SEMIOTICS. Why can't MultiChoice and M-Net slot its 007 James Bond pop-up channel on DStv channel number 007?

by Thinus Ferreira

Is it possible for MultiChoice and M-Net to theoretically allocate its 007 James Bond channel to the channel number of 007 on DStv? 

Imagine for a moment that MultiChoice was able to place its 007 James Bond DStv pop-up channel, that it just revived for a third time on its pay-TV platform, on the channel number of 007 on DStv.

If the 007 James Bond channel were available on DStv channel number 007, it would have been an example of mnemonics, or what we call a mnemonic device - a tool to help people remember something and/or to make it stand out.

What would be cooler to remember or to do that to keep in mind that to watch James Bond films, you need to press "0", "0", "7" on your DStv remote control (or what would essentially amount to "7")? 

Not to go too deep into the field of semiotics, but 007 as the channel number and "sign" of such a channel would work in terms of brand, it would work in terms of channel number memory short-hand, and it would work in terms of coolness factor. But is it even possible?

Two weeks ago, a few days before M-Net's 007 James Bond pop-up channel started, I suddenly thought about the MultiChoice channel numbering nomenclature and process.

I decided to ask MultiChoice, through its PR company Aprio, in light of the 007 pop-up channel, if it would ever be possible to have a channel on "channel number" 007 for instance - as well as more broadly a series of questions, for context, around how its channel numbering works and what is possible and not when it comes to DStv channel number allocation.

The M-Net Movies 009 James Bond pop-up channel on DStv then started on 22 January, and has now come and gone and ended on 31 January. Unfortunately MultiChoice didn't bother to - or for whatever reason couldn't - answer any of the questions TVwithThinus asked during the duration that the channel was on DStv.

How did MultiChoice's channel numbering convention for instance start and come about? M-Net as DStv's most important channel, of course, occupies the prime spot of 101, but why for instance did MultiChoice start numbering from 101 and not 100, or not 10, or 001?

MultiChoice didn't respond. 

Would it theoretically be possible to place a TV channel on the DStv decoder on a channel number like 010, or is it that Mayan and Mesopotamian zero at the beginning that causes machine blindness and makes a computer unable to read it as a placeholder "number"?

Or is it possible to do, but because of purely consumer psychology behaviour it's not so advisable? Do consumers struggle to start a remote control numerical input with anything like zero's? Again, MultiChoice could possible have shed some light but didn't bother to answer while the 007 channel was running.  

Interestingly, some overseas pay-TV operators do make use of -digit channel numbers, for instance "82", there are occurences of a 1-digit channel number, and some even use a 4-digit channel number code, for instance "1002".

Would it theoretically be possible for there to exist on MultiChoice's DStv channel number system a 1-, 2-, and 4-digit DStv channel codes, and if yes, why have these channel number "ranges" never been used? Could it ever be used?

Again, nothing from MultiChoice with a response that was zero. 

Anyway, these are answers that would be interesting and insightful to know for highly interested readers who are really into knowing more about television, as well as that group of pay-TV viewers who are extremely engaged with a brand like DStv subscribers - and of course you, reading this article right now.

Zero is never nothing, and maybe one day we'll find out what role this deceptively "nothing number" plays in something like a DStv decoder.

ALSO READ: M-Net Movies explains how the playout really works after the confusing schedule chronology of its 007 James Bond pop-up channel on DStv leaves viewers shaken and stirred.

ALSO READ: M-Net Movies' 007 James Bond DStv pop-up channel to run for 10 days from 22 January 2021 showing every Bond film.

M-Net Movies' 007 James Bond DStv pop-up channel to run for 10 days from 22 January 2021 showing every Bond film.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net's 007 James Bond pop-up channel will start on MultiChoice's DStv on channel 111 on 22 January and run until 31 January with the 10-day Bond-marathon that will show every 007 film ever made.

The "shaken not stirred" spy film channel will be the first of DStv's special pop-up channels for 2021 and the third time that M-Net Movies is doing a Bond pop-up channel.

The 007 James Bond DStv pop-up channel will be available to DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus, DStv Compact and DStv Family subscribers. 

The channel will run from 06:00 until 22:00 for 10 days, bringing viewers tuxedos, Bond girls in bikinis, fast cars with hidden technology, exotic locations including the moon, mind-blowing spy gadgets, deadly villains and henchmen including a Goldfinger, as well as martinis - which are served shaken, not stirred of course.

M-Net says that the Bond film marathon will feature all 7 charming actors who have played the iconic 007 role, from Pierce Brosnan to Sean Connery, Roger Moore and current Bond Daniel Craig.

The various Bond films will be screened chronologically, starting with the first film in the series released 59 years ago, Dr. No (1962), to the latest Bond film and box office hit, Spectre (2015).

All of the films will also be available on DStv Catch Up until Tuesday, 28 February 2021.

It will be pop, pop, pop on DStv from December 2020 with 3 new M-Net Movies pop-up film channels including James Bond.

by Thinus Ferreira

They gotta be strong and they gotta be fast and they gotta be fresh from the fight, and now you only need to hold out for a hero until December. That's when MultiChoice will launch three thematic M-Net Movies pop-up channels on DStv in succession until February 2021 all about heroes.

TVwithThinus can reveal that in December 2020 MultiChoice and M-Net will start with a Male action heroes M-Net Movies pop-up channel on DStv, with the exact channel name that is still to be announced.

The pop-up channel will be jam-packed with films featuring male action hero stars.

"Then we move on to females because female action heroes are also taking over the world," says Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice's head of content strategy and third-party channels.

This Female action heroes M-Net Movies channel name is also still to be revealed.

"In February 2021 we bring back the Bond, the lovely James Bond, and we know that's not going to leave you shaken ... but stirred," says Aletta Alberts.

February's James Bond pop-up channel of which the channel name is still to be revealed, will be the second time that MultiChoice and M-Net is running a James Bond pop-up channel on DStv.

It previously did so three years ago in February 2017 when MultiChoice showed every 007 James Bond film of Ian Fleming's suave British super spy for DStv Premium subscribers.

While the three M-Net Movies pop-up channels will again only be accessible for higher-tiered DStv subscribers it will be the first time that lower-tiered DStv subscribers will be able to get access to it through the new "Add Movies" bundle that the Randburg-based pay-TV operator just launched.

For R99 per month lower-tiered DStv subscribers can add 3 M-Net Movies channels that can be added to any of its lower-tiered DStv bouquets. With this, DStv subscribers get the repackaged M-Net Movies 1 (DStv 104), M-Net Movies 2 (DStv 106), and also the now-permanent Afrikaans fliekNET (DStv 149) channel.

However, when MultiChoice and M-Net now do M-Net Movies pop-up channels, these channels when they run on DStv, will now be made accessible as part of the Add Movies bundle, for free. 

That means that DStv subscribers who add the Add Movies bundle during December, January or February will actually get not get just the 3 movie channels on that add-on package, but also that month's M-Net Movies hero pop-up channel on DStv that will be included for free.

James Bond pop-up channel from M-Net Movies starting today on DStv with all the 007 films in chronological order and 4 special documentaries.

The James Bond pop-up channel from M-Net Movies kicks off today on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on DStv channel 109 for DStv Premium subscribers with all of the 007 films broadcast in chronological order.

The James Bond pop-up channel will run from today until 5 March, showing every film from 23 February, restarting on Monday 27 February and again from 3 March.

The 007 channel will carry 4 special documentaries, Now Pay Attention 007 (2000), Best Ever Bond (2002), Bond Girls are Forever (2012) and Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 (2012).

Thursday 23 February
10:10 Dr No (1963)
12:03 From Russia with Love (1964)
14:03 Goldfinger (1965)
15:53 Thunderball (1965)
18:03 You Only Live Twice (1967)
20:00 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
22:21 Diamonds are Forever (1971)


Friday 24 February
09:35 Live and Let Die (1973)
11:37 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
13:42 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
15:47 Moonraker (1979)
17:53 For Your Eyes Only (1981)
20:00 Octopussy (1983)
22:10 Never Say Never Again (1983)
00:23 A View to a Kill (1985)


Saturday 25 February
10:35 Casino Royale (Peter Sellers Spoof TV movie) (1967)
11:30 The Living Daylights (1987)
13:40 Licence to Kill (1989)
15:52 GoldenEye (1995)
18:01 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
20:00 The World is Not Enough (1999)
22:08 Die Another Day (2012)


Sunday 26 February
08:20 Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007
10:00 Bond Girls are Forever
10:50 Now Pay Attention 007!
11:45 Best Ever Bond
13:23 Casino Royale (2006)
15:52 Quantum of Solace (2008)
17:38 Skyfall (2012)
20:00 Spectre (2015)
21:27 Casino Royale (Peter Sellers Spoof TV movie) (1967)

M-Net and MultiChoice's 007 James Bond pop-up channel will launch on 23 February on DStv channel 109 for 12 days, showing every Bond film.

M-Net's special 007 James Bond pop-up channel will launch on MultiChoice's DStv channel 109 on 23 February for 12 days and will show every James Bond film.

The "shaken not stirred" spy film channel will be the first of DStv's special pop-up channels for 2017.

Other M-Net Movies pop-up channels on DStv include a Fast and Furious movie channel for DStv Premium subscribers that will run from Friday 31 March to 9 April, a Proudly African Films pop-up channel for all DStv bouquets running from Thursday 18 May to 28 May, and Martial Arts film channel for DStv Premium and DStv Compact subscribers running from Friday 16 June to 9 July.

A 100 Best Movies pop-up channel will also make its appearance on DStv; a broadcasting time period isn't fixed yet.

The 007 James Bond channel will show every film of Ian Fleming's suave British super spy on channel 109 for DStv Premium subscribers from 23 February and follows the success of M-Net's themed, once-off DStv channels the past three years.

"Viewers can tune in to watch every single James Bond in every single James Bond film ever made, all the Bond girls, all the mystery and action," Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity, tells TVwithThinus, saying the channel will likely also include some additional specials and behind-the-scenes shorts, similar to what M-Net did recently with its Harry Potter pop-up channel.

"A few years ago we did a James Bond festival on M-Net and since then there's been several new Bond movies in the 007 film series. It's one of the biggest film franchises there is if you look in terms of box office success and everyone has their favourite James Bond movie."

About why M-Net continues doing M-Net Movies pop-up channels on DStv, Lani Lombard says "the pop-up channels are do very well".

"Viewers love it. It's as if you're giving them a choice collection of content - like an anthology. Fans absolutely love it and these channels perform very well in terms of ratings. It creates event television for viewers."

BREAKING. Several exciting M-Net pop-up channels, film festivals, foreign language films and premium foreign language TV series coming to MultiChoice's DStv in 2017.

In 2017 MultiChoice and M-Net will be bringing several exciting M-Net Movies pop-up channels, carefully curated film festivals, as well as premium foreign language TV series and weekly foreign language art-house films, in high definition, to DStv subscribers.

Again upping the bar in the TV content made available to DStv subscribers in South African and across Africa, MultiChoice and M-Net top executives - on Monday during a conference call with media - revealed more of their plans for 2017.


ALSO READ: MultiChoice content boss Aletta Alberts on how DStv is working on reducing repeats: "We are improving our product dramatically".
ALSO READ: The 101 in 2017: DStv and M-Net boosting efforts around content discovery and 'seasonality' in TV viewing behaviour.
ALSO READ: What MultiChoice learnt from an Appletiser can- and how it will bring a change to DStv decoders.


M-Net through its M-Net Movies division will be packaging several new M-Net Movies pop-up channels for DStv next year, and is busy working on putting together jam-packed film festivals.

In addition, the schedules for the M-Net Edge and M-Net Movies Premiere channels on DStv have been adapted to bring viewers a smorgasbord of carefully sourced and selected foreign language art-house films, as well as acclaimed foreign language TV series from across Europe, starting on 16 December.

"We're doing a James Bond pop-up channel in February 2017, then The Fast and the Furious in March. Then there's an African film library showcasing the best in African film in May to co-incide with Africa Day," Jan du Plessis, director: M-Net channels, told TVwithThinus.

"We're also working on creating a month-long martial arts film festival with all the classics and all the new stars. Every day when I look at the list of the films we're busy acquiring, I just think it's going to be incredibly popular".

"Then in December 2017 we want to do a festival of 'The 100 movies you need to see before you die'. So we're working very hard on it already - 100 movies you really need to see before you die."

"Then the big other thing is that we continue to do on M-Net (DStv 101) on Sunday nights the big premiere movie of the week - the curation of the 52 best Sunday night movies - but we're adding another one."

"On M-Net Movies Premiere (DStv 104) we will now be showing a second great movie. I won't call it the second best - it's the addition of an great alternative."

"Then the big news is that we're starting on 18 December on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) on a Sunday at 21:00 'The Best of World Cinema' - as a foreign language, arty, niche, discerning cinema-goer choice."

"So essentially on a Sunday at 20:00 you can see the movie on M-Net (DStv 101), at 20:30 on M-Net Movies Premiere (DStv 104) you can see an alternative selection, and at 21:00 on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) you can see the best of world cinema."

"We've really got amazing stuff," says Jan du Plessis. "We're kicking off with The Idol that's a Palestinian drama, and we've got Yves Saint Laurent [French biographical drama] the next week. Then we have a number of French films."

"And I'm also busy putting together a whole Pedro Almodóvar [Spanish director, screenwriter, producer] film festival that will end with Julieta".

Edgy TV: The Best of World Series
DStv subscribers can also get ready for what's been called "the best TV drama in the world" and "one of the great foreign language TV shows you should be watching".

"Starting on Saturday 17 December will be 'The Best of World Series' on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) at 21:00 and that will be a foreign language TV series," says Jan du Plessis.

"The first one we're kicking off will be Deutschland 83 [acclaimed 8-episode German TV series]."

"Then we're working on a French TV series - the deal isn't quite signed yet but it should be completed this week. And we're also looking at - there's some absolutely incredible Scandinavian TV series we're looking at."

"So basically on a weekend - on Saturday at 21:00 and Sunday at 21:00 - you can watch either 'The Best of World Series' or 'The Best of World Cinema'," says Jan du Plessis.

Pop-up channels: 'We've collected it for you'
Asked about the popularity of the M-Net pop-up channels - from Star Wars and M-Net Movies Blackout, to M-Net Movies BlockParty, Harry Potter and others - and what it is in the consumer psychology that makes these limited time TV channels such must-see, watch-bait, MultiChoice says it's about giving pay-TV subscribers what they want to see in one place, when they have more time to watch.

"It's basically a trend that we started with the The Oscar Pistorius Trial: A Carte Blanche Channel that worked really, really well," says Aletta Alberts, the general manager: content for MultiChoice.

"The success is in the curation of the content, and we focused on periods where we know consumers are on holiday or that they've got more time to view. So I think it's a combination of those things."

"We also basically say, if you're a Harry Potter lover, we've actually specially curated this for you, you don't have to go and search for it because peoples lives are becoming more and more busy."

"Pop-up channels deliver additional content and additional value over a period like the Christmas holidays like now - for instance fliekNET (DStv 198). On 16 December we're launching M-Net Inspire (DStv 109), and we've just come out of Harry Potter."

"There are key time periods - last year we did the kids' pop-up channel with Turner, so you'll see a lot of that happening. It adds extra value and is about curating the content in a way so that it doesn't sit across many channels but giving the customer one really strong channel."

"And from a marketing perspective, it's also easier to steer people to those channels," says Aletta Alberts.

Jan du Plessis says "Harry Potter did incredibly, incredibly well for us. The channel was actually within the top 10 most watched channels on DStv. In fact during it's first weekend it was one of the top 2."

Jan du Plessis says he was amazed with the results from the M-Movies Blackout pop-up channel - an urban movie channel that ran during June this year that showcased the collected array of work from black American actors.

"The individual ratings of the movies [on M-Net Movies Blackout] were incredible - it was much higher than the regular movie channel ratings. Blackout also ended up as a top 10 channel on DStv for the two weeks it was on."

Programming note: James Bond movie marathon festival on M-Net Action+ starts on Saturday with a movie at 20:00 every night during October.

Today is the 50th anniversary of the start of the James Bond film franchise, and tomorrow, Saturday 6 October, M-Net Action+ (DStv 106) as part of the new M-Net Movies channel genre on MultiChoice's DStv, will have a month long James Bond movie marathon festival kicking off with Dr. No at 20:00.

From tomorrow, M-Net Action+ will have a James Bond movie every single night, ending with Die Another Day on Saturday 27 October.

Sky Movies on Sky in the United Kingdom has a similar set of movie channel on that pay-TV platform, and is interestingly doing exactly the same James Bond movie marathon festival.

Here is the entire James Bond line-up for M-Net Action+ for October:

Dr. No Saturday 6 October, 20:00

From Russia with Love Sunday 7 October, 20:00

Goldfinger Monday 8 October, 20:00

Thunderball Tuesday 9 October, 20:00

You Only Live Twice Wednesday 10 October, 20:00

Casino Royale (1967) Thursday 11 October, 20:00

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Friday 12 October, 20:00

Diamonds are Forever Saturday 13 October, 20:00

Live and Let Die Sunday 14 October, 20:00

The Man with the Golden Gun  Monday 15 October, 20:00

The Spy Who Loved Me Tuesday 16 October, 20:00

Moonraker Wednesday 17 October, 20:00

For Your Eyes Only Thursday 18 October, 20:00

Octopussy Friday 19 October, 20:00

Never Say Never Again Saturday 20 October, 20:00

A View to a Kill Sunday 21 October, 20:00

The Living Daylights Monday 22 October, 20:00

License to Kill Tuesday 23 October, 22:00

Goldeneye Wednesday 24 October, 20:00

Tomorrow Never Dies Thursday 25 October, 20:00

The World is Not Enough Friday 26 October, 20:00

Die Another Day Saturday 27 October, 20:00