EbonyLife's Mo Abudu slams Amazon for axing African originals: 'shows a lack of respect for our continent'.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Nigerian producer and CEO of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, is slamming Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios saying it shows "a lack of respect for our continent" after Amazon's shock decision to cull its Nigerian and South African content teams  and to abruptly cancel further African original content creation.

Amazon Prime Video has retrenched multiple content executives and staff it lured to join its video streaming service in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa as for Nigeria, based in London, after it rapidly ramped up plans over the past two years to create, produce and roll-out localised African Prime Video Originals.

Gone is Gideon Khobane who officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa 7 months ago in July 2023 as director of Prime Video Africa. The fate of other executives who all jumped from MultiChoice to join Amazon Prime Video in Africa is still unclear.

Amazon is not willing to confirm whether Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu (head of Nigerian originals), Kaye Ann Williams (head of scripted series and movies for South African originals), and Candice Fangueiro (head of planning and programming for Africa) have also been let go, although insiders said that is the case.

Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK, in response to a media query, said Amazon can't provide "names of team members who have left the company".

Meanwhile shocked and angry producers in Nigeria and South Africa who have been developing and producing content are furious with Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, saying "promises were made and not kept".

A longtime South African producer said Amazon "damaged producers' trust and trust in the streamer".

"Nobody will trust them when they come and present plans again in future about wanting local content. People sat through presentations in South Africa and Nigeria where Amazon laid out their plans and promised to be different; to do things better and differently. Turns out – not."  

While Amazon Prime Video is drastically reigning in content spend in Africa and on African original content, insiders said that Netflix as part of a global realignment has also quietly started to reign in its content budget for Africa. In contrast, MultiChoice has however massively ramped up content spending for its new Showmax done in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal's Peacock, which is rolling out from today in app stores as a new video streaming service.

For the relaunch of the new Showmax, MultiChoice has 21 Showmax Originals that will debut over the course of February to lure potential subscribers to the revamped streamer.

Meanwhile, Mo Abudu who has produced African content for Sony and Netflix over the past few years is slamming Amazon Prime Video for deserting Africa and reneging on promises to ramp up spending on African originals.

"In recent times, we have witnessed the unfortunate departure of several international organisations from Nigeria and Africa, some marked by press statements that have, regrettably, shown a lack of respect for our continent," Mo Abudu says.

"In the face of these challenges, it is imperative that we, as Nigerians and Africans, rise above and build our own infrastructure, creating and serving our markets with pride and resilience. I firmly believe in the potential within us, and in the face of challenges, see opportunities for growth and self-reliance."

She's also praising video streamers and global players who have decided to stay in Africa and continue to invest in Africa's film and TV industry.

"To the international organisations that recognise our worth, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. Your decision to stay, partner, and collaborate with us is a testament to the shared commitment to not only growing the continent today but also for the generations that will follow."

"Let us embrace the challenges, celebrate the opportunities, and collectively contribute to the thriving and resilient future of our beloved continent. With hope and determination, we move!"

ALSO READ: Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

ALSO READ: 'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

ALSO READ: Amazon cutting hundreds of staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.

'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

Thinus Ferreira

South African producers are dismayed with Amazon Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video Africa after local creators got project development shelved, following Amazon's decision to reneg on promises to expand localised Prime Video Africa content.

Producers are telling TVwithThinus they're depressed, devastated and extremely disappointed with Amazon Prime Video Africa.

Like Netflix that is suddenly cutting back on content creation in South Africa and Africa - while MultiChoice is ramping up content spending and content creation for its new Showmax it's launching on 23 January in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal's Peacock - Amazon is suddenly pulling the plug on its promised expanded investment in African original content.

Amazon has suddenly decided that it's no longer doing further African originals for its Amazon Prime Video streaming service and retrenching staff who were appointed to expand Amazon's slate of Amazon Prime Video Africa originals.

One of thepeople let go is Gideon Khobane who joined Prime Video in South Africa as Prime Video Africa director just seven months ago.

Amazon Prime Video Africa's PR agency Ten x Collective said a media query should be made directly to Amazon PR in the United Kingdom. Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK provided no answers to the questions in the media query.

A South African producer on Thursday night told me that "The local production industry is extremely disappointed that Amazon is not giving us a chance to create the kind of programming we were hoping to collaboratively bring to the world, especially as it is a lot cheaper here to make productions".

"Promises were made and not kept. Why? Quality issues or worldwide cost cutting? Africa is just about the last continent that hasn't been saturated yet, both in viewers and in content. Why are they ignoring a potentially lucrative market?" the producer asked.

"The quality of projects made for the streamers has not been as good as it should have been. Amazon Prime has kept a beady eye on what Netflix has commissioned for Africa and South Africa, and has not been impressed."

"While the quality was okay for South Africa and the African market, it really is lacking compared to what is being produced elsewhere in the world. Streamers have a global market, and once the novelty of seeing African programming has worn off, the lack of quality severely restricts viewership."

The producer noted that "Both Ned Mitchell and Ayanna Ionian are still there, and they were the ones responsible for commissioning - and still are - even though they have new regional names."

"Amazon hasn't commissioned all that much in the past year, so it probably won't make that much of a difference. Colleagues have called it very depressing news and that it definitely will make things much harder for content providers, as it takes away competition and constricts the marketplace."

Another local producer described Amazon Prime Video Africa's shocking decision as "a very sad day for the industry, especially the creatives who were developing projects for Amazon and the local staff who were instrumental in getting them off the ground".

"Between the global effects of Covid, the double lockdowns, loadshedding, the US writers/actors strike, the ongoing struggles with the department of trade and industry (DTIC) and national instability, our creative industry is limping with many forced to leave the industry to find stability," the producer said.

"This move does, unfortunately, reinforce the idea that Africa and its creators are seen by international streamers as low cost labour, pretty locations and performative 'giving back' politics as opposed to a legitimate audience and marketplace," according to the award-winning producer.

"It should also serve as a reminder to local creatives that we should treat entities like these with caution, to view their involvement on the continent as an extension of cultural colonialism and not to be blinded by shiny logos that tell the world they're elevating African narratives."

"This does call for greater protections for the industry from governing bodies when it comes to how companies like Netflix, Disney, Amazon and Apple do business in our territories, be it a license on their service that can be channelled into local productions or a commitment to investment that is developed in conjunction with film bodies as opposed to decisions that are imposed from a head office in Los Angeles or Amsterdam." 

"For South African audiences, I put forward the fact that brands like Showmax, MultiChoice, e.tv and the SABC are the true home of African stories and that, if it comes to choosing a platform to subscribe to, they opt for a local one so that these companies can thrive in a market that seeks to gentrify our unique and vibrant narratives."

ALSO READ: Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

BREAKING. Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon is suddenly slashing funding for Amazon Prime Video Africa and will stop making further African original productions as part of a restructuring, which will also lead to retrenchments for Prime Video Africa staff, including executives like Gideon Khobane who has been let go and joined Prime Video in South Africa as Prime Video Africa director just 7 months ago.

While series like the upcoming Laugh Out Loud South Africa with host Trevor Noah produced by South Africa's Rapid Blue and the Nigerian travelogue Ebuka Turns Up Africa series will still roll out, apparently no further new series or movies will be commissioned from South Africa, or from across Africa for that matter, for Amazon Prime Video with producers who got "shut down" orders.

With no new content commissioned out of South Africa, it raises serious questions about whether Prime Video will continue to have any further use for roles, or keep any of the jobs of, any of its existing content executives it appointed over the past two years to scale up Amazon Prime's African Originals based in teams in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, and for Nigeria based in London.

Amazon Prime Video Africa was asked questions in a media query, with its South African PR company Ten x Collective that on Thursday afternoon told me the media query needs to be directed to Amazon PR in the United Kingdom directly.

Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK, had no comment on the specific questions that were asked and said the information currently available is what is in an American trade publication article.

A week ago Amazon announced that it was getting rid of hundreds of staffers at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios in North America, and after that globally. 

This shocking Amazon upheaval now continues with the slashing of content creation and staff costs across Africa with South African producers telling me they're dismayed, depressed and devastated that "promises made were not kept".

Barry Furlong, Prime Video vice president and general manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region in an email told staff today about the start of a restructuring to "rebalance" Amazon Prime Video staff and content investment in the Europe and Africa regions.

Amazon will decrease content investment in sub-Saharan Africa "to prior levels" with Barry Furlong informing staffers that the restructuring is aimed at prioritising "resources on what matters most" that will "rebalance and pivot resources to focus on the areas that drive the highest impact and long-term success".

One of the roles getting eliminated is reportedly that of Gideon Khobane who officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa 7 months ago in July 2023 as director of Prime Video Africa. Gideon Khobane left MultiChoice to join Amazon Prime Video Africa.

It's still unclear how many other Prime Video Africa staff and executives are affected and how many jobs will be eliminated primarily across South Africa and Nigeria. 

After Amazon Prime Video's restructuring in Southeast Asia last week, and at the same time as the realignment for Africa, Amazon is also restructuring Europe which is being split into two regions comprising emerging European markets and established European markets.

In his email to staffers, Barry Furlong says "We've been carefully looking at our business to ensure we continue to prioritize our resources on what matters most to customers".

"I have carefully evaluated our structure in the region and decided to make some adjustments to our operating model to rebalance and pivot our resources to focus on the areas that drive the highest impact and long-term success."

"I have listened and considered the feedback received across the teams over the past 12 months; I believe these changes will improve the operational running of our multi-territory business and allow us to be more agile and focused."

Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios boasted about the multi-year partnership contracts and output deals it had signed over the past few years with production companies ranging from Anthill, as well as Inkblot Productions, to Greoh Studios in Nigeria that will now suddenly make nothing for Amazon as the streamer drastically scales back on its ambitions and promises of making more African content.

ALSO READ: 'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

ALSO READ: Amazon cutting hundreds of staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.

Gideon Khobane appointed as Amazon Prime Video Africa director.

by Thinus Ferreira

Gideon Khobane has officially joined Amazon Studios as director for Amazon Prime Video Africa as the latest pick-up from MultiChoice to defect to the video streaming service.

TVwithThinus reported in July 2022 that Gideon Khobane had left MultiChoice where he was group executive of general entertainment, and he has now officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa after the restraint of trade period had lapsed.

At Amazon Prime Video Africa Gideon Khobane is tasked with growing the Amazon Prime Video streaming service across sub-Sahara Africa, especially in the two top markets South Africa and Nigeria.

Gideon Khobane who remains in South Africa, will be working with Amazon Prime's Africa Originals team, headed up by Ned Mitchell, the content acquisitions team headed up by Ayanna Lonian, and product teams.

According to Amazon Studios, Gideon Khobane "is tasked with helping to provide a world-class mix of original and exclusive TV series and movies for existing Amazon Prime Video members and to attract new customers in sub-Saharan Africa".

In his role, Gideo Khobane oversee the implementation of programming and marketing plans for Amazon Prime Video Africa's content offering spanning both global Amazon Originals as well as a planned growing slate of African Originals like the upcoming LOL: Last One Laughing South Africa with Trevor Noah as host.

Similar to Netflix Africa and Disney+, at Amazon Prime Africa Gideon Khobane joins a growing number of former MultiChoice and M-Net executives who've jumped from the traditional pay-TV operator's headquarters in Randburg, Johannesburg to the international streaming services which all have great ambitions and deep pockets to produce localised pan-African continent.

Gideon Khobane is now working with former MultiChoice West Africa boss Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who is head of Nigerian Originals at Amazon Prime Video in London; former Showmax boss Candice Fangueiro who is head of planning and programming for Africa at Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios; and Kaye Ann Williams, former M-Net local content boss who now heads up scripted series and movies for South Africa at Amazon Prime Video. 

Besides MultiChoice's head of general entertainment Gideon Khobane previously also served as SuperSport CEO and M-Net channel director.

Gideon Khobane exits MultiChoice for Amazon as next high-profile exec to leave the pay-TV operator.

by Thinus Ferreira

The brain-drain of MultiChoice's high-profile top executives rank continues with Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice's group executive of general entertainment, who has exited the Randburg-based satellite pay-TV operator for a position at Amazon.

Insiders told TVwithThinus that Gideon Khobane resigned and left MultiChoice earlier this month citing personal reasons, telling MultiChoice staffers that he decided to leave the pay-TV operator for a new executive position at Amazon.

Amazon which has been advertising multiple job vacancies in South Africa over the past few months is rapidly making inroads with its Amazon Prime Video video streaming service in Africa and is planning to scale up its e-commerce commercial activities, as well as its Prime Video presence and content rollout in South Africa and across the continent. 

Gideon Khobane who joined M-Net in 2008 and was a former director of M-Net's general entertainment channels, became SuperSport CEO in February 2016. 

Gideon Khobane served as MultiChoice's group executive of general entertainment for just a year and a half since his promotion to this position in October 2020. 

Neither MultiChoice spokesperson Itumeleng Thulare, nor MultiChoice's PR companies The Duma Collective or JR Communications responded to questions in a media query made a week ago about Gideon Khobane's resignation. MultiChoice didn't announce Gideon Khobane's exit.

Nkateko Mabaso who was also promoted in October 2020 with the title of MultiChoice's group executive in charge of programming, also exited MultiChoice after he worked in the position for a year until he resigned, joining Netflix as director of licensing and co-productions for Africa.

Besides Nkateko Mabaso and Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice has seen a big exodus of senior and high-profile executives over the past two years.

2022 Woordfees TV to run again as a DStv pop-up channel from 15 July, MultiChoice making it available to more South African and Namibian subscribers.

by Thinus Ferreira

After a successful debut in October 2021 as a local arts TV channel, as TVwithThinus reported in April, the Stellenbosch Woordfees will once again be running as a MultiChoice pop-up channel on DStv in July 2022, this time from 15 July for two weeks and with the pop-up channel made available to more pay-TV subscribers in South Africa and Namibia.

With the theme of "Wild", the 2022 Toyota SU Woordfees, will showcase a selection of programming from 15 to 28 July for DStv subscribers in South Africa and Namibia on DStv channel 150 (as well as GOtv subscribers in Namibia), while the physical arts festival will be taking place from 10 to 16 October in Stellenbosch.

MultiChoice is also making the 2022 Woordfees DStv pop-up channel available to more subscribers.

Last year only DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers had access, but in July the DStv pop-up channel is being made available to DStv Compact and DStv Family subscribers in South Africa as well.

In Namibia, DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus and DStv Compact subscribers. In Namibia, GOtv Max and GOtv Supa subscribers will also get access to the 2022 Woordfees TV channel on channel 27.

Speaking about the "Wild" theme, Saartjie Botha, Woordfees festival director, says "Wild is authentic and essential for the kind of art that challenges everything and opens doors to new perspectives. Nothing is wilder and more liberating than the imagination, and our pent-up creative energies are ready to gush forth after two years of limbo".

Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice Group general entertainment executive, says the pay-TV operator is "proud to again be associated with Woordfees TV - not only does the channel allow us to bring entertainment relevant to our customers, it also aligns to our commitment to support and grow local content".

"By giving our Afrikaans viewers access to the Woordfees festival through the channel we are able to support arts, culture, entertainment and literature by broadening the audience of the already popular festival."

The Woordfees TV schedule will again give DStv subscribers a selection of most of the genres that are usually part of the live festival, ranging from the Easy Equity books and writers festival, drama, contemporary music with the Toyota Big Five concerts and Standard Bank jazz set, classical music, the Savanna stand-up comedy series, the Stellenbosch Wine Routes lifestyle programme, and Media24 discussion series, as well as Strauss & Co visual arts programme and dance. 

The Standard Bank agriculture series will also be part of this year's line-up, while rebroadcasts of some of the most popular 2021 TV festival shows will be shown during slots outside of prime time on the channel.

In addition, new programmes of the 2022 Woordfees TV channel will be available on DStv Catch Up. All of the narrative content and pre-recorded discussion programmes on the DStv pop-up channel will have English subtitles.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice and the Stellenbosch Woordfees to run the WoordfeesTV arts festival pop-up channel on DStv for a second time in July 2022.

MultiChoice to add new horse racing TV channel Racing 240 from 4RacingTV to DStv covering South African and global horse racing and profiling jockeys, trainers and owners.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice is adding a new 24-hour horse racing TV channel, Racing 240, from 4RacingTV that will go live on Wednesday 19 January on DStv channel 240 at 17:30

MultiChoice already carries TellyTrack on DStv channel 249, with the launch of Racing 240 that is effectively splitting the content of horse racing across two different DStv channels and just weeks before MultiChoice's existing contract with TellyTrack is about to expire. 

Racing 240 will be available to DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus, DStv Compact, DStv Family and DStv Access subscribers and will feature live horseracing from 4Racing venues in the Highveld (Turffontein and the Vaal), Nelson Mandela Bay (Fairview) and Cape Racing (Kenilworth and Durbanville), as well as a host of top international races as its main content offering.

Racing 240 will go live on Wednesday at 17:30 and cross live at 18:00 to the Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town for the barrier draw for the Cape Town MET 2022.

Racing 240 will broadcast horse races on race days like the Cape Town MET, the L'Ormarins Queens Plate, Derby Day, Charity Mile and the World Sports Betting Summer Cup.

Racing 240 will also have content from and cover global racing in places like Dubai, the United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Turkey, France, Sweden, Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Racing 240 will broadcast global racing events like the Dubai World Cup, Kentucky Derby, The Grand National, Epsom Derby, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Melbourne Cup, Hong Kong Vase and Royal Ascot.

The first major feature race to be shown on Racing 240 will be the build-up and live coverage of the Cape Town Met on Saturday 29 January 2022 at the Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town.

The live races will be complemented by magazine shows and programming that will showcase the sport’s lifestyle and entertainment elements, as well as profiling the jockeys, trainers, owners, grooms and the punters of the sport.

The statistics, odds, form guides, data and betting information that are part of the sport will also be shown on Racing 240.

"The sport of racing is loved by many South Africans. Now they can watch the best racing and social events live on DStv thanks to the launch of this new racing channel," says Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice group executive of general entertainment, in a prepared statement.

"We pride ourselves on bringing our subscribers the best of local and international content and the addition of a new racing channel will bring glitz, glamour and hours of entertainment for equestrian lovers. It is just another way we are improving our value offering for our subscribers."

Fundi Sithebe, 4Racing CEO, in the statement says "Racing 240 will be our shop window to the world to showcase and profile the exciting sport of horseracing and we are delighted with this landmark partnership with MultiChoice".

"South Africa’s horseracing industry delivers world-class quality entertainment and it is critically important that we enhance the broadcast product to ensure its attractiveness to both local and international audiences. It is also important that we give better insight into the sport to attract a new generation of racegoer and punter, which is crucial to the sport's livelihood."

MultiChoice and The Walt Disney Company Africa confirm channels carriage agreement extension until 2024: 'Contract renewal brings Disney magic into homes of DStv subscribers everywhere'.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and The Walt Disney Company Africa have confirmed the extension contract of its existing channels carriage agreement for Disney's set of linear TV channels to remain available on DStv until 2024.

TVwithThinus reported in mid-November that MultiChoice and Disney signed an extension meaning that the existing linear TV channels would remain on DStv for at least a year and a half after Disney plans to launch its new Disney+ video streaming service around June 2022 in South Africa.

In the small print of MultiChoice's 6-month financial results until the end of September 2021 is relief for DStv subscribers who have been very scared that they will lose the Disney channels like Disney Channel (DStv 303), Disney Junior (DStv 309) or National Geographic (DStv 181) when The Walt Disney Company launches its Disney+ video streaming service.

Disney's linear pay-TV channels were culled almost everywhere else in the world where Disney+ launched, for instance, the United Kingdom, as Disney focuses on bolstering its own streaming platform's offering to compete against Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

MultiChoice issued a press statement containing prepared executive quotes on Tuesday about Disney's channels carriage agreement.

MultiChoice says it didn't send the press statement to TVwithThinus since the news was already reported on this site last month.

On Wednesday TVwithThinus asked MultiChoice and Disney for the press release.

MultiChoice and Disney in the joint media statement, said that "National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Junior as well as ESPN and ESPN2, which debuted on the DStv platform in 2020, will continue to be carried by DStv for the next two years, taking the total of Disney-run linear channels on DStv to 6".

According to MultiChoice and Disney, these 6 linear TV channels will be available on DStv in the following way:

- National Geographic: DStv Compact and up

- National Geographic Wild: DStv Access and up

- Disney Channel: DStv Compact and up

- Disney Junior: DStv Access and up

- ESPN: DStv Compact and up

- ESPN2: DStv Compact Plus and up

In the statement, Christine Service, senior vice president and general manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa, says: "This distribution renewal with the MultiChoice Group marks another proud milestone in our long-term relationship".

"Through this deal, our six 24-hour channels will continue to reach viewers of all ages across the continent, bringing them the very latest in premium, high-quality entertainment content from The Walt Disney Company's portfolio of globally connected, locally relevant kids, family, factual and sports brands."

Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice Group executive for general entertainment content, says: "Partnering with a brand such as Disney means that we are able to continue to bring our audiences the international content for people of all ages. Thanks to this contract renewal we will be able to bring the magic that is Disney into the homes of DStv subscribers everywhere".

Programming highlights on National Geographic (DStv 181) over the coming months include The Hot Zone: Anthrax, Primal Survivor Ultimate Journey – 60 Days in the Amazon and new seasons of  Viewers will also get to enjoy new seasons of Lost Treasures of Egypt, Trafficked with Marianna van Zeller, and Gordon Ramsay Unchartered.

Programming highlights on National Geographic WILD (DStv 182) over the coming months include Called to the Wild and Planet of the Reptiles as well as season 8 of Snakes in the City and the channel's annual "Big Cat Month" with new and retold films from Beverly and Derek Joubert.

Programming highlights on the Disney Channel (DStv 303) over the coming months include new shows like Ghost Force, Disney’s Magic Bake Off, Secrets of Sulphur Springs, Viking Skool, The Ghost & Molly McGee, Ultra Violet and the Black Scorpion, Moon Girl and the Devil Dinosaur. 

There will also be a new season of The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Programming highlights on Disney Junior (DStv 309) over the coming months include Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Mickey Mouse Funhouse, and Alice’s Wonderland Bakery. There is also season 2 of Mira and season 3 of Bluey. 

ALSO READ: The launch of Disney+ in South Africa in mid-2022 won't bedevil DStv, MultiChoice has sown up Disney channels rights until 2024.

Waldimar Pelser to succeed Karen Meiring as kykNET director at MultiChoice.

by Thinus Ferreira

Sources told TVwithThinus on Monday night that Waldimar Pelser is taking over from Karen Meiring as director of kykNET channels at MultiChoice from February 2022, with the Rapport editor and In Gesprek met Waldimar Pelser host who is succeeding Meiring who is retiring from the position after 12 years.

Karen Meiring was appointed as the head of kykNET from January 2009 where she steered MultiChoice and M-Net's Afrikaans TV channels and content expansion drive on DStv.

There's no word yet on who will succeed Waldimar Pelser as Rapport editor who will likely also give up his TV anchor chair of the weekly current affairs show on kykNET (DStv 144) he has been fronting since October 2014.

Global insiders as well as South African producers have been buzzing about the imminent change of the guard at kykNET that some have called "the biggest open secret since the appointment of Karen Meiring".

Several MultiChoice, M-Net and kykNET staffers said that Waldimar Pelser's appointment was a "double surprise".

I'm told that firstly, several MultiChoice, M-Net and kykNET staffers didn't expect that Waldimar Pelser would be appointed, were surprised by his name and suggested names they thought that M-Net and kykNET would promote from inside.

Secondly, MultiChoice, M-Net and kykNET staff were surprised to hear about the appointment of Waldimar Pelser from external places - producers, production companies and people working across South Africa's television industry - before an internal memo was sent out inside the pay-TV company to inform them.

TVwithThinus will add the official statement here later if received with MultiChoice and kykNET that are set to likely make an official appointment announcement on Tuesday.

UPDATE: MultiChoice and kykNET announced that Waldimar Pelser is replacing Karen Meiring internally in a memo to staffers on Tuesday, and then decided to play the silly "fake exclusivity" game by giving a press release to an Afrikaans paywall news site first, cutting out other media although TVwithThinus already had the news.

MultiChoice says Karen Meiring will "continue consulting for MultiChoice".

"We look forward to welcoming Waldimar Pelser to the MultiChoice family," says Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice group executive for general entertainment, in the prepared statement the pay-TV company issued on Tuesday afternoon.

"His knowledge and insight of the Afrikaans community will stand him in good stead to continue the success of our kykNET channels."

BREAKING. MultiChoice makes top-exec appointments: Nyiko Shiburi is new MultiChoice SA CEO, Marc Jury is SuperSport CEO; Clement O'Reilly to oversee HR, Fhulu Badugela new Southern Africa director.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice has appointed Nyiko Shiburi as new MultiChoice South Africa CEO, replacing Mark Rayner; with Marc Jury taking over from Gideon Khobane as SuperSport CEO from 1 December.

Gideon Khobane will now move into the position as MultiChoice's group executive for general entertainment. In his new role he will be reporting directly to Yolisa Phahle who remains in her position as MultiChoice's chief executive of general entertainment & connected video.

Clement O’Reilly, who is presently head of total reward & operations for MultiChoice Africa, has been appointed as MultiChoice's group executive head of human resources.

Simon Camerer, currently MultiChoice's chief customer officer, has been appointed as MultiChoice South Africa chief operating officer (COO).

MultiChoice hasn't yet issued any public statement yet about the pay-TV operator's latest string of top-level executive changes.

Marc Jury has currently been responsible for managing negotiations and acquiring all sports-related programming across the SuperSport channels, as well as overseeing the marketing of that content, and is now upped into the SuperSport CEO position.

In an internal email to MultiChoice staffers, Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO, says that Nyiko Shiburi who has been MultiChoice's Southern Africa regional director for the past 2 and a half years "has proven to be an extremely competent executive and has had to navigate the complexity of multiple territories and multiple businesses each uniquely different and uniquely complex".

Nyiko Shiburi who started at MultiChoice in 2007 as a project manager for its now-defunct DStv Mobile service, has gone on to manage the Southern Africa region outside of South Africa where, according to MultiChoice "he ably dealt with macro issues such as economic meltdown, drought that impacted electricity supply, tax issues, currency devaluations, regulatory issues, acquiring new licences, political and people challenges, and has shown resilience and nimbleness".

Fhulu Badugela, a former MultiChoice Africa human resources group executive head, has been appointed as MultiChoice's new Southern Africa director in Nyiko Shiburi's position.

Calvo Mawela says Fhulu Badugela's "leadership and broader MultiChoice Group exposure has seen Fhulu achieve a great track record of leading operational excellence and enabling a high-performance culture, and will help us drive forward the MultiChoice Africa Holdings business turnaround".

About Marc Jury's appointment as SuperSport CEO, Calvo Mawela says "Marc has always had a great affinity to sport, and this together with his passion for motivating people and getting the best out of those around him makes him the best candidate for the role".

UPDATE: Friday 16 October 2020 14:46 - MultiChoice has now issued a press release through its Aprio PR company, confirming the executive appointments and changes. A MultiChoice spokesperson also said that Yolisa Phahle's role remains unchanged as CEO of general entertainment & connected video at the MultiChoice Group.

SuperSport rebrands and restructures its channels set on DStv to thematic viewing destinations from September, says it wants to make it easier for viewers to find the sport they're looking for.

by Thinus Ferreira

From September SuperSport is reorganising its curated sports channels set-up on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV service - as well as how it funnels acquired live sports and other sports programming through those linear channels - in the biggest reorganising of the SuperSport channels set in 2 decades.

The SuperSport announcement comes after the return of the two ESPN channels from Disney to DStv after a 7-year absence, and M-Net that is also reducing and reorganising its set of M-Net Movies channels on DStv from September.

From September SuperSport is dropping the numbering system on DStv that it has used for its channels for more than 2 decades and replacing it with a "thematic" offering based around individual sports.

For instance, the new channel called SuperSport Motorsport will now carry only motorsport content whereas, in the past, motorsport would have been found on multiple different SuperSport channels.

SuperSport says the reorganising will make the content discovery process and channel navigation easier for DStv subscribers looking to find specific sport genres. 

According to SuperSport the new strategy will more closely align channel names in South Africa and across the rest of the African continent, and will indicate a clear destination for fans' favourite sports. There will be multiple themed channels, including a "Variety" channel offering.

The SuperSport sport channel reorganisation will be slightly different for DStv subscribers in South Africa, and for the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

SuperSport says lower-tiered DStv subscribers will not see less sport and that none of the DStv packages will be worse off. Instead the viewing experience is improved by giving subscribers "a clear understanding of what content you will receive on the channel".

SuperSport will relaunch SuperSport 201 as the SuperSport Grandstand channel on that channel number with the SuperSport Blitz channel that will remain as the two channels comprising the front of the new channel set line-up. 

SuperSport's new flagship channel will carry the best of any live-curated sport available to DStv Premium subscribers at any one time, including soccer, rugby, cricket, golf and tennis. SuperSport Grandstand will be hosted in-studio on weekends and will be positioned immediately after Blitz at the front of the new line-up.

SuperSport viewers on DStv will get specially dedicated channels for various leagues and sports - among them the Premier Soccer League (PSL), the Premier League, La Liga, rugby, cricket, golf, tennis, motorsport and several others.

Rugby and cricket have been moved to SuperSport channels 211 and 212. SuperSport says this was done to align the channels across the entire African continent and ensure consistency across all markets.

"There is no less focus whatsoever on these channels. It does also allow for all the Premium channels to be grouped together between 211 and 215. Please remember that the best of any rugby and cricket will also be found on SuperSport Grandstand on channel 201."

Supplementary programming like magazine shows and highlights will still be available across all of the channels.

"This is a landmark decision in SuperSport's history and one we’re convinced will add a fresh and invigorating dimension to our broadcasts," says Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO, in a statement.

"The changes will mean that additional SuperSport channels of local and international sporting content will be added to the DStv package."

"Genre channelling will no doubt increase awareness of a broader range of content, which may have always been on the platform, but wasn’t necessarily easy to discover. This signals a radical change designed to make content discovery more seamless."

SuperSport says that market research has indicated that viewers would prefer to enjoy the sport of their choice on a dedicated, named channel.

Coronavirus: Some live sports returning to SuperSport in June amidst Covid-19 pandemic including Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and new Aotearoa rugby event; F1 and cricket tests coming in July.

by Thinus Ferreira

Some live sports is returning to the various SuperSport channels on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV service as the regulations around various national lockdown periods around the world are being scaled back and which saw all sporting codes and events cancelled in a dramatic cascade-effect since late March 2020 because of the global Covid-19 pandemic. 

Earlier during Covid-19 SuperSport wasn't willing to answer any specific questions around the impact of Covid-19 or to make any executives available to speak about how SuperSport tried to adapt to the "new normal" regarding scheduling and content changes.

On Tuesday, Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO, speaking about the return of some international soccer matches, in a prepared statement says that "The leagues' closed-doors policy may take some getting used to, but the television product ought to be as thrilling as ever".

Next weekend will see the resumption of the Premier League with 92 matches lined up to complete the season, along with matches from the La Liga and Serie A leagues that will also likely return later during June.

From 11 June to 12 July there will be at least one La Liga fixture played each day before all 20 clubs play their final two matches simultaneously on 15 July and 19 July.

Italy approved the resumption of Serie A from 20 June after it was suspended on 9 March.

New Zealand's Aotearoa rugby event involving the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders will start on 13 June with all matches that will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

On Friday the Investec Coronation Cup horse race will take place in Britain and will be broadcast live on SuperSport as well.

Next week the PGA Tour golf will return on 11 June with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas starting a stretch of 25 weeks of tournament golf.

In July Formula One will also be back with SuperSport that will broadcast the revised season beginning in Austria on the weekend of 3 July.

In international cricket England will host West Indies for three Tests over 21 days, starting 8 July that will be shown on SuperSport. The three matches will be played behind closed doors.

Coronavirus: SuperSport adds sports films with one movie daily for 60 days on SuperSport 1 starting 17 April 2020.

by Thinus Ferreira

With a lack of live sports content due to the global Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic MultiChoice and SuperSport will now broadcast a sports film daily, starting from Friday, 17 April 2020 for the next 60 days on SuperSport 1 (DStv 201).

"We've negotiated with all the major studios to bring viewers this incredible line-up," says Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO, in a statement. "There really is something here for everyone, many of them classics with lines and scenes that resonate as strongly as ever."

The movies will also be available on MultiChoice's DStv Catch Up service.

The 60-day sports film line-up will start with the Oscar-winning Jerry Maguire with Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jnr that has been scheduled at 20:30 - the timeslot all of the nightly films will be screened at.

Jerry Maguire will be followed by Senna (Saturday), Any Given Sunday (Sunday), Rocky 1-5 (next Monday to Friday) and Invictus (Saturday, 25 April 2020).

SuperSport says that the titles range across a multitude of sports, from rugby to boxing, from baseball to soccer and cycling and more. 

There are serious movies (Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Arm) and slapstick (The Waterboy, Happy Gilmore), Oscar-winners (The Colour of Money) and tear-jerkers (Rudy) among them.

Coronavirus: As global sport broadcasters scramble with their schedules during Covid-19 SuperSport is changing its line-up to thematic channels.

by Thinus Ferreia

Faced with the dramatic collapse in live sports events because of the Covid-19 virus SuperSport is changing all of its channels to thematic channels for the foreseeable future while two channels are made available to lower-tiered DStv subscribers.

Today and tomorrow is the first weekend in South Africa and worldwide without any big-ticket live matches of essentially any type of sporting code that has caused massive scheduling holes because of the growing global coronavirus pandemic.

It's the result of a sudden implosion of content that saw MultiChoice and SuperSport scramble to adapt its programming at the same time as sports networks globally have been left reeling under the disappearance of sports of all kind.  

"Live sport is massively impacted. We are combatting this by acquiring the best award-winning sport documentaries from around the globe, among other top programming," explains Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO.

He says SuperSport is working closely with its broadcast partners to mitigate the absence of live sport. With all major sport affected SuperSport will be broadcasting postponed events when they are rescheduled.

The result is major sudden changes to the schedules for the foreseeable future across all of SuperSport's channels seen in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa which is converting its line-up to thematic channels.

SuperSport 1 that is usually only available to DStv Premium subscribers can now be accessed by DStv Compact and DStv Compact Plus subscribers as well until 30 April 2020.

MultiChoice is also opening SuperSport 7 for the same period that can now be watched by DStv Compact Plus, DStv Compact, DStv Access and DStv Family subscribers as well. SuperSport 7 will become a"best of football" content offering.

SuperSport 1 has also scheduled the ESPN-acquired "30 for 30" documentary series which has been showing since this past Monday.

The SuperSport 1 (DStv 201) channel will remain the lynchpin of SuperSport's best content offering. The channel will feature premium sports documentaries and a new programming block called SuperSport GrandStand between 17:00 and 21:00.

The various SuperSport presenters will host a studio show that focuses on themed content from specific sporting genre. Between 13:00 and 17:00 daily SuperSport 1 will feature a Viewers’ Choice programming block where viewers’ social media suggestions on their favourite sporting moments will determine the content.

The various SuperSport thematic channel changes are the following:

SuperSport 1: Relive Sport Stories (Grandstand / Viewers’ Choice / documentaries)
SuperSport 2:Relive rugby / cricket
SuperSport 3: Relive Premier League
SuperSport 4: Relive PSL
SuperSport 5: Relive golf
SuperSport 6: Relive tennis
SuperSport 7: Relive best football (mix of UCL, EPL, La Liga, Serie A, FIFA, documentaries)
SuperSport 8: Relive Motorsport, F1, MotoGP, Superbikes
SuperSport 9: Relive WWE            
SuperSport 10: Relive local sports / athletics / various     
SuperSport 11: Relive action: Combat, UFC, EFC, boxing, extreme
SuperSport 12: Relive E Sport

Free hand sanitiser and sequined gas mask mark the 3rd 2020 DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards (+ full list of winners).

by Thinus Ferreira

As guests made their way along the blue carpet MultiChoice on Saturday evening handed out free bottles of hand sanitiser to everyone amidst growing coronavirus fears in South Africa as Sindi Dlathu, Bonang Matheba, Siya Kholisi and Kabza De Small were some of the big winners at the 3rd DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards.

Thousands of people attended the revived 2020 MVCAs that didn’t take place last year and that was broadcast live on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on Saturday night from inside the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg.

The blue and yellow lit awards ceremony went on despite the shuttering of major sports and entertainment events across South Africa and globally as the number of cases of people testing positive for the novel coronavirus Covid-19 keep increasing in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Besides celebrities like The Real Housewives of Johannesburg’s Christall and Tarina, several prominent TV executives attended the 2020 DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards including Calvo Mawela (MultiChoice Group CEO), Mark Rayner (MultiChoice SA CEO), Nkateko Mabaso (M-Net CEO), Gideon Khobane (SuperSport CEO), Nomsa Philiso (Mzansi Magic channel director), and Christine Service (Walt Disney Company Africa boss). 

The choreographer and reality star Somizi captured some of the latent fears bubbling under the glitsy surface when he sashayed down the blue carpet with a blue sequined adorned gas mask. 

Hosted by Minnie Dlamini-Jones, the awards show included multiple colourful on-stage performances including sets from the Amapiano kings Semi Tee, Kammu Dee and Miano who performed Labantwana Ama Uber, AKA liwho did a medley of his greatest hits, and house music superstars DJ Zinhle, Master KG and Makhadzi who performanced some of their biggest songs of 2019.

The Legend award winner Lebo M performed the iconic Circle of Life from the Academy Award winning animated classic movie, while Joyous Celebration, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Sipho “Hotsticks” Mabuse wowed the crowd with performances.

Ukhozi FM VJ Khathide “Tshathugodo” Ngobe walked away with the Favourite Radio Personality award as well as the biggest award of the night – the Ultimate Viewers’ Choice Award, after scooping the highest number of viewer votes overall.

Moshe Ndiki (Favourite TV presenter), Siyanda Maphumulo (Favourite comedian), Kabza De Small (Favourite rising star; Favourite DJ), Warren Masemola (Favourite actor), Sindi Dlathu (Favourite actress), King Monada (Favourite music artist/group), Siya Kholisi (Favourite sports personality) and Bonang Matheba (Favourite personality of the year) rounded up the winners’ list.

Here’s the full list of winners of the 3rd 2020 DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards:

Favourite song of the year

Prince Kaybee ft Indlovukazi, Supta & Afro Brotherz – Gugulethu

Favourite TV presenter

Moshe Ndiki

Favourite comedian

Siyanda Maphumulo

Favourite rising star

Kabza De Small

Favourite radio personality

Khathide “Tshatha” Ngobe

Favourite actor

Warren Masemola

Favourite actress

Sindi Dlathu

Favourite music artist/group

King Monada

Favourite DJ

Kabza De Small

Favourite sports personality

Siya Kolisi

Favourite personality of the year

Bonang Matheba

Ultimate Viewers’ Choice Award (most votes in total)

Khathide “Tshatha” Ngobe


ALSO READ: Nollywood remake Living in Bondage the big winner at MultiChoice and M-Net's 7th 2020 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards held in Lagos, Nigeria (+ full list of winners).