South Africa will get discovery+. Here's how.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa will definitely also get discovery+, the video streaming service of Discovery Inc. which is not yet available in the country, and it will happen through Warner Bros. Discovery combining its existing separate HBO Max and discovery+ streaming services into one streamer.

WarnerMedia that is fast expanding its streaming service HBO Max across Europe is already on record that it wants to expand HBO Max all over the globe, similar to Netflix and The Walt Disney Company's Disney+ that will arrive in South Africa anytime from June this year.

Since Discovery Inc. has not said anything about a planned rollout for its discovery+ for South Africa or Africa specifically, it has meant that viewers have been kept in the dark until now about whether they would ever get access to it and the additional content on the streamer like the expanded 90 Day Fiancé franchise, even more shows from Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, TLC, the Discovery Channel and other discovery+ Originals.  

Now, with Warner Bros. Discovery announcing that it will combine HBO Max and discovery+ in international markets - possibly in the way that Disney+ has different branded tiles incorporating National Geographic, Marvel, Disney, Star, Star Wars and Pixar - and with HBO Max that will definitely launch in South Africa, it means that South Africans will get access to discovery+.

Gunnar Wiedenfels, Discovery CFO, who will also serve as CFO of the combined Warner Bros. Discovery, revealed at the Deutsche Bank 30th Annual Media, Internet & Telecom Conference during a webcast that Warner Bros. Discovery is planning and already busy with preparations to combine HBO Max and discovery+.

Following the merger within a month of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. into Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max and discovery+ will initially be bundled together, but the two services will eventually be merged into one streaming service.

"We believe that the breadth and depth of this content offering is going to be a phenomenal consumer value proposition," Gunnar Wiedenfels said.

"The question is, in order to get to that point and do it in a way that's actually a great user experience for our subscribers - that's going to take some time."

"Again, that's nothing that's going to happen in weeks - hopefully not in years, but in several months, and we will start working on an interim solution in the meantime."

"So right out of the gate, we're working on getting the bundling approach ready, maybe a single sign-on, maybe ingesting content into the other product, so that we can start to get some benefits early on."

"But the main thrust is going to be harmonising the technology platform - building one very, very strong combined direct-to-consumer (DTC) product and platform - that's going to take a while."

One of the 'most complete' streamers

Gunnar Wiedenfels said that "One of the most important items here is that we believe in a combined product as opposed to a bundle".

"The combination could not make more sense than what we're doing here. We have HBO Max, with a more premium, male-skewing positioning, and then you've got the female-positioning on the Discovery side."

"You've got the daily engagement that people enjoy with Discovery content versus sort of the event-driven nature of the HBO Max content."

"Take that together, I have no doubt that we will be creating one of the most complete, sort of four-quadrant, old-young, male-female products out there."

"I'm really excited about it. I can't wait to see the first combined direct-to-consumer metrics because, in theory, the acquisition power of HBO Max, combined with the retention power of the Discovery content, I think is going to make for a blowout DTC product - and that should certainly drive very healthy revenue growth for years to come."

Once HBO Max and dicovery+ launch as a combined video streamer in South Africa as a standalone service, it could possibly also be carried by MultiChoice on its DStv Explora Ultra that has Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Sky in the United Kingdom and Europe already made multiple partnership deals to carry streamers ranging from Disney+ to SkyShowtime, Paramount+, discovery+ and several others.

Paramount's Paramount+ streamer is set to launch in South Africa early in 2023. 

The South African public broadcaster that was supposed to launch its own video streaming service before the end of this month, modelled after the BBC's iPlayer, has moved its launch out to the third quarter of this year, meaning to somewhere around July to September.

Discovery Inc.'s TLC and ID channels turn 10 in South Africa with special nostalgia-programming; as Discovery says 'Africa has been important for Discovery for 20 years and we look forward to the next 10 years'.

by Thinus Ferreira

Discovery Inc.'s TLC and Investigation Discovery (ID) channels both turn 10 years old in South Africa with special programming on both channels, with Discovery reaffirming its content commitment to the continent, saying that Africa has been an important market for Discovery for over 2 decades and that it's looking forward to the next decade.

Discovery has not yet launched its Discovery+ subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in South Africa or Africa or made any announcements that it plans to launch in sub-Saharan Africa, as Canada becomes the latest country to have Discovery+ rolled out there on 19 October. 

Marking the decade-anniversary of TLC Africa and ID in South Africa, Anouska Widdess, senior director TLC and channel operations and head of content for TLC in South Africa, says that "Africa has been an important market for Discovery for more than 20 years, and we look forward to the next 10 years as we hope to continue to collaborate and engage with South African audiences".

Discovery says that TLC that ranks as the number one lifestyle TV channel on the Africa continent "remains the flagship channel for Discovery with an impressive share of 1.13%. It consistently ranks within the top 25 channels across total TV and premiere episodes frequently achieve over 100 000 viewer from our loyal viewers".

"TLC has a show for everyone; our audiences turn to their televisions to seek comfort, solutions and inspiration. Each of our viewers has an unforgettable memory, heart-warming moment or special connection with our shows and the growth of the channel has surpassed all expectations."

TLC programming

During its birthday month, TLC (DStv 135) will show viewers "2 weeks of nostalgia" from 1 November at 9:25 daily, with another chance to watch episodes of shows like Gypsy Weddings, Honey Boo Boo and I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant.

TLC will also show Toddlers & Tiaras: Where are they now? with viewers who can catch up with what happened to the various toddler beauty queens, who are now young women.

A new season of Theresa Caputo in Long Island Medium: There in Spirit will start on TLC in November. Then the couples of 90 Day Fiance will have to compete with each other for the first time ever in 90 Day Fiance: Love Games.

Other "memory lane" TLC shows during the 2 weeks include Gypsy Weddings, Breaking Amish, Honey Boo Boo, Jon & Kate, Our Little Family, My Giant Life and My Teen Is Pregnant and So am I.

ID programming

Investigation Discovery (ID) is also marking a decade on the air in South Africa with 10 years' worth of criminologists, journalists, pathologists and psychologists exploring the worst of human behaviour.

From 15 to 24 October ID will bring viewers another chance to immerse themselves in true-crime documentaries, detective shows and stories where love goes awfully wrong, as episodes uncover some of the most shocking crimes in recent years with a line-up of all-time favourites.

ID will show episodes from series including The Madeleine McCann Mystery, Gypsy's Revenge, Evil Stepmother, Perfect Murder, Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall, Deadly Affairs, and Crime to Remember.

Discovery Inc. pulls all of its TV channels from StarTimes in Africa and StarSat in South Africa in unresolved contract conflict.

by Thinus Ferreira

Pay-TV customers of StarTimes across Africa, including StarSat subscribers in South Africa, abruptly lost all of the Discovery TV channels on Monday without warning because of an unexplained and unresolved contract conflict.

StarTimes and StarSat subscribers woke up on Monday to discover that their Discovery channels - StarTimes Real Time, Investigation Discovery, Investigation Discovery French, Discovery Science and Discovery Science French - were all gone. 

The end of the channels come after Discovery Inc. cut its Discovery Family channel in late-January from channel 222 on StarTimes and StarSat after just two years on the Chinese pay-TV platform even before it was supposed to go dark on 31 January.

Discovery Family went dark after the Fine Living Network (FLN), that is also from the Discovery Inc. stable, abruptly disappeared in December 2020 after more than a decade on the air on StarSat, with the move that also angering subscribers.

StarTimes and StarSat subscribers are fuming over the fact that they were only told in August, and after it happened that the channels are gone, saying they would have cancelled their subscriptions had they known in July or with a month's notice.

Discovery Inc. in response to a media enquiry, told TVwithThinus on Wednesday that "StarTimes Real Time, Investigation Discovery, and Discovery Science will no longer be available through the provider as of 2 August. However, lovers of real-life entertainment can still enjoy a plethora of world-class content from Discovery on DStv."

Discovery didn't answer why customers and viewers of its channels were not told or warned beforehand about the loss of the TV channels.

Luyanda Cele, StarSat spokesperson, told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry on Thursday morning that "Please note that the channels are removed due to contractual issues and communication was sent immediately to our customer via bmail, SMS and on our social medial pages".

On Facebook StarSat only posted a notification on Wednesday morning, long after 2 August, while subscribers say even the StarSat call centre knew nothing about the axed Discovery channels.

On Facebook when StarSat subscriber Daphne Brown asked why StarSat keeps discontinuing channels and if it's because StarTimes is not paying the distributors, StarSat said "it is due to contractual reasons and nothing to do with payment".

Nadia Crowie said "Surely someone should have known earlier, not a few days after debit orders went off and payment made. Even if we were notified, it should have been before debit orders went off or payments were made".

Nduduzo Gape said "I joined StarSat because of those channels. I am giving you one month to resolve this issue else I'm disconnecting".

Subscriber Zanele Ngcongo said "Wow, you guys are not good to your customers. You only tell today but I've noticed on Monday that Real Time was off. You need to change the way you do things".

ALSO READ: Discovery Inc. cuts its Discovery Family channel from StarTimes and StarSat after just 2 years on the air without any explanation and just a month after axing FLN.

ALSO READ: After over a decade on-air in South Africa Discovery Inc. abruptly dumps Fine Living on StarTimes and StarSat without warning or explanation.

MultiChoice's DStv Media Sales to take over the ad sales booking of all 8 of Discovery Inc.'s TV channels from September 2021.

by Thinus Ferreira

DStv Media Sales, the sales arm of MultiChoice, is taking over the commercial ad repping of all of the Discovery Inc. TV channels on DStv from September 2021.

DStv Media Sales has already been representing Discovery Inc.'s three channels of HGTV, Food Network and the Travel Channel, and is now adding the Discovery Channel (DStv 121), TLC (DStv 172), ID Investigation Discovery (DStv 171), Discovery Family (DStv 136) and Real Time (DStv 155).

From September DStv Media Sales will now be repping all 8 of the current Discovery Inc. TV channels and will handle all ad sales bookings across Discovery's network of channels.

"We are excited about the opportunity this presents for our business," says Fahmeeda Cassim Surtee, DStv Media Sales CEO.

"The addition of more channels offers us bigger audiences and the ability to aggregate more commercial opportunities for the market, this in line with our strategy of simplifying the media buy for the market."

Piwe Motshegoa, DStv Media Sales head of sales general entertainment, says "We are looking forward to creating tactical opportunities for clients wanting to be a part of all the great content across the Discovery portfolio of channels.

Discovery Channel adds Evgeny Afineevsky's Francesco documentary film about Pope Francis to the schedule for Sunday 4 April.

by Thinus Ferreira

Discovery Inc. has added the Francesco documentary about Pope Francis, a Discovery original production, that has been scheduled for broadcast on the Discovery Channel (DStv 121) on Sunday 4 April at 22:00.

Francesco is from the Academy Award-nominated director and producer Evgeny Afineevsky with the documentary film that gained unprecedented access to Pope Francis and that provides an intimate look at a global leader who approaches challenging and complex issues.

Francesco is a Discovery original production, directed and produced by Evgeny Afineevsky, with producers Den Tolmor, Eric Esrailian and Teri Schwartz.

The executive producers of Francesco are Ted Hope, Colleen Camp, Mark Monroe, Tomáš Srovnal, Michelle Bertrán Neve, Svetlana Chistyakova, Bonnie Abaunza, Bohdan Batruch, Regina K. Scully, Elba Luis Lugo, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Robert Fyvolent.

In the documentary film, Pope Francis addresses the Roman Catholic church's viewpoints about a wide range of issues such as climate change, migration and refugees, women’s empowerment, sexual abuse and LGBTQ issues, the Covid-19 pandemic and border walls.

Francesco also contains interviews with the people around Pope Francis, including his nephew Jose Ignacio Bergoglio, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI; Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim and activist for survivors of sexual abuse; and Sister Norma Pimentel, an advocate for refugees.

"I am tremendously honoured that Pope Francis allowed me to witness and create this inspirational monument dedicated to the most pressing issues facing humanity today," says Evgeny Afineevsky. "It is extremely exciting to partner with Discovery to bring his story to people around the world."

Food Network adds Inside Job with chef Katlego Mlambo on Saturdays at 7pm from 13 March as a new South African series exploring his love for local ingredients.

by Thinus Ferreira

Discovery Inc.'s Food Network (DStv 175) is adding a new local South Africa show to its culinary schedule with Inside Job presented by chef Katlego Mlambo that will make its debut today, Saturday 13 March at 19:00 on the channel.

Inside Job was commissioned and filmed later in 2020 in Dubai when Katlego Mlambo jetted to studios in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to complete the episodes. 

Inside Job follows the boisterous chef - who grew up in Eldorado Park south of Johannesburg where he spent most of his time in the kitchen with his grandmother and where he developed his passion for cooking - on his journey to create gourmet food with South African flair and a taste for Africa. 

Each themed episode showcases his love for local ingredients and fine dining culture, while he dances through to his favourite playlists.

During a virtual media launch event for the show Katlego Mlambo said "A lot of people ask what is South African cuisine? So what is South African cuisine? It's got no boundaries. Inside Job is about showcasing how great and diverse we are".

"Secondly it's for your mumzo, it's for your gogo, it's for your teenager, it's for your chefs, it's for your home-cook. Inside Job is literally for everyone".

About filming Inside Job in Dubai he says "working with a different crew was challenging but also exciting. The language barrier was exciting, nerve-wracking and spicy. You're saying 'tamatie', they're saying 'tomato', but plenty, plenty of highlights!"

Henry Windridge, senior director: marketing, digital and creative at Discovery Inc., says "Nothing quite hits the spot like local cuisine and the same can be said for local talent and entertainment".

"Food has always brought people together – especially during 2020 with extended lockdowns, social distancing and the inability to break bread with those closest to us. Food is how South Africans come together. The personalities and themes of our two new shows are geared to do just that!"

"Sharing a meal has always been deeply rooted alongside sharing stories, cultural experiences and traditions. As the world adapts to new practices and ways of being, the common denominator remains our love for food and experiences with those we care about," says Henry Windridge.

"While much has changed in the world in recent months, the power of food and how we connect over a plate has not. We’re sure viewers will be as captivated by the flair and charisma of chef Katlego Mlambo as they welcome him into their homes this March."

Inside Job is on Food Network (DStv 175) on Saturdays at 19:00 with repeats Sundays at 13:55 and Mondays 22:05

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV reports and articles to read - 25 February 2021.

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

■ Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) TV sport anchor Sharon Tjimbundu in online nudes share scandal after video and naked photos of her with her exposed breasts are shared on social media.

"I hate myself and my life right now," says the TV personality and influencer who says she needs to make better choices.

■ Video streaming vs pay-TV: Which option is better?

■ Is it time to cancel your DStv subscription? Here are your options.

■ The creator of High School Musical: The Musical on Disney+ about what's coming in season 2.

■ Some of the Marvel shows on Disney+ might run for multiple seasons.

- Falcon & the Winter Soldier on Disney+ will only be 6 episodes because the series is very expensive.

- Disney+ will stay with the set-up of releasing a new episode of a show weekly because it keeps the buzz: "It's like a new opening weekend every week".

■ Riverdale's Archie, KJ Apa seen on M-Net (DStv 101) is turning Shannen Doherty - says it sometimes feel like he's in jail on set: "There are so many restrictions on what I can and can't do".

■ NFL player in America threatens to release ESPN reporter Jamison Henley's strip club photos.

■ How a TV critic turned to podcasts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

■ Why Tiger Woods was driving to a TV series that Discovery Inc. is filming on his own just before his terrible car crash.

■ Who invented the so-called "TV Dinner"?

■ Should straight actors play gay roles? The TV writer Russell T. Davies says no.

■ Former Canadian TV exec convicted on fraud.

■ Issue 6 of IOL Television, covering some of South Africa's latest reality TV.

■ "Getting work has never been harder": TV and film workers in Britain share their stories.

■ The former American talk show host Ricki Lake was naked during her marriage proposal and was enjoying a nude soak in the jacuzzi with her man when he popped the question.

The SABC's retrenchment process is set to be finalised by Friday.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read - 23 February 2021.

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

■ The big financial problems of China's StarTimes pay-TV operator comes to light as it faces possible liquidation over owing $11 million in unpaid sports content rights and failing to pay beIN MediaGroup for rights to France's soccer Ligue 1.

 

■ Harry Shearer will no longer voice the black Dr Julius Hibbert on The Simpsons with Kevin Michael Richardson taking over the voice role.

■ Even more Hollywood studios are now starting to hide their abysmal box office income.

■ 1 200 British TV workers accuse the caustic Piers Morgan at ITV of bullying.

■ New book, Ticking Clock, reveals how ugly some of America's 60 Minutes correspondents really are.

"The TV news business is stacked with talented **holes". 

■ From WandaVision to The Mandalorian, how Disney+'s Netflix-crushing plan is taking shape.

■ Why was the 2021 Golden Globes nominees live stream so weird?

■ Is The Bachelor the fastest-growing new professional sport in America?

■ How a childhood love for TV spurred a life-changing career in television.

Zambezi Magic’s Date My Family Botswana producer, Onkabetse Reikeletseng, on his journey in filmmaking.

■ An American producer on why abusive on-set behaviour happens - and how the industry can stop it.

■ Discovery Inc.'s new video streaming service Discovery+ hits 11 million subscribers.

■ Parsing Paramount+: What exactly does ViacomCBS''s video streamer want to be?

As the last of the new global streaming services to launch Paramount+ will have a mountain to climb.

■ And the non-TV story of the day: America's Cherokee Nation wants Jeep to stop using Jeep Cherokee using its name.

Discovery Inc. cuts its Discovery Family channel from StarTimes and StarSat after just 2 years on the air without any explanation and just a month after axing FLN.

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.

ALSO READ: After over a decade on-air in South Africa Discovery Inc. abruptly dumps Fine Living on StarTimes and StarSat without warning or explanation.

After over a decade on-air in South Africa Discovery Inc. abruptly dumps Fine Living on StarTimes and StarSat without warning or explanation.

by Thinus Ferreira

Discovery Inc. has abruptly removed its Fine Living TV TV channel this week after more than 10 and a half years on-air in South Africa, with pay-TV subscribers and loyal viewers who got no warning that the lifestyle channel is being terminated or any explanation why.

Fine Living, also known as Fine Living Network or FLN, first came to South Africa since May 2010 when On Digital Media (ODM) launched its TopTV pay-TV service as a competitor for MultiChoice DStv.

China's StarTimes operating in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa, eventually took over ownership of TopTV in South Africa that was rebranded as StarSat, although Fine Living continued as one of Discovery's channels on the StarSat platform and was added to StarTimes as well.

For a while, Fine Living was also carried on Cell C's now-shuttered Cell C black video streaming service as a linear TV channel until that loss-making subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service went bust. 

While Fine Living (StarSat 281) had small distribution within South Africa, the beloved lifestyle channel had a hugely passionate fan base. These viewers are truly shocked and upset by Fine Living's abrupt axing.

The small but persevering Fine Living channel weathered multiple international corporate and distribution changes at Discovery Inc. as well as bouquet realignment changes inside StarTimes, and continued broadcasting for over a decade in South Africa while many other TV channels would come and go with much shorter on-air lifespans.

The unexpected and unexplained end of Fine Living on StarTimes and StarSat is very reminiscent of when Discovery Inc. and MultiChoice abruptly axed Animal Planet from the DStv channel line-up in December 2017 without warning or explanation.

The removal of Animal Planet, and Discovery Inc. and MultiChoice's lack of communication at the time, caused brand damage and riled DStv subscribers for months afterwards who were extremely unhappy not just that it happened but the apparently careless way in which nobody could tell paying subscribers that it would be happening and why.

The public relations agency Razor PR now repping Discovery Inc. told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry about the abrupt disappearance of Fine Living that "Fine Living is currently unavailable, and we apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, please contact StarTimes customer service by phoning 0719077077, via email at info.ke@startimes.com.cn or by visiting www.startimestv.com".

Razor PR provided no reason as to why Fine Living is "unavailable".

On Wednesday afternoon the company said that "fans will continue to be able to enjoy a range of home renovation and property content on HGTV, as part of a strategic decision to focus on Discovery’s flagship brands".

To watch HGTV, StarSat subscribers will have to switch to DStv since HGTV is not available on StarTimes or StarSat and only on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service.

Meanwhile, StarSat told upset subscribers in a message seen by TVwithThinus that "due to the strategic adjustment of Discovery, the lifestyle channel Fine Living will be offline, but we are looking into a channel with similar content".

StarSat told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry that Discovery Inc. abruptly ceased broadcasting Fine Living this week without warning but was actually only supposed to take Fine Living away from paying subscribers at the end of December 2020.

"Please note that Fine Living was off-lined because the channel provider ceased the production of the channel. Communication is yet to be sent to customers as this was supposed to be at the end of December".

Upset StarSat subscribers like Celeste Ahmed asked: "Fine Living on channel 281is off. What's going on?" 

Tony Concalves said: "My favourite programme is King Pool. Now where can I watch this programme? You have removed Line Living. Why could you not take away StarTimes Africa on channel 180 - nothing showing, just the logo on?"

Leheezy Likhead said: "When are you replacing all those channels you took off? I can't image the stress of us paying while you play taking channels off without replacing them immediately".

Deon Smith said: "The question is when are you guys going to replace Fine Living? If you remove something you must replace it immediately because your customer is paying for it".

Discovery Inc.'s new Discovery+ video streaming service to roll out globally in 25 countries within a year with 1 000 hours of original content, wants to sit alongside Netflix and Disney+ as the go-to global streamer for non-scripted real-life content.

by Thinus Ferreira

Discovery Inc. on Wednesday evening during a virtual media event announced that it will be launching its new global video streaming service discovery+ in the United States on 4 January 2021 and thereafter worldwide to 25 countries within the next year and commissioned at least 50 original new series exclusive to the service.

With Britain's Sky pay-TV service that already added discovery+ last month where Sky Q subscribers are getting discovery+ free for a year, it's highly likely that MultiChoice in South Africa that recently partnered with Netflix might add discovery+ to its new DStv Explora Ultra decoder as well - perhaps even before The Walt Disney Company Africa rolls out Disney+ or WarnerMedia brings its HBO Max streamer to the continent.

While no mention has been made of Africa or the continent's most developed TV market South Africa, Discovery will start its global rollout of discovery+ in the United Kingdom and Ireland, India, the Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands. That will be followed by Spain, Latin American markets - including a planned launch in Brazil - and in parts of Asia.

discovery+ will cost $4.99 (R76) with ads and $6.99 (R107) per month without commercials although Discovery says the price will differ per territory. 

In America, Discovery+ will launch with the largest-ever content library for a new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service with more than 55 000 episodes from Discovery's so-called "passion bouquet" of brands and TV channels. This will include 2 500 current and classic shows from Discovery's portfolio of channels like HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. 

The streamer will include more than 1 000 hours of discovery+ original content in its first year. Some of the content will eventually also be shown on Discovery's linear TV channels, but will be handled differently in different countries where discovery+ launches.

Discovery Inc. says that it is still very much committed to its strong existing distribution relationships with pay-TV operators for its set of linear TV channels but is embracing the "next generation" distribution model of direct-to-consumer streaming to find new subscribers - mostly through mobile and broadband internet who haven't yet subscribed to a traditional pay-TV bundle.

As part of new, exclusive discovery+ originals, Discovery Inc. has commissioned content from Chip and Joanna Gaines, David Schwimmer, Will Packer and Kevin Hart, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis and will be bringing a whole new 90 Days Fiance spin-off series exclusively to its streaming service.

New original content on discovery+ will include shows like the topiary reality competition show Clipped that will have Michael Urie as host and Martha Stewart as lead judge, who together with landscape expert Chris Lambton and landscape designer Fernando Wong will judge how contestants make sculptures out of meticulously trimmed shrubbery and plants and flowers.

"We have been working methodically the past 2 years to bring all of our strategic advantages t the launch of discovery+, including distribution and advertising partnerships around the world, a world-class offering of quality brands, authentic personalities and the largest content library at launch, as well as a broad slate of exclusive programming," said David Zaslav, Discovery Inc. president and CEO.

"With discovery+ we are seizing the global opportunity to be the world's definitive product for unscripted storytelling, providing households and mobile customers a distinct, clear and differentiated offering across valuable and enduring lifestyle, and real-life verticals."

JB Perrette, Discovery International president and CEO, said "Discovery drives inspiration, aspiration and loyalty everywhere, like few media brands can. discovery+ will harness our unique global and local model and strategy to serve fans around the world as we bring the best of real-life entertainment to customers in a whole new way".

Discovery: Pay-TV glue

"We are very important to the traditional pay-TV bundle - the satellite pay-TV distributors have been extremely happy with us because we've been producing the most content during Covid-19 and they're making more money selling us, we're making more money selling us because of the value of our content," David Zaslav said on Wednesday during an investors' call for discovery+.

"We think we're great in the bundle - we're the glue: News, sports and us. And now we have something that's really unique. As you look at all of entertainment, there are 6 or 7 players that are playing for the scripted series and scripted movies, so they're one of 5, one of 6, or one of 8. We're one of one."

"Not only are we one of one, but we're going to have it all. If you love real-life entertainment and you love non-fiction - which is what people spend more than 55% of their time on consuming on television - so maybe the scripted series is sexy, but what they really watch is our stuff," said David Zaslav.

He said "We hit the market now with a fresh library that's as big as Netflix, with 50 originals and loads of people that you love and brands that you love and can hang around with".

He said Netflix and Disney+ "have great services but with us facing over the next couple of months a continuing challenge of people spending more time at home -it's one of the reasons we wanted to hurry up and get the discovery+ launch in January 2021."

"We want to get this into the marketplace. We think this is something that people will really love. We think this could be very big."

"If we can own non-fiction we can really be a competitive service to Netflix globally and that is our ambition. That is what we want to be, that what we think we are," he said.

"We do see ourselves as a competitor to Netflix and as a competitor to Disney+ but we see it in that we're competing to be as successful as they are. Netflix has been able to get so many subscribers around the world to sign up and they have a brand that people love around the world,"

"Disney+ has been so successful here in the United States and they're taking it around the world. I think discovery+ is a great companion to those two services."

"People love Netflix, there are loads of people who love Disney+, there are people who love HBO Max but we're one of one. We're completely different. We fill out the entertainment pie, we're full broadscale in non-fiction and real-life entertainment with all of our brands and characters."

"We're competing to be a real-scale player that's profitable and global as an IP company in every language around the world which Netflix has been able to do and that's how we want to compete. We want to be there with them, we'd love to be alongside them and alongside Disney, and alongside all those great services that are providing scripted series and scripted movies," David Zaslav said.

"When Oprah was in India she was visiting and she looked inside of a tent and they were watching Discovery. We have brands that people know. And they couldn't get us before without paying for a big bundle."

"It's not in our model but it's in our heart that there are 2, 3, 4 billion smartphones out there on which people can consume content, they can buy content, they don't want to pay for a big bundle, but they take a look at this huge library, they look at all of these brands and characters that they know and in many of these markets we are less than $5."

ALSO READ: Discovery Inc. rebrands its video streaming service as discovery+; no mention about Africa as Sky subscribers in Britain get it bundled free for a year.

Discovery Inc. rebrands its video streaming service as discovery+; no mention about Africa as Sky subscribers in Britain get it bundled free for a year.

by Thinus Ferreira

Discovery Inc. on Tuesday announced that it's rebranding its dplay video-on-demand (VOD) service in the United Kingdom as discovery+, relaunching it as a tiered-subscription service, and said that it will be making it available for a year in Britain to subscribers of the Sky pay-TV service.

Discovery through its South African PR agency, M&C Saatchi Group SA's Razor PR, on Thursday last week with less than a week's notice suddenly invited media to a virtual media event set for Tuesday. 

On Tuesday morning Razor PR abruptly informed media standing by for the planned announcement that the event and announcement have been cancelled and said that it will no longer be taking place. There was no press release regarding the discovery+ announcement afterwards.

Discovery also made no announcements and gave no indication as to whether discovery+ would also become available on MultiChoice DStv pay-TV service in South Africa and across sub-Sahara Africa where several of Discovery's TV channels are carried as linear TV channels.

discovery+ will carry catalogue content that is a collection from Discovery's 13 pay-TV and free-to-air TV channels like the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery (ID), Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery History, Quest, Really, Quest Red, HGTV, Food Network and DMax.

After 12 months, Sky subscribers will be able to add discovery+ to their Sky bill. 

The discovery+ subscription tier will have a monthly fee of £4.99 (R106.45) or a discounted annual fee of £29.99 (R640) for a limited period. This will become a standard annual price of £49.99 (R1066.43) in the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom the discovery+ app will be integrated into the Sky Q platform alongside existing subscription video-on-demand services like Netflix and Disney+ in the way that MultiChoice plans to do with its new DStv Explora decoder that it wants to roll out towards the end of 2020.

Discovery says that it will roll out discovery+ on additional devices and platforms in 2020 and 2021.

James Gibbons, Discovery executive vice president and general manager for the UK & Nordics regions, in a statement, says "We’ve just celebrated our best quarter ever for audience share, and buoyed by that success are excited to announce the launch of discovery+, to fuel the rapidly evolving demand for consumers to stream content at a time and on a device of their choosing".

"The home of real-life entertainment will satisfy consumers' growing appetite for premium unscripted entertainment, from food and homes to motoring and adventure, and will complement the streaming services already available in the market."

Discovery Inc. to show Oprah's TV special about race relations across its channels in South Africa and Africa on Sunday night, adds lead-in special The Murder of George Floyd A Nation Responds to Investigation Discovery schedule.

by Thinus Ferreira

Oprah Winfrey's TV special on race relations in the United States with lessons and insight for a global audience will broadcast as a simulcast showing this Sunday on Discovery Inc.'s Discovery Channel, TLC and Real Time TV channels in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa, while the ID: Investigation Discovery will show another TV panel discussion special just before this, The Murder of George Floyd: A Nation Responds, on Sunday night.

OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here? will be shown on Sunday 14 June at 20:55 simultaneously on the Discovery Channel (DStv 121), TLC (DStv 135) and Real Time (DStv 155 / StarSat 162), with Part 1 and Part 2 of the two-part special that was broadcast this past week in America that will be shown back-to-back for a duration of 1 hour and 50 minutes.

From her home in California, Oprah talks to a wide range of black thought leaders, including filmmakers, journalists, and historians about race and racism in America to try and answer the question of "what's next?"

OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here? will have individual repeats during next week but on the TLC and Real Time channels only.

Investigation Discovery TV special added
Discovery is also adding The Murder of George Floyd: A Nation Responds that will be shown on ID: Investigation Discovery (DStv 252) this Sunday at 20:10, leading into Oprah's OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?.

With ID's Tony Harris as the presenter, this panel discussion will look at America's police violence, law enforcement reform and activism across the United States, with prominent voices discussing the recent events and looking at how America and the world can take tangible actions to make long-lasting change.

The discussion will revolve around the topics of pervasive racism, police violence and what it will take to make this watershed moment expand to better equality everywhere.

Panellists in The Murder of George Floyd: A Nation Responds special include Yamiche Alcindor (PBS Newshour correspondent and NBC & MSNBC political contributor), Kevin Davis (former Baltimore police commissioner) and Lurie Favors (racial justice attorney, author and activist).

Also included are Redditt Hudson (co-founder of the National Coalition of Law Enforcement Officers for Justice, Reform and Accountability) and Deray, McKesson (civil rights activist and organizer of Campaign Zero).

The panellists have an open conversation about the murder of George Floyd, what societal failings led up to this moment, the heightened call to end police violence against citizens, and what change needs to look like.

"This conversation will not be comfortable, but it will be open, honest and informative. Black Americans have expressed this outrage before, and now is the time to listen and learn what actions must be taken to move our country forward," says Investigation Discovery.

"The arc of the moral universe is bending right before our eyes with this huge, global outcry for change. Now is the time to continue to push the discussion forward," says Tony Harris.

"This panel includes leaders who are entrenched in this movement, some with varying viewpoints, and I’m proud to share their thoughts with ID's viewers."


ALSO READ: Oprah Winfrey asks where we go from here in a new 2-part TV special about race that Discovery Inc. will broadcast globally including Africa on DStv and StarTimes.

HGTV DStv channel launch press tour - An overview.

Discovery Inc. for the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region worked incredibly hard to make a great impression and to create a splash for the launch of its new HGTV (DStv 177) channel in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service.

Discovery Inc. absolutely succeeded.

It did so in the form of a 3-day press tour - even flying some media from the Middle East to Cape Town, South Africa - for what turned out to be the biggest, most comprehensive and elaborate media launch for a single TV channel in South Africa in literally years.

Discovery Inc. and HGTV wanted to make a statement and announce the channel's arrival and it made a statement.

Through it, Discovery Inc. - beyond just launching HGTV and raising media and public awareness around the channel - signalled the importance Discovery Inc. itself attaches to HGTV as a property, as well as the importance and attention it attaches to South Africa as a TV market.

Even if Discovery Inc. only held the utterly astounding cocktail party that it did inside a Clifton mansion as the official HGTV media launch for the channel, it would already have been totally supremo. It's all that Netflix South Africa for instance ever did for its arrival.

Just the HGTV cocktail party alone - although it just served as an introduction - already served to set an excellent tone and create a perfect impression for what HGTV is and the qualities that Discovery Inc. and HGTV embodies. It was beautiful.

It was already more than what happens or is done for several TV channels in South Africa that launch without any fanfare, media event, or attention (take for instance this year Newzroom Afrika with neither the channel nor MultiChoice that bothered to do anything). 

Instead, Discovery Inc. stretched HGTV's media launch over 3 days, flew in talent and high-ranking executives from the United States, Dubai and Amsterdam and made a "house party" of it.

Only if you've ever attended a similar type of event for TV in America, would you realise that the HGTV media launch was "American level" and on par and even succeeding in some aspects how American broadcasters and TV studios and channels launch some shows and channels, and do studio series press junkets. 

The HGTV media launch in totality was absolutely excellent and the few mistakes and things that I personally didn't really like, far pale in comparison to the overall great and positive impression it made on me and every other journalist I spoke to.

A few thoughts: Discovery Inc. flew media from the Middle East to South Africa. Will South African press ever get access to Discovery's upfront in America or be there when Discovery does things elsewhere in the world?

Somebody who I won't mention said in a short speech "The Home Channel" meaning HGTV. The Home Channel on DStv is actually HGTV's direct competitor and I thought it was odd that people were not briefed beforehand to specifically not try to "say out loud" HGTV as "the home and garden channel" or "the home channel". Luckily it only happened once.

Donovan Goliath as the MC and moderator on Day 2 of the official media launch wasn't bad-bad, but he wasn't good. He didn't prepare, he got names wrong, and his interaction and session with the Flip or Flop star Tarek El Moussa was awkward and borderline cringe-worthy. His questions were bad and pandering, so the content he generated from some people was a waste of time.

Like a magician at the circus Donovan Goliath also called journalists to the stage. It was the 3rd time in 20 years that I've experienced that and it's something that the media loathe. They don't want to be the show or be forced to help create the entertainment.

The press is there to observe and listen, not to be part of an act. When a screen with a typo for instance flashed, Donovan Goliath said "Turnbill" instead of Turnbull. Did he not go over and wasn't he briefed beforehand who he would be introducing and talking to or studied their names even a little?

The events organising company Show Works was absolutely astounding in the creativity, conceptualisation and execution of basically everything as far as look and spacing and interaction were concerned.

Everything looked incredible and had that Disney-level "wow"-factor ("O, look at that! O look at that!"). I noticed the incredible attention to detail in many, many things and the overall setup.

The most impressive single thing for me over the 3 days was the stage lighting at the Waterfront Studios on Day 2. Utter perfection in scene and atmosphere creation.

Personally, I least liked the wine blending exercise in the extremely cold, damp cellar of Grand Provence. It was difficult to enjoy due to the uncomfortable cold. It was very difficult to hear anything and it felt like sitting at a bus stop when it rains and you look every 5 minutes to see if you don't see the glimmer of a bus.

Doing this in the middle of winter in a wine cellar in extremely cold, didn't really fit.

There was oddly no HGTV channel schedule (it took days to get one emailed), nor a hard copy or USB with publicity material like photos and programming and show synopses on it for the media.

Even some screeners on disk or digital screeners of HGTV shows would have worked well, considering that the media launch stretched over 3 days and journalists would have had time to watch things in their own time.

The Discovery Inc. executives were all absolutely amazing. They were personable, approachable and took time to talk to the media and journalists when no red recording lights were flashing on cameras and phones.

Yet they were also very forthcoming, expressive and detailed during official interviews - and actually sat with media during lunches and dinners. They were very open, wonderful conversationalists and made genuine effort to get to know and to connect with the press.

Something that wasn't done so well was the period leading up to Day 2's afternoon HGTV press conference that felt disorganised, tiring, confusing and frustrating.

I was told to wait in a particular room and obediently did so. Then suddenly we were told to leave because "it's for corporate", only to go outside and wait in another area. Then I was instructed to go back, again to leave, and then sternly summoned to go back "immediately" - to the very original room where we were seated and waited originally. Confusing.

"Just please tell me where you want me to be because I've been there twice and here twice and this person tells me to go there, and someone else tells me to go there?" I asked.

After waiting and just before interviewing TV talent Tarek El Moussa it was weird being told, "please no personal questions".

Firstly, journalists won't ask personal questions anyway - unless tabloid press were invited, and secondly, maybe people should make that clear not in the seconds before an interview when journalists already had taken time to prepare, research and write down questions and might not have other questions if they're suddenly told they can't ask certain things.

The Day 2 HGTV rooftop gala dinner at the Zeitz Museum was incredibly beautiful and wonderful and showed off the splendour of Cape Town at night.

It was also hugely appreciated that Discovery Inc. during the 3-day media launch actually showed the media the programming in terms of sizzle reels and edited episodes of shows as part of a screening session.

It's television - and HGTV showed its product and wonderfully so - which is something that a lot of TV channels doing launches forget or don't keep in mind.

The amount of effort, energy, money, intent, preparation, arrangements and logistics that Discovery Inc. and the South African PR and event teams working with Discovery put into the HGTV media launch was self-evident, enormous and astounding because it was a big machine with surely a lot of different, constantly moving parts.

I miss when Discovery Networks used to do annual upfront events in Johannesburg, South Africa for the press and advertisers about the upcoming programming on its various channels and gave a longer overview of what's coming.

Only BBC Studios Africa and M-Net have filled the void somewhat when it comes to upfront presentations but Discovery used to rule the roost with how they did it, the content Discovery spoke about and how far in advance Discovery would highlight programming across its channels portfolio.

The HGTV media launch was just so exceptionally excellent that I instinctively had thoughts several times during the 3 days thinking back to when Discovery's upfront was far and away "the best in town". HGTV's unrivalled launch was exactly back to that level and more (and so well done), again.

It was hard work but also hugely gratifying to get to cover HGTV's media launch and press tour as a journalist and TV critic.

It was wonderful to see and experience it all and to be immersed in it, and to be able to report on it - whether for viewers who care about every small detail, or for people working within the TV industry who want to know all they can about it.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 1: IN PICTURES - 37 photos of HGTV's beautiful cocktail party at sunset at the infinity pool of a Upper Clifton mansion in Cape Town.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: IN PICTURES - 29 photos of HGTV's official South African media launch event presentation.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Lee Hobbs, Discovery Inc.'s global brands boss for EMEA, says HGTV channel will bring 'loads of new and unseen content' to South Africa. 

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Discovery Inc.'s chief lifestyle brands officer Kathleen Finch says HGTV 'is a channel tailor-made for people who love their homes - and there are a lot of those people'. 

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Tarek El Moussa, the star of Flip or Flop on HGTV says it's 'a magical channel about real people working on real houses' and reveals what home means to him.
ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Announcing Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa and a new teaser trailer.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Discovery Inc.'s Africa boss Amanda Turnbull says new channel HGTV on DStv is about real people but also aspirational, 'which is why we fought really hard to have it on Compact as well so more people can see it'. 

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: MultiChoice's content boss Aletta Alberts says Discovery Inc.'s new HGTV channel will do well on DStv because 'HGTV fits so well with South African consumer culture'. 
ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: IN PICTURES - 9 photos of HGTV's terrific 'Toolbox' lunch.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Executives press conference opening remarks: 'HGTV is going to be both inspirational and aspirational'. 

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Executives press conference: Ads on HGTV won't get in viewers' way, instead it will add to the viewing experience.
ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: MultiChoice on why it decided to make HGTV available to DStv Compact subscribers as well: 'The content speaks to everybody'.
ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: HGTV in HD - why MultiChoice launched Discovery Inc.'s latest channel in high definition on DStv and the factors influencing what quality version a TV channel is launched and seen as.
ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Will Discovery Inc.'s latest channel have local content? MultiChoice explains how it works with international third-party TV channels. 

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Press conference - Why Discovery Inc. launched it so quickly in South Africa after acquiring Scripps and Africa's growing importance as a pay-TV market among global content suppliers.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Executives press conference - HGTV's surprising answer on design trend-spotting and staying ahead of the curve with what viewers want to see next. 

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: INTERVIEW - Flip or Flop star Tarek El Moussa: 'I feel like I have a very intimate relationship with HGTV because I feel like I've grown with them'.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: IN IMAGES - 20 photos of HGTV's gala rooftop dinner at the Zeitz Museum in Cape Town.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 3: IN IMAGES - 9 photos of the media breakfast and press screening & 4 sizzle reels including a special Home Town surprise message. 
ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 3: IN IMAGES - 8 photos of the Grand Provence media lunch.