Showing posts with label Danie Odendaal Productions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Danie Odendaal Productions. Show all posts

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Producer Danie Odendaal dead at 77



by Thinus Ferreira

Veteran TV producer Danie Odendaal has died. He was 77.

The creator of SABC2's long-running 7de Laan through his Danie Odendaal Productions died in Langebaan after a short sickbed.

The cause of his death on Wednesday evening isn't immediately known.

Danie Odendaal suffered a stroke five years ago in December 2019 while at his home in Pervillac, France and returned to South Africa. His health deteriorated over the past few months.

His family in a statement says "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Danie Odendaal who died peacefully on 30 October 2024, in Langebaan, where he resided for the past 6 years, with his beloved wife, Annie Odendaal".

"Danie lived a life full of creativity and warmth, quietly shaping the world around him through his story telling. Known for his humour and wit, he had a way of speaking his mind that inspired those fortunate enough to know him."

"His contributions to television and theatre in South Africa paved the way for countless others, and his legacy shines brightly through 7de Laan, a beloved soap opera that captured the hearts of so many. It stands as a lighthouse to his artistic spirit and people-first approach."

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Thandi Ramathesele, a friend and business partner to Danie, who held his dreams and vision for 7de Laan close, honouring his legacy with dedication and respect."

"Our thanks also go to Candice Moodley- who was much like a daughter to Danie and Annie - who cared for Danie's well-being and managed his portfolio with grace, bringing comfort to his later years."

"Danie will forever be remembered for his kindness, humour, and creative spirit. You were all in some shape or form, his family."

Besides 7de Laan, the producer, director and writer wrote the TV series Saartjie, Dennekruin 12 and the script for the film Galery.

He was the director of Dennekruin 12, Galery, Die man met 'n lyk om sy nek, Beelde, Saartjie, Okovango: The Wild Frontier and the miniseries Veldslag.

Danie Odendaal studied at the University of Stellenbosch as well as the Sorbonne University in France and Trinity College in Cambridge in the United Kingdom and joined the SABC as a director when television started in South Africa.

When Franz Marx started Egoli for M-Net (DStv 101), Danie Odendaal was appointed as head writer in 1992. After eight years in this role, he crafted 7de Laan - an idea he had for several years - for SABC2 which started in 2000.

Danie Odendaal remained executive producer for 15 years until he stepped away from 7de Laan and became co-producer after the SABC ordered the mandate and style of the soap to change.

Henry Mylne, who worked with Danie Odendaal at Egoli and then as director at 7de Laan until the SABC2 soap ended, told RSG on Thursday that Odendaal's death was a shock.

"It's a shock. We were not prepared. He died peacefully."
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Tuesday, December 12, 2023

SABC2 will show the last episode it has of 7de Laan tonight unless the SABC pays the show the outstanding millions its owed.


by Thinus Ferreira

The final episode of 7de Laan will be broadcast on SABC2 tonight unless the cash-strapped public broadcaster pays the millions of rands still owed to the production company which is refusing to deliver the last 10 episodes unless it gets its money.

The SABC has not responded to a media query made on Monday about the non-payment to Danie Odendaal Productions. 

Insiders told me that the SABC has also not responded to any of the emails from the production company over the last few weeks pleading for communication from the broadcaster and payment for what it is due.

Danie Odendaal Productions is still owed millions of rands for what's left of the final 7de Laan season after the broadcaster decided to abruptly cancel the long-running soap in July. 

The SABC which made another R1.1 billion rand loss in its latest reported financial year, is no longer able to keep shows like 7de Laan on the air despite it being the second most-watched show on SABC2 with 901 668 viewers.

When 7de Laan ends, the SABC plans to replace it in the 18:00 timeslot on SABC2 with yet another rerun of the 27-year old Afrikaans sitcom Vetkoekpaleis made in 1996, although full episodes of Vetkoekpaleis are available on YouTube.

In September the SABC caused yet another production shutdown of 7de Laan - similar to what has happened several times in the past with the show as well as other SABC productions - due to non-payment. 

After an emergency SABC payment in September, production resumed on the final 45 episodes of 7de Laan.

Now the SABC has once again not paid 7de Laan, with the production withholding the final 10 episodes which are supposed to take SABC2 to 26 December when the last episode is supposed to be broadcast on the day after Christmas. 

7de Laan is supposed to end with a nostalgia-filled look back at the years and characters who have shared their drama-filled lives in the fictional Hillside suburb in Johannesburg.

According to insiders close to the production, 7de Laan "is still owed millions".

According to one insider, the last episode that was delivered to the SABC is the episode which will be shown tonight, on Tuesday 12 December on SABC2. "The SABC only has one episode left," the person said who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another insider revealed that "the big concern now is that if 7de Laan delivers the last 10 episodes, Danie Odendaal Productions will find it challenging to receive payment from the SABC for closure work that has been done".

According to the person, besides payment of millions of rand outstanding, the SABC needs to sign and provide the production company with an addendum to the original contract, which is for the closure of 7de Laan, as well as the work that was done to finish off the show.


Production had already wrapped on the show that was filmed at Sasani Studios in Highlands North in Johannesburg with the sets in the studios which have been packed up and emptied out and with cartloads of items which had been donated to places like the National School of the Arts in Braampark.

I asked Danie Odendaal Productions for comment, that confirmed that it is still owed millions of rand by the SABC.

"The SABC owes us millions leading up to including the closure of the production that was concluded on 28 November 2023 which was the extended period needed to pack up after we wrapped filming on 27 October," the production company said in response to the media query.

"Numerous emails have been sent to the necessary parties at the SABC but no response has been received to date. We await formal communication in response to our emails querying the outstanding money and information from the SABC before we are able to upload the remainder of the episodes," the company says.

The production confirmed that it is 10 episodes of 7de Laan which have not been given to SABC2 yet.
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Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Angry SABC2 viewers joining public protest to demand reversal of 7de Laan cancellation.


by Thinus Ferreira

Furious 7de Laan fans will protest this coming Thursday over the SABC's shocking decision to cancel the long-running SABC2 soap with a petition which will be handed to SABC executives demanding that the public broadcaster keep the show on the air.

The 7de Laan MyNou - Amptelik group, which has more than half a million followers on Facebook, is organising a public protest for 28 September at 10:00 at Campus Square Auckland Park in Johannesburg saying that 7de Laan "cannot pay for corruption at the SABC".

The public protest against the SABC's cancellation of 7de Laan will be supported by the GOOD political party.

The SABC abruptly cancelled the Danie Odendaal Productions show in July, saying that it can no longer pay to keep SABC2's second most-watched show on the air, with the final episodes being filmed until 24 October at Sasani Studios in Johannesburg. 

The final 7de Laan episode is set to air on SABC2 the day after Christmas - 26 December.

7de Laan was forced to shut down production earlier this month for three days over non-payment from the SABC. 

The SABC made another partial payment after news of the production shutdown became known, but the broadcaster still owes Danie Odendaal Productions millions of rand. The SABC posted another annual loss of R1.1 billion for the 2022/2023 financial year.

According to the SABC, 7de Laan needs double the viewers and should cost half the money the production costs to make, to remain on the air.

7de Laan had 1.052 million viewers in August on SABC2. That was more viewers than anything watched on MultiChoice's DStv last month, as well as more viewers and a higher TV ratings and audience share than anything watched on SABC3 last month 

According to Caroline Phalakatshela, SABC publicist, "We have received news about a petition but the decision taken is a business decision aligned to audience viewership and the financial state of the business".

"The fact that SABC2 cannot afford to continue carrying a drama such as 7de Laan due to the accumulative costs and the dropped viewership numbers still remains. The show would need to double in audience numbers and also drop in the production costs to realise a positive return on investment. This we don’t see happening in the next few months as the channel has been monitoring this programme for the past years."

A "Red 7de Laan" petition on change.org has racked up over 38 000 signatories and comments by Monday since it was started in July by Jermaine Christians, urging the SABC to renew 7de Laan, and saying that its cancellation would lead to job losses, and that "shutting the door of an award-winning soap with millions of viewers doesn't make sense".

Kayleen Bessit, 7de Laan publicist, told me that the show is aware of the public protest action being planned over the SABC's cancellation of the show.

"The planned protest of 7de Laan fans shows 7de Laan's significant impact on South Africa. We're deeply touched by their determination and conviction to get the SABC to reverse its cancellation decision and immensely thankful for the unwavering support of all the fans."


SABC's cutting down of shows not the way to go
In response to a media query about 7de Laan's cancellation, the SOS Coalition, a public pressure group supporting public broadcasting in South Africa, told TVwithThinus that the "SABC's audience growth is dependent on compelling content that speaks to the needs and interests of the people of South Africa".

"Good and quality locally produced shows are the only way it will be able to retain a good audience base that will also be beneficial for increasing revenue - given that advertising is the only stream that is currently sustaining the SABC," says Uyanda Siyotula, SOS Coalition national coordinator.

"The cutting down of shows that showcase South Africa's diversity and build social cohesion is not the way to go. The SABC needs to reappropriate its budgeting accordingly. More money needs to be invested into the production of local content. Currently, that is not the case - salaries have a bigger budget than content." 

"Commercial and community broadcasters, pay-TV and on-demand platforms are competing for the same audiences and also produce local content. If these audiences leave the SABC, there is no coming back. It is not ideal for the SABC to be cutting down on shows that set it apart."

"If the SABC continues on this trail it will risk losing the loyal viewers that it has. Once the SABC loses more viewers, it will plunge into an even bigger loss. This will also indicate failure to deliver on its mandate as this show brings people of different ethnic groups and races together".


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Monday, September 11, 2023

SOS Coalition: SABC's axing of multicultural 7de Laan damaging to democracy.


by Thinus Ferreira

The SOS Coalition says the South African public broadcaster's axing of the multicultural soap 7de Laan on SABC2 is bad for democracy and that the SABC's inability to pay local productions is a very big problem.

The SABC that is deep in the red financially and made another annual loss of R1.1 billion for the 2022/2023 financial year is struggling and juggling the payment of all its biggest shows, known as the "Big Five" - Uzalo, Generations, Skeem Saam, Muvhango and 7de Laan - with 7de Laan that got axed in July after the broadcaster can no longer afford to keep it on the air.

Last week Monday, Danie Odendaal Productions abruptly shut down filming of the show at Sasani Studios on the outstanding 45 episodes still to be delivered to the SABC over the broadcaster's failure to pay the producers which are owed millions of rand.

After the SABC found some more money to pay the show on Wednesday, production resumed on Thursday last week for the show that lost three whole production days in the time left on the contract until 24 October to film the remaining episodes. 

The final 7de Laan episode will be broadcast on SABC2 on 26 December but if the production loses more days before 24 October the show will have to end sooner due to fewer episodes.

"As the SOS Coalition we are deeply concerned that the financial crisis at the SABC is unfortunately affecting the production of local content," says Uyanda Siyotula, SOS Coalition coordinator.

"The grim state of the public broadcaster's finances has been made apparent by reports of the immediate shutdown of production on one of South Africa's longest-running television programmes, 7de Laan."

"Even though it has been reported that following partial payment by the SABC, Danie Odendaal Productions will resume production of 7de Laan until the final season is concluded in December as intended - the financial crisis remains worrisome."

"Media reports also revealed that the SABC is struggling to pay producers of some of their popular shows," Siyotula says.

"As the SOS Coalition, we are concerned about the impact this financial crisis will have on the local production sector. When the SABC cuts down on local content production, the detriments are not only limited to local producers but the creative industry at large, including actors and writers."

"Further, cutting down on programmes such as 7de Laan that kept citizens entertained by playing a critical role in promoting cultural diversity and fostering social cohesion, is a threat to our democracy."

The SOS Coalition says that "we have recently also witnessed how these financial constraints affected securing of the 2023 Rugby World Cup broadcasting rights."

"The SABC board must communicate with the public its plan to pull the SABC out of the financial crisis it finds itself in. There must be transparency and accountability from the SABC along with a way forward."


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Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Danie Odendaal Productions to restart production on 7de Laan's final 45 episodes after struggling SABC makes a bit payment.


by Thinus Ferreira

7de Laan will restart filming on Thursday on the outstanding 45 episodes to conclude SABC2's cancelled soap after the SABC paid some money this week after the show was forced to shut down production on Monday because of the public broadcaster's failure to pay the massive amount of money owed to the series.

TVwithThinus has reliably learnt that production will resume on Thursday on the 45 episodes left which must be filmed at Sasani Studios before 24 October. 

These episodes will keep 7de Laan on the air for its final season on SABC2 which will conclude with the last episode shown on 26 December.

After the SABC decided to cancel the long-running Afrikaans soap in July which is SABC2's second most-watched show on the channel, the cast and crew of Danie Odendaal Productions took a decision to try and make the remainder of the episodes very special but the show got sabotaged by the SABC which failed to pay the massive amount of money due to the production to keep it on the air.

Anxious crew and cast - already stressed about their work and income ending at the end of next month - were plunged into additional anxiety when Danie Odendaal Productions said it's unable to pay them any further since the SABC has not kept up making the payments to its show that it is supposed to.

Making the decision to shutter the show over the weekend after the SABC told the producers last week Monday that it doesn't have any money to pay, meant that the show's production schedule was thrown into turmoil since booked guest actors, artists and others needed for certain days and scenes had to be cancelled and will have to be rescheduled - if it's even possible.

Now the production will gear up to restart filming from Thursday and to try and rework the lost production days and hours of the week and to make up for that in the coming days.

According to industry insiders, while the SABC promised a partial payment this week to the show, a large amount of money is still outstanding, with no indication from the public broadcaster - once again heading to a financial cliff - on when the rest of the outstanding money owed to various production companies and suppliers will be paid.

The SABC didn't respond to a media query made on Tuesday.

Danie Odendaal on Wednesday morning confirmed to TVwithThinus in response to a media query that the show will now restart filming on Thursday.

"After further engagement with the SABC regarding outstanding payments, Danie Odendaal Productions is pleased to announce that although the full amount owed has not yet been settled, there are now sufficient funds to resume production."

"We can confirm that production will recommence on Thursday, 7 September, 2023. The cast and crew are committed to delivering the high-quality content our fans and viewers deserve."

The SABC has not yet published its 2022/2023 financial report but is set to again declare another huge annual loss, this time in excess of R1 billion.


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Tuesday, September 5, 2023

SABC2 viewers facing blunt 7de Laan end with fewer episodes to the series finale over SABC non-payment.


by Thinus Ferreira

A blunt, abrupt ending to 7de Laan with no proper conclusion – as well as even fewer episodes to the end – is what waits for SABC2 viewers if the SABC doesn't very quickly find the money to pay Danie Odendaal Productions to resume filming of the remainder of the soap's episodes.

After the SABC cancelled the long-running Afrikaans soap on SABC2 in July, the production worked to complete the remainder of the final season's episode order but was forced to abruptly shut down production on Monday – two months before the supposed final day of filming on 24 October – after the SABC failed to pay the show what it's owed.

The SABC owed Danie Odendaal Productions a massive amount of money, as well as other production companies doing local shows for the public broadcaster.

The SABC on Monday in a statement admitted that it owes Danie Odendaal Productions money but is unable to pay and unable to say when it will be able to pay due to the broadcaster's massive financial troubles.

The SABC has not yet published its 2022/2023 financial report but is set to again declare another huge loss, this time in excess of R1 billion. 

The broadcaster is once again trying to do various "payment arrangements" with various suppliers, including production companies who the SABC have contracts with to deliver content in return for payment.

The SABC only contracted Danie Odendaal Productions to produce 7de Laan episodes until 24 October, which is supposed to keep 7de Laan on the air with original episodes until 26 December. 

The production company in turn contracted the crew and cast until 24 October, with 45 episodes which remain to be filmed.

Since work stopped, it's becoming a growing danger that SABC2 will no longer get 45 completed episodes from Danie Odendaal Productions since the time doesn't exist to produce this number of episodes in the available production schedule days which are fast running out.

In addition, the current 7de Laan cast and crew won't be available after October since they've accepted work on other shows and productions, so even if the SABC pays later, the show's talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes won't exist and be available to film episodes in November.

The SABC will also have to struck the sets like Oppiekoffie and the other Hillside sets at Sasani Studios in the final days of October and take it elsewhere where it wants to store it – any days over and the broadcaster, which owns all of the sets, props and wardrobe, will have to pay additional rent to Sasani to house property that's no longer being used.

The SABC only paid Danie Odendaal Productions for its June invoice on 1 September with a lot of money still owed and outstanding.

Danie Odendaal Productions told TVwithThinus on Tuesday in response to a media query that it hasn't yet heard anything from the SABC after production on 7de Laan ceased on Monday due to non-payment.

"There been no further developments or response from the SABC," the production said on Tuesday morning.


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Monday, September 4, 2023

SABC can't say when it will pay massive amount of money owed to 7de Laan as time runs out for shuttered SABC2 soap to film its final 2 months of episodes.


by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC on Monday morning confirmed that it hasn't been able to pay 7de Laan on SABC2 in order for the production company's now-shuttered show to restart filming episodes, with the public broadcaster unable to say when it will do so or how it plans to rectify and fix the disastrous situation.

The SABC on Monday confirmed that it is unable to pay 7de Laan and can't say when the broadcaster will be paying the company to resume production. The SABC reportedly owes Danie Odendaal Productions "a massive amount of money".

On Monday the 7de Laan cast and crew didn't report for work at Sasani Studios in Johannesburg and started a stayaway after Danie Odendaal Productions shut down production of the long-running SABC2 show which has two months of filming left.

According to industry insiders, members of Danie Odendaal Productions were summoned to a meeting last week Monday at the SABC in Auckland Park where Merlin Naicker, SABC head of video entertainment, and Lala Tuku, SABC head of content for video entertainment, told the production company that the SABC doesn't have any money to pay the show.

Tuku has jetted off to Cape Town where she is a panellist this week at the Fame Week Africa 2023 conference.

"In terms of the meeting that the SABC had with production houses, it must be noted that this was one of the regular meetings in which the SABC discussed payment plans with everyone," Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson told TVwithThinus on Monday morning in response to a media query made on Sunday.

"The SABC is committed to ensuring that all production houses affected are prioritised and continuous engagements happen with relevant stakeholders to resolve the matter."

"The situation is regrettable and is as a result of various factors including the SABC's financial status that is known in the public domain and the external factors such as the dire effects of analogue switch-off and loadshedding that affect the audience ratings to enable the SABC to generate revenue as the corporation relies on this as the main source of income."

"The SABC urges all interested parties to advocate for the viability of the public broadcaster and encourage the payment of TV licenses as stipulated by law."

On Sunday Danie Odendaal Productions in response to a media query confirmed that 7de Laan is shutting down due to SABC non-payment.

In a statement the production company said filming is stopping until "the SABC meets its financial obligations" and that "due to these outstanding funds, we are currently unable to cover the salary and operational costs necessary to continue production. As a result, the decision was made to temporarily suspend production until such time as the SABC can fulfil its financial commitments to 7de Laan".

The cast and crew employed by Danie Odendaal Productions have been paid for August, but the production company - since it hasn't been paid by the SABC - doesn't have the money to either continue production or to pay anyone at the end of September and October.

The very real danger now is that 7de Laan will simply end when the SABC abruptly runs out of the last delivered episode months before 26 December when the final episode is supposed to air which hasn't even been filmed yet.

If the SABC doesn't pay Danie Odendaal Productions, filming won't start, with the cast and crew whose contracts only run until 24 October when the final episode was supposed to be filmed after which they are released.

Now the SABC and the production company are losing valuable time they can't get back. Should filming restart, the 7de Laan episodes that remain to be filmed will have to be squeezed into whatever time remains, meanwhile with an even more stressful production schedule.

The show might also lose out on booked and potential guest actors, former actors returning and other artists invited for guests appearances since all of this is now off the table and will have to be reorganised and rescheduled - if or when 7de Laan starts filming again.


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Friday, July 28, 2023

ANALYSIS. Can e.tv or kykNET save 7de Laan?


by Thinus Ferreira

After the SABC's shocking cancellation of 7de Laan which will end with its 24th season on SABC2 on 26 December, can rivals e.tv or M-Net's kykNET (DStv 144) save the show?

The short answer to the question is no, the longer answer is: "It's complicated". But 7de Laan's most-famous faces are not lost and will remain on TV - just not where and like you've seen them until now.

Let's take a deeper dive into why Hillside is very likely over the hill permanently and why neither e.tv nor kykNET can - or is willing to - pick up and take over production and broadcast of 7de Laan.

Here's what e.tv and kykNET might do and how they're going to pivot and gain audience share from the SABC's unforced error.


Can e.tv save 7de Laan?
eMedia spokesperson Bennum van Jaarsveld didn't respond to a media query last week asking if e.tv is able to take over 7de Laan, or, if it has this ability, if it indeed is something e.tv might consider.

Also, is the development and broadcast of a locally-produced Afrikaans-based TV soap at 18:00 something that e.tv might now consider - given that it's already dubbing Turkish telenovelas into Afrikaans to compete with 7de Laan?

e.tv is unlikely to be able to take over 7de Laan which is produced by Danie Odendaal Productions. 

Interestingly, e.tv soaps like Scandal! are produced alongside 7de Laan within the same Sasani Studios (owned by eMedia) complex in Johannesburg.

e.tv already has an Afrikaans dubbed Turkish soap and timeslot at 17:00 - currently Roekelose Dade - with the half-hour timeslot at 18:00 which has mostly become filler over the last few years precisely because 7de Laan was on.

Something like the disappointing uBettina Wethu that doesn't rate well in the 18:00 timeslot is mostly filler - e.tv just has to schedule something there as counterprogramming until Nikiwe does better at 18:30. 

But now with 7de Laan vacating the 18:00 timeslot on SABC2 - with the SABC literally "giving" the timeslot away or in a sense opening it up - it wouldn't at all be surprising if e.tv jumps at the chance.

Channel execs at e.tv could go one of two ways: Quickly develop a new Afrikaans-infused TV soap ready for air by January 2024 for 18:00. This will give audiences flicking the remote controls and discovering 7de Laan is gone but looking for an Afrikaans story, the opportunity to find a new South African story in Afrikaans on e.tv once Oppiekoffie has shut its doors.

Or: e.tv could move its Turkish telenovela timeslot later, to 17:30 or 18:00 and schedule and programming its Afrikaans-dubbed telenovela(s) there, or slot in a new one in the 18:00 timeslot.

 Although it won't be locally produced, even a Turkish telenovela now at 18:00 on e.tv will see higher ratings in the absence of 7de Laan, stealing free-to-air viewers away from SABC2 where former 7de Laan viewers will now be looking for a new home to park their TV watching at six o'clock in the evening.

7de Laan's 1.91 million viewers during the timeslot which made it SABC2's second most-watched show on the channel is a prize and viewers that e.tv would not say no to.

Conclusion: e.tv is very likely not in a position to save 7de Laan specifically but will very likely make hay by programming its 18:00 timeslot with "something" Afrikaans to lure and keep the disgruntled Afrikaans viewers of SABC2, who will go looking for something else similar and new to watch during the timeslot. 

Even if e.tv can win over just a fraction of the 1.2 million viewers 7de Laan pulled it will improve the audience rating of e.tv's 18:00 timeslot with not a lot of effort required to create some programming favourable to these viewers.

With the demise of 7de Laan, e.tv has the most to gain from the SABC's decision to no longer have 7de Laan in this timeslot and programming something there.



Can kykNET save 7de Laan?
The truth is that kykNET is actually what we call over-subscribed when it comes to Afrikaans TV soaps and telenovelas - it already has Suidooster (at 18:00), Diepe Waters (at 18:30), Binnelanders (at 19:30) and Arendsvlei on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) at 19:30. 

Can it really take over 7de Laan - but more importantly: Does it even want to when the TV cupboard is fully stocked?

When asked last week if kykNET has the ability to, and if it has the ability, want to take over 7de Laan, a channel spokesperson said kykNET has no comment on the matter although it's aware of what SABC2 is letting go of.

When 7de Laan ends - since it's happened before - a portion of those free-to-air viewers might very well bite the bullet and transform into pay-TV viewers by subscribing to DStv. 

When the SABC cancels or loses popular programming - for instance sports or now 7de Laan - a portion of public broadcaster viewers go: "The SABC is no longer offering what I watched, or I feel I must keep watching, I will now begrudgingly pay for DStv".

Thus, over the short term, expect a small ratings bump for Suidooster at 18:00 on kykNET from January 2024.

Those will be former 7de Laan viewers switching from free on SABC2 to DStv and continuing to watch in that timeslot because they want to watch something Afrikaans during that habitual TV viewing timeslot they've become accustomed to and organise their evening household routine around.

Is kykNET able to take over 7de Laan? It's more tricky. kykNET certainly has the ability and financial means to, but it might very well be barred from doing so if the Danie Odendaal Productions concept of 7de Laan belong to the SABC. 

What does this mean? 

In simple terms and without making the explanation too complicated, some shows "belong" to the SABC outright - they created the idea and commissioned it, some shows were taken to the SABC by producers but remain the property of the producers (the SABC shows it but doesn't own the intellectual property or IP), and some shows were taken to the SABC who then in the contract say they buy the IP as well.

There is a reason that no other broadcaster or TV channel picked up and continued with Top Billing after the SABC cancelled it on SABC3 - even though they want to. 

While the Top Billing brand name and show concept have a lot of brand value and name recognition and most certainly would do well as a reimagined show with the same slick production values and content on for instance a M-Net (DStv 101) channel, M-Net or e.tv or NBCUniversal's E! Africa (DStv 124) can't take it over or start a show called Top Billing that looks like what Top Billing looked. 

The SABC commissioned the show and owns the show (concept and IP) - it just doesn't want to do anything with it anymore. The result is that nobody else can touch it. 

The same very likely goes for 7de Laan: Even if kykNET is interested in it and in taking it over from SABC2, it might effectively be barred from doing so since 7de Laan is "owned" by the SABC.

What kykNET soaps will do with 100% certainty, is pick up several of the 7de Laan actors and crew who will start to pop up before long in the end-credit rolls and as on-screen talent in Suidooster, Binnelanders and Diepe Waters which is what has happened before and will again after the demise of other Afrikaans TV soaps or the exits of actors.

Hilda and her scarves for instance got transformed after the character's exit from 7de Laan, as Kate for Suidooster on kykNET. Look for several of these TV transformations to take place as the actors find new work (on kykNET shows).

Conclusion: Just like e.tv, kykNET will definitely keep a keen eye on the 18:00 timeslot. It's however already in a "better" position, since it already has Suidooster there for DStv subscribers looking for Afrikaans soap content, in that timeslot. 

kykNET has less to gain than e.tv by making changes at 18:00 but might still play out programming scenarios and move around some TV pieces of its line-up puzzle. Even if kykNET could save 7de Laan and is "allowed" to, is doesn't really have an incentive to do so. 

7de Laan actors will start to show up as new characters in various kykNET shows on pay-TV.



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Thursday, July 27, 2023

7de Laan: Petition to save TV show grows to thousands as fans rally to save 'beacon of hope'.


by Thinus Ferreira  

Following the SABC's shocking cancellation of 7de Laan on SABC2, viewers have started an online petition, #Red7deLaan/#Save7deLaan, which had close to 25 000 signatures and comments by Thursday morning as desperate fans plead with the SABC, e.tv or kykNET to save the TV show which they call "a beacon of hope".

The final episode of 7de Laan is set to be recorded on 21 October and will air on 26 December.

The SABC gave the crew and cast of the Danie Odendaal Productions show the news that it was cancelled last week Monday morning, with the public broadcaster saying that the show is too expensive to keep on the air given its viewership. 

7de Laan had 1.19 million viewers in June, making it the most-watched Afrikaans show on South African television and the second-most-watched show on SABC2 after Muvhango with 1.4 million viewers. 

The petition that was started on change.org is the second time a 7de Laan petition was started and quickly went viral on the platform. 

The previous time was in January 2021 when news leaked that SABC2 was cutting down 7de Laan from five to just three episodes per week from April 2021 which quickly amassed thousands of signatures and comments from concerned viewers.

At the time, the SABC said that it was aware that a "public petition was circulated, in an attempt to prevent the SABC from diversifying its content on SABC2". The petition worked and six months later 7de Laan returned to five episodes per week on SABC2.

The latest petition on change.org, started by Jermaine Christians, reads: "The SABC decided not to renew 7de Laan for the next season. We as the loyal viewers completely disagree, with no reasons provided why 7de Laan has not been renewed for another season."

"The show has reached so many milestones 23 years on air, 24 seasons and even 5000 episodes. This is not the first time that viewers see the soapie being attacked by the SABC. This is not just an attack on us as loyal fans and viewers but on the Afrikaans community as well. This soapie is known for its large road show campaigns to interact with fans and viewers."

"We would like to urge SABC to reconsider the decision and renew 7de Laan. The success behind the show comes from real-life storylines, multiculturalism and catering for the needs of every South African who could relate."

"We the fans of 7de Laan would like to urge other production houses such as e.tv or even kykNET to buy into the idea of 7de Laan not just saving the jobs of cast members, the crew but also the number 1 Afrikaans soapie in South Africa."

"Just the idea that +- 120 people could be left jobless in a country with an already failing economy is sickening to say the least."

"This is not just about the entertainment but also the beacon of hope this soapie was unto so many when it came to job creation with their yearly internship programme."

"This is not the first time SABC tried calling off the shots when it comes to 7deLaan and therefore we plead with other production houses to make use of this opportunity to try and #Save7deLaan for good this time."

"How do you shut the doors of an award-winning soapie with millions of viewers, this does not make sense and we believe as viewers there's more to the story behind SABC trying once again to shut down one of the most loved soapies."

On Tuesday the SABC was asked for comment about the new 7de Laan petition but didn't respond to the media query.
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Wednesday, July 26, 2023

7de Laan: 'Old' faces could return to Oppiekoffie for jaw-dropping moments.


by Thinus Ferreira

There's a very strong possibility of some golden characters who might return to Hillside over the next few months - some "old", familiar and beloved faces - once again showing up in 7de Laan as the cancelled TV soap now builds up to its swansong episode on 26 December on SABC2.

7de Laan viewers will now have to wait and see whether it's maybe Oom Francois (Chris van Niekerk), Xander (Theodore Jantjies), Hilda (Annelisa Weiland), Ryno (Chris Vorster), Christelle (Anna-Mart van der Merwe) or any of a whole host of former actors returning to reprise their iconic character roles.

Might it be Charmaine (Vinette Ebrahim) who returns to Oppiekoffie, or will it be Paula (Diaan Lawrenson) suddenly waltzing back into Hillside, with a certain "je ne sais quoi"?

After dealing with the shocking cancellation news that the crew and cast of 7de Laan received last Monday from the SABC on-set at Sasani Studios in Johannesburg, the staff and the writers' room at the Danie Odendaal Productions immediately shifted to an "all hands on deck" approach to make the last remaining months in production as memorable as possible for viewers.

Original 7de Laan episodes of its 24th season will still film until 21 October, leaving three months for the producers to plot behind-the-scenes to try and bring back memorable and popular characters, scrap some storylines, create some new ones and to pivot 7de Laan and all the characters of Oppiekoffie towards a new climactic final episode.

7de Laan will bow out the day after Christmas on SABC2 on 26 December with the producers who now want there to be "not a dry eye left in any house" when the episode airs.   

Although it is the most-watched Afrikaans TV show on South African television and the second-most-watched show on SABC2 with 1.19 million viewers, the SABC has decided to cancel 7de Laan since it has become too expensive for the broadcaster to keep on the air. 

The decision to cancel 7de Laan was done by Merlin Naicker, head of SABC video entertainment; Lala Tuku, SABC head of content for video entertainment, David Makubyane, general manager of video entertainment platforms; and SABC2 channel head Gerhard Pretorius. 

The SABC is also looking at cancelling more long-running shows across SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3, with Lala Tuku, SABC head of content for video entertainment, saying the production cost of some SABC shows are too high for the ratings they deliver.

"The cancellation news initially hit us like a heavy blow," an insider told me. 

"There were tears and we're all sad. It definitely brought an air of uncertainty into our lives. Everyone is still working through it. Some days will be better than others. As we now approach the filming of the final episode in October, more emotions can be expected to surface."

According to sources, the filming of the final episode and final scene on 21 October "will likely be a bittersweet moment, filled with both celebration and reflection. Hopefully everyone will be able by then, to say farewell to a product they've worked on with so much passion". 

Piet Matipa, 7de Laan scriptwriter and head of storylines and content at the show, told me "There are definitely elements of surprise and the possibility to bring back older characters especially if the actors who've portrayed those characters are available and willing".

"The creative process is ongoing and then consultations will start once it's approved. To say goodbye is emotional and to do so forever even more."

Kayleen Bessit, 7de Laan publicist, told me that 7de Laan "is thankful for the years that our fans and viewers gave us the ability to live out and express our creativity and talents".


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Monday, July 24, 2023

SABC: Cancellation of more shows likely, Isidingo could possibly return.


by Thinus Ferreira

After the shocking cancellation of the long-running 7de Laan on SABC2 the South African public broadcaster says it's not the only show that will be axed with the broadcaster reviewing the content of the SABC's entire TV offering across SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 - with Isidingo which might be revived.

The SABC admits that because of revenue and budget constraints, it's now focused on making smaller shows with a lower production cost. 

The broadcaster sent shockwaves through the local TV industry when it confirmed the cancellation of 7de Laan a week ago and said that the Danie Odendaal Productions show will air its final episode on 26 December after 24 seasons.

Now the SABC indicates that no programmes on the public broadcaster are safe with more cancellations likely coming down the pipeline similar to what happened to Top Billing, High Rollers, The Estate, Motswako, Pasella, Live AMP and others as the broadcaster struggles to lift ratings for its three TV channels which keep eroding year after year.

Lala Tuku, SABC head of content for video entertainment, told Rapport newspaper that the SABC is reviewing the entire SABC's TV content offering, not just that of SABC2.

7de Laan got cancelled as the most-watched Afrikaans TV show on South African television and in June was the second most-watched show on SABC2 where it pulled 1 191 198 viewers for its most-watched episode last month. 

7de Laan's viewership is just behind the long-running Venda soap Muvhango with 1.43 million viewers. 

Asked if other shows on SABC2 are facing possible cancellation if 7de Laan isn't deemed cost-effective enough with a rating of 1.19 million viewers, Lala Tuku said "absolutely".

"We're busy with a new strategy for the channel. We're investigating viewership patterns, are reviewing old programmes and the landscape is changing. To remain competitive we need to make decisions which are popular and less popular".

Asked if the SABC now wants to make smaller shows with a lower production cost, Lala Tuku said "yes, but we have to remain globally competitive and maintain a high standard. The production cost is however very high and the viewership figures influence advertisers".

"I wish more South Africans watch the SABC so that we can produce more local content. Advertising income is our revenue." About the broadcaster's upcoming announcement of yet another annual financial loss which will be above R1 billion, Lala Tuku says that plays a role in the cancellation of content.

"That's why difficult decisions are now being made. 7de Laan is one of them."

Tuku notes that while shows with huge appeal and massive brand awareness like Pasella and Top Billing have been cancelled in recent years "I'm currently working to try and revive some of these programmes, like Isidingo, and that makes me excited".
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