by Thinus Ferreira
Discovery Inc. has abruptly removed and ended its Discovery Family channel on China's StarTimes and StarSat pay-TV platform, with subscribers who got no explanation as to why and just a day's warning.
Discovery Inc. yanked Discovery Family from channel 222 on StarTimes and StarSat even before it was supposed to shut off on 31 January 2021, with confused and upset pay-TV subscribers who noticed that the channel was suddenly gone in late-January.
Discovery Inc.'s Discovery Family disappeared from StarTimes and StarSat just 2 years after it was added since December 2018.
In mid-July 2018 StarTimes executives signed a contract with great fanfare and spectacle with Amanda Turnbull, who at the time was the vice president and general manager for Discovery Networks International for the Africa and Middle East (MEA) region.
Amanda Turbull left Discovery at the end of 2020 in Discovery Inc.s' latest round of restructuring in the region.
Discover Family is the second channel from Discover Inc. that abruptly vanished without any warning or explanation from StarTimes and StarSat, after the Fine Living Network (FLN) abruptly disappeared in December 2020 after more than a decade on the air, also angering subscribers.
Discovery Family remains on MultiChoce's DStv satellite pay-TV service for the time being.
Some viewers noticed an on-screen message that was sent out by StarSat to subscribers to notify them that Discovery Family is getting axed, although by that time the channel was already gone.
"Dear valued customer, due to a recent change in our service offering we regret to inform you that Discovery Family will go offline on 31 Jan.," StarSat said.
Meanwhile StarTimes elsewhere in Africa told some subscribers that "Discovery Family channel will be offline on 31 Jan from all platforms" without giving any explanation as to why.
In a stock response on social media to angry subscribers who asked about the culling of Discovery Family, StarSat said "Unfortunately when the content provider decides to make changes in the production of content we cannot prevent it but we are constantly working on sourcing new content to ensure your viewing delight".
StarSat said the removal of Discovery Family is part of changes by Discovery Inc. that StarTimes "cannot prevent".
Ralph Mutombo, a StarTimes subscriber in Nigeria said the removal of Discovery Family "is unacceptable. Discovery Family is my favourite channel. StarTimes Nigeria, you regularly remove or replace channels without prior consultation or notice".
The StarSat subscriber Shaun Thompson said "StarSat tell us what crappy channel are you going to replace Discovery Family with? You always get rid of good content and replace it with crap".
Tankiso Lebusa said "Discovery Family channel is gone - just like other channels you have removed and no replacements, and you get your money in full".
"Will we get a replacement channel for Discovery Family?" asked Mari Hayward. "We are really upset about losing it".
TVwthThinus asked StarSat why Discovery Family has been removed as a TV channel from its line-up, if subscribers were told beforehand that the channel would be removed, and if so, when, and also why Discovery Family was terminated.
Luyanda Cele, StarSat spokesperson told me to "Please note that the Discovery Family channel contract will
not be renewed when it expires however there will be a replacement channel in due course and we shall communicate in due time".
TVwithThinus also reached out to Discovery Inc. on 28 January when Discovery Family was already off the air before the end of the month cut-off date, confusing subscribers.
A media enquiry was made seeking comment from the Discovery Inc. team based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through its South African public relations company, Razor PR, but at the time of publishing this report on 3 February, there's been no explanation, statement or any answers forthcoming from the Discovery Inc. team or Razor PR.
