Colin McLeod appointed as general manager of Fox Networks Group UK as FNG readies roll-out of Deep State as its first scripted drama series for Europe and Africa.

Colin McLeod is taking over as general manager of Fox Networks Group United Kingdom, replacing Jeff Ford as managing director.

Colin McLeod who left NBCUniversal Networks International last year, will oversee the FOX, National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD and BabyTV linear TV channels and digital TV services.

Colin McLeod's appointment comes as Disney is taking over the FOX Networks Group globally in a mega-deal that will mean big changes for Fox Networks Group UK and Fox Networks Group Africa.

Jeff Ford will stay on for a transition period to oversee the role out in Europe and Africa of Deep State, FOX's first original scripted drama series for the Europe and Africa region.

"Colin’s blended background offers a well-rounded and hugely valuable experience to our business, and we have no doubt he will step into the role and immediately have an impact," says Diego Londono, Fox Networks Group Europe & Africa's chief operating officer in a statement.

"We are thrilled to have Colin join the family and lead our UK business".

Colin McLeod says “I am excited to have the opportunity to join Fox Networks Group and lead a portfolio of successful and distinct entertainment and documentary brands, which are well-positioned for the dynamic UK media market.”

Andile Ncube to present E! Entertainment's The Search: E! Host South Africa, Terry Pheto judging; while Urban Brew alums show up in the Urban Brew produced show.

Andile Ncube is the presenter of E! Entertainment's new presenter search, The Search: E! Host South Africa that will start in February looking for a South African presenter for the channel while actress Terry Pheto will be the main judge.

Meanwhile several faces who are already known TV presenters and who worked for the production company before - the same production company now doing the show for E! - form part of the 8 contestant group.

Ordinary South Africans were not allowed to enter for the show seeking "up-and-coming talent from across the country".

The Search: E! Host South Africa, produced by Urban Brew for the African channel feed of the NBCUniversal International Networks channel on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform, will start on 1 February at 20:55.

Similar to SABC3's Top Billing Presenter Search and Presenter Search on 3 and Discovery Networks International's TLC's Next Great Presenter, the 8 contestants live together in a mansion and are whittled down through weekly TV tasks to test their television presenting skills.

Raising eyebrows from a production perspective is that several contestants chosen for The Search: E! Host South Africa has previous TV experience with Urban Brew Studios across various of its productions - the company now doing the presenter search show for E! Entertainment (DStv 124).

Included in the 8 contestant group for The Search: E! Host South Africa are ANN7 news reader Abigail Visagie, Hotel Rwanda actress Mosa Kaiser, former SABC1 YO.TV and Mzansi Insider presenter Katleho Sinivasan, Sian Moss, HashtagRadio presenter Juan-Martin Jordt and former SABC1 YO.TV presenter Jessica Tims.

Also included are the TV presenters Danine Naidoo and Ayanda Nhlapo who both presented shows on the [ED] channel on DStv.

The [ED] channel was also produced and packaged until the end of November 2016 by Urban Brew Studios - the same production company now producing The Search: E! Host South Africa that raises interesting conflict of interest and credibility issues.

Besides [ED], YO.TV where Katleho Sinivasan and Jessica Tims had gigs is an Urban Brew produced show; as was SABC1's One Day Leader where Jessica Tims is a presenter.

E! didn't immediately respond to a media enquiry on Friday seeking comment about why people who have been involved with Urban Brew as TV presenters before have been included in this presenter search show done by the same company.

It's likely that The Search: E! Host South Africa in 2017 will probably add fuel to the fiery existing and ongoing #OpenUpTheIndustry debate about why there's a perceived lack of brand-new TV presenter faces in shows on South African screens, with existing presenters constantly being used and re-used again and again.

In late 2016 Colin McLeod, the managing director for UK and emerging markets at NBCUniversal International Networks said The Search: E! Host South Africa will be "a once-in-a-lifetime chance for up-and-coming talent from across the country to pursue this unique opportunity" to represent E! in Africa.

There were no public auditions for South Africans to become contestants in the show, with the 8 who were pre-selected through a casting process according to criteria that according to E! included "presenting experience, pop culture knowledge, and a passion for the E! brand".

Guest judges who will appear in The Search: E! Host South Africa to help choose the best TV presenter include fashion designers like David Tlale and Gert-Johan Coetzee, as well as Mzansi Magic's Idols presenter and co-producer ProVerb and TV and radio presenter Bonang Matheba who will be the first guest judge.

Similar to the other presenter search shows - this being E!'s first South African reality series - cameras will capture the tension and drama among the The Search: E! Host South Africa contestants in the Johannesburg based mansion.

The camera mansion includes a "glam-room" where contestants have their own make-up artists and stylists as they compete against each other to become E!'s presenter face in South Africa.

E! Entertainment on DStv in Africa launches search to find its first South African presenter in 2017 in new reality series, The Search: E! Host South Africa.

E! Entertainment is increasing its local South African content on DStv and adding a 6-episode presenter search reality series for 2017 looking to find an on-air South African personality for the channel.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) will broadcast The Search: E! Host South Africa from February 2017, looking for the first South African face for the NBCUniversal International Networks' supplied channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in Africa.

NBCUniversal International Networks in the United Kingdom is following in the footsteps of Discovery Networks International running its successful TLC Next Great Presenter Search for the TLC Entertainment (DStv 135) channel across Africa, and produced in South Africa, for a second year running, and SABC3 and Top Billing's Presenter Search on 3.

Like Discovery, NBCUniversal International Networks that's been running the E! Entertainment on DStv for 12 years now since 2004, is realising the growing importance of giving South African and African viewers a bigger offering in terms of stripped local programming.

This year saw a second season of E!'s African-centric celebrity profile series Africa E! News Special and was also the year that E! started doing some red carpet coverage of local events like the 2016 South African Film and Television Awards in March and the South African Music Awards 2016 in June.

Now E! wants to roll out The Search: E! Host South Africa in February 2017, looking for the first ever South African E! presenter who will start out by doing future red carpet coverage and celebrity interviews for the channel.

The series in 6 episodes will follow 8 South African contestants through various presenting challenges - just like TLC Next Great Presenter and Top Billing's Presenter Search - while they live in a luxury mansion and are eliminated one by one.

A panel of judges will whittle down the 8 contestants weekly until it finds a telegenic winner who shines with natural presenting skills and a firm grasp of South African popular celebrity culture.

"E! Entertainment continues to invest into local programming and with The Search: E! Host South Africa about to begin production, we are delighted to be showcasing local talent," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for UK and emerging markets at NBCUniversal International Networks.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance for up-and-coming talent from across the country to pursue this unique opportunity to become a pop culture ambassador on E! in Africa."

NBCUniversal International Networks adds more local African programming to E! on DStv with E! VIP, profiling African celebrities.

NBCUniversal International Networks is adding more local African programming to E! (DStv 124) with a new series, E! VIP, that will profile African celebrities.

E! VIP is focused on stars from the African continent and follows after the E! News Special Africa series that rolled out in 2015 profiling South African celebrities.

Episodes of E! VIP will be presented by the Nigerian celebrity Dolapo Oni or MzzAbby who will do sit-down interviews with Rita Dominic, Diamond Platnumz, Mafikizolo, D'Banj and Cassper Nyovest about their lives in the limelight.

The first E! VIP episode on 12 June at 21:00 will feature Nigeria's Tiwa Savage, followed by 5 more and then further episodes later in the year.

"After the great success of the E! News Special we are delighted to debut E! VIP on E! in Africa," says Colin McLeod, the managing director at NBCUniversal International Networks for the UK and emerging markets region.

"E! is committed to bringing audiences across the continent more local content and we are proud to showcase some of Africa's biggest names in music and entertainment in this new series."

E! going red carpet local in South Africa starting with the 2016 Saftas; renews its Africa E! News Special series for a second season.

You're reading it here first.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) is finally going red carpet local in South Africa and will now do red carpet coverage at major South African celebrity-laden events, while its Africa E! News Special profile series has also been renewed for a second season.

The channel from NBCUniversal International Networks has been late to the local TV industry party in South Africa since it was added to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform at the end of 2004 in a carriage agreement.

While other international channels available in South Africa and Africa ranging from BBC Worldwide's BBC set, Viacom International Media Networks Africa's MTVand BET, Disney and Discovery Networks International's Discovery and TLC Entertainment to even CNN International ramped up local production on South African series and content, E! kept with a strict diet of American fare the past 11 years.

Now NBCUniversal International Networks, that still censors content on the E! channel for Africa and South Africa, will add more ongoing localised African content for viewers in the form of red carpet coverage and celebrity interviews at big South African events, starting with the 2016 South African Film and Television Awards taking place on 5 March.

In 2016 E! will also produce a second season of its Africa E! News Special local celebrity series it started last year, profiling South African stars similar to Nicky Greenwall's The Close Up on e.tv and My Story on M-Net.

The second Africa E! News Special season, similar to the first 12-episode season that started in September 2015 and produced by Brainstorm for E!, will do more sit-down profile interviews with up and coming South African entertainment talent.

E! Entertainment made the announcement about its increased local South African content on Thursday night at a glitzy rooftop fashion show party packed with celebrities sipping Moët&Chandon, where designer to the stars, Gert-Johan Coetzee unveiled a brand-new red carpet inspired fashion range.

Top Billing and MetroFM presenter Bonang Matheba made the announcement, warning South African celebrities to, from now on, "watch out for the E! microphone" at red carpet events.

"South Africa is making huge strides in recognising and celebrating our own celebrity culture," Bonang Matheba told TV with Thinus Thursday night.

"Look at the success of local South African reality shows like Date my Family, Our Perfect Wedding; South Africans just love seeing local people they know on the red carpet and television."

Speaking about Gert-Johan Coetzee's new collection, Bonang Matheba just had praise as a celebrity who has showcased his head-turning couture for a number of years as an early adopter from even before he became a sought-after celebrity designer.

"If I have an opportunity I take him with, if he has an opportunity he takes me with. It's a synergy that has worked so well for us, and I'm so grateful that we're there for each other through all the bad days and the good days. And we work wonderfully together."

"E! has always been the home of the red carpet, and continues to connect viewers with the world of celebrities and fashion on and off screen," says Colin McLeod, the NBC Universal International Networks managing director for emerging markets and the United Kingdom.

"As someone who celebrates glamour and loves making women look and feel like stars, it is such a privilege to collaborate with E! because I share the brand's passion for the red carpet," says Gert-Johan Coetzee.

EXCLUSIVE. Studio Universal movie channel on MultiChoice's DStv changes its logo and on-screen look in a global refresh of the brand starting in Africa.

Movie channel Studio Universal (DStv 112) will change its on-screen look from tomorrow on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and this is how it will look.

The channel from NBCUniversal International Networks (NBCUIN) - part of NBCUniversal - is rolling out the brand refresh for Studio Universal in South Africa and Africa first, before the global refresh moves to other territories and countries like Latin America, Brazil and Italy over the coming months.

Red Bee, part of the Ericsson group, was responsible for the refreshed look, logo and on-screen imaging of the new Studio Universal from 1 October, and worked with NBCUIN's in-house creative and marketing team. The Studio Universal website will also be refreshed on Thursday.

The iconic world of film served as the inspiration of Studio Universal's new look. Studio Universal's look is now "a confident black and white marque with a cinematic feel", celebrating every aspect of movies.


Eight new idents were also created by Red Bee bringing to life Studio Universal and the "We Are Movies" tagline.

Each of the idents draws viewers in to carefully choreographed scenes, providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the people whose skill and dedication bring stories to life and reflecting the audience's emotional connection to the movies.

Each ident - shot on location at Universal Studios in Hollywood - has an opposite version, either light or dark in tone, which uses the same set,key actors and props unveiling a very different scene and emphasising the magic of cinema.

"Since its launch four years ago, Studio Universal has gone from strength to strength in Africa and is now one of the leading entertainment channels in the market," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at NBCUniversal International Networks.

"The channel's unique proposition, based around themed movie nights, continues to resonate with DStv subscribers and we believe that the brand refresh will further enhance their viewing experience."

"In refreshing Studio Universal we wanted to challenge typical movie-channel conventions, taking inspiration from the craft and dedication of movie-makers for our positioning, packaging,logo and tagline," says Marco Giusti, the senior vice president of the creative division at NBCUniversal International.

"We've firmly placed our love and passion for the movies at the heart of the Studio Universal brand with the aim of bringing viewers even closer to the full movie experience."

E! Entertainment starts first local TV series, E! News Special, on DStv after more than a decade; 12-part series will profile South African celebrities.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) is finally starting its first South African TV series which will profile some South Africans in the channel's well-known "fame-a-mentary" approach, more than a decade after MultiChoice added the American entertainment news channel to DStv.

The series, somewhat misguidedly just entitled E! News Special without making any reference to South Africa or a moniker to let viewers know it would be about local celebrities, will see episodes chronicling people like Bonang Matheba, Danny K, musician AKA and others.

NBCUniversal International Networks greenlit the local production for E! Entertainment, the first in longer than a decade since E! Entertainment was added to MultiChoice's DStv at the end of 2004 in a carriage agreement.

NBCUniversal International Networks has been very late to the party with local content for E! Entertainment as BBC Worldwide commissioned Come Dine with Me SA for BBC Entertainment, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) started a flurry of local shows for MTV Base and other channels like MTV and BET, and even channels like History, Trace Sport Stars, TLC Entertainment and others got in on the act to regionalise their line-up with a sprinkling of some South African programming.

The fame biography genre which seemed new a decade ago to South African viewers has since become mundane viewing, with the E! News Special which some viewers might negatively compare to Nicky Greenwall's The Close Up on e.tv which will return for a 5th season of 13 episodes in November, as well as the just-concluded My Story on M-Net (DStv 101) all using the same approach.

E! News Special as a 12-part series, filmed in South Africa and produced by production company Brainstorm, will start on E! Entertainment on Thursday 10 September, profiling singers, actors, models, socialites and sport stars ranging from Terry Pheto to Sashi Naidoo.

"We are delighted to launch our first-ever local production on E! in Africa and add E! News Special to the channel's exclusive line-up of high-quality, original programming," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at NBCUniversal International Networks.

"We are confident that the profiles of local celebrities will resonate well with our audience, making E! the TV destination for the pop of African culture".

Telemundo on MultiChoice's DStv marks its first anniversary; Universal Networks International 'confident that Telemundo will attract more viewers'.

There was no dramatic revelation, no secret evil deceased twin back from the dead and seeking revenge, or a imposter half-brother who got plastic surgery to make as if he is his long forgotten serial killer brother as Telemundo (DSv 118) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform quietly turned one year old today.

The South American telenovela TV channel with Spanish soap operas dubbed into English started a year ago today, broadcast on DStv in South Africa and across several countries across the rest of the African continent.

Telemundo is the 5th TV channel supplied by Universal Networks International (UNI) to MultiChoice's DStv, bringing exotic - if largely foreign - locales and beautiful people filmed in soft light, into African TV viewers' living rooms 24 hours per day.

A new telenovela, Broken Angel, started on Telemundo on Monday evening.

"We have been absolutely blown away by the response to Telemundo throughout Africa," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at Universal Networks International.

"The channel's performance has gone from strength to strength as Telemundo's gripping,exclusive content resonates with the viewers at large," says Colin McLeod. "We're confident that Telemundo will continue to attract more viewers".

New telenovela Where is Elisa will start on Telemundo in October.

New drama series, The Librarians coming to Universal Channel in SA days after America, as Universal Networks International enters the race.

I did not expect this. At all: Universal Networks International (UNI) will be bringing the thrilling, premium and brand-new TV drama The Librarians in high definition (HD) to Universal Channel (DStv 117) from December only a day after the new series starts and as episodes become available.

With this drastic and unexpected programming upshift, Universal Networks International is entering the race of TV channels, TV channel suppliers, distributors and content distributors dramatically improving their international pipeline funneling and strategic content push to South Africa and the rest of Africa to close the gap and radically narrow the broadcasting window lag pay-TV subscribers experienced.

South African pay-TV broadcaster M-Net is in the vanguard with a record-breaking number of foreign content playing out extremely close to international broadcasting dates, followed by Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) running FOX.

Sony Entertainment Television (SET) on DStv and Viacom International Media Networks' BET on On Digital Media's (ODM) StarSat have stepped it up by trying hard and bringing several foreign TV properties relatively quickly to South African viewers.

Discovery International Networks (DNI) is still lagging however - although it is trying, and consistently brings several once-off factual news related documentaries to the Discovery channels.

Likewise BBC Worldwide running channels like BBC Entertainment is now lagging behind the others insofar as the roll-out of content and broadcast windows are concerned. Individual episodes of the bulk of programming are still months old and now looks stale in comparison to what other content and channel distributors are suddenly doing with their TV channels in South Africa.

Following the quick roll-out of the second Sharknado movie as a once-off telefeature on Studio Universal and the reality show Escape Club on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) (both other UNI channels) almost instantaneously with its international dates, The Librarians marks a significant start and shift for Univeral Networks International.

UNI will now bring South African pay-TV subscribers a new, hot fantasy TV show just like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Falling Skies, Under the Dome, Da Vinci's Demons and other series just like M-Net and FOX are doing in increasing numbers. 

UNI says The Librarians, with Noah Wyle from FOX' Falling Skies (and who remains in that show) and Rebecca Romijn, will premiere in South Africa and "over 100 countries" "within 24 hours of the United States debut on TNT in December".

The Librarians from Electric Entertainment plays like a TV show of Indiana Jones and Relic Hunter, and is a TV series based on the made-for-TV movie series Noah Wyle starred in before he did Falling Skies. 

It has now been redeveloped into a TV series and Noah Wyle is one of the executive producers.

In The Librarians there's an ancient organisation hidden beneath the Metropolitan Public Library in New York dedicated to protecting an unknown world from the secret,magical reality hidden all around. The

"The Librarians is a captivating addition to Universal Channel's programming for our markets, and we are delighted it will be airing within just 24 hours of the United States premiere," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets for Universal Networks International.

"We are thrilled to bring this action-adventure drama to our viewers, giving our audience instant access to the brand new and exciting series".

Jo Sherlock appointed as the vice president: commercial for emerging markets at Universal Networks International.

Jo Sherlock has been appointed as the vice president: commercial, for emerging markets at Universal Networks International (UNI).

Jo Sherlock will now be directly tasked in leading, overseeing and growing UNBCUniversal's international pay-TV channels available in South Africa and across Africa, as well as other territories.

Several of NBCUniversal's TV channels are available in South Africa and throughout Africa on the DStv satellite pay-TV platform through carriage deals with MultiChoice.

Those range from the Universal Channel to Telemundo which was launched in Africa this year, to Studio Universal, Style and E! Entertainment.

Jo Sherlock, based in London, will now be focused in her new role on driving the ongoing expansion of NBCUniversal's and will oversee the commercial development of the various channel brands of UNI in South Africa, Africa, as well as the Benelux region, Central Europe and Scandinavia.

She will also be responsible for further enhancing UNI's presence on affiliate platforms and driving advertising sales revenue and to maximise growth opportunities across the rapidly evolving emerging markets region within which South Africa falls.

"We are delighted to welcome Jo to the team. her wealth of experience will be enormously beneficial in aligning the affiliate and advertising sales strategy," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets, UNI.

"This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me to join UNI's dynamic emerging markets business and further develop its high-quality portfolio of international channel brands," says Jo Sherlock.

BREAKING. MultiChoice adds Telemundo, the South American telenovela TV channel to DStv from 12 August.

MultiChoice is adding Telemundo (DStv 118), South America's telenovela TV channel to the DStv bouquet from Monday 12 August following a carriage agreement between MultiChoice and Universal Networks International (UNI).

The telenovela channel has not previously been available outside of Latin America as a satellite pay-TV channel but will now be shown in Africa. Telemundo is a channel division under NBCUniversal International Television.

Telemundo will show Spanish language telenovelas such as Aurora, Precious Rose, My Heart Beats for Lola and Behind Closed Doors only, but will be dubbed into English for South Africa and Southern Africa on DStv, and will be dubbed into Portuguese on DStv in Mozambique and Angola.

South American telenovelas made its entry into the South African TV market two years ago when the FOX channel launched on On Digital Media's (ODM) TopTV platform. FOX has since gained carriage on DStv as well. SABC2 also has a weekday South American telenovela slot which recently got extended to include an omnibus airing over weekends.

The purely telenovela Telemundo channel - soap serialised TV drama but will a limited number of episodes usually running a year or two years and capped by a definite end - is MultiChoice's first foray into such a specific channel in this genre since the Soap Channel on DStv was tried and ended. MultiChoice when it ended the Soap channel a few years after it was launched in August 1997, said viewers suffered viewing fatigued and struggled to keep up with multiple soaps running with multiple new episodes per week.

The Telemundo channel on DStv will only show telenovelas and none of the other programming shown on Telemundo across South American countries. Telemundo will be available on the DStv Premium, DStv Compact, DStv Access and DStv Family bouquets.

"We are particularly excited to bring Telemundo to Africa," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets for UNI. "We believe we can help to drive multi-channel television to an even broader market - for those who traditionally only want to watch free TV, Telemundo will give them a great reason to want DStv."

MultiChoice says DStv subscribers will for the first time be able to enjoy "the best telenovelas available worldwide in English". "Our customers are already enjoying the entertainment on offer on the 5 Universal Networls International channels available on DStv. Telemundo is a great addition which further strengthens our partnership with Universal Networks International," says Collins Khumalo, the CEO of MultiChoice South Africa.

Universal Channel '100% characters' rebrand: Shows will be character-centric, schedule not changing much, want to excite audience.

The brand-new logo and look of the Universal Channel with the slogan "100% characters" which came into effect on Friday on MultiChoice's DStv channel 117, will place an ever bigger emphasis on shows with strong character-centric personalities, as the Universal Channel tries to broaden its reach as already the number one international entertainment channel on DStv in South Africa.

"The Universal Channel is our flagship channel from our set of channels here in South Africa and across Sub-Saharan Africa. But we're also broadcasting to more than 82 million households in more than 100 countries," said Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at Universal Networks International (UNI).

Colin McLeod visited South Africa and spoke to South Africa's press during a presentation announcing the channel brand refresh for the Universal Channel.

"In South Africa 89% of viewers say that the Universal Channel is important to them in their pay-TV subscription. So it's a great foundation for us. So we decided to take the channel to the next level."

"We spent over 12 months working with key executives within NBCUniversal internationally and also with the chairman of the cable channels, Bonnie Hammer, a guy called Lee Hunt who is an amazing brand specialist who did the entire network refresh of the USA Network in the United States, and worked very closely with us the past 12 months on Universal."

Then we also worked with a brand team in London, Red Bee Media who've done lots of great work with brands internationally. What we've done is to look at five key areas where we want to focus on the Universal Channel positioning," said Colin McLeod.

"The first is looking at the vision for the brand and what the brand values are. It's always tough to come up with something that's unique and what is a unique positioning. We're introducing new loops for the channel which is one of the most important things to get right. The key to this is how do we excite the audience?"

"We sit on DStv as a platform filled with great entertainment. That's great for us to some degree, but at the same time those other channels compete with us," said Colin McLeod.

"What we need to do is to make sure that we keep luring the audience back in. So we need to make the Universal Channel resonate with viewers. Then also what we can't live without, is the best possible content for the channel."

"So we have a relatively simple vision, which is to create a Universal Channel you want to watch with everyone, everywhere."

"It's pretty simple, but it's going to be tough. It's going to be really tough to deliver on that. We sit on this dynamic platform of DStv so we want to broaden the reach of the Universal Channel to increase audience frequency. Key to that is the positioning of the channel."

"We spent ages, ages looking at what is great entertainment. It took our own focus groups quite a few months looking at what is great entertainment? What is it resonates with audiences internationally? What do we do with the channel to give it the right positioning? When you think about great entertainment you think about great storytelling."

"Obviously you want a great storyline. You look at a compelling hook. When you think about the kind of shows that you love, whether its a crime drama or a spy story, whether its a battle or an epic movie, there is one thing in each and every TV series which brings an audience together and gives them an emotional connection and that is characters. Characters are so important to a TV show. They give the personal engagement to the viewer. "

"We are unique internationally with 'characters' with one exception which is interesting, and it's actually our sister channel, USA Network in the States. USA Network is a pretty interesting example for us in that it's the top cable entertainment channel for seven years with the biggest audiences in the States for over seven years, and that made us interested in that positioning of 'Characters welcome'."

"After we've worked with Bonnie Hammer who is the chairperson of the cable channels and USA Network we decided that that wasn't right for us, it wasn't right for the international market and '100% characters' is for us. As we look at 'characters' we will look broad. We want fully-developed, multi-layered characters for every show," said Colin McLeod.

"The new logo is much cleaner and refined for the brand. And added to it a small nick from the bottom left hand side. The nick became really important for us after we became comfortable with it. First we thought it looked like a bit was missing, but no, the nick is the piece which adds character to the logo itself. The ident is important in the idents and promos to help the logo bring the brand to viewers."

"Universal Channel shows will be character-centric and the shows we launch will be self-contained, and with a proven formulae," said Colin McLeod (top right).

"Often you find that you invest in a show. You get 10 episodes in, you get to the end of the first season. Nothing is resolved. You can't bear another season. It's not going to be like that with the Universal Channel. You can watch it absolutely any time, enjoy it, come in and watch another one. Maybe you miss the next one, you can come back and watch the next one."

"The Universal Channel will not be changing that much. The schedule has been performing very well up until now. And we're going to look at a few new additional key shows later in the year that fit with the '100% characters' positioning," said Colin McLeod.

TV with Thinus asked why the Universal Channel is changing so quickly and is spearheading the roll-out of the channel's new look globally together with a few other countries, when sister channels like E! Entertainment and Style took so long to change in South Africa where those channel rebrands lagged behind the rest of the world coming here.

"We have a schedule of transitions for the next eight or nine months internationall," explained Colin McLeod. "We had to adjust it to the best timing for each of the markets. This just worked for us for South Africa. We look at the content line-up, we look at the time of year and when the content is available, and how the audience respond. For every year there is a peak and flow across various channels. It just seemed like the right time to be doing it here."

TV with Thinus asked who the Universal Channel's target audience is since most of the shows on the channel except Fairly Legal has male leads and male lead characters. "Generally we find in the shows that we have at the moment that its more male led. But that's just the current line-up. It's not part of any strategy for a particular demographic," said Colin McLeod.

"The refreshed look looks fantastic," said Laura Mackenzie from content business development at MultiChoice.

"You bring great characters along with other great content which comes from Universal. The channel is one of the firm favourites in DStv's offering. The new look and feel is going to reward viewers even more and we look forward to many, many more years together with Universal. They're doing fantastic things for our platform with their portfolio," said Laura Mackenzie.


Editor's note: I've tried several times since 24 April; TV with Thinus made several media enquiries and waited since then, trying to secure anything besides the new Universal Channel logo from UNI and the publicists and PR people I have to work through.
I wanted to show, and work from it as reference to check my facts, the presentation Colin McLeod made, wanted to show the abridged block schedule as was shown to journalists, and show and share some of the new on-air idents and programming boards before it came into effect on 3 May. I've been unable to include or show any of that, due to unresponsiveness.


ALSO READ: Malik Yoba on the second season of Alphas on The Universal Channel, heroes, South Africa, and science fiction television.

BREAKING. The colour purple (it's called 'Blackberry') comes to the Universal Channel as the channel refreshes its whole look.

The Universal Channel (DStv 117), the number one international entertainment channel in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is changing its look, logo and slogan from 3 May with a brand-new beautiful purple circular logo design and the new pay-off line "100% Characters".

The Universal Channel run by Universal Networks International (UNI) which also runs the successful programming polyglot of channel such as Studio Universal, E! Entertainment and Style on DStv is repositioning the brand as a TV channel where viewers will always find characters.

South Africa is one of the first countries in the world in a staggered roll-out of the brand-new Universal Channel rebranding exercise where the new look, logo and on-air imaging will be seen.

The Universal Channel brand refresh was developed in collaboration with NBCUniversal International Television's central marketing team, the award-winning creative division of Red Bee Media and the world-leading TV brand strategist Lee Hunt.

The Universal Channel is doing away with the interchangeable rainbow versions of the logo, settling for one, Blackberry coloured circular design and the channel name prominently balanced in the middle of a circle with a small "nick".

UNI says the nick gives the logo "character as well". In fact says UNI, "the nick is the piece which is going to add the characters". The process took 12 months.

The new logo, on-air imaging and idents  as well as upcoming print marketing material were shown to journalists, writers and TV critics today in Johannesburg and the new Universal Channel on-air look looks great. (If you can remember the 1980s Buck Rogers TV opening theme you will have a bit of an idea of how the new expanding concentric ring design is going to be used on air.)

"No other international TV channel has yet claimed the 'character' positioning, so we decided to use it for Universal Channel," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets for UNI. He says the process borrowed a bit from the USA Network in America, a pay-TV channel which is part of the NBCUniversal stable where the slogan is "Characters welcome".

It was felt that slogan - although it was considered - isn't a perfect fit to apply internationally in the markets where the Universal Channel is carried, and it was amended to "100% Characters". The channel's brand refresh exercise will go into effect in South Africa on 3 May and will continue worldwide throughout 2013.

Colin McLeod told journalists today at the new Universal Channel brand reveal in Johannesburg that the channel's newly refined positioning is that of the home of character-driven entertainment.

"We've stripped away a lot of the clutter for a beautiful new look." He said UNI has a simple vision for the Universal Channel to be a TV channel which viewers "want to watch with everyone, everywhere".

Already 80% of South African viewers say that the Universal Channel "is important to me" when asked to rate the channel which is seen in 103 countries worldwide in 16 different languages.

Colin McLeod said UNI has been and is thinking "long and hard" when it comes to the content on the Universal Channel.

"We need to excite the audience; we need to keep bringing the audience back in." He said "100% Characters doesn't always mean positive and good characters" (although the Universal Channel wouldn't carry a show such as The Sopranos) but that watching the characters on the Universal Channel will always leave the viewer feeling fulfilled and feeling better.

Key shows for the Universal Channel and which will be build on, include The Mentalist, Rookie Blue, Two and a Half Men, NCIS, Psych and NCIS: Los Angeles.

"We arrived at our unique positioning because we believe that great characters are the magnets that draw viewers back to their favourite shows - week after week," says Lee Raftery, the executive vice president for marketing at NBCUniversal International Television, in the press statement.

"Universal Channel's new logo, look and '100% Characters' tagline are simple and intuitive enabling us to connect with the hearts and minds of our audiences, everywhere, and maximise the potential of this global entertainment brand."

BREAKING. Style on MultiChoice's DStv platform rebranding with its refreshed new look on 1 April in South Africa.

From 1 April  those two different, double-layered, watermarked Style channel logos DStv subscribers have been seeing on The Style Network will be a thing of the past: Style (DStv 173) as seen in South Africa is finally rebranding on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform from 1 April, switching over to the new look which Style in America adopted in June last year.

In the world of Style and Style (DStv 173) it's better to be dead than out of style, and now Style will now refresh here as well - finally.

ALSO READ: If you Built it: Style's new reality show with hunky handymen who are Manhattan models starting on 1 April 2013.

Last month in February was the last time TV with Thinus enquired as to the long-awaited Style brand refresh and was told there is no date yet. The past while viewers would often have seen the current Style logo as a channel marker watermark super-imposed upon the actual newer Style logo used in America, making for a somewhat confusing viewing experience.

Now NBCUniversal International Television, which runs the channel feed of Style in South Africa and Africa, is announcing that the channel will be changing its look on 1 April when it does away with the pink circle (right) and adopting the new font and look and the slogan of "Work It. Love It. Style It."

"The Style Network is refreshing its brand and image by embracing a new glossy and bold look that appeals to women's desire for living stylish lifestyles," says NBCUniversal International Television in a statement as it pertains to South Africa.

"The channel will refresh its logo, on-air look and tagline in South Africa and around the world - following the North American refresh. The network rebrand will go live on-air in South Africa on 1 April."

"As part of the refresh, the Style circle logo is replaced with a classic midnight blue typeface accented by a splash of light blue. The new logo is mutable and will be filled in with different patterns and colours that reflect the ever-changing trends in fashion and stylish living while embodying how viewers see the world through a prism of Style."

"Style will be the ultimate destination for female viewers who want to stay on top of the latest trends and seek inspiration," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at Universal Networks International.

The new Style refresh in South Africa on 1 April is also taking place on other markets including Australia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Central Europe and the Middle East as well as Singapore and Indonesia.

Style will be continuing with shows such as the popular Giuliana and Bill, Jerseylicious and Glam Fairy.

In addition Style is launching brand new-series such as Built on 1 April following male model handymen in Manhattan and House of Fab which is a new reality show peeking inside the business of Just Fab - an online shopping site run by Kimora Lee Simmons,.

Another new show on Style is Big Rich Atlanta, the new reality spin-off of Big Rich Texas which heads to the Buckhead Country Club where wealthy mothers and daughters do whatever it takes to stay on top of the social scene.

Studio Universal on DStv tripled its audience in South Africa in the past year; now second most watched movie channel in the country, says UNI.

Since launching a year ago in October 2011 on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform, the South African viewership of the Studio Universal (DStv 112) channel has more than tripled, making it the number two most watched movie channel in the country, says Universal Network International (UNI).

Studio Universal got upgraded to a high definition (HD) channel on DStv at the beginning of this month, as well as The Universal Channel (DStv 117) which is also run by UNI.

"The HD launches correlate to remarkable viewership growth for both channels across Africa and demonstrate UNI's ongoing committment to the African market," says UNI in a statement.

The Universal Channels' audience has grown consistently year-on-year for the past three years, increasing by 60% in January to September 2012, compared to 2010.

"The entire UNI portfolio - which includes Studio Universal, Universal Channel, the recently refreshed E! Entertainment (DStv 124) and Style (DStv 173) - has gone from strength to strengh, with strong year on year growth in audience share," says UNI.

"The [Studio Universal and Universal Channel in Africa] channels' high-quality international series and movies, tailored to the local market, have resonated with the African audience and we will continue our investment in the region to further enhance viewer experience," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at Universal Networks International.

E! Entertainment in South Africa to finally change and switch over to the new American on-air look of the channel on 23 September.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) in South Africa will finally rebrand and change its on-air look on 23 September to look similar to the new E! Entertainment look in America which was unveiled in May and introduced in July already. The new website refresh of E! Entertainment's online portal, eonline, was also changed in July.

The new look introduced in America two months ago has since made E! Entertainment still showing red and purple in South Africa, looking schizophrenic and caught between different, overlapping, wildly incongruent looks since E! News and other material sporting the new look crept in and have already been seen daily on the entertainment channel.

Add the massive amount of highly disturbing sound bleeps E! Entertainment ironically employs to block out all other brand and media publication mentions - although its actually reporting on these brands and makes its business out of telling people about what is happening with these brands, viewers have not been happy the last few months with this channel.

Even the new E! News set looks out of kilter since its fitting in with the new look, but for South African viewers stillfinding itself stuck inside the overall old look.

South African viewers are feeling caught in the middle between two wildly differing looks for E! Entertainment. The fact that the change-over and a more unifying and uniform look will again tie everything on the channel together, it will restore some cohesion and normalcy to the channel's disappointing on-air look and feel the past few months. 

"We seek to grow the channel further in South Africa and engage more local fans in E!'s pop culture buzz," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets for Universal Networks International in a statement. Universal Networks International in London runs E! Entertainment's UK feed for South Africa.

The new E! Entertainment look incorporates the colours of black, orange and white. South Africa will change over on 23 September along with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Asia, Australia, Israel, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Benelux, Nordics, Romania, Poland, Balkans, Czech Republic, Slovakia and other African markets.

INTERVIEW. Colin McLeod on the new Studio Universal channel in Africa: 'It's about the celebration of movies from Hollywood.'

Studio Universal (DStv 119) became the latest movie channel added to MultiChoice's DStv bouquet in South Africa and 46 other countries across Africa on September 30.

In Johannesburg I spoke with Colin McLeod from Universal Networks International, the managing director for emerging markets and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, who visited South Africa for the launch of the channel.

What's your expectation for Studio Universal in whatever form from Universal Networks International here in Africa and South Africa?
Colin McLeod: Studio Universal is one of those brands that we have to be very careful with. It's got the Universal name in there, and it's about movies. So we have to be careful about how and where we launch it. We did spend a lot of time with DStv in looking at overall what's on the platform and the rhythm of viewing across movie channels and scheduling. The brand will come first and foremost and the content will feed the brand if you like. The brand of Studio Universal will play a critical part in satisfying the demand for subscribers who want to watch movies – both the Premium and Compact. We're going to do a focus group next year.

Maybe a difficult question. Maybe something that doesn't really have an answer, but when I looked at the promos and heard the American voice-overs and the kind of movies, and deconstructed it a bit I suddenly thought, 'oh will it just be American movies?'. It's American product. And obviously you guys wouldn't have done it if the appetite for American culture and American movies didn't exist in Africa. Is it something that you think is still very strong in the world – the allure of American movies and the world it shows, the aspirational values?

It changes from market to market. It changes from country to country and that's also why we have a portfolio of channels. In the Netherlands we have 13th Street and Syfy. In Poland we have 13th Street, Syfy and The Universal Channel. It depends on the dynamics of the market; the competition. It changes from market to market and the genre of movies. It's easier to market a series than a movie, because a movie is gone in one afternoon or one evening; where you can build the appeal of a series.
Of course movies perform incredibly well on channels and there continues to be a strong interest. It does change however from market to market. Russia for example is not good for American suburban comedies, they don't play that well; whereas in the United Kingdom they will. The Brits like American comedy. You know, as long as it's not baseball – anything else will work. Down here we went for three core tentpole genres that broadly positions the channel because we've seen in all the research we've done time and time again that there's strong, strong interest in American movies.

From what release date, and how recent will the movies be that's seen on Studio Universal?

Okay, we've worked long and hard on that. We analysed what is on the platform [DStv] already and the rhythm. The majority of movies on Studio Universal will be under 20 years. We thought [fought?] hard to have some slightly older movies. You want the early Jaws. But most will be recent Hollywood blockbusters. If we do something on Spielberg, you want E.T. in there. Some will be slightly older but we're focusing on recent blockbusters.

Why did you guys decide to make the Studio Universal logo different and not keep it yellow?

When we did the analysis on Africa we decided the approach of Studio Universal is about the celebration of movies from Hollywood; about entertainment. In Italy the channel is a bit different, they have black and white movies, or great Western movie series, or the love of Charlie Chaplin. And in Italy Studio Universal is an incredibly, incredibly successful channel. It's such a strong brand, that performs so well. So for Africa we thought about celebration and building a similar channel that is about the great things from Hollywood and we've packaged Studio Universal for Africa to give that sense. We've recoloured the logo and we've added a couple of elements that are not in the existing one but it was really to speak emotionally what we want the brand to say.

ALSO READ: Studio Universal changes from yellow to an orange logo, with some sparkle, for the new movie channel's on-air look and feel on DStv in Africa.
ALSO READ: Studio Universal suffers technical problems at launch, goes too fast with The Fast and the Furious; viewers unhappy about crass promo language.
ALSO READ: Addition of Studio Universal to DStv in 47 countries across the continent is another sign of the growing importance of Africa's pay TV market.
ALSO READ: Studio Universal: ''We get and understand the frustration from viewers about repeats; there will be a quick turn-over of movies.''
ALSO READ: Universal Networks International on launching Studio Universal in Africa: ''It's a cherised brand we don't just launch everywhere.''
ALSO READ: Universal Networks International, MultiChoice worked for almost 2 years on developing the Studio Universal channel for Africa.
ALSO READ: MultiChoice welcomes Studio Universal as a new movie channel to DStv: ''It's a really, really exciting addition for us.''
ALSO READ: Agent Orange: Studio Universal's new TV channel press launch event in South Africa is an all-orange affair.
ALSO READ: Studio Universal unveils its programme grid; shows how movies will be themed with different genres on various nights of the week.
ALSO READ: TOLDJA! Studio Universal movie channel added to MultiChoice's DStv in 47 countries across Africa.

Studio Universal changes from yellow to an orange logo, with some sparkle, for the new movie channel's on-air look on DStv in Africa.

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Studio Universal (DStv 119) changed the movie channel's logo and look from bright yellow to lava-like orange for Africa, adapting the on-air look which includes moving idents, programme boards and promos to a colour palette that Universal Networks International feels is more suited to the sensibilities of viewers in Africa.

Africa is only the 3rd territory in the world, after South America and Italy in Europe, getting the Studio Universal movie channel where the logo and on-air imaging is decidedly more brighter yellow. For the channel's roll-out in Africa the colour scheme was adapted and changed to a slightly softer orange, with some sparkly glitter added to the moving idents emanating from the elliptical arch.

''We've added some sparkle,'' says Chrystele Fremaux, programming and on-air programming director for emerging markets for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region at Universal Networks International. ''The customised look of Studio Universal reflects the dynamics of the African market.''

''Studio Universal [for Africa] is a studio look for big blockbusters. It's built around the big illuminating arc. Comedy, action and family are the big elements comprising this Hollywood channel and what Studio Universal will be about,'' she says.

''Studio Universal is not another movie channel, it's the destination for Hollywood movies, it's the destination for entertainment. Showing the right movie, at the right time for the right audience is what we do. We're bring that expertise to this new TV channel,'' says Chrystele Fremaux.

''Here, when you look at the channel proposition here – and it comes out in all of the feedback and analysis we got – just big Hollywood movies for the channel is the best to go with,'' says Colin McLeod, managing director for emerging markets for EMEA at Universal Networks International. ''Studio Universal will be a recent library movie channel. There's always new stars, new franchises, new movies and that will keep Studio Universal fresh.''

''When you think about this platform [DStv] it's already very rich. There's great movie channels across Compact and Premium. What we can do is that we can take the movies and package them up and use the brand to give them to viewers, so they can view them differently than they possibly can on other channels. Theme nights, and over weekends, and big movie events, or holidays. Studio Universal will have a relevancy there,'' he says.

TV with Thinus asked whether there will be other content besides just movies on Studio Universal, since the version of the channel in Italy carries shorter movie related shows and Studio Universal in South America carries some series [although The Universal Channel doesn't exist there].

''It will be movies on Studio Universal for Africa but there might be some short form content about newly released movies, or interviews with stars, or behind the scenes, but it will all be to complement the movie offering on screen,'' says Chrystele Fremaux.

Addition of Studio Universal to DStv in 47 countries across the continent another sign of the growing importance of Africa's pay TV market.

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Universal Networks International that just launched the new Studio Universal (DStv 119) movie channel on MultiChoice's DStv pay platform in Africa, regards the continent as a very important territory and sees the continent as a perfect market to launch a new studio movie channel. MultiChoice says international suppliers are increasingly seeing Africa as a key focus and the continent very important to them when it comes to pay TV growth.

Universal Networks International just launched Studio Universal in South Africa and 46 other African countries, making the African continent only the 3rd territory after South America and Italy in Europe where this studio movie channel is rolled out.

''It's hard to find markets where we can with confidence launch this channel and make sure that we do a good job,'' says Universal Networks International's Colin McLeod, managing director for emerging markets for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. ''You have to work your way into the complex windowing of studio product and understand how to be good at adding relevancy with that product. And it takes time to expand and to work your way through the studios.''

''You're looking for robust, special partners to work with,'' Colin McLeod said, talking about MultiChoice as a pay TV platform partner. ''It's not a small investment we're making with Studio Universal. We need to know that it's a partnership; we need to know there will be a demand. For the product that we've developed this [Africa] is one of the markets where we felt it's right; we can make this big investment and get the studios to work with us.''

''So we have a new structure where NBCUniversal falls under Comcast. Comcast has an incredible interest in international markets,'' said Colin McLeod. ''They are focusing on key territories globally and Africa is without a doubt in the top ten territories.''

''There's been a huge change and growth in terms of what we as a pay TV platform experienced,'' says Aletta Alberts, general manager of content for MultiChoice, speaking about how the international interest from global content providers, distributors, suppliers and multinational companies have changed and how their perceived importance of Africa's TV market and pay TV industry has dramatically increased the past few years.

''Where previously Africa was like, an afterthought - thought of as an important market but maybe too small to actually play in - that is shifting as the world economy is changing,'' says Aletta Alberts. ''As BRIC countries - with Africa and South Africa next to them - are becoming more important, we find that more and more of the international suppliers see Africa and this continent as a key, key focus for them.''

''They want to see the kind of growth that they saw in Eastern Europe, with Russia, because they know it can be done here. Really great news for us, because it helps when the supplier already has plans to come here and want to invest in Africa.''

''Years ago my colleagues tell me they would go to meetings; beg people 'Please can we have it?', trying to explain a multichannel environment to them. Because I don't know if you're aware of that but MultiChoice was the first multichannel pay TV platform to launch after North America, before Europe or any of those launched, so it was a new world for everybody. So from international distributors, more and more interest in the African continent,'' says Aletta Alberts.


INTERVIEW: Colin McLeod on the new Studio Universal movie channel in Africa: ''It's about the celebration of movies from Hollywood.''
ALSO READ: Studio Universal changes from yellow to an orange logo, with some sparkle, for the new movie channel's on-air look and feel on DStv in Africa.
ALSO READ: Studio Universal suffers technical problems at launch, goes too fast with The Fast and the Furious; viewers unhappy about crass promo language.
ALSO READ: Studio Universal: ''We get and understand the frustration from viewers about repeats; there will be a quick turn-over of movies on the channel.''
ALSO READ: Universal Networks International on the new Studio Universal movie channel: ''A cherished brand we don't just launch everywhere.''
ALSO READ: Universal Networks International, MultiChoice worked for almost 2 years on developing the Studio Universal movie channel for Africa.
ALSO READ: MultiChoice welcomes Studio Universal as a new movie channel to DStv: ''It's a really, really exciting addition for us.''
ALSO READ: Agent Orange: Studio Universal's new TV channel launch event in South Africa is an all-orange affair.
ALSO READ: Studio Universal unveils its programme grid; shows how movies will be themed according to genres on different nights of the week.
ALSO READ: TOLDJA! Studio Universal movie channel added to MultiChoice's DStv Premium and DStv Compact bouquets in 47 African countries.