King Charles III coronation and concert: Your comprehensive TV guide.

by Thinus Ferreira

South African viewers will be able to watch the coronation of King Charles III today across multiple TV channels, with the unique Coronation Concert attended by the king and done by the BBC, which will be shown on Sunday night.

BBC News (DStv 400 / StarSat 256)), CNN International (DStv 401), Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat257), BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174), BritBox, Sky News (DStv 402 / StarSat 258) and SABC News (DStv 404) will all show the coronation of King Charles III today.

The unique Coronation Concert from the BBC featuring multiple performers will also be shown live to South African viewers on Sunday night at 21:00 on BBC Lifestyle.

BBC News

The BBC will have a live broadcast of the ceremony today.

"The BBC is committed to giving audiences everywhere a chance to follow the events around the Coronation, live," says Naja Nielsen, BBC News digital director. "We are determined to provide unique, first-hand access to this historic event through our programming and digital content with rich and distinctive coverage, expert analysis and the best video and pictures."

On Saturday BBC News will broadcast the coronation of Charles III live from 8:30. The live broadcast will cover all the ceremonial events as they unfold throughout the day, from the early military movements to the formal processions, and will give audiences a look at the ceremonial route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.

Kirsty Young will be in a studio at Buckingham Palace and JJ Chalmers will speak to members of the military as they prepare for one of the largest parades in living history. 

Huw Edwards will provide commentary as the doors of Westminster Abbey open and Sophie Raworth will be outside speaking to guests as they arrive. Clare Balding will provide commentary for the ceremonial route and Anita Rani will join the gathered crowds.

The coverage will also feature reporting from teams around the world and major Commonwealth nations, who will provide global context and reflect on the legacy of the monarchy.

CNN International

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper will lead CNN International's special live coverage of the coronation of King Charles on Saturday beginning 11:00 outside Buckingham Palace with analysis and reporting from Christiane Amanpour and Max Foster.

CNN anchors Richard Quest and Julia Chatterley will contribute to CNN's coverage from the network's London studio alongside CNN royal historian Kate Williams, CNN royal commentators Emily Nash, Sally Bedell Smith and CNN contributor Trisha Goddard. 

They will provide expert analysis and share their unique perspectives on the historic coronation.

CNN reporters will be positioned along the coronation procession route including Bianca Nobilo outside Westminster Abbey, Salma Abdelaziz and Matthew Chance, who will report live from the crowds gathered along the Mall, and Anna Stewart.

CNN reporters will also provide perspective from commonwealth countries including India, Australia and Kenya. CNN's coverage of the coronation will also stream live on its website and app for free worldwide.

Sky News

On Sky News Kay Burley and Anna Botting will host coverage of the historic event, with Sky News royal events commentator Alastair Bruce and Sky News will also stream for free on its website and YouTube channel.

Kay Burley and Anna Botting will lead coverage throughout the day following the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey ahead of the service. Kay will be outside Westminster Abbey speaking to well-wishers and will be joined by historian Sir Anthony Seldon.

Anna will be live from Buckingham Palace at 11:00 with Patrick Harrison, former press secretary of 11 years to King Charles III and Sky News royal event commentator Alastair Bruce. 

Cameras will then follow the procession back to Buckingham Palace where Joanna Lumley will join the team for the famous balcony shots and flypast.

Sky News royal correspondent Laura Bundock will bring insight and analysis, while Sarah-Jane Mee and Kamali Melbourne will be amongst the action reporting live from the crowds on The Mall and other key locations around London.

From 19:00 Mark Austin will reflect on the key moments of a historic day at Buckingham Palace with Kristina Kyriacou, recent press secretary to King Charles III and Lord Simon Woolley, who has worked closely with the King. 

From 22:00 Gillian Joseph will present highlights of the coronation and at 23:00 Jonathan Samuels will do a special highlights hour.

BritBox

The coronation will be shown live and on-demand on the BritBox SA video streaming service, starting with live streaming from 12:00 on Saturday. 

BritBox will show King Charles III: The Coronation, produced by ITN and hosted by Tom Bradby and Julie Etchingham.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera's coverage will start at 09:00 on Saturday with Paul Brennan at Westminster, followed by ongoing coverage from 11:00 by Lauren Taylor, also from Westminster, and Jonah Hull and Charlie Angela from Buckingham Palace from 11:00. 

So Rahman will take over anchoring duties of the special event from Buckingham Palace from 17:00.

BBC Lifestyle

The BBC Lifestyle channel will carry a live broadcast of the day's coronation coverage from 08:30 on Saturday morning, done by BBC Studios Productions.

At 20:00 BBC Lifestyle has scheduled the special programme, Charles R: The Making of a Monarch. The programme tells the story of King Charles III's more than seven decades as heir to the throne. During that period, every step of Charles' life was captured on camera and his words recorded: from newsreel to home movies from interviews to documentaries - both about him and by him. This 60 minute documentary brings together a wealth of material, much rarely seen or unseen.

At 21:00 on Saturday night, BBC Lifestyle will have the special programme, Sing for The King: The Search for The Coronation Choir. A very special choir made up from singing groups of all shapes and sizes is given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to sing for King Charles III at the coronation concert.

On Sunday night at 19:30, BBC Lifestyle will show The Coronation: A Day to Remember. It will show moments of King Charles III's coronation, following the procession to Westminster Abbey, the ceremony and the return journey to Buckingham Palace where the newly crowned monarchs greeted the crowds.

On Sunday night at 21:00 BBC Lifestyle will show The Coronation Concert: Live. 

This unique Coronation Concert will take place at Windsor Castle. Produced, staged and broadcast live by the BBC and BBC Studios, the Coronation Concert will bring music icons and contemporary stars together in celebration of this historic occasion. 

The British pop group Take That, international superstar Lionel Richie, popstar Katy Perry, international opera star Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, singer/songwriter Freya Ridings and classical-soul composer/producer Alexis Ffrench are some of the artists who will be on stage at The Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

They will perform in front of King Charles III and 20 000 members of the public and invited guests during the live broadcast.

Queen Elizabeth II funeral: How to watch today's TV and live-stream coverage.

by Thinus Ferreira

While millions of people will line the roads today in London, billions of people are expected to watch the live televised state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey today streamed online and broadcast in over 200 countries, in what is sure to set a new record for the world's most-watched TV event ever. 

The BBC is producing the bulk of today's live feed of the funeral ceremony and will be making use of a whopping 213 HD cameras placed inside Westminster Abbey, as well as St. George's Chapel and Westminster Hall, with 14 outside broadcast (OB) trucks transmitting from 10 different locations.

Here is how viewers in South Africa and across Africa can tune in:

ABC News

America's ABC News on YouTube will live stream the event starting from 11:15 with anchors David Muir and Amy Robach, along with correspondents Ian Pannell, Deborah Robert, James Longman, Maggie Rulli, Lama Hasan and Will Reeve.

Royal contributors are Omid Scobie, Robert Jobson, Imogen Lloyd Webber, Victoria Murphy and Ailsa Anderson.

Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257 / TelkomONE)

Al Jazeera will cover the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II live from 10:00 this morning as part of special Newshour coverage, themed "Queen Elizabeth II: A Final Farewell".

BBC World News (DStv 400 / StarSat 256)

On BBC World News coverage starts at 11:00 led by Huw Edwards, Kirsty Young, Fergal Keane, David Dimbleby and Sophie Raworth.

Allan Little will be inside Westminster Abbey with analysis from royal correspondent Jonny Dymond. From five different points along the procession route Ken Bruce, Mishal Husain, Emma Barnett, Clive Myrie, Adele Roberts, John Murray, Mike Costello, Rachel Burden, Nuala McGovern, Chris Mason, Jamie Coomarasamy, Andrea Catherwood and James Naughtie will do reporting and commentary.

Britbox SA

Britbox will stream live coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, starting today at 10:30. Coverage will also be available to stream on-demand on Tuesday.

CBS News

Live-streamed on cbsnews.com and YouTube, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell will anchor a CBS News Special Report live from London, with royal contributors Tina Brown, Julian Payne, Roya Nikkhah, Amanda Foreman and the former BBC royal correspondent Wesley Kerr.

CNN International (DStv 401)

Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett will be anchoring live from London with special coverage kicking off at 11:00 today, with Christiane Amanpour, Max Foster and Richard Quest in London.

Like the BBC, CNN has reporters stationed throughout London, including at Westminster Abbey and along the procession route and at Windsor Castle.

Nada Bashir, Matthew Chance, Bianca Nobilo, Nic Robertson, Isa Soares, Anna Stewart and Clarissa Ward will provide commentary and reports, with Zain Asher and Julia Chatterley covering from New York.

CNN royal historian Kate Williams, CNN royal commentator Sally Bedell Smith and CNN contributor Trisha Goddard provide expert analysis and insights.

euronews (DStv 414)

euronews will cover the funeral proceedings of Queen Elizabeth live on the channel as well as live-streamed on its website from 11:00.

FOX News (StarSat 261)

FOX News will start live coverage at 10:00 today, with Martha MacCallum anchoring from The Canada Gate at Buckingham Palace. She will be joined by Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt and the British commentator Piers Morgan.

France24 (StarSat 259 / Openview 121 / TelkomONE)

France24 will broadcast the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II live on its TV news channel, with "special edition" live coverage also streamed from 10:00 this morning on France24's YouTube feed.

MSNBC (StarSat 263)

MSNBC's live coverage will start at 09:00 today with Chris Jansing anchoring. From 11:00 Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist and Katty Kay will anchor from London. From 16:00 Andrea Mitchell, Katy Tur and Chris Jansing will anchor MSNBC's special coverage.

NBC News Now

NBC News Now on YouTube and on nbcnews.com will live-stream the funeral ceremony as well, with Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Lester Holt anchor special live coverage of the funeral services starting at 11:00 today.

Showmax

Subscribers of MultiChoice's video streaming service across sub-Saharan Africa will be able to live-stream Queen Elizabeth II's on the BBC World News TV channel made available for free until 23 September. The live news channel is available to all Showmax subscribers regardless of their plan.

Sky News (DStv 402)

Sky News starts its special coverage today at 8:00 with anchor Kay Burley live at Westminster Abbey outlining how the day will unfold, with the channel's live feed also available on YouTube.

Anchors Anna Botting and Dermot Murnaghan start at 10:00 and will anchor for the day, with Anna Botting live from Westminster and Dermot Murnaghan reporting live from Windsor Castle as the procession begins to make its way from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, before concluding at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Sky News royal events commentator Alastair Bruce will provide analyses throughout the day. Kay Burley, Sarah Jane Mee and Gillian Joseph will be in the crowds in London and at Windsor Castle throughout the day.

Jayne Secker will be live from Windsor Caste at 18:00. Mark Austin will be anchoring from 20:00 as Sky News reflects on the day from Buckingham Palace with a look back at the events and key moments. 

Sky News will broadcast a round-up show of the day's proceedings and highlights at 22:00 tonight with Johnathan Samuels. Anna Botting will conclude coverage with the News at Ten at 23:00 South African time, live from Buckingham Palace.

Israel targets and bombs the bureau-building of Al Jazeera and Associated Press (AP) in Gaza, 'incredibly disturbing development' says AP, 'barbaric actions' says Al Jazeera.

 by Thinus Ferreira

Israel's air force on Saturday afternoon decided to target and bomb the 12-story Al-Jalaa building in Gaza where the region's news bureaus and offices of Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) and Associated Press (AP) were located with several journalists who managed to escape alive after they were given an hour to flee before the building was attacked and collapsed.

Israel started a new bombing offensive this past week that saw the Al-Jalaa building, that also has residential space, flattened on Saturday in the shocking air missile attack.

Abu Husam, the owner of the Al-Jalaa building pleaded with Israeli officials not to bomb the building and to allow journalists of Al Jazeera, Associated Press and Middle East Eye to return to the building to collect gear and equipment but the building was bombed minutes later after his call and collapsed.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claims that the Al-Jalaa building allegedly housed "Hamas military intelligence assets and said on social media that "The building contained civilian media offices, which Hamas hides behind and deliberately uses as human shields".

"After providing advance warning to civilians and time to evacuate, IDF fighter jets struck a multi-story building containing Hamas military intelligence assets. The building contained civilian media offices, which Hamas hides behind and deliberately uses as human shields."

Al Jazeera's Safwat al-Kahlout, reporting from Gaza , said a resident of the building received a call from the Israeli army warning of the impending attack about an hour before it was hit.

Safwat Al-Kahlout, who was in the Al-Jalaa building at the time, said he and colleagues "started to collect as much as they could, from the personal and equipment of the office, especially the cameras". They then fled and watched as at least three missiles hit the building after which it collapsed.

Gary Pruitt, Associated Press (AP) president and CEO, in a statement says that "We are shocked and horrified that the Israeli military would target and destroy the building housing AP's bureau and other news organizations in Gaza".

"They have long known the location of our bureau and knew journalists were there. We received a warning that the building would be hit."

"We are seeking information from the Israeli government and are engaged with the United States State Department to try to learn more."

"This is an incredibly disturbing development. We narrowly avoided a terrible loss of life. A dozen AP journalists and freelancers were inside the building and thankfully we were able to evacuate them in time. The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today."

Dr Mostefa Souag, acting director-general of Al Jazeera, in a statement says "We call on the international community to condemn such barbaric actions and targeting of journalists and we demand an immediate international action to hold Israel accountable for its deliberate targeting of journalists and the media institutions".

"The aim of this heinous crime is to silence the media and to hide the untold carnage and suffering of the people of Gaza."

"The destruction of Al Jazeera offices and that of other media organizations in Al-Jalaa tower in Gaza is a blatant violation of human rights and is internationally considered a war crime."

"We call on all media and human rights institutions in denouncing this heinous crime, and to stand with Al Jazeera and other media organisations targeted by the Israeli army, despite knowing their use of the building as their headquarters for many years."

"Al Jazeera condemns in the strongest terms the bombing and destruction of its offices by the Israeli military in Gaza and views this as a clear act to stop journalists from conducting their sacred duty to inform the world and report events on the ground."

"Al Jazeera promises to pursue every available route to hold the Israeli government responsible for its actions."

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says Israel's military is "deliberately targeting media facilities in order to disrupt coverage of the human suffering in Gaza".

"We demand that the Israeli government provide a detailed and documented justification for this military attack on a civilian facility given the possible violation of international humanitarian law."

"Journalists have an obligation and duty to cover unfolding events in Gaza and it would be illegal for the IDF to use military means to prevent it."

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV reports and articles to read - 3 March 2021.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:    

■ Netflix has commissioned an Asterix limited animation series.

■ SHOCKER: "Just a question of time" until the ultimate demise of traditional pay-TV.

■ Cord-cutting whereby American consumers dump their traditional pay-TV subscription was the worst-ever in 2020.

■ ANC political party doing public protests over eNCA's (DStv 403) racist mask scandal.

- ANC gives eNCA 7 days to respond to its racist mask incident.

- ANC to submit official complaint to Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA).

■ Dear M-Net (DStv 101) with Love Island SA scandal, eNCA (DStv 403) with racist mask scandal, and everyone else working in PR in South African television: Top six Disney lines every creative PR pro should live by.

■ The BBC yet again interviewed the wrong person and this time it got fooled in a deliberate hoax.

■ The SABC and the Emzini Wezinsizwa actors Jerry Phele and Augustine Shotholo are fighting over unpaid residuals the actors are owed after the SABC broadcast repeats of seasons of the show.

■ As Prince Phillip remains in hospital, will Britain's ITV delay the broadcast of Oprah's bombshell interview special with Harry and Meghan?

■ "Love Island South Africa cast on M-Net (DStv 101) doesn't feel South African."

■ China's StarTimes pay-TV operator in Africa denies that it is under a liquidation order over unpaid debt for content rights - but hilariously admits that it is in court proceedings over it - which is exactly what was originally reported.

■ Taylor Swift slams Netflix over deeply sexist joke about her love life.

■ The famously matricless former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and other SABC executives must pay back the money paid to certain music "legends".

■ Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) staffers shocked over its launch of Rightly as a rightwing platform: "A betrayal of the values that we work towards". m: "

■ ViacomCBS's Paramount+ video streaming service is targeting a younger demographic.

■ A lot more SABC staffers are getting fired and left without jobs in the retrenchment process of the South African public broadcaster than just 300 says Bemawu trade union.

■ 2021's Golden Globes ratings crater.

- Viewers tuning out of the fake fest.

- 78th Golden Globes ratings fall to an All-Time Low.

- It's time to ditch the Golden Globes.

- Technical glitches were not the only disasters at the tone-deaf HFPA's Golden Globes.

■ Jon Bon Jovi admits that he has never watched Sex and the City although he appeared in it.

■ Disney CEO Bob Shapek sees no turning back from the introduction of new streaming-movie release windows.

■ Is Discovery Inc.'s new video streaming service Discovery+ a success?

■ "A la Carte" - the opposite of the "bundling" of TV channels with traditional pay-TV is taking on a whole new meaning with video streamers.

■ The BBC is reviving its axed BBC3 TV channel as a linear broadcast channel from January after it was shuttered in 2015.

The BBC will double its content commissions for the channel over the next 2 years as it focuses on content for 16 to 35-year olds.

■ Will the future of Grey's Anatomy seen on M-Net (Dstv 101) be decided sooner rather than later?

■ Why Disney releases Friday episodes of WandaVision on its Disney+ streaming service late in the night on Thursdays to the world except for South Africa where thousands pirate view it.

■ "Television is capable of ripping you apart."

■ Ryan Seacrest on why he left E!'s (DStv 124) red carpet coverage after 14 years  just before the Golden Globes.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV reports and articles to read - 24 February 2021.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:     

■ Netflix has an elite team of 23 insider executives, known as the "L-staff" who make the biggest decisions at the video streaming service.

■  Apple's biggest mistake was not buying Netflix.

■ Independent Media's Debashine Thangevelo will now do a weekly column on Sundays, "Remote Access", in the new Insider supplement, looking at what's happening on TV.

■ The Black News Channel is looking to mark a mark in America's competitive TV news channels landscape while looking at news through the lens of black Americans.

■ Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) is launching a new rightwing news platform, Rightly, that will be led by a former Fox News journalist.

- Al Jazeera staff dismayed at the Rightly launch.

■ A new Netflix hack understands your TV obsessions even more than you do.

■ The showrunner of The Walking Dead on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) reveals how the show filled the extra 6 episodes.

■ This is why Star is Disney's next big salvo in its Disney+ streaming war with Netflix.

■ Video streamers are looking outside the lines:

As subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services have become all the rage in America and are damaging traditional pay-TV services, for many - especially smaller services - the real money is to be made internationally.

■ So-called "cord-cutting" in America - consumers who abandon and cancel their traditional pay-TV subscription - has almost doubled in 2020.

- The worst of cord-cutting is over?

■ How The Bachelor reality show in America missed an opportunity for representation.

- Why Chris Harrison's benching from The Bachelor should be made permanent.

■ Disney, Discovery Inc., WarnerMedia and all of the others are fixated on the subscriber numbers for their new streaming services but the big question is their content spend and whether they're going to keep it up and invest even more to keep pace with the near-bottomless wallets of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.

■ Ultraviolet television helps us understand how animals see the world.

■ Will Facebook become a revenue stream for TV news?

■ Ireland struggles with the same collection problems as South Africa's SABC TV Licence.

■ TV's tech war: TV-set makers are increasingly pitting the rival technologies of LED and OLED against each other. The result: Better screens for customers.

■ Riverdale seen on M-Net (DStv 101) leaves viewers gasping as Archie and Betty strips naked for steamy shower sex scene.

- Why British TV viewers no longer complain about sex.

■ Study: Too much TV or mobile screen time can trigger suicidal thoughts in teenagers.

■ New Chinese crime drama TV series, Hunting, filming in Nairobi, Kenya.

■ The former South African YO.TV presenter Jeza gets 6 matric distinctions.

■ From Sex and the City, to Succession and all of the new shows and new seasons: Will TV confront Covid-19 or ignore it?

Marc Lamont Hill is the new presenter of Al Jazeera's weekly current affairs show Upfront.

by Thinus Ferreira

Marc Lamont Hill is the new presenter of the weekly current affairs show Upfront on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257).

The new season of the Washington-based Upfront started on Friday 12 February and has a new episode weekly on Friday nights at 21:30 (South African time); with repeats on Saturdays (04:20), Sundays (06:30)and on Mondays (01:30 and 10:30).

Upfront features one-on-one interviews and discussions with international politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists.

"I’m thrilled to have Marc bringing depth, analysis and his particular take on the events shaping our times. He is made for this moment," says Salah A A Khadr, Al Jazeera's head of talk shows.

"I’m thankful for this opportunity to host such an outstanding show," says Marc Lamont Hill. "I’m eager to build on its success in holding power to account, as well as bringing diverse and provocative voices to the table on topics that are important to global viewers."

PROGRAMMING NOTE. 2020 American presidential election: Coverage plans, times, anchors, correspondents and commentators of BBC World News, CNN International, Sky News and Al Jazeera.

by Thinus Ferreira

With Americans going to the voting booth on Tuesday in the 2020 American presidential election, here are the coverage plans of the various international TV news channels, including their programming times, the anchors, correspondents and commentators they will be using - including Omarosa Manigault Newman!

BBC WORLD NEWS (DStv 400 / StarSat 256)

Katty Kay and Andrew Neil who co-hosted the 2016 American presidential election will present the BBC's coverage under the themed banner of US Election 2020.

BBC World News will be reporting the race as it unfolds with live results and expert analysis from London and the United States. 

Katty Kay and Andrew Neil will start the BBC US Election 2020 programme from 01:30 (SAST South African standard time) on Wednesday morning.

Katty Kay will be broadcasting from Washington, with Andrew Neil providing interviews and analysis from London. 

Jon Sopel and Clive Myrie will be with the Donald Trump and Joe Biden campaigns during the course of Tuesday and into election night, with BBC reporters including Emily Maitlis and Nick Bryant in the crucial battleground states. A panel of expert political strategists will be assessing how the night is unfolding.

BBC US Election 2020 will feature big-screen graphic analysis from Christian Fraser, and Tina Daheley will also be bringing audiences news bulletins throughout the course of Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning BBC coverage will see Laura Trevelyan taking over in Washington, and Matthew Amroliwala and Reeta Chakrabarti in London from 11:00 SAST, running through to 15:00 on Wednesday afternoon; and from then on anchored by Jane O’Brien in Washington and Lucy Hockings in London. Katty Kay and Christian Fraser will be providing further analysis from 22:00 on Wednesday night.

"The 2020 US election cycle has been endlessly surprising, which is fitting for a year that’s been anything but normal. It will be a hard-fought contest right to the end, and I’m excited to bring global BBC audiences the story on election night and in the days after," says Katty Kay.

Jonathan Munro, the BBC's head of newsgathering, says "The US Presidential election is one of the world’s most important political events, and always has a big impact on politics across the world. Our goal is to make sure that we provide our audiences with the complete picture".

CNN INTERNATIONAL (DStv 401)

On CNN International Wolf Blitzer, Dana Bash, Anderson Cooper, Abby Phillip and Jake Tapper will lead coverage from the CNN Election Center on Tuesday 3 November and into Wednesday under the themed banner of Election Night in America.

CNN's Election Night in America coverage will officially start on Tuesday night at 23:00 (SAST). 

Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon will anchor CNN's late-night coverage into Wednesday morning. CNN correspondents Jim Acosta and Kaitlan Collins will be live from the Donald Trump campaign headquarters while Arlette Saenz and Jeff Zeleny will be reporting live from the Joe Biden campaign headquarters.

Also in CNN's Election Center will be its chief national correspondent John King who will report live from the CNN Magic Wall, as well as CNN political director David Chalian who will cover exit polls. 

CNN's senior White House correspondent Pamela Brown will be at the voting desk reporting updates from voting locations across the United States. Senior political analyst Mark Preston will provide analysis throughout Tuesday and Wednesday.

CNN's chief political analyst Gloria Borger, host and commentator Van Jones, and senior political commentators David Axelrod and Rick Santorum will do coverage from the analyst desk.

Senior legal analyst Lauren Coates and CNN contributor Ben Ginsberg will provide legal analysis.

SKY NEWS (DStv 402 / StarSat 258)

Sky News will start its rolling coverage on Tuesday night under its themed banner of America Decides from midnight (00:00 SAST) and into Wednesday.

Dermot Murnaghan who will anchor Sky News' coverage will be joined by the US correspondent Cordelia Lynch, as well as Omarosa Manigault Newman (former Donald Trump aide), as well as Kim Darroch (former British ambassador to the US).

Sky News says that its America Decides coverage will include live results, expert analysis, special guests and a bespoke augmented reality studio allowing viewers to visualise the "Race to the White House" like never before.

AL JAZEERA (DStv 406 / StarSat 257)

Al Jazeera says that the TV news channel will have comprehensive coverage of the 2020 US Election with anchors and correspondents reporting from the White House and on-the-ground in key battleground states across that country.

Al Jazeera's special, extended coverage under the themed banner of America Decides will kick off on Tuesday night 3 November from midnight (00:00 SAST) and into Wednesday morning as polls in America begin to close and results start to come in.

"We’ll have correspondents at the party headquarters of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and across the US in locations such as Washington D.C., Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles – speaking to voters about the issues that matter to them, and how they voted."

Al Jazeera says that the latest results and expert analysis will come from its Doha and Washington D.C. broadcast centres, with international reaction from Al Jazeera English’s extensive network of reporting teams around the world.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read - 13 August 2020.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:


■ Ghana groom leaves bride waiting in church ... to go fix a DStv dish on his wedding day.


■ Top veteran South African economist Dr Iraj Abedian slams what he calls MultiChoice's trash-bad DStv service and says he's done and cancelling - which leads to an outpouring of complaints from angry and highly upset DStv subscribers:
"DStv services have gone to the dogs. Their helpdesk doesn't answer, their Whatsapp responses are invalid, their website doesn't load. They message me that I have no decoder whilst I've been using their decoder for over 10 years! Such is the state of management at DStv. Embarrassing!"


■ Voice of America (DStv 853), now controlled by the controversial Donald Trump appointed Michael Pack, goes from an American radio station to propaganda station with glowing Mike Pence coverage.

■ Showrunners of Avatar: The Last Airbender leave live-action remake and slam Netflix:
Got no support from Netflix that created a "negative and unsupported environment".

■ Cartoon Network tried to de-gay Steven Universe.
- Cartier's romantic TV commercial with 2 men in China stirs censorship debate.

■ MultiChoice is an absolute joke says a DStv subscriber who has been waiting for months for a refund since cancelling his DStv subscription in June already.

■ Even more financial pain and ratings trouble because of lost advertising revenue due to lost sports content for ESPN (DStv 218 / StarSat 248) as more American college football tournaments are postponed to 2021.

■ Half-naked man walks in during live TV interview as frantic American football analyst Urban Meyer being interviewed freaks out.

■  Remote Control: Making TV amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Will viewers watch the new "boxed-in" shows done with remote and skeleton crews and casts spending all their time inside?
- The post-Covid-19 TV industry starts to take shape in the United Kingdom, but with missing pieces, frustrated unions, ditched episodes and ruined castles.


■ Secret: Broadcasters believe 5G will replace traditional TV distribution.
- Can broadcasters survive the video streaming battle?

■ Is Disney done with physical disks?
Mouse House apparently ready to dump disks.

■ Breathtaking: Scammers sell $1 billion's worth of TV shows ... a year.
Fake sites sell pirate internet-protocol TV services worldwide filled with live feeds of linear TV channels and it's completely illegal.

■ India bans the import of TV sets.

■ Netflix goes to Hell.

■ Turkey's Ertuğrul: The Muslim "Game of Thrones".

■ He coined the phrase "Content is king". Media mogul Sumner Redstone dead at 97.

■ The big Generation X animation comeback.

■ International TV news channels like Deutsche Welle off the air and forced to end programmes as they are directly affected by Tanzania's shocking new dictatorial media clampdown regulations.

■ Amazon Prime Video gives away free ice-cream in Los Angeles.

■ Nigeria's film and video censorship board abruptly introduces a 30-day mandatory content registration regulation for producers; adds a 5% tax levy payable on all audio and visual content produced in Lagos.

■ New Zealand's Sky TV pay-TV operator sells off its outside broadcasting unit responsible for doing its Sky Sport coverage; will keep the production crew.
- Also removes local Covid-19 horror TV series INSiDE as new real-life coronavirus cases emerge.

■ Egypt extends the detention of the Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) journalist Mahmoud Hussein.

■ Why is Nigeria's aggressive National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fighting with MultiChoice, Nigeria' TV industry and the media?

■ The Princess Bride board game is an exercise in futility - which makes it brilliant.

BREAKING. Malaysia police raids Al Jazeera's office in Kuala Lumpur, seizes 2 computers after shocking 101 East expose revealing how the country treats migrant workers during Covid-19 lockdown.

by Thinus Ferreira

The TV news channel Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) on Tuesday announced that Malaysia's police raided its Kuala Lumpur office and seized 2 computers in the country's "troubling escalation" in its crackdown on freedom of the press.

The Malaysia police raided Al Jazeera's office in Kuala Lumpur after the broadcast of a 101 East episode "Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown" on 3 July 2020, in which Al Jazeera revealed the Malaysian government's shocking treatment of undocumented migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Malaysia's government the police raid on the TV news channel is because Al Jazeera is being investigated for "sedition, defamation and violation of the country's Communications and Multimedia Act"

In a statement, Giles Trendle, managing director of Al Jazeera English, says Al Jazeera is "gravely concerned" by the Malaysia raid and that Al Jazeera is calling on Malaysia to stop its criminal investigation against Al Jazeera and its journalists in the country.

"Conducting a raid on our office and seizing computers is a troubling escalation in the authorities' crackdown on media freedom and shows the lengths they are prepared to take to try to intimidate journalists."

"Al Jazeera stands by our journalists and we stand by our reporting. Our staff did their jobs and they've got nothing to answer for or apologise for. Journalism is not a crime."

The International Federation of Journalists in a statement demands that Malaysia's government drops the investigation against Al Jazeera.

"There has been a distinct pattern under the Covid-19 crisis of media workers targeted under Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Act and Penal Code for simply doing their job."

"It is urgent for Malaysia during the pandemic to prioritise the public's right to know and for the media to be able to report freely and fairly without the threat of persecution."

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department deputy director (Investigation/Legal) Deputy Commissioner Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid confirmed the raid on Al Jazeera’s KL bureau at Level 27 of GTower, near the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in the city centre.

The Malaysian police confirmed to Malaysia media in a statement that it raided Al Jazeera's office on Level 27 of GTower, near the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department deputy director (Investigation/Legal) Deputy Commissioner Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid confirmed the raid on Al Jazeera’s KL bureau at Level 27 of GTower, near the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in the city centre.

"Yes, officers from the Classified Criminal Investigations Unit and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission raided the premises at 11.30am. This is part of our ongoing investigations," Bukit Aman, deputy director of Malaysia's Criminal Investigation Department, told Malay Mail.

MultiChoice abruptly shuts down and deletes its existing DStv press portal for the media during Covid-19 coronavirus crisis without warning.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice on Thursday 2 April 2020 abruptly shut down and deleted its DStv press portal where it has been hosted without bothering to warn or tell the media beforehand anything about it or what they need to do now.

TVwithThinus still access MultiChoice's DStv press portal hosted at https://press.dstv.com/login on Wednesday afternoon, and again on Wednesday night but by Thursday morning it was suddenly gone and deleted.

The login page, saved as a browser favourite simply returning a "404 Not Found" page without any explanation as to what happened or what's going on, causing massive stress and confusion under several in the media who are dependend on using the site to report and communicate about content on DStv's satellite pay-TV platform.

MultiChoice, unilaterally and without bothering to tell the media, dumped its DStv press portal without giving the press in South Africa no advance warning that it's shutting down its press portal, nor what they have to do,or any explanation why.

The user group - including journalists and editors online, working at newspapers, magazines, in radio and TV, and covering television and ranging from TV writers, TV critics, DJs and social media influencers - received no advance warning from MultiChoice that it is shutting down its press portal, nor what they have to do, or any explanation why.

It's unclear whether the DStv press portal contract termination - possibly the latest misguided and short-sighted cost-cutting measure inside MultiChoice - was ordered by Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO, or Mark Rayner, MultiChoice South Africa CEO.

The ordered DStv press portal shutdown and resultant shock, fear and chaos under the media who had no idea that it would be happening and got no communication from MultiChoice about it, comes during a particularly sensitive time in South Africa with the growing Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic spreading in the country and globally and where the media in all spheres requires better and more communication - not less - than ever before.

The DStv press portal that already migrated to a new site once before, hosts an extremely precious and valuable archive  - constantly updated - that is a precious and highly-functional publicity material reservoir ranging from monthly schedules and highlight documents, show and cast publicity images, press releases and media statements, show and channel logos and a myriad of other useful information for channels ranging from Al Jazeera to Zee World.

Besides the information from third-part channels hosted on DStv, MultiChoice's DStv press portal carried information about all of M-Net's own packaged channels ranging from M-Net and Mzansi Magic, to 1Magic, to the carousels of M-Net Movies and kykNET channels.

In a instant on Thursday MultiChoice ripped it all away from South Africa's press without warning or any indication as to what they are supposed to do.

On Thursday TVwithThinus emailed and asked MultiChoice's corporate communications team headed by Joe Heshu, MultiChoice group executive for corporate affairs, and Reggy Moalusi, executive head of corporate affairs at MultiChoice South Africa, to please restore the DStv press portal.

They were told and reminded that the DStv poress portal is something that is crucially-important and used a lot by a lot of press in South Africa - many of whom won't yet realise that it's gone from where it used to be, with no idea of what's wrong when they suddenly and urgently need to access it.

TVwithThinus asked MultiChoice's communications team on Thursday - including MultiChoice SA CEO Mark Rayner and Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, when the decision was made to remove and destroy the DStv press portal where it has been and where it has been hosted, and why this was not communicated to anybody who is highly dependent on it.

MultiChoice was also asked why the pay-TV operator decided to do away with the existing DStv press portal during such an extremely sensitive time and stressful period in South Africa due to the coronavirus pandemic when the South African government and others implored that as much information as possible be kept and made available to the media and the public.

By Friday afternoon at 14:00 there was no response yet from MultiChoice to any of the questions.

On Friday evening a MultiChoice representative in a phone call said that the DStv press portal has been moved to a new website. MultiChoice gave no explanation why this has happened or why it has been done, or why it has been done now.

It's unclear whether media knows they have to go to a new website, or have to take the time to register again. It's also highly unlikely that the richly populated publicity material, the "Latest News" section without having to search containing latest press releases and announcements, or archived material including monthly schedules and the vast collection of high-res images, will be available on a new site.

"If MultiChoice wanted to shut down or move the DStv press portal the very least they could have done would have been to inform the journalists and editors making use of it personally, and at least a month before the time. That is basic," a journalist and TV critic who uses the site constantly told TVwithThinus on Thursday evening.

"MultiChoice is absolutely beyond ridiculous".

Another user remarked: "I don't like the new one it's so empty".

Coronavirus: MultiChoice's Showmax adds linear TV news channels for streaming during Covid-19 pandemic.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's video streaming service, Showmax, is adding the live feeds of 7 linear TV news channels to its offering as the world battles the Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic which has led to a 21-day national lockdown in South Africa that will start on Friday 27 March.

Showmax says it's adding the TV news channels to help keep subscribers up to date with information, news and developments around Covid-19 for people who want to stream-watch the news channels.

Showmax has added BBC World News, CNN International, Sky News, SABC News, Newzroom Afrika, Al Jazeera and euronews.

Showmax's TV news channels addition follows after MultiChoice made a selection of TV news and some other channels available on its DStv Now video streaming platform available for free to all South Africans including People’s Weather, SuperSport Play, PBS Kids, Channel O, TBN, BBC World News, CNN International, Sky News, eNCA, SABC News, Newzroom Africa and euronews.

StarTimes/StarSat now live streams over 100 international and local TV channels for free through its StarTimes ON app in South Africa and for users elsewhere in Africa, including BBC World News, africanews, NTA News, CGTN, Al Jazeera, France24 and CNC World.

Showmax was asked if it will be opening up access to content for free in the way that Amazon Prime Video this week started giving free access to multiple series from its kids catalogue. Spokesperson Richard Boorman told TVwithThinus that Showmax "is exploring a number of measures".

In late scheduling change Al Jazeera schedules Al Jazeera film, Maria Ressa: War on Truth, this week for its Witness documentary strand following the Filipino journalist and Rappler editor's arrest this week.

In a late scheduling change, Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257 / Cell C black 503) will now broadcast Maria Ressa: War on Truth tonight in its Witness strand timeslot on Monday morning, 18 February 00:30, following the Filipino journalist and Rappler editor's shocking arrest this week.

The special Maria Ressa: War on Truth will repeat in the week on Al Jazeera on Monday 18 February at 11:30, 19 February at 05:30, 20 February at 18:30 and 21 February at 07:30 (all times South Africa).

"It's the battle of our age. Facebook and other social media giants are being manipulated by governments and corporations, weakening democracies," says Al Jazeera of the documentary special.

"No country epitomises the consequences of this battle more so than the Philippines. No individual personifies the struggle against it more so than Maria Ressa."

Maria Ressa is the editor of Rappler, a digital news outlet that flourished under Facebook, and she now says is being crushed by it as the government uses it to shut down its critics.

She runs what she calls the "Shark Tank", one of the largest independent databases of Facebook accounts and comments that is tracking 15 million accounts propagating disinformation on social media and that are used to control debate globally. 

"While she lobbies social media giants to become more accountable abroad, she’s facing legal battles at home, with her government trying to jail her, shut her outlet down and silence dissent.

Al Jazeera follows Maria Ressa while she fights at the frontlines of what she calls "the war on truth and to prevent democracies from failing not only in her country but also worldwide".

Filipino journalist Maria Ressa’s arrest on 13 February 2019 sparked condemnation around the world.

In this new Al Jazeera Witness film, the documentary gains intimate access to Maria and follow her fight on the frontlines of what she calls the "war on truth" Maria takes viewers into Rappler, the digital-only news platform she co-founded in 2012 that flourishes by sharing much of its content via Facebook.

Maria Ressa also travels to Paris, France, where she speaks at the inaugural congregation of the Information and Democracy Commission, spearheaded by Reporters Without Borders, and attended by French President Emmanuel Macron.

In 2016 Maria Ressa started to notice a rise in accounts extolling the virtues of the government, or a particular policy around the time of its announcement. She also saw dissenters being trolled. 

This prompted her and her team to create possibly the largest data set outside of Facebook, called the "Shark Tank" to monitor these accounts. What she found alarmed her.

She presented her findings to Facebook ahead of American president Donald Trump’s election in the United States.

Facebook ignored her - until after the election. Then Facebook requested the data again and used it to shut down 30 000 fake accounts ahead of the French elections in 2017. She says without this information, Emmanuel Macron may not have been elected. What’s more, the US elections may have turned out differently, if used sooner.

Maria Ressa says autocratic rulers can view social media with suspicion because it allows dissenters to mobilise quickly, but now they realise they can use it to manipulate debate and undermine democracy.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 13 February 2019.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ Communication minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams should try to help the SABC instead of censoring and undermining it.
The arrogant Stella has decided that she has the power to tell SABC journalists what they can and can't do.
■ Stella should be fired if the ANC is serious about democracy and freedom.

■ Auditor-General in Sierra Leone warns that members of the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC) who got DStv for free for a year will have to pay the "fringe benefit" back out of their own salaries.

■ The BBC is fighting to try and prevent Netflix from poaching Sir David Attenborough.

■ "Everyone walks on eggshells around the NFL".
Surprise. You can't say too bad things about the sport you're covering. The relationship between American broadcast networks and ESPN, and its National Football League (NFL) echoes the relationship between SuperSport and South African Rugby.

■ In America the show Running with Bear Grylls seen on Discovery Channel (DStv 121) in South Africa and Africa, is moving to competitor National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220 / Cell C black 262).

■ Netflix. Showmax. Are video streaming shows really successful. Who knows?
Their refusal to release any real viewership figures makes it impossible to measure the true success.

■ Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257 / Cell C black 503) adds Bloomberg news content.

■ The March 2019 issue of Woman & Home SA covers South African TV newsers, SABC News' Francis Herd, eNCA's (DStv 403) Uveka Rangappa and M-Net's (DStv 101) Claire Mawisa of Carte Blanche.

■ Chef Nompumelelo Mqwebu claims contestants from My Kitchen Rules SA on M-Net (DStv 101) stole 2 recipes from her cookbook and that she demonstrated, that then in turn led to judge David Higgs be inspired to do a version in his book, Mile 8.

■ Where is Australia's "prestige" television?


■ Africa and Africans still grossly underrepresented in American television.
South Africa is one of just 5 African countries accounting for 49% of all mentions in American TV programming.


■ Sky's Property TV channel, the only one in the United Kingdom, is bankrupt.

■ Clueless and uninformed Nigerian complaining about pay-TV services like MultiChoice Nigeria and StarTimes Nigeria. Again.

■ Former M-Net commissioning editor Allison Triegaardt now of The Televisionaries discovered Netflix in December.
"In South Africa, people are saying that there isn't enough opportunity. But there's a move towards ad-funded productions now."

■ Netflix or Sex? New survey finds Americans would give up Sex for Netflix.