Indian channel, Glow TV, from Kagiso Media added to StarSat from 14 January; follows addition of Glow TV content package to ONTAPtv.com.

The Indian channel, Glow TV is being added to StarSat's satellite pay-TV platform from Thursday 14 January on channel 570 to all subscribers.

Glow TV, packaged by Urban Brew Studios, a division of Kagiso Media, also saw a lot of its content in the form of a Glow TV package added to PCCW Global's streaming service ONTAPtv.com for R68 per month.

It means that Glow TV is now available on the satellite TV services of MultiChoice's DStv on channel 167, Platco Digital's OpenView HD on channel 108, On Digital Media (ODM) and China's StarTimes Media SA's StarSat, as well as on ONTAPtv.com.

The addition of Glow TV makes up for the loss of the Indian channels Star Plus and Star Vijay in December 2015 that jumped to DStv in a new carriage agreement.

"We're excited that through this move, Glow TV will be accessible to an even wider audience," says Naz Khan, Glow TV channel manager.

"South Africans, from all backgrounds, are becoming more enthusiastic about 'eastern' content. We believe the vibrancy, passion and family-centric nature of Glow TV's shows are alluring".

Ian Woodrow, StarSat head of content, says "Glow TV with its broad appeal and exciting line-up is bound to be a hit with StarSat audiences".

"Glow TV is an interesting addition to our platform and we believe many of our subscribers will make it part of their regular viewing. Much of its programming line-up has never been seen before in South Africa and the appeal of the channel is across general, rather than specific audiences," says Ian Woodrow.

Glow TV now broadcast soaps between 17:30 and 22:00 on weekdays and this month will see the start of the new soap, Saras, in which a young man falls in love with a girl while his domineering father and manipulative stepmother threaten to ruin the relationship.

Glow TV's programming is in Hindi (with subtitles) and in Englosh across various genres including food, comedy, travel, crime, drama, movies and cartoons. The soaps in prime time carry a dual soundtrack option for subscribers of Hindi or English.

Glow TV, a collaboration between Kagiso Media and Nolava Television, launched in October 2013 on OpenView HD. Glow TV was added a year later in October 2014 to MultiChoice's platform as well following a distribution agreement.

After 2 years of existence, e.tv's local eKasi+ channel picked up and added to StarTimes Media SA's StarSat pay-TV platform.

StarSat satellite pay-TV platform added e.tv's eKasi+ channel to its channel line-up from Thursday afternoon in a new carriage deal between e.tv and On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media SA.

Until now eKasi+ - a local high definition (HD) channel focused on black township lifestyle programming - was only available on Platco Digital's OpenView HD (OVHD) free-to-air satellite platform as one of the self-compiled channels from e.tv's digital channels offering.

eKasi+ has been broadcasting since October 2013 as part of OpenView HD and has now been added to the StarSat Special bouquet on channel 489.

It follows the loss of the BET channel that Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) yanked from StarSat at the end of November.

'We are constantly looking for channels that can add great value to our current programming and that is what we have found in the eKasi+ channel. There is an array of shows to satisfy different tastes," says Ian Woodrow, StarSat's head of content.

Ian Woodrow again promised more new channels for StarSat in the coming months although the struggling pay-TV service has so far failed to replace several lost channels like the FOX Movies channels from FOX International in July, Discovery Networks International's TLC and others.

"The eKasi+ channel has established a good audience base on OpenView HD. The channel has a strong local appeal with some entertaining and original local content dominating the schedule," says Monde Twala, managing director for e.tv's channels.

"The move to make it available on another platform is simply to ensure broader reach based on the steady, growing popularity of the channel.OpenView HD is already reaching 300 000 homes and this extension will simply grow our base and ensure we reach as many South Africans as we can."

StarTimes' StarSat losing Star Plus and Star Vijay Indian channels; replacing it with Sony SAB from Sony MSM Network from December.

StarSat is losing both the Star Plus (StarSat 560) and Star Vijay (StarSat 565) channels at the end of the month but is replacing the two TV channels that are jumping to competitor DStv with the new Sony SAB channel from 1 December.

The Star Plus and Star Vijay channels from 21st Century Fox's STAR India network is becoming part of MultiChoice's newly restructured DStv Indian package from December.

These two channels are therefore being pulled from StarTimes' StarSat Indian package of R99 per month due to a deal that the channel supplier did with MultiChoice to put the two channels on the DStv platform exclusively.

Sony SAB is the first channel from the Sony Entertainment network of TV channels that will be available on StarSat.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) already runs the Sony Channel and Sony MAX channels on DStv in South Africa.

StarSat will add Sony SAB, supplied by Sony MSM Network (MSM Asia) on StarSat channel 554 from 1 December.

StarSat says it will be advising its pay-TV subscribers of the channels coming off the platform shortly and that StarSat subscribers will get at least 7 days notice.

While Star Plus and Star Vijay are removed and replaced with Sony SAB, meaning that StarSat is one channel short, StarSat tells TV with Thinus that it will soon be announcing other new Indian channels, so it will be Sony SAB for now and at least one more channel very soon.

Besides StarSat's satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa, Sony SAB will also be added to the bigger StarTimes platform across Africa from December on its satellite and digital terrestrial television (DTT) services.

Sony SAB is an Indian family comedy channel broadcasting general entertainment and programming includes programming like Taarak Mehta KaOoltahChashmah, as well as shows like Balveer, ChidiyaGhar, Comedy Superstar and the just launched, Police Factory.

Sony SAB's brand message is "Asli Mazaa SAB Ke Saath Hai", meaning "True Fun Comes from SAB/Being with everyone".

"We are delighted to add this channel to StarSat as it supports our focus of providing a variety of programming that meets our subscribers diverse viewing requirements," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat. "We believe Sony SAB is going to become a huge favourite with our subscribers".

Continuing with our network ethos to always offering the best variety of entertainment to our viewers world-wide, we are excited to be able to launch the ever popular Sony SAB with StarTimes across the African continent," says Neeraj Arora, the executive vice president and head of international business for Sony MSM Network.

"This is an extremely important territory for us and I'm sure the South Asian diaspora will thoroughly enjoy the light-hearted, family-led experience that Sony SAB provides".

"StarTimes always sticks to the rule that content is the king," says Michael Dearham, StarTimes South Africa CEO.

"In addition to establishing self-owned channels such as Hausa channel and Swahili channel, we are also trying to bring a lot of international channels to Africa."

BREAKING. New zombie drama, Fear The Walking Dead, a massive hit for AMC Networks International's AMC on DStv and StarSat.

New zombie drama and The Walking Dead spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead is a massive hit right out of the box for AMC (DStv 140 / StarSat 115) which now has instant must-watch, appointment television on Monday nights.

Fear the Walking Dead which made its monster debut on Sunday night in America on AMC and was shown on Monday morning at 03:10 on AMC in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv and On Digital Media's StarSat and again in its regular primetime timeslot of 20:00, logged an astounding 10.1 million viewers in the United States.

The viewership - 6.3 million of them in the desired 18-49 adult demographic - instantly propelled Fear the Walking Dead to the number one drama series premiere in pay-TV history in America which is a new ratings record.

Fear the Walking Dead produced by AMC Studios now holds the record as the most watched series premiere of any TV drama in pay-TV in the United States.

It's also history-making and highly significant for South Africa's TV and pay-TV industry, and here's why.

Although Fear the Walking Dead received barely any marketing and publicity push before its debut in South Africa today, it means that South African viewers are getting a premium brand-new TV drama, which is instantly a primetime hit, virtually simultaneous with the United States, but accessible on several lower-tiered, non-premium satellite pay-TV bouquets.

StarSat subscribers get AMC - and therefore Fear the Walking Dead - included on the StarSat Smart package for R149 per month. DStv subscribers on all packages get access to AMC - down to the cheapest DStv EasyView for R39 per month.

It means that DStv, StarSat and AMC can market and promote the hit zombie drama to virtually the  entire existing pay-TV subscriber base in South Africa.

For AMC, run by AMC Networks International Zone (AMCI Zone), Fear the Walking Dead represents a massive upgrade and and opportunity in South Africa and Africa to elevate the channel's brand and awareness of it.

The channel changed and rebranded from the stale, library title filled MGM channel to AMC only from December 2014 and can now suddenly boast the year's latest biggest TV hit, eclipsing M-Net's Game of Thrones and FOX's Empire.

Fear the Walking Dead gives AMC not just buzzy appointment television in primetime over the next few weeks but dramatically elevates the channel proposition and the AMC brand.

With the new new premium drama hour AMCI Zone which will get the chance to showcase and perhaps expose new viewers to the channel for the first time who might not have channel hopped to AMC before.

Now having a premium, first-run drama express from the United States and the year's biggest pay-TV hit is somewhat ironic for AMC, given that MultiChoice, when it was added as the MGM channel just over a year and a half ago in November 2013, initially didn't want to give the channel to its top-tiered DStv Premium subscribers but soon relented following a public backlash.

MultiChoice said at the time that the repeat filled MGM wasn't intended for DStv Premium subscribers but realised that "Premium customers would like to have the full range of channels available on their package".

Imagine the outcry now if higher-tiered pay-TV subscribers like DStv Premium customers were blocked from seeing and following the start of the latest zombie apocalypse.

"Thank you and congratulations to Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson, the brilliant executive producers and the entire cast and crew of Fear the Walking Dead," says Charlie Collier, president of AMC in a statement.

"Fear the Walking Dead delivered record-breaking numbers that are all the more special in this era of time-shifted viewing and audience fragmentation."

"To have a companion series to the number one show on television driving communal, urgent viewing, social activity and pop cultural relevance of this magnitude is truly differentiating. Of course none of it is possible without the fans, whose passion leads to these remarkable results," says Charlie Collier.

"It is extremely exciting that we are broadcasting such fresh and interesting shows," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat in a statement about Fear the Walking Dead.  "We have a whole new line-up of content with Fear the Walking Dead leading the way."

Fear the Walking Dead is a spin-off prequel set in Los Angeles and will follow the start of the zombie outbreak with a first season of 6 episodes starring Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane and Ruben Blades.

It will be followed by the 6th season of The Walking Dead starting on 11 October in America and shown very soon after on FOX International Channel's FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131).

StarSat adds 3 channels from Saturday: sports channel StarTimes Sports Premium and two Nollywood channels, AMC Series and Iroko Play.

StarSat is adding the three TV channels StarTimes Sports Premium, AMC Series and Iroko Play from tomorrow.

The South African satellite pay-TV service run by On Digital Media (ODM) and China's StarTimes Media SA got approval from the broadcasting regulator, Icasa, to add the channels.

The addition of StarTimes Sports Premium, a self-packaged sports channel, is the first real inroads to bring its subscribers relevant sports content which includes live sport coverage, one of the biggest drawbacks which hampered StarSat subscriber growth since the service launched under the much maligned and since retired "TopTV" brand in May 2010.

StarTimes Sports Premium (StarSat 242) which became available on StarTimes' platform elsewhere in Africa in May and awaited approval from Icasa, already started to siphon sports coverage away from competitor MultiChoice and SuperSport, netting exclusive broadcasting rights to sporting events and sport series across several types of sport which will be rolled out over the next two years.

StarTimes Sports Premium will show subscribers live sport events ranging from Bundesliga football, athletics, motorsport and boxing to volleyball and table tennis, including a range of sports magazine shows.

AMC Series (StarSat 134) - not to be confused with the American AMC (DStv 140 / StarSat 115) - is being added as a sister channel to the other AMC channel: Africa Movie Channel (StarSat 185) showing Nollywood movies.

AMC Series will showNollywood and other African content and TV series like Clinic Matters, Dear Mother - Reloaded and The Benjamins.

Iroko Play (StarSat 116) is another Nollywood movie channel showing African movies.

"These channels  bring a high level of entertainment  and are further evidence of our ongoing commitment to bring good, quality and varied programmes to our subscribers," says Ian Woodrow, StarSat general content manager.

BREAKING. FOX Movies channel and its time-shifted channel FOX Movies+2 removed from On Digital Media's StarSat.

FOX Movies and its time-shifted channel FOX Movies+2 from FOX International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) are the latest TV channels getting dumped from On Digital Media (ODM) and China's StarTimes Media SA's satellite pay-TV platform.

FOX Movies and FOX Movies+2 were added to StarSat just a year ago, in June 2014.

FOX Movies and FOX Movies+2 will be gone within days - apparently getting dropped by 5 July from StarSat.

No word on it from StarSat yet, which says a press release about it is on the way.

So far also no word from FOX International Channels Africa.

FIC Africa provides channels such as FOX, FX, FOX Crime, FUEL, BabyTV, Setanta Africa, Setanta Action and Nat Geo Gold to StarSat.

More news and this story will update as StarSat and FIC Africa respond to media enquiries with press statements.

UPDATE 12:40 Monday 29 June - FOX International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) confirms FOX Movies is gone from StarSat from 5 July.

FIC Africa tells TV with Thinus that the axed FOX Movies (which was added just a year ago to StarSat) will be gone by 5 July.

"It is in keeping with the company's global strategy to have a strong reference brand - FOX - ready for a future with multiple choices".


UPDATE 16:20 Monday 29 June - StarSat is issuing a press statement regarding the shuttering of FOX Movies saying FOX International Channels is to blame for the loss of the channel, and that StarSat regrets the loss of the channel.

"StarSat has been informed that as from 6 July 2015, FOX Movies will no longer feature on the StarSat platform. The decision to close down the channel was made by the supplier."

"In the world of pay-TV, the adding and removing of channels is part of the industry," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat.

"We regret the removal of FOX Movies, but we are constantly looking at new channels and programmes to add to our various packages."

"We remain committed to bringing high quality and affordable content to our valued subscribers," says Ian Woodrow.

StarSat adds two self-compiled music TV channels, StarTimes SA Music and StarTimes Soul to its channel line-up.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa's StarSat is adding two self-compiled music TV channels, StarTimes SA Music and StarTimes Soul, to the South African satellite pay-TV operator's channel line-up.

According to reports StarSat, in business rescue and fighting a court battle to keep broadcasting hardcore pornographic TV channels, has seen its subscriber base erode from 400 000 subscribers to currently around between 80 000 and 85 000.

StarTimes SA Music becomes available from today on StarSat channel 321 and StarTimes Soul on StarSat channel 322 with both channels enabled for subscribers on the StarSat's Smart package.

StarTimes SA Music will broadcast kwaito, house, hip-hop, jazz and gospel music videos as well as classic South African music videos.

StarTimes Soul will broadcast a mix of international and local soul music of performers like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Luther Vandross, The Temptations, as well as new soul, slow jams and soul lounge music.

"Our two new channels definitely won't disappoint. They offer an excellent choice of music catering to our subscribers' diverse taste in music," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat. "This is definitely one of StarSat's best offerings yet".

"StarTimes SA Music gives us the opportunity to showcase some of South Africa's very talented artists in the music industry all on one channel".

StarSat opens 8 TV channels to lower-tiered subscribers for a 'week'; increases subsidisation of StarSat decoders and installation.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa's StarSat satellite pay-TV platform has opened and unencoded 8 TV channels for a week for StarSat Special and StarSat Smart subscribers while the Woodmead-based satellite pay-TV provider is upping its subsidisation of StarSat decoders and installation for consumers.

Until Friday StarSat subscribers get unrestricted access to FOX Movies (StarSat 110), PoP (StarSat 302), StarTimes Movies 1 (StarSat 100), StarTimes Sport 2 (StarSat 241), Qyou (StarSat 165), Trace Sport Stars (StarSat 250), Nat Geo Gold (StarSat 220) and the StarTimes Series E1 (StarSat 125) channels.

The StarSat channels were opened to subscribers on Saturday already although StarSat's PR company Burston-Marsteller Africa only managed to inform the media and press by Monday after 17:08, more than two days after the promotion started, yet still saying subscribers will have a "week" of open viewing until Friday 21 November.

A PR spokesperson didn't bother to respond to a media enquiry asking when the unencoded channels' promotion started.

StarSat is also upping its subsidisation of StarSat decoders and installation hoping to drive subscriber growth, with new subscribers who can now get a StarSat decoder and full installation for R399 until 10 January 2015.

"This open view week of the stars allows subscribers the opportunity to experience more of our channels, and we encourage them to watch some of the channels they may not normally have access to on their current StarSat package," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat.

TOLDJA! StarSat adds StarTimes Sport 2; FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 replacing Setanta Africa and Setanta Action from 8 August.

On Digital Media's (ODM) StarSat is adding StarTimes Sport 2 as a new TV channel on channel 241 from Saturday 19 July, while the Setanta Africa and Setanta Action channels are being rebranded to FOX Sports and FOX Sports 2 respectively from 8 August.

As part of the new sports channel addition and rebranding, StarSat is changing the channel numbers of its sports channels which will now be located between channel numbers 241 and 251.

FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 will become channels 244 and 245 from Saturday 19 July, although the name change from Setanta will only happen from 8 August.

On Wednesday TV with Thinus reported about major sports channels additions and changes coming to StarSat when news leaked about major sports content developments at the Woodmead based satellite pay-TV provider.

StarSat is however not adding a StarTimes Sport 1 or StarSports 1 channel but getting FOX Sports (and the content produced for those new channels), and then a StarTimes Sport 2 channel.

StarSat says StarTimes Sport 2 will carry "diverse sporting programmes" although a schedule has not yet been released.

The StarTimes Sport 2 channel is also launching in the rest of Africa as a new TV channel created by China's StarTimes Media specifically for Africa, as well as a new StarTimes Swahili channel that will launch in August.

StarTimes Sport 2 will show soccer like the International Champions Cup, European Qualifiers, French Ligue 1 and the Summer Football season.

ODM tells TV with Thinus StarTimes Sport 2 will run for 24 hours per day.

FOX International Channels (FIC) which didn't respond with answers to a media enquiry TV with Thinus made earlier in the week regarding the sports channels that FIC provides to StarSat, will be rebranding Setanta Africa and Setanta Action to FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.

FOX Sports will broadcast French Ligue 1, Ederevise, Belgium Pro League, FormulaE, English Championship, Liga MX, Major League Soccer and Coupe de la Ligue.

FOX Sports 2 launched in America a year ago in August 2013.

TV with Thinus previously surmised that a channel like FuelTV on StarSat might be changed to FOX Sports 2, but FOX International Channels at the time said there was no plans to change FuelTV into FOX Sports.

Of course that's true - it was the Setanta channels, not FuelTV getting changed.

FOX Sports 1 will focus mainly on soccer, broadcasting more than 2 000 hours of content every year with live coverage of major soccer leagues. FOX Sports 1 will also carry daily news programming and a wide range of football-related magazine shows and other soccer content. 

FOX Sports 1 will also bring subscribers live matches sport highlights, news, self-produced programmes, special programmes and exercise education. FOX Sports 1 will cover different sport disciplines such as soccer, tennis, rugby, golf, motor-racing, cricket and extreme sports.

FOX Sports 2 will offer international sports, including Euroleague Basketball, Formula E Motor Racing, DTM touring cars, National Rugby League, ice hockey, mixed martial arts, kickboxing and boxing. 

In addition FOX Sports 2 will show extra football content, including delayed coverage of league games, as well as alternative live coverage from competitions such as the Spanish Copa del Rey and additional club channels.

"We are thrilled with the launch of FOX Sports in Africa which is the culmination of a process that began last year with the acquisition of Setanta Africa in October 2013," says Alessandro Tucci, the seenior vice president and general manager of FOX International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) in a statement.

"We're very excited about StarTimes Sport 2," says Ian Woodrow, StarSat's head of content in another statement.

"StarTimes Sport 2 will afford subscribers opportunities to catch some of the leading sporting events from  around the globe. We believe it will inspire our subscribers to get moving and experience some of the best movers and shakers that the sporting world has to offer."

The addition of StarTimes Sport 2 and the rebrand-addition of FOX Sports and FOX Sports 2 will help to bolster StarSat's sports offering to existing and potential StarSat subscribers which has been lackluster since it launched as TopTV in May 2010.

Before ODM launched TopTV in 2010, it promised a 24-hour TV news channel and a TopSport channel, but ODM backtracked shortly before the pay-TV service's launch and said the news channel would no longer be happening, and the TopSport channel later.

The self-compiled sports channel never materialised and ODM never acquired sports rights for other channels like its Top One channel.

Although ODM added channels like Setanta Africa, FuelTV, Setanta Action, Extreme Sports, Euro Sport News and others to TopTV and later StarSat, it also lost channels like Manchester United's fan channel, MUTV, and remained unable the past four years to come up with a strong sports, or sports channel offering.

StarTimes Sport 2, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 now signal the first real start from ODM and its Chinese content and investment partner, StarTimes South Africa, to produce and funnel real sports content and coverage to StarSat subscribers, combined with the help of FOX International Channels.

FOX Movies +2 added to StarSat as a two hours later, time-shifted channel of FOX Movies.

The FOX Movies +2 channel has started on On Digital Media's (ODM) StarSat as a two hours later, or "+2" time-shifted TV channel of FOX Movies (StarSat 135) which finally started last month.

StarSat said last month that the time-shifted channel will be introduced soon.

FOX Movies +2 is broadcast on channel 136 on StarSat.

FOX Movies +2 runs two hours later than what is shown on FOX Movies.

"We are now introducing FOX Movies +2 to give subscribers greater opportunities to watch their preferred titles," says Ian Woodrow, StarSat's head of content.

BREAKING. StarSat making FOX Movies available from Saturday 7 June, plans to add FOX Movies+2 as time-shifted channel 'in near future'.

You're reading it here first. 

On Digital Media (ODM) is finally adding FOX Movies to the StarSat pay-TV platform from Saturday 7 June.

StarSat will also add a time-shifted channel, FOX Movies+2 "in the near future", where films start two hours after its started on FOX Movies.

It's been four months since FOX International Channels (FIC) made FOX Movies available to ODM and its new financial backer, China's StarTimes. StarSat kept saying that it's "testing" FOX Movies.

FIC Africa already provides channels such as FOX, FX, FOX Crime, FUEL, BabyTV, Setanta Africa, Setanta Action and Nat Geo Gold to StarSat.

FOX Movies from 20th Century FOX broadcast comedy, drama, action, science fiction, horror and thrillers and has already been available as a TV channel in West Africa.

StarSat isn't saying why it took so long to make FOX Movies available after news leaked in February that the satellite pay-TV platform has the channel, other than to say that "the wait is finally over for StarSat subscribers".

FOX Movies will go live on Saturday 7 June at 09:00. FOX Movies will run for 24 hours on StarSat channel 135 in standard definition (SD), StarSat tells TV with Thinus.

"A time shifted channel, Fox Movies+2, will also be added in the near future, allowing StarSat subscribers the opportunity to watch the movie two hours after it was broadcast on the FOX Movies channel," says StarSat.

"The channels from FIC provide quality viewing across a number of genres on the StarSat platform, contributing to meeting our subscriber demand for continuously improving content choices," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat in a statement.

"We are extremely happy that the strategic partnership with FIC has been welcomed by all of our stakeholders".

BREAKING. TopTV ends its own Top Explore channel, replaces it with Spark as a new factual entertainment channel from July.

On Digital Media (ODM) is dropping a third self-compiled "Top" channel from the South African pay-TV operator's channel line-up but is replacing it immediately with a new third-party channel, Spark, from 1 July, which won't be carrying the "TopTV" name.

Spark which was started in April 2011 will replace Top Explore on the same channel number 300 on TopTV, although it is in reality still being supplied by the same German-based supplier who packaged Top Explore for TopTV.

TopTV in April immediately discontinued its Top Junior and Top Movies +24 channels  and has so far not announced any replacements for those channels.

Top Explore was a self-compiled factual entertainment channel for TopTV and Spark, provided by Autentic, also covers a wide range of factual entertainment genres like science, technology, nature, biology, history, travel, archeology and adventure.

"Spark is the new brand for our existing documentary channel Top Explore," says Ian Woodrow, the vice president for channels at TopTV in a statement.

"Subscribers will still see many of the programmes which they have enjoyed on Top Explore in the past but will also be impressed with the new programming that has been secured for the channel."

The German-based supplier of the channel is keeping the already licenced content on Spark for TopTV and will be adding some additional documentary programming together with the name change.

TopTV on ending Top Junior and Movies +24: 'Unavoidable exercise' but no discount scheme as TopTV plans new channels structure.

When TopTV announced the news that the struggling South African satellite pay-TV operator is immediately losing two more TV channels, Top Junior as well as Top Movies +24 on its bouquet, I asked the Woodmead based pay-TV operation the following questions, prompted by the press statement On Digital Media (ODM) issued.

Answers were not forthcoming yesterday, but I just received these answers from Ian Woodrow, TopTV's vice president for channels.

How much money will TopTV save by not running these in-house channels anymore?
Ian Woodrow: TopTV is not obliged to publicise financial details of this nature. It is unlikely that any private company would be prepared to place such information in the public domain. The rationale for this decision was not founded on cost considerations.

What does "new channel structure" mean?
Ian Woodrow: The collective channel offering which TopTV will market once it moves out of its business rescue period. This is expected within the next few weeks although a fixed date is not available as there is a degree of uncertainty regarding the timing of the process. Details as to the actual channels is also not available at this stage.

With the loss of the channels, does it affect the TopTV subscriber fees, for instance, if TopTV subscribers have been paying a set amount for a certain amount of television content, and that TV content is made less, do subscribers still have to pay the same amount of money monthly, or will it be adjusted?
Ian Woodrow: It is difficult to consider an adjustment as the affected period is expected to be short in duration. Too short to allow for the practical implementation of a discounted scheme. The channels selected for this unavoidable exercise were chosen on their relative popularity so as to minimise the subscriber loss.

When did TopTV decide to discontinue these channels?
Ian Woodrow: TopTV has communicated this decision as soon as possible. There has not been a delay between the decision itself and the communication thereof.

BREAKING. Fashion One on TopTV as a newly added replacement channel will start to add African focused fashion TV content.

Finally a statement and communication from TopTV after Fashion One (TopTV 179) was added to the TopTV pay-TV platform as a replacement channel for Star with the new fashion TV channel saying it will start working to add African focused fashion TV content on the channel and TopTV saying that it is excited to add "this glamorous channel".

TopTV already has the fashion television channel FTV on channel 179, which is also available on MultiChoice's DStv platform on channel 178. Now Fashion One, beamed from Hong Kong, is replacing Star which carried entertainment news and gossip. Fashion One however has a much more narrower focus as a replacement channel with its emphasis on fashion.

Fashion One which calls its TopTV channel feed Fashion One Africa says that Fashion One will "start covering more major African cultural events from art and music to dance and food and will place a special spotlight on the best of local fashion designers, creative talents and innovative design within the region."

"We are pleased to be able to announce the launch of Fashion One Africa with TopTV in South Africa and excited to be part of the country's growing global importance," says Ashley Jordan, the CEO of Fashion One in a just-issued statement.

"In addition to bringing the latest fashion, entertainment and lifestyle programmes from around the world to our audience in South Africa, Fashion One will also showcase African talent with our increasing investment in local productions and, at the same time, provide regular worldwide exposure to the designers and labels in the region through our worldwide network," says Ashley Jordan.

"From Morocco to Cape Town, including Johannesburg, more and more African fashion weeks and other relevant events will be covered and broadcast on the channel," says Ian Woodrow, the vice president for channels at TopTV in the statement.

"TopTV is every excited to add this glamorous channel, with a strong focus on local fashion and content, to our current offering. We are confident that it will soon garner a large following among fashion devotees, creatives, retailers and stylistas alike," says Ian Woodrow.

Shows on Fashion One include Eco Fashion, Yoga, Health and Well-being and Fashion One will also show Fashion Frontline as well as African Fashion International 2012.

BREAKING. TopTV loses 3 further TV channels as Turner Broadcasting immediately yanks the Showtime, Silver and Star! channels.

You're reading it here first. 

It does not look good for On Digital Media (ODM) and its TopTV platform: TopTV is losing another 3 TV channels within days as Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) is yanking its Showtime, Silver and Star! channels from the struggling South African pay-TV service.

The triple whammy loss of content from its bouquet is the latest barrage of bad news to hit TopTV which has faced a constant uphill struggle with losing channels during the whole of 2012 and even before.

TopTV is not saying why Turner Broadcasting System is immediately removing Showtime (TopTV 111), Silver (TopTV 112) and Star! (TopTV 179) other than that it's happening for "operational reasons" - the vague non-descript reason airlines give to passengers for a litany of problems they do know the reason to, but don't want to be specific about.

With no reason given, it's all but certain that South Africa's TV industry will speculate that the channels are being removed because Turner - which is definitely knowledgeable about TopTV's problems and a company in business rescue since October - no longer has faith in the platform with the resultant implications which arise once a company is placed in business rescue.

TopTV might not be able to pay its debt or money owed to Turner in exchange for getting the channels. Turner might possibly be afraid that it won't be paid and now wants out of carriage agreements to try and cut potential financial losses should TopTV not be able to exit business rescue in the way in which the 1time airline which recently folded and which also entered business rescue, was unable to recover.

TopTV says Turner Broadcasting System (which also runs Boomerang, CNN International, Cartoon Network and TCM on rival MultiChoice's DStv) "recently informed" TopTV that the 3 TV channels will suddenly be discontinued from 31 December.

Showtime was a movie channel. Star! was a general entertainment and entertainment news channel with a strong emphasis on Hollywood and Hollywood news and the only way South African viewers could see the daily entertainment news show Showbiz Tonight (produced by CNN). Silver was South Africa's only real cinema nouveau TV channel with some art house independent movies from a library catalogue of titles from mostly the 80's and 90's.

Turner has been piping all three of these TV channels into South African from Scandinavia through the Scandinavian television broadcaster NonStop Television which is part of the Turner Broadcasting System.

TopTV is now again telling subscribers that the ailing South African pay-TV operator - which is urgently looking for local investment and backers with deep pockets - will once again begin the process of looking to find replacement channels - a process TopTV has had to do several times just this year.

"The supplier of the three affected channels, Showtime, Silver and Star! has taken the decision to terminate the African distribution of its channels for operational reasons, and this decision is thus beyond the control of TopTV," says the Woodmead based pay-TV operator in a statement issued late on Wednesday.

Last month TopTV lost the 1KZN TV channel after the community TV station jumped from TopTV to DStv, quickly followed by Manchester United TV (MUTV) which suddenly disappeared without warning and terminated its contract with TopTV with immediate effect because it no longer wanted to be on the platform.

TopTV lost Hi Nolly and One Music in November 2011 and 2012 started with TopTV losing Current TV in March.

The ongoing loss of channels means that TopTV's product and channel offering to subscribers are not expanding like MultiChoice's DStv offering, since TopTV's newly added channels - which happens after a lag period - only serve to replace channels which had been lost. TopTV added no new big commercial TV channels in either 2011 or 2012.

"TopTV is grateful for the continued support of its loyal subscribers during this period, and would like to reassure them that the company is working hard on a renewed product plan for the New Year," says TopTV about the latest channel loss crisis facing the company.

Ian Woodrow, TopTV's vice president for channels says in the statement that "although this comes at a challenging time in the company's development, with a business rescue process currently underway, TopTV is confident that it will be able to secure alternative channels early in 2013."

"In the interim, and until these replacements are found, we will endeavour to secure additional channels and programming that will be of interest to our subscribers," says Ian Woodrow.

With Discovery Networks International which started the Discovery Science, TLC and Investigation Discovery on TopTV but suddenly made TLC and Investigation Discovery also available on DStv a year ago thereby diluting TopTV's exclusive product value offering (the great Discovery Science is still only available on TopTV only), TopTV has only one remaining strong and unique channel distributor left on its ailing platform: Fox.

Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) supplies the Fox Entertainment, FX and Fox Retro channels to ODM which can only be seen on TopTV.

FIC Africa, through Fox Entertainment and FX has brought and continue to bring South African pay-TV viewers who are subscribed to TopTV great series and exclusive TV properties like The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels, Falling Skies, Copper as well as other shows very close to the American broadcasting dates.

This excellent programming and international distribution strategy adds big value to TopTV's platform since these remaining unique channels have exclusive content which are rolled out quickly and can only be seen on TopTV in South Africa.


ALSO READ: Turner aint talking: How terrible that Turner isn't willing to talk to TopTV subscribers and say why they're suddenly yanking all their channels.

TOLDJA! Tshwane TV added to TopTV from October on channel 185 as the pay-TV operator's second community TV channel.

TVSA broke the news half a month ago and I quickly got it confirmed as accurate: it still took TopTV half a month to admit to the news that the community TV station Tshwane TV will be added as a new TV channel to the pay-TV operator from Monday 1 October.

Confirming the open secret since 13 September TopTV says in a press statement that "Tshwane TV (TTV) will be broadcast on channel 185 on TopTV from 1 October".

"TopTV is adding a new channel to its bouquet when it proves a national platform for the community-based television service, Tshwane TV," says the pay-TV operator.

"For TopTV, the addition of Tshwane TV to its channel offering brings with it a variety of programming and local content as the second community-based channel in its platform," says TopTV which added 1KZN (TopTV 187) as its first community TV station in September last year.

Tshwane TV, started by Kopano Molefe, being added top TopTV, leaves two successful community TV stations in South Africa as yet unsigned with either TopTV or MultiChoice's DStv: BayTV in Port Elizabeth and CTV in Cape Town.

Tshwane TV's programming includes the first season of Generations, Be the Creature, Designer Guys, the American drama Safe Harbor and Chef at Home.

"This is an exciting development for TopTV since not everyone in the Tshwane area has been able to receive the channel," says Ian Woodrow, the vice president of channels at TopTV. "Now people with TopTV will be able to experience this channel not only in Tshwane but countrywide."

Tshwane TV has six hours of primetime viewing from 18:00 to midnight and offers a mix of locally-produced and international shows with a multilanguage format.

"Our goal with Tshwane TV has been to establish an independent and sustainable community TV station," says Collin Mackenzie, the marketing and sales director for Tshwane TV. "One of our initial objectives was to increase our geographical reach and viewership through a partnership with an existing broadcaster. We are delighted that we have achieved this through our agreement with TopTV."

TopTV replaces Channel [V] with the Star Life OK channel on its Indian Top Star bouquet due to programming issues.

TopTV has replaced its Channel [V] channel on its Top Star Indian bouquet with the Star Life OK channel as Channel [V] has become the latest TV channel on the TopTV platform which is being discontinued due to programming issues.

Star Life OK is an Indian general entertainment channel. TopTV's Top Star bouquet is a separate bouquet subscription service with an additional subscription cost of R69 per month.

Star Life OK takes the place of Channel [V] on channel 373. Channel [V] is being discontinued in South Africa due to format changes to the channel specifically for the market in India where the channel is shifting its focus from being a solely music channel to an entertainment channel targeting the youth market.

"The new version of Channel [V] will be without English subtitles" says Ian Woodrow, the vice president for channels at TopTV, which the South African pay-TV operator believes will  therefore have appeal which would be "limited in our local market".

"All programmes on Star Life OK are supplied with English subtitles and we are confident that it will be as well received here as it has been elsewhere in the world."

GONE, THEN BACK: TopTV yanks RTPi because of 'low viewership'; then brings it back because it 'is a very popular channel'.

There's more completely incoherent double-speak from pay TV operator TopTV which first said it was yanking the Portuguese TV channel RTPi because of "low viewership" (TopTV's words, not mine) on 30 June, just to suddenly return the channel last week because it "is a very popular channel" (TopTV's words, not mine).

TopTv originally said RTPi is removed and that a replacement channel is being sought. What happened to that work? Or did it never really even start? Why would what is first publicly devalued by TopTV, inexplicably be returned by TopTV as if it now suddenly has value? It makes very little sense.

"This was a business decision made after careful consideration due to the low viewership of the channel," said TopTV when RTPi was dropped on 30 June.

Two weeks later - this past Friday - TopTV suddenly issued a press statement saying: "We have reconsidered our initial decision and are pleased to announce that we will continue broadcasting the channel [RTPi] as from today, 13 July," quoting Ian Woodrow, the general manager of channels at TopTV.

Was dropping RTPi then a bad business decision? Was it a hasty, uneducated, unresearched business decision made on a whim? Or how is a channel removed, a replacement promised, and then the removed channel suddenly returns less than two weeks later?

Would a hospital suddenly close a wing and two weeks later reopen it? Would a supermarket remove a product which is not selling from it shelves and suddenly two weeks put it back? Would Volkswagen stop manufacturing the Citi Golf and suddenly two weeks later start pushing them off the factory line again? No. But this type of operational schizophrenia is what TopTV just did (again?).

What does it mean in a broader sense if TopTV as a pay TV operator executes what it calls a business decision with such far-reaching consequences, and then suddenly weeks later, changes back? Is there any kind of long term planning and content vision, any real content value appreciation and stategic business model and plan at work here - or are decisions simply made willy-nilly on the cuff?

For that is how it comes across to outsiders looking inward to the company.

BREAKING. Is the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) coming to TopTV in South Africa in 2011?

You're reading it here first.

Is the new Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) that launches on 1 January 2011 in America coming to South Africa and On Digital Media's (ODM) TopTV pay TV platform in next year?

I broke the news RIGHT HERE in October when MultiChoice told me that they did look and considered the possibility of pursuing OWN as a channel but will no longer do so for at least 6 months until after the channel has started.
That leaves only TopTV in South Africa.

Now keep in mind all of the following: OWN initially planned to only launch in America, but has now also decided to roll out in Canada as well. OWN is a joint venture with Discovery that distributes the channel and would also do so worldwide as and when that would happen. Discovery already has 3 Discovery channels on TopTV and there is an existing and growing relationship. Earlier this year I also asked Discovery in person whether they would roll out OWN worldwide and in South Africa specifically. I was told that the focus is initially on just getting OWN up and running and then launching in America.

This is where things are now getting very interesting: Consider this sudden, brand-new answer this week from the Harpo side of the Oprah Winfrey Network: ''We are exploring opportunities for additional OWN services in multiple locations in Australia and South Africa. Stay tuned!''
This means that OWN is now definitely looking at expanding the channel to more countries besides just America and Canada after its January launch.

I also asked TopTV whether the pay TV operator is in negotiations to get OWN but haven't been given a definite ''yes'' or ''no'' answer. TopTV reiterates that Discovery is the international distributor of the forthcoming Oprah channel and that Discovery's ''focus is to first secure the market in the US and Canada before worrying about the international market''.

''We have always been interested in taking the OWN channel because it is high profile and has generated a lot of buzz,'' Ian Woodrow, TopTV's general manager: channels, just told me. ''The final decision to actually take it will depend upon a number of factors,'' he says, adding: ''We will weigh up the channel on its own merits and the asking price.''

TOLDJA! TopTV to launch its new Top Star Indian bouquet with 4 new Indian channels from November.

TopTV has now officially confirmed the news that I exclusively broke RIGHT HERE first on Wednesday with all the details about the launch of its new Indian bouquet Top Star.

In a press release TopTV confirms that four new channels in a brand-new Indian bouquet that will be called Top Star will be added to TopTV from November. The channels - exactly as I told you, will be Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Vijay and Channel [V].

Exactly as I broke the news, Top Star will be free from November until the end of December to all TopTV subscribers and after that cost R60 per month for subscribers who want to sign up for the additional bouquet. As I was first to report, the four new channel will pop up on channel numbers 370, 371, 372 and 373 from Monday, November 1.

''We are very excited to be able to introduce India’s most popular channels to our platform,'' says Ian Woodrow, TopTV's general manager of channels in a press release. ''This is a huge coup for us in terms of the varied, innovative and engaging programming these channels will bring to the TopTV subscriber.''