EbonyLife TV from Nigeria's Mo Abudu scrapped from MultiChoice's DStv in the rest of Africa from 31 July 2020.

by Thinus Ferreira

The relationship is over between MultiChoice and Nigeria's Mosunmola Abudu, known as Mo Abudu, with her linear TV channel, EbonyLife TV, that will terminate on DStv on 31 July 2020, and possibly not remain for longer on China's StarTimes and StarSat.

Mo Abudu has teamed up with the Netflix video streaming service that her EbonyLife production company now wants to produce content for, and she also wants to channel content through the video-on-demand service, EbonyLife ON.

EbonyLife will no longer get channel carriage revenue from MultiChoice.

MultiChoice has not made any announcement about the axing of EbonyLife TV from its DStv satellite pay-TV platform in the rest of Africa from the end of July after EbonyLife TV already got dumped in South Africa in June 2018.

In a social media announcement, Mo Abudu said: "Remember when we used to wait a whole week to watch our favourite TV shows? Well, those days are gone forever! Now, we can binge on the whole series if we want to. Therefore, we have decided that EbonyLife TV will no longer be available on DStv from 31 July 2020."

MultiChoice added EbonyLife TV in 2013 on DStv across Africa outside of South Africa, with the channel that was added a year later in 2014 to DStv for South African and Southern African DStv subscribers as well.

MultiChoice then dumped EbonyLife TV dumped it after 4 years at the end of June 2018 in South Africa and several other countries across Southern Africa because of its lackluster viewership and being a ratings failure after the content didn't resonate with pay-TV subscribers.

EbonyLife TV continued to be available as a TV channel on DStv in East and West African countries but the exclusivity clause lapsed and EbonyLife TV that switched and added carriage on StarTimes since August 2018.

With EbonyLife TV getting completely erased from MultiChoice Africa at the end of July 2020, it's not yet clear whether, or for how long, EbonyLife TV will remain available as a linear TV channel on the pay-TV platform of China's StarSat in South Africa and on StarTimes across the rest of Africa.

MultiChoice to axe Mo Abudu's EbonyLife TV channel from end of June from DStv in South Africa and across Southern Africa after less than 4 years after ratings failure.

MultiChoice is set to axe media mogul Mo Abudu's EbonyLife TV (DStv 165) channel from the end of June from its DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and several other countries across Southern Africa following lackluster viewership.

The dumping of EbonyLife TV comes less than 4 years since the channel was added in South Africa after the female-skewed channel failed to make inroads with South and Southern African viewers.

After June EbonyLife TV will continue to be available as a TV channel on DStv in East and West African countries like Nigeria, but is disappearing for DStv subscribers in countries like South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho and Malawi.

MultiChoice Africa launched EbonyLife TV in July 2013 on DStv across Africa outside of South Africa, with the channel that was added a year later in September 2014 for South African viewers.

The entertainment and lifestyle TV channel, run from Nigeria with Mo Abudu as CEO and executive chairperson, however failed to resonate with South and Southern African viewers with these DStv subscribers who struggled to relate to the heavily Nigerian influenced entertainment programming line-up.

The axing will curtail what Mo Abudu launched to be "Africa's first global black entertainment and lifestyle network" that now becomes a regional channel from July.

Mo Abudu's EbonyLife TV reps didn't respond to media enquiries TVwithThinus made this week regarding the axing of EbonyLife in South Africa that will stop airing on 30 June.

MultiChoice in response to a media enquiry regarding the removal of EbonyLife TV told TVwithThinus that it is "working hard to increase the entertainment value on DStv, specific to each region across Africa. EbonyLife TV resonates the most with our customers in Nigeria, which is why it will only be available there from 1 July".

"For customers in areas outside of Nigeria who will no longer receive EbonyLife TV, there are a number of other channels that cover entertainment and lifestyle content aimed at an African audience - 1Magic (DStv 103), BET (DStv 129), Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), SpiceTV (DStv 190), Fashion One (DStv 178 and the Africa Magic channels."

Ebonylife TV shooting Nigeria’s first local legal drama, Castle & Castle, set for 2018 debut.

EbonyLife TV (DStv 165) is filming the Nigerian entertainment channel's first legal drama, entitled Castle & Castle.

The Nigerian actors Richard Mofe-Damijo and Dakore Egbuson-Akande play a married couple who as lawyers run a law firm in Lagos, Nigeria that puts strain on their marriage.

"Castle & Castle is the first of its kind in Nigeria," says producer Temidayo Abudu.

"It is a pleasure to see the concept coming to life and we look forward to showing the finished product next year. Working with such a professional cast and crew is making the filming process quite smooth. We hope that viewers will get hooked on this complex and interesting show."

Castle & Castle is produced by produced by Temidayo Abudu and directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, Tope Oshin and Kenneth Gyang.

New talk show, Hello Africa, starting on EbonyLife TV on DStv with presenter Eunice Omole on 11 June at 9:30pm.

A new talk show, Hello Africa, will start on EbonyLife TV (DStv 165) will start on Saturday 11 June at 21:30 with presenter Eunice Omole.

According to EbonyLife TV, Eunice Omole will interview some of Africa's "most inspirational and successful leaders" during each half hour episode.

Eunice Omole who recently joined the TV channel is EbonyLife TV's chief strategy officer.

During the first season of Hello Africa Eunice Omole will interview AKON, Marcus Samuelsson, Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, Femi Kuti, Florence "DJ Cuppy" Otedola, Ivan Kagame, Kevin Olusola and Peres Owino - not really any names well-known in South Africa.

"Hello Africa seeks to tell the quintessential African story through industrious, enterprising and brilliant minds that are proud of their heritage and determined to change the misconceptions of Africa and Africans around the world," says Eunice Omole.

Hello Africa will run new episodes on Saturdays with repeats on Sundays at 20:30 and Tuesdays at 21:30.

EbonyLife TV on DStv expands its production operations to more Nigerian cities; dramas done in Calabar and entertainment shows moved to Lagos.

EbonyLife TV (DStv 165) is expanding its production operations to the Nigerian cities of Abuja, Lagos and Calabar.

Calabar is the city where the African remakes of Dynasty and Melrose Place will take place and where the African version of Desperate Housewives was shot. Script adapatation for Dynasty and Melrose Place to make it African versions will start this year.

The Governor, a new 13-part drama series is also currently being shot in Calabar for broadcast later in EbonyLife TV.

Production of the second season of Desperate Housewives will start in the second half of 2016.

While drama series production is done in Calabar, EbonyLife TV is moving production of its entertainment programming like its lifestyle magazine shows to its new studios in Lagos where it will be easier to book and get the guests that's the staple of these shows.

The channel has also expanded its operations to Abuja where the recently commissioned 13-part political drama series Sons of the Caliphate is currently being filmed.

Sons of The Caliphate is a political drama set in the north of Nigeria about three rich, entitled and ambitious young men all caught up in the lust for power, addiction, love and desire, as well as the obligations of family loyalty and the craving for revenge in the deadly tussle for the governorship seat of the Northern Caliphate State.

EbonyLife TV launched on 30 June 2013 and is now broadcast in 49 African countries, including South Africa.

EbonyLife TV acquires the TV rights from CBS to remake the American drama series Dynasty and Melrose Place as African versions with black stars.

Following a black remake of Disney's Desperate Housewives for Nigeria, EbonyLife TV (DStv 165) now plans to tackle both the 80's series Dynasty and the 90's series Melrose Place after having acquired the format rights to these American dramas from CBS Studios International.

While the African remake of Desperate Housewives wasn't that popular and didn't get a big publicity push from EbonyLife TV, the entertainment and lifestyle channel is forging ahead with more black versions of former American TV shows which it wants to show in several African countries through its channel on DStv.

"We're highly pleased to have acquired the format rights for Melrose Place and Dynasty, two of the most iconic and unforgettable series from CBS Studios International," says Mo Abudu, the CEO and executive chairperson of EbonyLife TV.

"This is a first for CBS Studios International's scripted formats and we are thrilled to be working with EbonyLife TV to develop these two iconic series for the African market," says Roxanna Pompa, the vice-president for international sales and production at CBS Studios International.

Desperate Housewives Africa set to start on EbonyLife TV on DStv on 30 April as a Nigerian spin-off for Africa of the American drama.

Desperate Housewives Africa, the first African spin-off of the long-running American drama series Desperate Housewives will start on 30 April on EbonyLife TV (DStv 165), a year later than planned after the initial announcement was made back in October 2013.

Desperate Housewives Africa is filmed in Lagos, Nigeria and is set in an African suburban version of the classic "Wisteria Lane".

Since 2006 five different versions of Desperate Housewives have been produced, including the Turkish production Umutsuz Ev Kadinlari, Amas de Casa Desesperadas, the Argentinean version, the Colombian and Ecuadorian version, the Hispanic version in America for broadcast in Mexico and Donas de Casa Desesperadas, the Brazilian version in Portuguese.

Quinty Pillay, director of scripted programming at EbonyLife TV says the show has taken "the original version and given it a distinctly African twist, from the storytelling to the look and feel of the entire production without compromising on the global appeal".

Desperate Housewives Africa will  mirror the original American drama, with an added African flavour, with Marcy Dolapo Oni as Rume Bello in the role of the dead Mary Alice Young who is the omniscient narrator.

Michelle Dede is Tari Gambadia, a character vying for the attention of a new hunky neighbour and Nini Wacera is Ese De Souza, a housewife who tries to maintain the perfect family.

Kehinde Bankoli plays Kiki Obi who is having an affair and Omotu Bissong is Funke Lawal, a fatigued stay-at-home mom of four.

"We are very excited that one of ABC's hit television series is being made for African viewers," says Christine Service, the senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.

"This is a first for the continent of Africa and we could not be more proud of what we have seen so far of Desperate Housewives Africa."

"We are extremely excited to bring this rich, thrilling and captivating drama to our local and global audiences," says Mo Abudu, the executive chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV.

"Our viewers can absolutely look forward with great delight to watching a most riveting adaptation of the multiple award-winning version from Africa; one with a uniquely African essence that closely mirrors the format and storylines of the multiple award-winning American version".

EbonyLife TV channel extends its reach to South Africa and Southern Africa on DStv from 10 September.

MultiChoice is making EbonyLife TV (DStv 165) available to DStv subscribers in South Africa and Southern Africa from 10 September, just over a year after the black entertainment and lifestyle TV channel launched on 1 July 2013 on DStv in West, East and Central Africa.

At the time MultiChoice said there's no plans to launch EbonyLife TV in South Africa, although insiders said EbonyLifeTV would launch by the end of 2013 in South Africa, but it took a year longer.

"We're extremely excited about EbonyLife TV's extension into the Southern African and South African markets, barely a year after our launch," says Mo Abudu, the executive chairperson and CEO of EbonyLife TV in a statement.

 "This expansion is due to our success in the rest of Africa. We're proud of the fact that we are 100% homegrown," says Mo Abudu.

Africa getting a black Desperate Housewives, Desperate Housewives Africa, to be filmed in Lagos, Nigeria on a new African 'Wisteria Lane'.

Africa is getting its own black version of the drama series Desperate Housewives, with Disney which has approved the Nigerian TV channel EbonyLife TV carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay TV platform elsewhere in Africa but not South Africa, to remake the successful American drama series with a black cast.

Desperate Housewives Africa as the show will be known, will start in early 2014 and will be produced by EbonyLife TV and Disney, Disney Media Distribution for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region announced in a statement.

"Co-producing Desperate Housewives Africa with EbonyLife TV offers the opportunity to engage African audiences through locally relevant and entertaining storytelling," says Giovanni Mastrangelo, the general manager for Disney Media Distribution for emerging markets.

"This hit series, starring a pan-African cast, will bring to life the universal stories and characters created by ABC Studios."

Desperate Housewives Africa will stick close to the original storyline of the American series and will work hard "to ensure parity" when it comes to the American production values. The show will however include "that very important African essence," says Mo Abudu, the CEO and executive chairman of EbonyLife TV.

Since 2006 local versions of Desperate Housewives have been produced in Turkey, Spanish for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, as well as Colombian and Ecuadorian version also sold to Japan, an American Hispanic version, and a Brazilian version in Portuguese.

The Nigerian Desperate Housewives Africa will have a cast of new and emerging talents and will be filmed in Lagos, Nigeria where a local "Wisteria Lane" has been found. Production of the drama series will closely follow the format and storylines of the American version with a "uniquely Nigerian flavour".

EbonyLife TV looking for someone to head up the brand-new black entertainment TV channel coming to Sub-Saharan Africa in 2013.

EbonyLife TV, billing itself as "Africa's first global black entertainment TV channel" and saying it will launch on the DStv platform in 2013 and broadcast to Sub-Saharan Africa and other pay-TV platforms worldwide, is now looking for a TV channel head.

The person will have to work full-time in Calabar, Nigeria and will have to have 10 to 15 years of broadcast leadership experience as a head of a TV channel.