Bloomberg TV adjusts schedule from 22 January with debut of new Surveillance studio in New York.

by Thinus Ferreira

Bloomberg TV (DStv 411) is changing its programming line-up from Monday 22 January and will also debut a new studio for its Surveillance show which will broadcast live from Bloomberg headquarters in New York.

Bloomberg - which over the past year has been notoriously bad in communicating anything about its programming, on-air and physical expansion plans in South Africa and across Africa to the media - has announced that it will be making changes to its schedule from Monday 22 January, affecting its schedules for America, Europe and Africa, as well as Asia.

Jonathan Ferro, Annmarie Hordern and Lisa Abramowicz will continue to present Bloomberg Surveillance, Bloomberg's flagship morning show in North America seen from 13:00 in South Africa.

Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu will now be the co-presenters on Balance of Power.

Bloomberg Technology with co-presenters Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow is now moving to 18:00. 

Bloomberg Markets will move to 18:30 daily. Bloomberg ETF IQ on Mondays, Bloomberg Crypto on Tuesdays and Bloomberg Real Yield on Fridays will now all be at 19:00. 

Bloomberg Markets: The Close will be on-air from 22:00 to midnight with Romaine Bostick as presenter. He will be joined by Alix Steel at 22:00 and Scarlet Fu at 23:00.

Bloomberg TV will broadcast the radio edition of Balance of Power at 20:00 and will also show Bloomberg Businessweek from Bloomberg Radio at 21:00 with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec as co-presenters.

"These programming changes better position Bloomberg TV to capture breaking news in real-time, around the globe," says Julie Alnwick Mchale, Bloomberg Television's global head, in a statement.

"Adding Bloomberg Radio's Businessweek and Balance of Power to our already strong TV lineup will also allow us to better serve our video and audio audiences, and capitalize on Bloomberg's unparalleled reach through our multiple platforms."

This is the adjusted Africa schedule:

- The day starts with Daybreak Middle East and Africa from 6:00 co-presented from Bloomberg's studios in Dubai and Johannesburg.

- Tom Mackenzie is the new presenter of Daybreak Europe at 8:00.

- Anna Edwards, Guy Johnson and Kriti Gupta become the new co-presenters of Bloomberg Markets Today from 9:00 to 11:00.

- Francine Lacqua will continues to anchor the daily weekday program The Pulse with Francine Lacqua and her long-format interviews show Leaders with Lacqua featuring interviews with high-profile guests from the worlds of global business, economics, finance and politics.

Bloomberg TV dumps Charlie Rose's The Charlie Rose Show after lurid sexual harassment allegations from several women of groping, lewd calls and walking around naked.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411 / StarSat 264) has dumped Charlie Rose's The Charlie Rose Show and CBS News has suspended Charlie Rose where he's one of the three co-hosts on the morning show CBS This Morning after lurid sexual harassment allegations from multiple women saying he walked around naked in front of them, made lewd phone calls and groped their breasts, buttocks or genital areas.

Bloomberg Television that record and broadcasts Charlie Rose, produced by Charlie Rose Inc., has pulled the show from the business news channel immediately.

"We are deeply disturbed to learn of these allegations and are immediately suspending the show from airing on Bloomberg TV and radio," Bloomberg said in a statement.

Charlie Rose has also been suspended from CBS, where he co-hosted CBS This Morning since 2012.

"Charlie Rose is suspended immediately while we look into this matter. These allegations are extremely disturbing and we take them very seriously," CBS News said in a statement.

Eight women, who were either employees or prospective employees of Charlie Rose, told The Washington Post that he sexually harassed them, made unwanted sexual advances toward them, made lwed phone calls, walked around naked in front of them, and groped their breasts, buttocks or genital areas.

Charlie Rose in a statement says he apologises "for my inappropriate behaviour".

"I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realise I was mistaken."

Charlie Rose's longtime executive producer, Yvette Vega admitted that she had been told several times of his inappropriate behaviour, and acknowledged that she failed and deeply regrets not helping women who complained about his behaviour.

UPDATE Monday 21 November 2017 19:35 - CBS News has fired Charlie Rose.

CBS News president David Rhodes says Charlie Rose is fired.

"A short time ago we terminated Charlie Rose’s employment with CBS News, effective immediately. This followed the revelation yesterday of extremely disturbing and intolerable behaviour."

"There is absolutely nothing more important, in this or any organisation, than ensuring a safe, professional workplace - a supportive environment where people feel they can do their best work. We need to be such a place."

Bloomberg and Twitter teams up to create a 24-hour streaming news channel.

Twitter and Bloomberg are teaming up to create a 24-hour streaming news channel that will have reports from Bloomberg Television's various news bureaux, as well as vetted user-generated content.

In South Africa Bloomberg Television is available on MultiChoice's DStv, as well On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media South Africa's StarSat satellite pay-TV platforms.

Bloomberg's Twitter news channel will have some exclusive content on this online business news channel different from its Bloomberg Television channel.

"Today's global news consumer wants and needs more than what's currently available," says Justin Smith, CEO of Bloomberg Media, in a statement.
 
"With this new network, we are setting out to reinvent the digital breaking news experience."

Bloomberg's Twitter channel will launch later this year.

TV critic's synopsis in The Sunday Herald of Donald Trump's upcoming presidential inauguration draws attention.

A TV critic's creative synopsis in the TV listings of an upcoming TV programme - the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump in America on Friday afternoon - is drawing global attention after he likened it to The Twilight Zone and a science fiction show set in "an ongoing alternative present".

TV critic Damien Love's TV listing in Scotland's Sunday Herald is now drawing attention around the world after he described the upcoming Trump inauguration and the next four years of his presidency, broadcast as a TV show, as "one of the most ambitious, expensive and controversial productions in broadcast history".


President Trump: The Inauguration
After a long absence, The Twilight Zone returns with one of the most ambitious, expensive and controversial productions in broadcast history. Sci-fi writers have dabbled often with alternative history stories - among the most common is the "What If The Nazis Had Won The Second World War" setting - but this huge interactive virtual reality project, which will unfold on TV, in the press, and on Twitter over the next four years, sets out to build an ongoing alternative present.

The story begins in a nightmarish version of 2017 in which huge sections of the US electorate have somehow been duped into voting to make Donald Trump president. It sounds far-fetched, and it is, but as it goes on it becomes more and more chillingly plausible. Today's feature-length opener concentrates on the gaudy inauguration of President Trump, and the stirrings of protest and despair surrounding the ceremony, while pundits speculate gravely on what lies ahead. It's a flawed piece, but a disturbing glimpse of the horrors we could stumble into, if we're not careful.


In 2017 viewers can watch brilliant shows with people trapped in alternative realities - ranging from The Man in the High Castle on Amazon Prime Video to Emerald City on Vuzu AMP (DStv 103), Travelers and Parallels on Netflix, 12 Monkeys, Timeless, Beyond and the upcoming Time After Time.

Yet it's the real world with Donald Trump as an American president and things like a looming Brexit, that millions of people worldwide find hard to believe and difficult to understand and adapt to.

Damien Love's TV listing went viral when George Takei, famous for his role as Sulu in Star Trek, tweeted: "The Sunday Herald TV section wins today".


Where to watch Donald Trump's inauguration
South African viewers can tune in for President Trump: The Inauguration in Washington, D.C. that will be broadcast on BBC World News (DStv 400 / StarSat 256) on Friday from 17:00 to 21:00, anchored by Huw Edwards and Sophie Raworth.

CNN International (DStv 401) didn't release any details or programming times regarding the inauguration and the channel's EPG on MultiChoice's DStv shows no special coverage but CNN will likely also carry it live from sometime on Friday.

Sky News (DStv 402) will switch to inauguration coverage from 17:00 on Friday.

FOX News (StarSat 261) will switch to live Inauguration 2017 coverage from 18:00 anchored by Shepard Smith.

CNBC Africa (DStv 410) will broadcast The Inauguration of Donald Trump on Friday from 18:00 to 22:00 switching to the American CNBC feed with coverage anchored by Carl Quintanilla, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera and Kelly Evans.

MSNBC (StarSat 263) will start its inauguration coverage on Friday at 17:00 anchored by Rachel Maddow, Brian Williams and Chris Matthews in New York and NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt in Washington, D.C.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411 / StarSat 264) under its Bloomberg Politics banner will also broadcast the inauguration on Friday from 17:00 to 20:00, as will India's NDTV (DStv 413 / StarSat 567) from 18:00 to 20:00.

Local TV news channels eNCA (DStv 403), SABC News (DStv 404) and ANN7 (DStv 405) didn't release schedules, programming notes or any coverage plans but are likely to dip into the live inauguration feed late on Friday afternoon as well.

eNCA says it will live stream the inauguration event online at enca.com from 19:00 on Friday.

Bloomberg Television on DStv dumps First Up; replaces it with new weekday show, Daybreak Asia, covering the upcoming day's Asian markets news.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) is dumping First Up and replacing it with Daybreak Asia as a new weekday show covering the upcoming day's Asian markets news.

Bloomberg Television on Tuesday announced that First Up is being replaced by Daybreak Asia that will be anchored by Betty Lui as well as other anchors in New York like Ramy Inocencio, Su Keenan and Kathleen Hays as well as in Hong Kong Angie Lau, Yvonne Man, Rosalind Chin, Haidi Lun and Shery Ahn.

Daybreak Asia will be seen in Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on weekdays from Monday mornings to Fridays, from 01:00 to 03:00.

"Over the past year, our mission at Bloomberg TV has been to align our sophisticated programming and unparalleled journalistic resources around the world to create the number one business and financial television network," says Al Mayers, the head of Bloomberg TV and radio.

"The combination of anchors in New York and Hong Kong will tremendously enhance our coverage of global markets, and deliver to our viewers the essential news and information they need to start or close their business day".

Bloomberg Television says that in addition to having top business and financial guests on Daybreak Asia, the anchors will offer insight into the latest news and movements in global markets.

Arabile Gumede the next anchor to dump eNCA in the ongoing exit of high-profile faces; leaves eNCA to join business channel Bloomberg Television.

Arabile Gumede is the next anchor dumping eNCA (DStv 403) in the ongoing exit over the last few months of high-profile faces at the eMedia Investments channel on MultiChoice's DStv.

The prime time business news anchor who courted controversy in 2014 and who was forced by eNCA channel bosses to apologise after saying "it's fine to be homophobic" will leave eNCA at the end of May.

Arabile Gumede is set to join Bloomberg Television (DStv 411 / StarSat 264) that has a much smaller viewership and presence in South Africa just like Eleni Giokos did in 2013 (and who has since left Bloomberg and moved to CNN International (DStv 401).

Arabile Gumede will remain based in South Africa for Bloomberg Television.

Arabile Gumede who joined eNCA in December 2013 from CNBC Africa (DStv 410) is leaving eNCA after just over two years and a half years after replacing Francis Herd who jumped to SABC News (DStv 404).

Known for his almost daily "or rather" interjection to apologise for reading mistakes, Arabile Gumede also became the sit-in presenter for eNCA's Moneyline when Siki Mgabadeli's not available.

After months of not improving and for his ceaseless and almost indefatigable on-air utterances of "or rather", TVwithThinus in May 2014 bestowed Arabile Gumede with the "worst person in all of prime time news on South African television" prize.

"It's been an incredible journey," says Arabile Gumede in a statement. "Learning from the great minds in local television news has been nothing but rewarding".

"It was a difficult decision to make, but one that allows me to nurture all that I can in the hustle and bustle of business journalism."

Mapi Mhlangu, eNCA channel news director says "Arabile Gumede is passionate about business reporting and a talented anchor. His departure is a loss to us but also a compliment for eNCA. He joins a number of former colleagues now pursuing international careers".

Opportunity Africa coming to Bloomberg Television as a new 12-episode series from May 2016 looking at Africa's business opportunities.

Urban Brew Studios in South Africa and the British TV production company Zig Zag Productions in partnership with the London based content specialists Verchaiz Media will work together to produce a new 12-episode factual series, Opportunity Africa for Bloomberg Television (DStv 411).

Opportunity Africa will be broadcast on the business channel Bloomberg Television from May 2016 and will be seen in South Africa and the rest of the African continent, as well as Europe and the Middle East.

Opportunity Africa is a series of half-hour programmes, closely following a wide range of African businesses and will focus on untapped business opportunities on the continent and the challenges involved in attracting capital and building a successful business.

Opportunity Africa will speak to investors, central bank governors, ministers and established African business leaders.

Opportunity Africa is executive produced by Danny Fenton from Zig Zag Productions and Simon Miller and Richard Harrison from Verchaix Media. 

"This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Urban Brews' production capabilities," says Markus Davies, head of content for Urban Brew Studios.

"We're delighted to be partnering with Verchaix Media and Urban Brew Studios in making Opportunity Africa," says Danny Fenton, Zig Zag Productions CEO.

"At Zig Zag we have always relished the opportunity to work in vibrant new sectors and markets and this series gives us the opportunity to do just that."

"Opportunity Africa is about telling engaging business stories from Africa which will shed light on the vast array of investment and business opportunities on this dynamic, exciting continent," says Verchaix Ltd's Simon Miller.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 15 September 2015

SABC fires Sammy Sosa.
"Sick" Sammy secretly used her time to film Vuzu AMP (DStv 114)'s hip-hop reality show The Hustle.


India gripped by murder mystery of the TV executive who allegedly murdered her sister - who was actually her daughter!
India's numerous 24-hour TV news channels are all going insane with lurid live coverage, panel shows, discussions, gripping satire and commentary of TV executive Indrani Mukerjea, Indian's first TV mogul, who allegedly strangled her sister Sheena Bora to death ...
... only for the shock revelation that Sheena Bora was actually ... her daughter!
... with the irony that her husband was a pioneer of satellite TV 24-hour TV news!
... going from setting up 24-hour TV news, to be covered by it incessantly!
... who now claims his domineering wife abused him!
... viewers across India are gripped - just like South Africa's Oscar Pistorius trial, by the surreal, real-life crime drama about rich and famous people engulfed by murder, hidden identities and a body burnt in a forest!
... it's a sensational TV news moral fable about materialism, media and motherhood.


Tumultuous exodus underway at Bloomberg Television (DStv 411).
A dramatic string of TV executives are out at the business news TV channel. Also went through one of its biggest firings last week when 80 Bloomberg editorial staffers globally were shown the door.



M-Net South Africa CEO Yolisa Phahle shares her story.
M-Net top executive who was raised in Britain with South African parents, tells CliffCentral how she got to the position and her music history in a wide-ranging 54 minute interview.
The relevant M-Net part starts at minute 22 until minute 46 where she talks about Mzansi Magic, reveals she was worried and panicked about the Channel O youth day mock-up ad, talks hit shows and scandals, transformation, reveals she was involved in casting the judges for The Voice South Africa and that they've been chosen and says M-Net wants to make "TV that people will talk about".


John Oliver forced to shut down his fake church.
After exposing some unscrupulous televangelist practices by starting his Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption "church", the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver host on M-Net (DStv 101) decided to shut down his church - because people mailed him sperm. It comes after he asked viewers to send him their seed (meaning money).


Isha Sesay is doing NewsCenter from Los Angeles
since she and John Vause will soon be doing a new, simulcast show on CNN International (DStv 401) and CNN.

Can Uzalo on SABC1 just bring Gxabhashe back already?
The character that was "killed off" is set to return (and fake, unsourced tabloid stories that there was friction between the actor and the production wasn't true).

Doctor Who needs a lot more kissing
Says Peter Capaldi.

A must-watch sneak peek at the The Unauthorised Beverly Hills, 90210 Story.
The Lifetime channel's unauthorised biographical film about the hit 90s teen drama is absolutely spot on.

Vanity Fair looks at why American late-night television is "better than ever".
But sadly completely excludes women and female comedians. It's "Manity Fair" and such a great unintended example of a "boy's club".


On Digital Media (ODM) and director and consultant Eddie Mbalo's fight continues in licence and shares battle.
Eddie Mbalo says its impossible to place a value on a company that was near liquidation.

The X Factor UK has long ago lost all credibility says Graham Norton.
The ITV star seen in South Africa on BBC First attacks the reality competition show seen on M-Net and says he "hasn't watched in years".

Public pressure group SOS Coalition slams parliament over the SABC.
Vacant positions for the SABC board remains unfilled and vacant.

Four key elements for over-the-top (OTT) television to survive and flourish.
The same elements hold true for South Africa's growing number of video-on-demand (VOD) players like Naspers' ShowMax, Times Media Group's VIDI, MTN's FrontRow and others.

e.tv has started moving to its new high-definition (HD) Cape Town building.

Orange plans to start a video-on-demand (VOD) service in South Africa.
Orange Horizons wants to launch it in 2016 and want to partner with a local player under the name Orange VoD.

Jon Farrar at BBC Worldwide explains new BBC channels
Is responsible for the programming and acquisition strategy for BBC Worldwide's new channels BBC Earth, BBC Brit and BBC First. He explains how the channels are different, what they're looking for and more context to the channels' alignment.

M-Net's ex boss in Africa starts her Grooming for Greatness project.
Former managing director of M-Net Africa Biola Alabi is starting a leadership development initiative.

Comedy Central (DStv 122) is taking a "multi-platform" ad approach to market Trevor Noah.

The real history of The Golden Girls theme song.
Which has traveled down the road and back again and is now 30 years old.

Adam Freeman appointed as the first managing director of Bloomberg Media for the EMEA region.

Adam Freeman has been appointed as the first managing director of Bloomberg Media for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

Adam Freeman will be responsible for leading Bloomberg's multi-platform media operation in this region across television for Bloomberg Television, as well as live events, the internet, digital video and print.

He will be responsible for ensuring that Bloomberg's consumer media content, distribution and licensing deals are tailored to serve each individual market.

Adam Freeman will be based at Bloomberg's European headquarters in London.

Bloomberg Television to start a new daily political TV show with new hires Mark Halperin and John Heileman.

The financial news company Bloomberg has hired veteran Washington journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann who will do a new daily TV show for Bloomberg Television (DStv 411).

The two will also create and oversee a political news and analysis website for Bloomberg. The daily political show will also be streamed online.

Deirdre Bolton dumps Bloomberg Television where she anchored Money Moves for a new job at FOX Business Network.

Deirdre Bolton has dumped Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) where she was one of the star anchors and presenters, reports Business Insider.

According to Business Insider Deirdre Bolton is moving to the financial TV channel Fox Business Network (FBN).

FBN is not carried by MultiChoice's DStv, nor On Digital Media's StarSat and is therefore not seen in South Africa.

FBN is the same channel that Maria Bartiromo is moving to after dumping CNBC, but she will also be doing a weekly financial magazine show on weekends from March for sister channel FOX News Channel (StarSat 405) which is seen in South Africa.

South African viewers saw Deirdre Bolton present Money Moves on Bloomberg Television. She joined Bloomberg Television in 1999.

Bloomberg Television has a brand-new documentary this Saturday at 15:00, The Player: Secrets of a Vegas Whale.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) has a brand-new documentary, The Player: Secrets of a Vegas Whale, which will be broadcast this Saturday at 15:00 (South African time).

The documentary doesn't appear on MultiChoice's EPG on DStv for Bloomberg Television (which is wrong, as is CNN International's unusable EPG which hasn't been updated in a while), but will be going out on Saturday for South African and African viewers.

Trish Regan takes an inside look at the secret life of the gambler Don Johnson, who walked away from Atlantic City in 2011 with $15 million - and how current casino executives are protecting their businesses against another player doing the same thing.

The casino business is a multi-billion dollar industry, with winners and losers. Did Don Johnson cheat, or was it luck? Or did he simply exploit the vulnerabilities of the industry to his advantage? Trish Regan goes inside an industry which is not as beatable or unbeatable as you think.

See how one gambler transformed himself from mediocre card player into the man who brought down the house, with interviews with Steve Wynn (CEO, Wynn Resorts), Jim Murren (CEO, MGM Resorts Ltd), Gary Loveman (CEO, Caesars Entertainment) Bill Boyd (Chairman, Boyd Ltd) and the ultimate Vegas whale Don Johnson.

Charlie Rose's interview with the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to be broadcast on Monday night on Bloomberg Television.

Charlie Rose sat down on Sunday in Damascus with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad for an interview for his weekday talk show Charlie Rose which will be broadcast on Monday night on Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) at 23:00 (South African time).

This is Bashar al-Assad's first American TV interview in two years since his last one in 2011.

It's also Bashar al-Assad's first interview since the American president Barack Obama made it clear that the United States intends to strike and use military force against Syria for alleged use of biological weapons in a chemical attack against civilians inside Syria.

BREAKING. Bloomberg Television set to return to MultiChoice's DStv as its own stand-alone TV channel from Monday.

You're reading it here first. 

I'm told that Bloomberg Television is set to return to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform as its own stand-alone TV channel less than three weeks after Bloomberg Television was ended on DStv and folded into the newly relaunched Business Day TV with daily programming blocks on that channel.

According to various sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity since none want to negatively impact ongoing dealings between various parties, Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) will return on Monday as its own stand-alone TV channel to DStv's channel line-up.

According to sources who spoke to TV with Thinus Bloomberg Television will no longer be shown as programming blocks on BDFM's Business Day TV (DStv 412) as it has been the past three weeks.

The backtracking and restoration of Bloomberg Television follows negative reaction the past three weeks since the announcement and the sudden disappearance of the global business news channel.

The loss of Bloomberg Television on DStv angered the South African's business community who were very vocal in their displeasure about the change and the disappearance of Bloomberg Television as a separate TV channel. MultiChoice ended Bloomberg Television as its own TV channel as part of a process of "reallocating capacity" on the DStv platform according to sources.

Business leaders, viewers and day traders said they like Business Day Television as a local business TV channel and its offering but need and want the ongoing availability of ongoing, international business news on television with the global reach like Bloomberg Television.

Displeased viewers and business said that competitor CNBC Africa's (DStv 410) business news scope is too limited to get a constant global business view and that they require the ongoing global financial markets news Bloomberg provided to South African viewers on television.

"South African business decision makers and leaders have come to rely on Bloomberg Television for trusted, accurate and up-to-date international business and financial news," said Malcolm Fried, the managing editor for Bloomberg Television Europe, the Middle East and Africa last month when Bloomberg Television was ended as its own TV channel on DStv.

I asked MultiChoice who says that the satellite pay-TV provider will "reinstate Bloomberg as a 24-hour channel on DStv channel 411 from Monday 15 July".

MultiChoice says "following feedback from DStv customers – that they prefer to have local and international business news on separate channels – the decision to include Bloomberg content on Business Day TV was reviewed."

"DStv customers told us that they need to have a 24-hour international business news channel and a separate local business news channel. We are pleased that we are able to accommodate this need," says Collins Khumalo, CEO for MultiChoice South Africa.

"We stepped in to keep Bloomberg on air over South Africa," says Vernon Matzopoulos, Business Day TV head.

"Now that they are back with their own channel, Business Day TV viewers can look forward to an uninterrupted schedule of the best of local business news, markets and investment programmes."

"DStv Premium customers will now benefit again from our extensive coverage of leading business, economic and market-moving stories, says Malcolm Fried.

BREAKING. DStv ending two stand-alone TV channels: Bloomberg Television folded into Business Day TV with blocks, mk to live on online.

You're reading it here first. 

MultiChoice is ending two TV channels on its bouquet, with the business channel Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) and the mk (DStv 324) music channel which are both being discontinued in their current form as separate TV channels on the DStv pay-TV platform in South Africa.

South Africans will still be able to see both Bloomberg Television content and mk content but not as stand-alone TV channels on DStv, with Bloomberg Television which will continue on television in the form of programming blocks on another business TV channel run by BDFM, and mk which will be streamed online as it relocates to primarily inhabit a cyber presence.

Bloomberg Television programming blocks of the most important market day coverage are being added on Summit TV exactly as TV with Thinus reported back in March, together with Summit TV changing its channel name to Business Day TV on channel 412 from today.

mk meanwhile will continue as an online channel at www.mktv.co.za where it will exist as a cyber platform streaming music videos and songs. mk will also live on as an audio channel on channel 886 on the DStv audio bouquet.

Various separate sources connected to Summit TV as well as sources connected to mk told TV with Thinus back in March about the changes and said the same thing: that Bloomberg Television and mk will no longer be separate TV channels on DStv from later in the year.

MultiChoice has apparently started a process of "reallocating capacity" on the DStv platform. There was no official confirmation though at the time from MultiChoice, which - when asked about mk ending as a separate stand-alone TV channel and Bloomberg Television ending as a stand-alone TV channel - said at the time that there is no news to share in this regard and that DStv doesn't share information on developments until the pay-TV operator is ready to make the necessary announcements.

Now the news about Bloomberg Television and mk are official and here is what is happening:

Besides South Africa, Bloomberg Television will remain available throughout the rest of Africa for 24 hours a day as the Bloomberg Television channel.

Bloomberg Television will continue until the end of June in South Africa on channel 411. Bloomberg Television content will continue to be available to viewers on Business Day Television from Wednesday 19 June to DStv Premium, DStv Compact and DStv Family subscribers for 10 hours per day.

Bloomberg Television content will be shown in programming blocks from 07:00 to 12:00, 16:00 to 18:00 and 23:00 to 03:00 (South African times) on Business Day TV.

ALSO READ: Business Day TV replaces Summit TV on MultiChoice's DStv; Bloomberg Television programming blocks added to the schedule.

Business decision makers and financiers who watch Bloomberg Television will still be able to access the European markets opening and closing, the United States market opening and closing, and other feature programming such as Bloomberg West and Charlie Rose's talk show within these programming blocks.

Clients of Bloomberg Professional service can also watch Bloomberg Television on their terminals, the channel is streamed online at bloomberg.com as well as clips which can also be watched there, and the channel can also be viewed free on the app for Apple iPad (Bloomberg TV+).

mk meanwhile will be discontinued as a TV channel on DStv from the end of July.

mk started in mid-2005 with big fanfare as mk89 as a music video channel aiming to serve the youth music market and supplied to DStv by the pay-TV broadcaster M-Net. The channel later dropped the "89" from its moniker after a DStv channel number shuffle.

After 8 years mk which served as a driver of the local production of especially Afrikaans rock music videos to be produced, will now be transformed into South Africa's first online music video streaming channel.

"The mk audience is an online generation and in due course these free-spirited, on-the-go world citizens will be able to enjoy mk wherever and whenever they have internet access," says M-Net.

M-Net says "this move will open up countless exciting possibilities for both the brand and the music featured on mk".

"It's mindblowing to think that internet users across the globe would be able to enjoy mk's content and that you only need a smart phone, tablet or PC with an internet connection to be exposed to the great South African bands and musos that rock mk."

Bloomberg Television changes it schedule as it adds another hour of Bloomberg West to its weekday programming from today.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) is changing its weekday schedule from today which also affects South African viewers on MultiChoice's DStv on which the 24-hour business news channel is run - Bloomberg Television is expanding its Bloomberg West show focusing on technology news from one hour to two.

TV with Thinus knew the schedule and programming change was coming but it was impossible to tell how it would affect the Bloomberg Television line-up in South Africa for South African viewers until it actually happened today.

The existing hour of the San Francisco-based tech show Bloomberg West which was one hour on the Bloomberg Television schedule is now two separate hours, which necessitates some programming changes on the schedule.

Where South African viewers could see Bloomberg West previously at 19:00 (South African time, as is all times in this article), the 19:00 hour long timeslot remains, but there is now also another hour of Bloomberg West at 14:00 on weekdays.

Bloomberg Rewind with Matt Miller has been cancelled immediately; that timeslot at 02:00 - mostly a recap of the day's news, is now a repeat of Bloomberg Bottom Line with Mark Crumpton.

Money Moves with Deidre Bolton which was at 14:00 is moving from today to one hour later for South African viewers to 15:00.

Bloomberg Bottom Line with Mark Crumpton which was at 15:00 moves into 20:00 with a repeat broadcast in the mornings at 02:00.

Andrew Morse, the head of Bloomberg Television in America told The New York Times last week that the 24-hour business channel "sees a real opportunity".

"The television world is flooded with mediocre content — this extra hour is more of a place for big names in the Valley to come on and talk, and to dig deeper into what the news means."

Anna Edwards joins Bloomberg Television in London as co-anchor of Countdown.

Anna Edwards has joined Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) as a co-anchor of Countdown with Mark Barton on the 24-hour business TV channel, she will be based in London.

Anna Edwards was last seen on television working as a freelance anchor for CNN International (DStv 401) where she anchored World Business Today. She also did work for CNBC.

"Anna is a strong addition to the Bloomberg Television presenting team here in Europe having covered many major global economic and financial events, interviewed countless business leaders and her experience of reporting on the rapidly moving developments in the markets will enhance our current output," says Malcolm Fried, the head of Bloomberg Television in Europe in a statement.

Countdown is seen in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv in the mornings at 03:00 (South African time).

BREAKING. Bloomberg Television Africa created; bigger African business TV coverage coming to Bloomberg from this year.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411), the 24-hour TV business news channel is creating Bloomberg Television Africa which will start to produce local business news about Africa from the continent for the continent from bureaus in Johanneburg in South Africa, Lagos, Nigeria as well as from Nairobi in Kenia.

Bloomberg Television will be adding presenters, producers and reporters for the channel in Johannesburg in South Africa as well as in the other cities in Africa, and they will start to show up on the channel later during 2013.

Bloomberg Television seems to realise that it will need to up its game not only to remain relevant, but watched. Just in South Africa viewers already have access to business channels on MultiChoice's DStv such as Summit TV and CNBC Africa which are expanding their reach and content offerings.

Bloomberg Television has entered into a multi-year partnership with a Nigerian-based content provider, Optima Media Group with the partnership which is establishing Bloomberg Television Africa.

With the partnership South African viewers on the Bloomberg Television channel will start to see 3 to 4 hours of African focused business programming per day from later in the year on the channel feed for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

"The agreement with Optima Media Group will dramatically accelerate Bloomberg Television's presence and reach in Africa," says Andy Lack, the CEO of Bloomberg Media Group in a statement.

He says it is Bloomberg Television's strategy to "partner with leading providers in markets that have a compelling economic growth story". Bloomberg Television will now aim to bring African, South African and international viewers "the sharpest global business and financial insight as well as highly-localised and market specific content."

"Bloomberg Television Africa will provide a dynamic and relevant context for the coverage of financial news across the continent," says Bloomberg Television which will try to interview top CEO's, policymakers and thought leaders spearheading Africa's economic growth.

Content will be produced by dedicated presenters, reporters and producers in each of the three initial Africa countries.

South Africans to see 3 hours less live European business news coverage per day on Bloomberg Television in 2013 on DStv as cuts continue.

South Africans will see three less hours per day of live business news from Europe on Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) in 2013 as the 24-hour business news channel is downscaling its Europe and London operations.

Bloomberg Television which currently has 8 hours of live programming a day from Europe for European and South African viewers with more relevant business news from the global time zone, will cut that back to 5 hours per day in 2013.

Three hours of the channel feed seen in Europe and South Africa will be reverting to Bloomberg Television's American channel feed, similar to what is already happening during the evening and late night scheduling on the channel, with for instance Charlie Rose's interview talk show.

The scaling back of live European broadcasts by Bloomberg Television is due to the just under a 100 people getting fired by Bloomberg Television in London as part of it's "operational efficiency review" which I reported on last month and which is currently taking place at Bloomberg Television in the United Kingdom.

Bloomberg Television to possibly let staff go in London; business channel remains committed to report European stories and trends.

Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) could be cutting staff at the 24-hour business channel's London office before the end of the year as Bloomberg Television starts a review of its operation efficiency in the United Kingdom.

Bloomberg Media Group COO Paul Bascobert told Bloomberg Television told London staff about it yesterday.

Bloomberg Television says the business channel is reviewing its back-office production functions to improve operations. "We remain dedicated to reporting European stories, companies and trends as well as the market developments during the European trading day with the same comprehensive focus."

"We are firmly committed to the growth of our London and global business and project overall growth in London-based over the next year and beyond."