South Africa's Primedia ties up rights to The Masked Singer SA with Anele Mdoda to produce for unnamed TV channel, plans to revive Deal or No Deal SA and take EWN visual with video news version.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's Primedia primarily dabbling in radio has picked up the rights to The Masked Singer South Africa which will be produced by Anele Mdoda's Rose and Oaks Media for an as-yet-unnamed TV channel, potentially putting a spoke in the wheels of the SABC's SABC3 TV channel which has been trying and looking at producing a localised version of the singing competition show.

Primedia also plans to revive the game show Deal or No Deal South Africa which lasted for two seasons on M-Net (DStv 101) in 2007, together with a version for Southern African countries which was carried by MultiChoice for DStv subscribers outside of South Africa. 

At Primedia's Tuesday evening event, Anele Mdoda revealed that Primedia has secured the rights to The Masked Singer SA which Rose and Oaks Media will produce in at least three different South African languages.

SABC3 channel boss Pat van Heerden has been trying to get a local version of The Masked SA off the ground as the channel's big new local variety competition show with the channel which has been carrying the American version of The Masked Singer on its schedule.

It's unclear if SABC3 will be able to or has secured a deal with Primedia to broadcast The Masked Singer SA, or whether the show will go to another channel like e.tv, or one of the M-Net produced channels for MultiChoice's DStv.

Primedia also plans to launch video versions of its Eyewitness News (EWN) news bulletins - an English version done by the former eNCA anchors Jane Dutton and Shahan Ramkissoon now at the Eclipse PR company, and a Zulu version anchored by Kwazi Kwaza.

Sbu Ngalwa exiting Newzroom Afrika as political editor and jumping to EWN replacing Mahlatse Mahlase as editor-in-chief.

by Thinus Ferreira

Sbu Ngalwa is exiting Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) where he was the political editor and is jumping to Primedia's Eyewitness News (EWN) as its new editor-in-chief, replacing Mahlatse Mahlase as editor-in-chief from 10 January 2022.

Sbu Ngalwa who is currently also the chairperson of the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) says in a statement about his exit from Newzroom Afrika and joining EWN "I'm excited to be part of the Eyewitness News team".

"I believe Mahlatse Mahlase is leaving behind a solid team and a firm foundation on which to build. As we move into a digital future, I believe EWN is the best platform – through audio and digital news content – to produce trusted quality journalism and to continue to cultivate the best talent in the media industry".

Geraint Crwys-Williams, Primedia Broadcasting chairperson, says "Primedia believes that a strong newsroom gives a voice to South Africans and holds to account those in positions of authority".

"Sbu Ngalwa is a trusted journalist whose body of work stands testimony to those values. We welcome Sbu to Primedia as we embark on a digital journey that will amplify our brands and see us innovate and enrich our audience's journey".

Newzroom Afrika has not made any announcement about who will be acting as political editor from 2022 at the TV news channel or a new replacement for the position.