ET Live launches as a new 24-hour, streaming entertainment news TV channel.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) is getting competition with CBS that launched ET Live on Wednesday night as a new, 24-hour streaming entertainment news TV channel.

ET Live at www.etlive.com as an over-the-top (OTT) channel,is a spin-off from the American entertainment news magazine show, Entertainment Tonight, and will deliver 24/7 coverage of entertainment news, including breaking news, celebrity interviews, features, behind-the-scenes and red carpet coverage, plus trends stories across celebrity fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

CBS says ET Live won't just be a rehash of Entertainment Tonight but features original programming done by new presenters, including Lauren Zima, Denny Directo, Cassie DiLaura, Tanner Thomason, Jason Carter and Melicia Johnson.

Entertainment Tonight's presenters Nancy O’Dell, Kevin Frazier, Nischelle Turner and Keltie Knight will all make regular appearances on ET Live. Besides the rolling coverage, ET Live also offers viewers clips of entertainment news and various topics.

ET Live will attend and cover red-carpet premieres, do behind-the-scenes visits to movie sets, do rolling news coverage of big and breaking entertainment news and topics and attend major events like award shows, for instance the Oscars and Emmys, and Comic Con.

"ET Live is a natural expansion of our strategy and expertise in this area. We have the great advantage of being able to apply key learnings from our leading digital entertainment properties and marry that with the number one entertainment brand in Entertainment Tonight," says Rob Gelick, the executive vice-president and general manager for CBS Entertainment Digital for CBS Interactive, in a statement.

Becky Brooks, the senior vice-president of multiplatform programming for CBS Television Distribution, says "for almost four decades, Entertainment Tonight has set the gold standard for entertainment news, utilizing our unique access to celebrities and sets to bring original reporting and great storytelling to every defining pop culture and entertainment topic and event".

"We were the first to invent the daily entertainment news genre, and now the first to bring an always-on, 24/7 entertainment streaming channel to serve our expanding audience of loyal and new viewers."

Besides the online live stream at etlive.com accessible on computers, smartphones and tablets, there is also an ET Live app on Google Play and iOS, although it's not yet accessible for South African and African users.

Mark Steines done with Entertainment Tonight; bids farewell after 17 years with the entertainment news magazine show.

After word came in March that Mark Steines will be leaving Entertainment Tonight he finally bid farewell on Friday after 17 years and did his last show as co-anchor of "the world's most watched entertainment news magazine show".

It now leaves Nancy O'Dell as the sole anchor of Entertainment Tonight (seen in South Africa on SABC3) who herself took over from Mary Hart in 2011. Unlike Mary Hart there wasn't a special episode dedicated to Mark Steines, just an insert looking back at moments and interviews over the years, and then an in-studio goodbye by Nancy O'Dell.

Nancy O'Dell told Mark Steines that he had done 2 516 shows for Entertainment Tonight. "I have a lifetime of memories to go with all of them," Mark Steines said.

BREAKING. Steve Jones set to take over as new co-anchor on Entertainment Tonight; replacing Mark Steines.

Steve Jones, the former X Factor presenter is set to take over from Mark Steines as the new co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight (SACB3, Fridays, 21:40), The New York Post report.

According to the newspaper Steve Jones who has been doing several shows for Entertainment Tonight since March with Nancy O'Dell, is close to signing a contract to become the new permanent co-anchor in the place of Mark Steines after 17 years.

Entertainment Tonight reaches 8 000 episodes as the longest-running and most-watched entertainment news magazine show in the world.

Entertainment Tonight, seen in South Africa on Fridays on SABC3, has just celebrated the milestone of 8 000 episodes, a milestone for the longest-running and most-watched entertainment news magazine show in the world which started on 14 September 1981 and created a genre.

"I'm so proud of this unprecedented accomplishment by an entertainment news magazine," said Linda Bell Blue, the executive producer of Entertainment Tonight in a press statement issued by CBS Television Distribution.

"Entertainment Tonight continues to be the gold standard. It's been my honour to produce Entertainment Tonight for nearly two decades but we wouldn't get to 8 000 shows without the tireless efforts of the best team in television. I tip my hat to everyone involved in bringing our loyal viewers the most credible, timely, fascinating stories of the day," she said.

Entertainment Tonight is currently in its 31st season in America and is recorded at Studio City in California. Canada has its own version of the show.

"As one of our crown jewels, we couldn't be more thrilled to calla ttention to this milestone for Entertainment Tonight," said John Nogawski, the president of CBS Television Distribution.

"It is remarkable that after 8 000 episodes, Entertainment Tonight is number one in its genre and is recognised in Hollywood and the broadcasting industry as the absolute authority on entertainment news - that's due to the dedication and hard work of everyone at Entertainment Tonight."

Entertainment Tonight on SABC3 returns the live streaming of episodes on the entertainment news magazine's website.

Entertainment Tonight, the weekly entertainment magazine show on Fridays on SABC3 at 21:40 - which calls itself the ''biggest entertainment news show in the world'' - can once again be watched online on the official Entertainment Tonight website since yesterday.

ALSO READ: Mark Steines suddenly leaving Entertainment Tonight after 17 years; will be gone at the end of his current contract.

In June last year Entertainment Tonight started to make its full daily episodes available for streaming on its website.

With the recent change in the look of the Entertainment Tonight website, the episode streaming functionality, which used to be in the middle of the page, was removed. The live streaming of full episodes was just returned to the website and now sits in the top right corner.

BREAKING. Mark Steines suddenly leaving Entertainment Tonight after 17 years, will be gone at the end of his current contract.

Mark Steines is out at Entertainment Tonight, leaving ''the world's most watched entertainment news magazine show in the world'' in a shocking exit of on-air talent that's continuing to hammer the show and could drive viewers to rival news magazines.

The longtime Mary Hart left Entertainment Tonight (SABC3, Fridays, 21:30) last year, followed earlier this year by Samantha Harris; now Mark Steines who used to be the co-anchor together with Nancy O'Dell, is also out the door at Studio City in California where the show is produced.

Mark Steines who's been with Entertainment Tonight for 17 years (8 of which as co-host) and who is an avid photographer gave the usual ''leaving to pursue other interest'' reason to The New York Post which broke the news. ''He has been a beloved member of Entertainment Tonight for 17 years, and we fully support his decision,'' an Entertainment Tonight spokesperson told the newspaper.

It's highly likely that Entertainment Tonight which cut Mary Hart's pay which basically forced her to leave, also didn't come to terms with Mark Steines about money for a contract extension with both sides doing the obligatory ''play nice'' sentence platitude. Nobody just leaves a show or a job like this.

Mark Steines will  be leaving at the end of his current contract.

SABC3's weekly entertainment news magazine shows, Flash! and Entertainment Tonight, switch places on Fridays.

SABC3 quietly switched the order of the channel's 2 entertainment news magazine shows - the international Entertainment Tonight and the locally produced Flash! - permanently around on Friday.

Flash! is kept in its 21:00 timeslot, while Entertainment Tonight that used to precede Flash!, now going out later.

The result is that Flash!, halfway through the run of its 26 episode second season on SABC, is now seen first on Fridays at 21:00 and is then followed at 21:30 by Entertainment Tonight.

SABC3 didn't give a reason for the schedule change.

BREAKING. Samantha Harris leaving Entertainment Tonight after joining the entertainment news show in 2009 as a correspondent.

Samantha Harris is leaving Entertainment Tonight (Fridays, SABC3, 20:00) the American entertainment news magazine show just announced.

South African TV viewers saw Samantha Harris on E! Entertainment's E! News before she joined the production in 2009, often filling in for Nancy O'Dell.

Entertainment Tonight gave no reason as to why Samantha Harris is leaving the number one entertainment news show where she's been a correspondent.

''We've had wonderful adventures with Samantha - from news stories in our studio to celebrity interviews across the globe,'' says Linda Blue Bell, executive producer for Entertainment Tonight in a statement. ''We've loved having her as part of the Entertainment Tonight damily. With great respect, we wish her well on all of her future projects."

BREAKING. Entertainment Tonight on SABC3 expanding to an hour show per week on Fridays from later in October; paired with Flash.

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I can reveal that Entertainment Tonight on SABC3 is becoming an hour.

The weekly entertainment magazine show that SABC3 added recently to Fridays at 19:30 is doing so well that it's being expanded to an hour on Friday from later in October when Entertainment Tonight will become paired with the new, second season of the half hour local entertainment show Flash.

''Currently what we have is one half hour episode of Entertainment Tonight on a Friday, but Entertainment Tonight is actually a daily show in America,'' says Lefa Afrika, SABC3 programming manager. ''We're expanding it to include and show viewers even more; it's put together as one hour show for the timeslot - it won't be two separate half hours.''

BREAKING. Viewers' response to Entertainment Tonight on SABC3 'phenomenal'; entertainment show could possibly expand to more nights.

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SABC3 calls the response from viewers to the recently added Entertainment Tonight (Fridays, 19:30) with Mark Steines and Nancy O'Dell ''phenomenal'' and says the show - ''the most watched entertainment news magazine show in the world'' - could possibly expand to more nights a week on the broadcaster if buzz and viewership holds up.

''The reaction to Entertainment Tonight has been phenomenal,'' Lefa Afrika, SABC3 programme manager tells TV with Thinus. ''Almost everyone on the social network sites have positively welcomed the channel's introduction of ET,'' he says of the show that is also known by its two capital letters. ''More and more positive responses keep coming in.''

Lefa Afrika says SABC3 ''will not rule out the possibility of extension of Entertainment Tonight to more nights in a week'' and that decision would be made based on the show's viewership performance and buzz. ''The decision will be based on sustainability of these positive viewer responses, as well as good AR's,'' he says.

''ET is a programme that provides reliable information on our viewers' favourite icons and celebrities. SABC3 is very excited about the show, as it delivers content meaningful to locally rooted audiences who are also interested in what is happening around the world,'' he says, calling Entertainment Tonight ''part of SABC3's move to becoming a leading entertainment destination''.

''The programme is also part of SABC3's Friday entertainment offering that is characterised by good quality, globally relevant content.''

BREAKING. Entertainment Tonight makes its full, daily episode available to view for free on the entertainment news magazine's website.

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Entertainment Tonight (SABC3, Fridays, 19:30) has started to make full, daily episodes of the entertainment news magazine's show available on its website.

Not only is it the first time in its history that the 3 decades old show is making its complete day's TV episode available on the web (and completely for free); it's also the first show in this genre in America (that competes globally with the likes of E! News and Showbiz Tonight) to do so.

With one click Entertainment Tonight now streams its full sameday half hour episode on its website with no commercial breaks. Viewership figures for the first episode of the show that started this past Friday in South Africa on SABC3 is not available yet.

SABC3 did a full technical dry run today to beam the latest episode of Entertainment Tonight to South Africa where the show starts this Friday.

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That satellite beaming business of TV shows remains tricky (and expensive) which is why I can reveal that SABC3 actually did a complete dry run today of getting the latest available episode of the daily entertainment magazine news show Entertainment Tonight from America as if it were to broadcast it today in South Africa.

Entertainment Tonight with Nancy O'Dell and Mark Steines  - ''the most watched entertainment news show in the world'' - will start on SABC3 this Friday at 19:30. SABC3 will test the waters and reaction to the show and possibly add more weekly episodes when the channel ''relaunches'' with an improved programming schedule and a new look in October.

Insiders tell TV with Thinus that SABC3 did a complete dry run for Entertainment Tonight today to work out the practical aspects and technological logistics involved in getting the latest episode of the show (Tuesday's Entertainment Tonight in America) to South Africa today and ready for broadcast by 19:30. On Friday SABC3 will get Thursday's episode during the day and show that Friday evening.

ALSO READ: Entertainment Tonight set to start in South Africa with the latest available episode shown on Fridays on SABC3.
ALSO READ: Entertainment Tonight starting on SABC3 on Friday 24 June at 19:30.
ALSO READ: Entertainment Tonight finally coming to South Africa and SABC3.

BREAKING. Entertainment Tonight set to start on SABC3 with the latest available episode beamed straight from America to the SABC.

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I can exclusively reveal that Entertainment Tonight - when the entertainment news magazine starts this Friday 24 June at 19:30 on SABC3 - will kick off with the very latest available episode beamed directly by satellite from America straight to South Africa.

ALSO READ: Entertainment Tonight with Nancy O'Dell and Mark Steines starting on Friday 24 June at 19:30 on SABC3 with a weekly episode in South Africa.

ALSO READ: Entertainment Tonight finally coming to South African television screens.




Entertainment Tonight started the genre of entertainment news on television three decades ago and is number one in America in this genre and also says in its intro that it's ''the most watched entertainment news show in the world''. Similar to how the daily episode is distributed across America to local TV stations and which was quite revolutionary three decades ago, Entertainment Tonight will be provided to the SABC where SABC3 will get the latest available episode by satellite.

SABC3 kicks off initially with a weekly episode of Entertainment Tonight to test the waters and viewer reaction. ''It's the same episode that airs the night before in America will be aired on SABC3 the following day [meaning Fridays],'' says a source. ''There will be no tapes, it will be a direct link-up from overseas to the SABC.''

BREAKING. Entertainment Tonight with Mark Steines and Nancy O'Dell starting on SABC3 on Friday 24 June at 19:30 with a weekly episode.

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In April I broke the news RIGHT HERE that the world's most watched entertainment news show Entertainment Tonight is coming to SABC3 in June, and SABC3 just confirmed it to the press with a date.

The half hour Entertainment Tonight entertainment news show with Mark Steines and his new co-host Nancy O'Dell will start on SABC3 on Friday 24 June at 19:30. Entertainment Tonight, the frontrunner of shows like E! News on E! Entertainment and Showbiz Tonight on Star! is broadcast on weekdays and over weekends in America.

South Africa will start off with one episode per week though, on a Friday. In December last year I made a public plea for one of the big broadcasters in South Africa to please get the original entertainment news TV show for viewers - the original show we've never yet seen and that started the genre of entertainment news on television.

SABC3 says the Entertainment Tonight episode will be a very recent episode. Entertainment Tonight will initially be a weekly show, but SABC3 will look and test the reaction of viewers. If enough people watch and if Entertainment Tonight finds traction with buzz and viewership as a weekly show, it could become a weekday show on SABC3 with daily episodes on the schedule by October when SABC3 relaunches with a new look and feel, schedule and shows.

ALSO READ: Entertainment Tonight coming to SABC3 from June.
ALSO READ: Can a broadcaster in South Africa PLEASE get Entertainment Tonight on their schedule in 2011?

BREAKING. Entertainment Tonight, ''the most watched entertainment news show in the world'' coming to SABC3 from June.

You're reading it here first.

I made a public plea at the end of last year for M-Net or Top One to get this show for South African viewers in 2011 and now TV with Thinus can exclusively break the news that ''the most watched entertainment news show in the world"', Entertainment Tonight is finally coming to South Africa and will start on SABC3 on Friday 24 June.

The granddaddy of them all and the one which started the ''entertainment and celebrities as news on television'' format, Entertainment Tonight is the first and still the daily entertainment news TV show in America with the highest viewership, leading in the ratings race over the likes of similar shows such as E! News and Showbiz Tonight South African viewers can also see.

And keep this in mind: The M-Net channel decided to dump its similarly locally-molded All Access after exactly 2 years. All Access was shown on Fridays at 19:30 and then 19:00 on the M-Net channel. Yes. I will give you exactly one guess on what day and what time Entertainment Tonight will be seen on SABC3 for the very first time!

The premium America entertainment news show with co-hosts Mary Hart and Mark Steines will start with one episode per week and SABC3 will then see what the reaction is. My guess would be phenomenal. From the theme song to the graphics, to the often-tabloid-tacky-but-a-veneer-of-class approach and most of all the phenomenal set design, viewers are sure to fall in love with Entertainment Tonight just like I have many years ago already.

Come on, M-Net or Top One, give viewers the chance to see Entertainment Tonight in 2011!

There's a funny scene in Friends where Monica and Chandler fight over the TV remote control since he wants to watch something else at the same time, but Monica always catches a daily entertainment news magazine show called Entertainment Tonight.

South African viewers have never been able to see Entertainment Tonight and just like Oprah on SABC3 (both distributed by CBS Studios International co-incidentally) probably doesn't come cheap. It's however almost a sure bet to - just like Oprah - definitely get and maintain a high viewership. The premium show that deals with the latest entertainment news out of Hollywood with hosts Mary Hart and Mark Steines also does a multitude of set visits and interviews. Entertainment Tonight is de rigeur television for the latest breaking news and coverage of the best and most popular shows - TV properties found mostly on M-Net (DStv 101) and Top One (TopTV 150).

Since M-Net is now obviously relooking its 19:00 timeslot and getting ready to ditch the Carte Blanche spin-offs Carte Blanche Consumer and Carte Blanche Medical, and Top One has not yet found a solid, signature show to anchor its daily line-up as must-see appointment television, my suggestion would be that one of these scoop up Entertainment Tonight and strip it on weeknights at 19:00. Entertainment Tonight is newsy but not the news and can then go head to head with the current crop of news bulletins (and do very well I would venture to guess). The show that's currently celebrating its 30th anniversary would make for a great fit on either one of these premium content pay TV general entertainment TV channels.