial television.

It is the result of a TV programming language battle at the SABC which has "become unsustainable" for the public broadcaster's SABC2 channel.

I can reveal that the SABC will permanently move its sole terrestrial, daily, Afrikaans language TV news bulletin, Nuus om 7, from SABC2 to SABC3 once the SABC's coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup concludes.

It will also be the first time in 38 years that there won't be any Afrikaans TV drama on SABC2 (the former TV1) since television began in South Africa in 1976.

The Afrikaans drama slot, when that content is commissioned by the SABC, will play out on the much smaller SABC3 where less viewers are able to see it..

Viewer anger flared up this week when the SABC canned its sole Afrikaans TV news bulletin on terrestrial  television entirely since Sunday for this week with no forewarning to viewers who couldn't find it on SABC2 or SABC3 because it doesn't exist.

The Nuus om 7 has become a "hurdle" for SABC2 - although its remains a huge viewership and ratings getter.

The move is part of a broader language shift of Afrikaans away from SABC2 since the SABC says that trying to do both Sotho and Afrikaans on SABC2 has "become unsustainable".

Shows like the current affairs program Fokus, TV drama Swartwater, magazine show 50/50 (which also contains other languages) will all be repositioned from SABC2 to SABC3 permanently.

The upcoming move will leave only soap 7de Laan and game show Noot vir Noot as the last vestiges of predominantly Afrikaans language programming on SABC2.

SABC3 has the smallest terrestrial broadcasting signal footprint of the SABC's three terrestrial TV channels.

It means that Afrikaans language programming - already a fraction of what it was on the SABC and SABC2 almost two decades ago in 1996 when the public broadcaster relaunched TV1, CCV and NNTV as SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 - is being further marginalised.

Since SABC3 cannot be received by as many South African viewers as SABC2 and SABC1 - especially in the vast areas further away from big metropolitan areas and cities - it means that less potential viewers who would want to, would be able to tune in for the daily Afrikaans news bulletin, Fokus, 50/50 or Swartwater simply because they simply don't get the signal.

Interestingly, only Afrikaans language shows are moved away from SABC2. (SABC3's English language current affairs interview show Interface will be moving to SABC2.)

It's part of a "network" approach between the three SABC TV channels with firstly a dramatic new schedule structure coming to SABC1 from immediately after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

SABC2 will slowly change to let the SABC1 changes happen first and not to steal the sister channel's thunder, and then have its major schedule changes in September. SABC3 will follow after that and could be doing away with its recognisable blue look when it gets a new on-air look as early as from the beginning of July.

Where the Afrikaans language Nuus om 7 and Fokus are both perenially making the list of top 10 most watched programmes on SABC2 every week at around 1.5 million and 1.3 million viewers respectively, these viewership ratings are set to plunge when these programmes move to SABC3 which as a channel is available in less TV households.

Nuus om 7 will get the 19:30 timeslot on SABC3, while the hour long English news bulletin which has not been performing well, will be cut back down to only half an hour again, starting at 18:30.

"The Afrikaans news as we have it at the moment will be moving to SABC3 permanently," Jacqui Hlongwane, SABC2's acting programme manager told TV critics and advertisers this week.

"What that does for us on the SABC2 schedule is that it opens it up, so that we're able to flow better. It's been quite a challenge for SABC2 in the past. We really have been like a schizophrenic TV channel."

"We've been serving two markets now - the Sesotho audience as well as the Afrikaans audience - and it's really been quite a struggle to try and serve both those important audiences," said Jacqui Hlongwane. "In one channel that kind of positioning has become unsustainable".

"In terms of our family proposition, we want content that speaks to South African families. So language should not be what defines us".

"We will still have all the languages on our channel, including Afrikaans, not all the content is going to SABC3 that's Afrikaans, but we do feel that it's about family viewing, that it's about family values and all the good things that we need to build this country," said Jacqui Hlongwane.

"At 18:30 on SABC2 we have 7de Laan. That stays on the channel from Monday to Friday. And then after that where we had the Afrikaans news we will start introducing things like family game shows and reality and factual content".

"After that we will put some sitcoms in - both foreign and local sitcoms - as well as a new telenovela that we want to introduce".

"Obviously it takes time to produce that kind of local content but hopefully by July next year we have a telenovela. So there's a lot of local content investment going on at SABC2 because viewers said that they want to see themselves. They want their lives reflected on screen," said Jacqui Hlongwane.

"Swartwater, basically the Afrikaans drama slot, is moving to SABC3. So SABC2 won't be having Afrikaans dramas anymore, it moves to SABC3," said Jacqui Hlongwane.

"It is a challenge with three TV channels to try and accomodate and speak to, and be relevant to 34 million TV households in this country, but we do it, and we try and do it to the best of our ability," said Leo Manne, the general manager for TV channels at the SABC.