BREAKING. MultiChoice on Hallmark channel changing to the Universal Channel: ''Everything you love about Hallmark will still be there''.

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MultiChoice that is currently broadcasting the Hallmark channel (DStv 108) and which will be changing to the Universal Channel (DStv 108) on 24 March at 21:00, says everything that viewers loved about Hallmark will remain when the channel's name changes next month.

''Everything you love about the Hallmark channel will still be there,'' says Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice general manager for content.

''Ever since the Hallmark channel appeared on the DStv platform, it's been a very, very popular channel and its grown and become a firm favourite with the majority of our viewers,'' says Aletta Alberts. ''The Hallmark channel started out as a made-for-TV movie channel but over time its evolved and widened and started broadcasting high quality series. Its become one of our most popular general entertainment channels.''

''Over the past few months we have worked closely with Universal Networks International in ensuring that our subscribers will not only benefit from a stronger programme line-up but that we will also deliver this channel under a new name, The Universal Channel. Viewers can be assured that their most favourite programmes will still be there – and there will be even much more of that.''

BREAKING. Hallmark changing to Universal Channel will address repeats; ''investing in more first-run content''.

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The Hallmark channel (DStv 108) will be changing to the Universal Channel on 24 March at 21:00 but still remain on DStv 108 with the same programming. I wanted to know whether the channel's name change would affect the ''new'' channels' repeat programming strategy and whether this is something that The Universal Channel will be addressing. I've spoken with a lot of Hallmark channel viewers who have the perception that Hallmark has more repeats than most other niche TV channels, and  Now I can give you the answer on this first.

I asked John Burnett, vice president of commercial operations and Universal Networks International's managing director for Africa whether there will be less repeats of shows on the new Universal Channel.

''This is a common question which we're used to hearing,'' said John Burnett. ''Viewers have to remember and keep in mind that repeats allow different audiences to find a show over a period of time. It's part of a channel that there will be repeats. But we are investing more in first-run content. Some of the shows like the Law & Order franchises we're now securing, will be first-run on The Universal Channel. There will still of course be repeats.''

BREAKING. No Martha Stewart when Hallmark changes to the Universal Channel.

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Although they would have the option, the new Universal Channel (DStv 108) will not be showing Martha, the daily talk show of Martha Stewart in South Africa.

Martha Stewart's talk show Martha moves to The Hallmark Channel in America in 2011, and The Hallmark Channel will change its name to the Universal Channel at 21:00 on 24 March.
Since South African viewers saw the first two seasons of Martha on The Home Channel (DStv 182) before it was discontinued because the licencing rights were too expensive, I asked the Universal Channel whether Martha Stewart will become a programming strategy option (since NBC Universal International actually has an ownership in Hallmark).

''No,'' is the answer from John Burnett, vice president of commercial operations and Universal Networks International's managing director for Africa. ''The shows we've highlighted, more the crime procedurals, the quicky characters like House, NCIS - they're a core part of our content but stuff like Martha Stewart, no.''

BREAKING. Hallmark changing to Universal channel: How the new logo and colours came to be.

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The Hallmark channel (DStv 108) will be changing to the Universal Channel on 24 March at 21:00 but still remain on DStv 108 with the same programming. I can now tell you first what went into the new logo design of the Universal Channel, and also a bit more about the wide variety of colours that viewers will be seeing the logo displayed in (on-air as well as the differently coloured promos that will be running on the Universal Channel).

I spoke to John Burnett, vice president  of commercial operations and Universal Networks International's managing director for Africa about the new logo design, the various colours and colour use.

''You'll recognize that the new Universal Channel logo is an evolution of the Universal movie logo that we've worked on with designers to get something that can work in modern television,'' John Burnett told me. ''The use of the Universal name is deliberate after testing all over the world.''

''Here in South Africa we tested the logo of the Universal Channel and the name. Regarding the colours used – you might notice the NBC Universal logo which is a peacock. It employs multi-colour. We wanted to carry that forward into the identity of the Universal Channel. So you will see a lot of colour. You will see more colour than what you used to see on Hallmark. And different colours at different times during the day.''

Universal Channel: ''Extraordinary characters welcome''.

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''Extraordinary characters welcome''. I can exclusively reveal first that ''Extraordinary characters welcome'' will be the brand-new slogan for the Universal Channel (DStv 108).

The Universal Channel will start broadcasting on March 24 at 21:00 when The Hallmark Channel (DStv 108) changes it's name to Universal Channel and starts to use the new slogan for its line-up filled with crime-procedurals and quircky character driven shows such as House M.D, Being Erica and Psych above.

BREAKING. The Hallmark Channel in South Africa changes to the Universal Channel.

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The Hallmark Channel (DStv 108) has just announced that it's changing to the Universal Channel from 24 March in a complete rebranding and channel reposisioning strategy - Africa being a world-first.

I thought that this is what would be announced (and which i speculated about RIGHT HERE on 1 February whern I got the invitation).

The Hallmark Channel with 3,7 million viewers will change its name and logo on 24 February at 21:00 but remain on channel 108 on DStv. I've got LOTS of interviews and ALL the news about it (and what it entails) and I'll roll it out over the next couple of days right here.

The rebranding of the brand-new Universal Channel is part of the strategy by Universal Networks International to ''harmonize'' its TV channels under specific brands. Africa is the first market to introduce the new-look channel globally. ''

''This is a natural evolution of the Hallmark channel in Africa,'' says François Roux, managing director, EMEA, Universal Networks International. ''Building on Universal’s entertainment heritage we will continue showing quality content in an engaging TV environment, now emphasized by a modern, colourful channel look and feel.''

''We are very positive about this development of Hallmark channel,'' says Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice head of content. ''We have co-operated closely with Universal Networks International making sure our subscribers benefit from even stronger content delivered under the new Universal Channel name.''

BREAKING. Hallmark Channel's planting trees.

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The Hallmark Channel (DStv 108) is not sending members of the press covering television, any gifts this year. Instead The Hallmark Channel is planting trees.

The channel is planting trees in the local communities of Orlando and Eikenhof with the Carl Sithole Centre in Soweto and the Amazing Grace children's home in Lenasia that will both get two wild olive evergreen trees from The Hallmark Channel to celebrate the beginning of 2010.

The channel also has two new shows starting in January that I can tell you about.

First up is Wild at Heart that starts on 10 January at 20:00 op The Hallmark Channel about the American Trevanion family living on the Leopards Den game park. The 3rd season of Sea Patrol starts on the channel on 25 January at 19:10

What if . . . you watch this? Being Erica starts tonight on The Hallmark Channel at 21:00.

If you just watch one thing during primetime this evening, make it the brand new show Being Erica starting on The Hallmark Channel (DStv 108) tonight (Thursday) at 21:00, followed by the second episode immediately after that at 21:50.

Erin Karpluck stars as Erica Strange who gets whisked away to her past aka 30 Going on 13 style back to her high school years to relive her past and (maybe!) make some different decisions. There's 13 episodes in the first season and the show has been renewed for a second season already running in America.

Last week I attended a GREAT launch party for Being Erica that The Hallmark Channel threw in Durban that was just a lot of fun, with lots of dancing (like it was 1989), great company and just perfectly done. I've already watched the first two episodes of Being Erica, and it's solid and good TV fantasy viewing for anyone who has an hour or so to spare.

In classic Back to the Future / Sliders /17 Again style, Erica, with the help of her enigmatic therapist Dr. Tom Wexlar, suddenly finds herself back in her past where she has the power to change things. She however retains all the knowledge of her own - and other people's futures. Will she change things? And if so, what?

I don't want to spoil anything, but Erica's brother Leo has died 13 years ago in a barn fire. Her biggest regret. Ethan is her guy friend who lives next door. They've been friends since varsity. Mmm. Might ''just friends'' turn into something else with different choices? Katie was Erica's close friend in high school but stuff happened. Can it be repaired? Kye has some secrets - like Erica he is from the future and with her in the past to correct some stuff, also thanks to Dr. Wexlar and Judith and Jenny are two more of Erica's friends.