Lani Lombard leaves a lasting legacy as M-Net's head of publicity exits after 25 years: Read the moving, touching and funny tributes.

by Thinus Ferreira

Say the name "Lani Lombard" and if you've worked in South African television or covered it as media over the course of the past quarter of a century, you know exactly who she is - the gatekeeper supremo and publicist to TV's biggest shows and stars who is exiting her apex position as publicist after 25 years at M-Net.

Lani Lombard started at M-Net in 1996 as scriptwriter in the marketing department. Remember the M-Net continuity presenters? She wrote what they told you. 

As the decades rolled by, first doing publicity for the myriad of M-Net's local shows of which Who Wants to be a Millionaire? was her first, then kykNET when that channel started to do its marketing and publicity, back to M-Net as publicity manager, then doing M-Net corporate communication as head of corporate communications, and eventually ascending to the pinnacle as head of publicity at M-Net, absolutely nobody's deep contact list, expansive industry relations, insider acumen or publicity star-making power even remotely compared to hers.

Lani Lombard has been the publicist in South Africa's television everybody working in PR aspired to be.

From her tour de force pitch-perfect press conferences, to her often-imitated but never equalled "Hollywood-in-SA" TV upfronts, press junkets and set visits, when it came to drumming up publicity for M-Net shows and stars, there has always been Lani Lombard - and then the rest.

South Africa's TV industry, the journalists and media covering it, and those who have worked with Lani Lombard over many, many years are weighing in with tributes:

MultiChoice
Since joining M-Net 25 years ago, Lani Lombard has worked tirelessly to ensure M-Net – which now broadcasts the best international and local content - is widely recognised as the most thrilling and informative channel on DStv. 

Her role has been pivotal to the channel’s growth and positioning amongst its audience. We thank Lani for her tireless efforts and commitment to M-Net and MultiChoice over the years. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Jan du Plessis, director: M-Net channels

Lani Lombard has been an integral part and driving force behind the M-Net Publicity machine.

Over the years she not only passionately protected the M-Net Brand, but was a shining example to the industry of the power of great, innovative and strategic publicity. 

She has also demonstrated great passion for our local productions, especially the Talent and is endeared in the hearts of many. Through her effortless work we all started to understand the true value of publicity’s contribution to the success of our content. I will personally miss her and wish her well.

Cathy Pinnock, CEO YIP Photography

Lani was our beacon of shining light at M-Net, I still remember the first time we met her, almost 20years ago in the first of her 25 offices in the Magic Centre building.

We had always worked on Idols and she had just come over from kykNET. She welcomed us with open arms and a big smile, after which followed many, many years of shows, interventions, syndications and fun times.

Lani Lombard is one of those people who everybody just lives. I'm sure her infectious laughter and incredible work ethic will be truly missed in the office. Lani, I have a feeling that you are going to be truly happy in the next phase of your life. Much gratitude for having had the opportunity to work with you for all of these years.

Lucia Poolman, tvplus editor

Lani Lombard leaving M-Net is a huge loss for the industry. I've worked with her for many years, and she's always been the perfect example of professionalism and elegance. Since my days as a young reporter at Beeld, she treated every media inquiry with the importance it needed. 

When I worked at Huisgenoot, we got to know each other very well when Nick Greyling, a SuperSport employee was kidnapped in Nigeria in 2010. 

Lani handled the complex situation expertly with the required sensitivity during my interview with his wife. Being editor of tvplus for the last couple of years, I’ve always known Lani Lombard was just a phone call away to clear up a situation or intervene when necessary. She was always on the ball and often pre-empted questions and avoided conflict. Her honesty was appreciated – something I will dearly miss.

I can speak for the whole team that we will remember her fondly, that she set the bar high and that we will always be grateful for her the way she conducted business.

Buhle Mbonambi, Independent Media Food & Drinks editor

Lani Lombard is an institution at M-Net. Few of us even know M-Net without her being part of the company. I guess we got a taste of it when she was on sabbatical a few years ago and it was rather strange. 
She has been a very impactful publicist and will go down in history as one of the best to do it in South Africa. 

I have been impressed by how professional she has always been. Whether it was the many on-set visits, media upfronts or just her sending a mail or a text to say thank you, she always made sure that she was professional and treated you with respect. 
Together with the team she worked with at M-Net, she has set the standard for TV publicity. I am confident that she leaves a very capable team of publicists who are already making sure that her legacy remains almost perfect. 
She will be missed. I personally am grateful for her years at M-Net and will forever treasure the working relationship we have built over the past decade.

Terence Pillay, TV & radio presenter Pillay Media

I met Lani Lombard under funny circumstances. I was writing a column for The Mercury in Durban and renamed an M-Net show, calling Project Fame, Project Shame, because I had such huge problems with the show.

“Get him up to a live show and let him experience it full-on,” she said to one of her minions. I was on the next flight out, and met her in person at the show, which I still ended up hating. But as they say, the rest is history. I was in awe of this woman who ran the publicity department at M-Net like a well-disciplined army!  

That was about 17 years ago. We bonded over all things television and she and I became not just work colleagues but really good friends. Soon after that meeting I began working on an M-Net show called Studio 53 and often saw Lani in the hallowed halls of M-Net. 

But I was also still writing and working on radio, so I would use these opportunities to pitch her exclusive interview ideas. It was a win-win. She would allow me room to conduct the interviews the way I wanted, but kept an eagle eye on it nonetheless.

Lani and I also travelled a lot on media trips, obviously with a media contingent, but she always managed to take care of each one like we were the only ones travelling together. This is why she so supremely good at her job. She understands the journalist as much as she does the importance of garnering good media and strikes a very genuine balance between the two. 

And of course she knows and  respects the deadline, which invariably saw us doing radio interviews while she was in a salon straightening her hair or at an airport racing to catch a connecting flight and once on a rickety bus hurtling down the streets of Lagos!

Lani is exceptional at what she does – and her job has not always been easy. She’s had to navigate some, let’s say, dubious, personalities in the media over the years, but always did it with such grace and professionalism.

I’m very sad that she will be leaving M-Net and I have to say, it’s going to be a huge loss. While they have some remarkable people in their publicity department, there can only be one Lani Lombard. I wish her colossal success in whatever she tackles next.

Yvonne Beyers, Huisgenoot editor

When I started working as a journalist one of the very first contact numbers I got and filed was the one of a certain Lani Lombard - then still the spokesperson for kykNET.

And what a wonderful contact and friend Lani became over all of the many years!

I once joked with her and said that when you'd call the M-Net office in the middle of the night, she would answer the landline - she was absolutely always busy with work, and so truly excited about the next big show or series. Lani talked about every new project like it's a great new adventure. She made it sound irresistible.

When I think of Lani, I think of the seriousness with which she listens, I think of her bright eyes, and I think of her specific laugh with which she would say: "I want to quickly tell you something else at M-Net, and it's very exciting".

I honestly wish her just the very best with whatever she does next and I know that as with everything she sets her mind to, it will be a great, big new adventure.

Louise MacAuliffe, multimedia videographer

I met Lani Lombard over a decade ago and my life has never been the same since. What an incredible woman. 

People talk about dynamite coming in small packages - well Lani explodes with that same amount of force, energy and enthusiasm, with regards to absolutely everything that she does. 

One of my high lights of spending time with her, was when we travelled to Survivor SA island, when it was being filmed in the Maldives. I was part of a group of journalists who were going to get to discover the true struggle of what it is like to survive there. It was truly incredible and quite funny too, as the journalists, besides one other and myself, all wanted to go home after just one night on the island. 

Lani has always been very gracious and just makes everyone around her feel very comfortable. She had her serious moments too when she had to pull in the reigns - always keeping it professional. 

It is hard to believe that she will not be around anymore when we are invited to activations regarding the future programming at M-Net. 

One thing I do know is that I definitely want to find a way to stay in touch with her. Lani will always be someone that I will go out of my way for. She never deserves to be let down. She formed many great friendships with many journalists in the time that I have known her - I hope that I hold a special place in her life, just like she does in my heart. 

Donald Clarke, director and showrunner

I first worked with Lani Lombard on the very first series of Survivor South Africa. 

We were out in the middle of nowhere, Panama to be exact, and she was very much out of her comfort zone but I soon realised that Lani was incredibly resilient. 

As a young director, I quickly learned to trust Lani's intuition about the audience, she knew the M-Net audience inside out and became really important in checking whether the editorial decisions were made were the right ones.

Since then I have come to have massive admiration for Lani and any cursory glance at her black book of media contacts would show that she is a formidable publicist. 

Lani Lombard knew every journalist by name, she knew where they came from and she knew exactly what they needed for their publications. And she managed to hang on to these relationships in a way that developed fierce loyalty from them and with everyone she worked with. 

Her press events and launches were clever, effective and fun. We're about to head into the next season of The Bachelorette SA and I shudder to think of doing it without Lani!

Barbara Hollands, journalist

I got to know Lani Lombard when she worked for kykNET many years ago and I was a TV writer for the Daily Dispatch.

Right from the start, I was drawn to not only to her extraordinary professionalism, creativity and helpfulness, but also her lovely friendly nature and lack of pretension, all of which reeled me in to become a devoted Lani fan.

Lani Lombard dealt with so many TV journalists over the years and made us all feel we were her favourite! But it was just that unique Lani magic casting it's spell on us. 

She is shy yet outgoing, confident yet vulnerable and these characteristics draw people to her - from the lowly journo to the smooth-talking TV star and cutting edge producer.

I have shared so many unforgettable M-Net moments thanks to Lani and her team. She is the ultimate publicist. I have never met another like her. I am so sorry to see you go, dear Lani. Whatever you do next will be injected with your magic.

MultiChoice marks another big South African television first as M-Net becomes the country's first TV channel to do an entirely online media screening and press conference for a local show as the second season of The Bachelor SA ends.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net made more South African television history on Thursday night, 28 May 2020, when the M-Net channel on DStv became the first-ever South African TV channel to do a fully virtual media event and press conference for a local TV production as the premium-positioned pay-TV channel brought the second season of The Bachelor South Africa to a close.

Thursday night's truly massive online media gathering - held on Zoom and organised by M-Net's veteran head of publicity, Lani Lombard - successfully brought together dozens of journalists representing South Africa's national entertainment media spanning newspapers, magazines, radio and online (including a journalist currently residing in Thailand).

It also included high-ranking M-Net executives, Rapid Blue producers, sponsors, and several MultiChoice and M-Net staffers.

M-Net's comprehensive webinar-styled press event for The Bachelor South Africa included all the top M-Net programming, scheduling and content executives including Jan du Plessis (M-Net channels director), Kaye Ann Williams (M-Net senior manager for commissioned content), Terja Beney (commissioning editor) and Tracy-Ann Van Rooyen (M-Net senior manager for content acquisition and scheduling).

Also included in the Zoom media get-together were The Bachelor SA's Rapid Blue executive producers Kee-Leen Irvine and Donald Clarke, as well as The Bachelor SA series director Nick Archer.

Some global TV channels and international streaming services have been doing a few carousel-interviews with selected on-screen talent as part of online-shifted press junkets for some foreign series, films and TV specials the past two months using Zoom and Google Meet after their publicity plans had to be retooled because of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

None of these have however gone as far as M-Net (DStv 101) that on Thursday night broke new ground into a brave new online world and earned another footnote in South African television history.

M-Net became the first-ever South African TV channel to do a pre-event online party (complete with DJ Louis playing music), an in-app content screening of an entire hourlong episode and viewing party, followed by an entirely virtually held post-show press conference with the media for a locally-produced South African series.

It's an achievement and big-idea publicity initiative that not even a video streamer like Netflix South Africa was able to pull off or apparently even wanted to try and muster for some of its recently released new local South African fare.

Before Thursday night's web engagement M-Net earlier this week couriered an M-Net embroidered fleece gown, socks, hot chocolate and a box of chocolate nougat biscuits as part of a press drop to the media spread out across South Africa including Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

This happened as journalists and editors received a successive series of recorded, instructional and entertaining video messages on their cellphones over days from The Bachelor SA host Jason Greer with step-by-step instructions on what to do next and how to prepare for the Zoom media event.

Multiple media members on Thursday night appeared in their blocks on the Zoom meeting video grid wearing their M-Net gowns.

They first mingled and chatted online, and then watched the second season finale of The Bachelor SA that was shown on one of the feeds inside the Zoom meeting at the same time as the linear broadcast of the show's final episode went out on the M-Net (DStv 101) channel.

That was followed with a post-show, in-Zoom press briefing where M-Net executives, The Bachelor SA director and producers, and Marc Buckner and Marisia van Wyk, took various questions from the media.

As if the M-Net online media event exercise wasn't already impressive enough, M-Net further stacked the press engagement with a highly-valuable and informative content presentation done by Tracy-Ann Van Rooyen highlighting the new upcoming international content coming to the M-Net channel.

More impressive than the well-executed and engaging pre-event online Q&A between Jason Greer and Lani Lombard done from a special Linden studio, and more impressive than the real-world and virtual world logistics and organising that went into the media meeting was that it lasted for 3 and a half hours.

It's extremely impressive when taking into account that the bulk of the signed-up South African media not only chose to stay online, but also remained interested in M-Net and the channel's content and its presentation, and were highly engaged for all of it for the entire multi-hour time.


ALO READ: Marc Buckner chooses shy Marisia, slips a 'forever baby girl'-engraved ring on her finger in the second season finale of The Bachelor SA as M-Net makes South African television history with a virtual video post-show press briefing.
ALSO READ: From ladies living in lockdown to Zoom etiquette tutorials: The behind-the-scenes secrets of putting this week's second season finale of The Bachelor SA on M-Net together.
ALSO READ: Season 2 of The Bachelor SA on M-Net to end with unique remote video conclusion followed by a special M-Net online pyjama reunion episode. 

Season 2 of The Bachelor SA to end with unique remote video conclusion followed by a special M-Net online pyjama reunion episode.

by Thinus Ferreira

The second season "Women Tell All" episode and finale of The Bachelor South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101) will take the form of a world-first, uniquely done remote video ending, followed by a "Pyjama Afterparty" online streaming webisode but won't include all of the women.

On Thursday evening the second season finale of The Bachelor SA - where Marc Buckner may or may not choose a woman to get engaged to and produced by Rapid Blue - will come to an end but due to the Covid-19 national lockdown period the in-studio done "tell-all" episode as a reunion with all of the women, and the live-to-tape studio recording of the finale had to be reconceived.

It will now play out as a remote-filmed ending, followed by an online reunion episode that will be shown on M-Net's website.

On Thursday evening viewers will find out whether Marc Buckner has chosen the shy speech therapist Marisia, or the extrovert Bridget in the second South African end of the popular local adaptation of the Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) format.

Will Marc go down on a bended knee to propose after the first season of The Bachelor SA ended with all love lost?

"To keep our cast and crew safe and adhere to lockdown restrictions around travel and social gatherings, we had to turn to technology to bring back the ladies and ensure a fitting finale to a riveting season," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

This will result in a 60-minute lockdown episode on Thursday that will integrate - as a world-first for the format - the last day at Kapama with Zoom calls during which some of the ladies share their thoughts about life in the mansion, Marc, and the love journeys of Bridget and Marisia.

At the end of the episode, The Bachelor SA viewers will also see what happened "after the final rose".

After the end credits roll on Thursday, viewers will be invited to the a unique and quirky The Bachelor SA Pyjama Afterparty on the M-Net website.

This is where the ladies will get the opportunity to grill Marc about his decisions and their departures, and clear the air around some of the drama in the mansion.

This online webisode will include Zoom group calls, as well as individual video sessions from the women's homes. Viewers will get to see how lockdown has been treating them and if they have perhaps found another love interest after leaving the show.

Some of the clips that will feature during The Bachelor SA Pyjama Afterparty on Thursday 28 May will include Bridget, Nolo, Pasha and Andeline (talking about their relationships in the mansion), Qiniso, Daniella, Silke, and Stefanie (sharing some behind-the-scenes moments not seen on screen), and Marc (answers questions from Gillian, Rikki, Pasha, Jess C, Andeline, and Silke).

Also included are host Jason Greer and Marc getting real as they reflect on the season and find out whether Marc would change anything. Xia, Greta, Pi, Tamryn, Michaela, Mulesa and Parushka will share where they are now and reflect on their experiences from this season.

Then some of the women and Marc will respond to some spicy social media commentary they've received from viewers.

ALSO READ: From ladies living in lockdown to Zoom etiquette tutorials: The behind-the-scenes secrets of putting this week's second season finale of The Bachelor SA on M-Net together.

From a new mansion to simplified dates M-Net and Rapid Blue are implementing some behind-the-scenes production changes to improve the second season of The Bachelor SA.

Besides a new "hot guy" in the shape of Marc Buckner, some significant changes are coming production-wise behind-the-scenes that have been ordered by M-Net to improve the second season of The Bachelor South Africa.

TVwithThinus has learnt that the Rapid Blue produced dating reality show is making some fundamental production changes to try and make Cupid's arrows hopefully find their targets better and coming after the first season on M-Net (DStv 101) ended on a disappointing note when Lee Thompson's relationship was revealed to have fizzled out during the first season finale.

The Bachelor SA, a local version of the dating show format of Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP), is implementing various production changes to try and make love blossom better the second time around.

Marc Buckner will get more actual off-camera time for "dating" on the show to get to know the various women he will meet better. The casting process has also been made even more stringent to weed out fame-seeking women more interested in being on television than finding love.

In addition, one-on-one dates will be simplified and toned down production and filming wise to allow more time spent on the actual date and less time on camera and scene set-up, and there will also be a new mansion used when filming starts in October.

"For us it is really important to make sure that we create that environment where the bachelor and the woman that he is dating are in a 'bubble' - that they get enough time to spend together without any influences; and secondly that there's enough time to really get to know each other," says Jan du Plessis, director of M-Net channels.

" So that's the first thing that we're most definitely doing. And then the other thing is that I had a list of probably 80 or so activities and dates that we were choosing from."

"The moment that Marc signed on the dotted line, we are busy adapting all of those dates and events to suit Marc's personality and interests, so that they can actually go hiking and jogging and do all sorts of outdoors activities with the ladies to see that natural sort of chemistry develop."

"The most important change was the time."

Kaye-Ann, M-Net's head of local content and independent films, says "if you remember Lee Thompson's date with Edith that started off at the top of a hill, and then the next thing was a strawberry farm and then they had a picnic after they picked the strawberries".

"Those three things that happened cost us three different movements and set-ups and location shifts and camera set-ups. It was just too much. There was too little time for them to get to know each other and too much time spent logistically."

"So what we've decided to do is to simplify - whatever it is. There needs to be one set-up, there needs to be one simple movement, unit movement, so that Marc Buckner and the date he is with can actually get to know each other and actually spend time together because all those set-ups cost a lot of time. So those are some of the lessons we've learnt from the first season."

TVwithThinus asked whether the same Sandhurst-set mansion, located in an ultra-affluent residential area in Sandton, Johannesburg, and the wealthiest suburb in the country, will be used again. "No, it won't be the same mansion," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

"We never told anybody last year where the mansion was, for very good reasons. It's going to be a new mansion this year and again, you won't know where exactly the mansion is. Because you can just imagine, that if people were to know where the mansion is, how they will hang around in the streets."

"We remember from the very first season of Big Brother SA and the Big Brother house, people were in the streets, neighbours complained, and people came to try and see what's going on and what the housemates were doing. If they're to know where the mansion is, it would be madness. So we're keeping the mansion a secret and for the second season it's a different one."

The second season of The Bachelor SA won't start on Valentines Day on 14 February again but is likely to start on M-Net sometime in February 2020 and M-Net will make the season premiere episode once again available on YouTube for a limited time as free-to-view.

HBO's controversial '30 dicks' drama, Euphoria, the first show that MultiChoice will only have on Showmax and not on M-Net, insiders say.

HBO's full-frontal, penis-packed and pornographic Euphoria drama series will apparently be the first show - from both HBO, but also in terms of broader acquisition strategy - that MultiChoice will only make available on its Showmax video streaming service and not on M-Net (DStv 101), according to insiders.

According to MultiChoice insiders who spoke anonymously since they're not authorised to speak about it officially, changes have been implemented to the acquisition and "bucket" allocation strategy of where which shows go, especially regarding "dual-play" programmes from HBO and other content providers that had a window on both Showmax as the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service from MultiChoice's Connected Video division, and its linear in-house pay-TV channels group, M-Net.

According to insiders who spoke to TVwithThinus in June, changes in acquisition and "scheduling" strategy will see certain shows that used to be on both M-Net (DStv 101) and Showmax in future reside on only one of these "starting with Euphoria as the first".

Since 25 June TVwithThinus have been asking both Showmax and M-Net for guidance as to the right person within the MultiChoice/M-Net/Showmax trifecta who is knowledgeable about the allocation and acquisition strategy overall and who can talk about it.

Showmax and M-Net were asked about the apparent change to certain TV series that will from now on only be placed on one platform - either Showmax or M-Net, and for clarity about the shift. Answers were also sought as to the reasoning behind what is placed or allocated where, and why the decision was made to have some shows on only one platform going forward.

Neither Showmax's head of communications, Richard Boorman, nor M-Net's head of publicity, Lani Lombard - who were both asked for help - responded with any answers to the media enquiry, background about what was asked, or who to talk to.

To try and lift Showmax subscriber numbers and usage volume as it tries to compete with Netflix South Africa, insiders say MultiChoice over the past two years allowed and in fact actively pushed and sanctioned the "cannibalisation" of premium international content  - programmes that used to be allocated to M-Net exclusively before.

While MultiChoice and M-Net as part of a unique selling proposition to DStv subscribers previously still touted M-Net as the "exclusive home of HBO", that brand proposition was blatantly blown up and had to be discarded when MultiChoice bosses shortly after the arrival of Showmax ordered M-Net placed shows - especially from HBO, but also others - to be "given"to and shared with Showmax.

Adding insult to brand dilution injury, M-Net has not only seen it having to "share" HBO shows, but having more and more new shows, as well as new seasons of shows made available on Showmax ahead of their linear debut dates on M-Net.

Not only has M-Net been quietly forced to slink away from the "exclusive home of HBO" moniker, but also had to see shows from HBO and others ranging from Succession to Marvel's Runaways, Billions, Condor and many  more become available on Showmax first.

In the case of Game of Thrones, MultiChoice has gone as far as to sign off on the simultaneous roll-out on M-Net and Showmax, damaging the M-Net brand as a channel that used to offer exclusive international content, in an attempt to leverage buzz around the international TV asset to lift Showmax streaming viewership at the expense of M-Net ratings.

Now Euphoria - with actor Eric Dane doing a full-frontal, stiff penis and statutory rape scene in the first episode of the lurid show, followed by 30 boys' penises in the second and scenes of masturbation, drug use and violence in others - will apparently be the first show that will "just" reside on Showmax, and not later on M-Net as well.

Insiders said the decision over Euphoria - publicised as a "first on Showmax" although it will actually be a "Showmax only" series - dove-tailed with concerns and executives' reservations about the degree to which South African DStv subscribers would have a negative reaction to the nihilistic youth drama and its pornographic depictions of gratuitous nudity, violence, sex scenes, drug use, abuse and sexual abuse.

Without help from Showmax and M-Net is not yet clear which shows like Euphoria will be(come) "Showmax-only" series and which shows will be "M-Net -only" series and how those decisions are and will now be made.

"From now on some [shows] will be for them [Showmax], and some will be for them [M-Net], and to each his own," said an insider.

6 things we've learned about The Voice SA from M-Net's press conference after the third season finalé.

Following the winner moment on Sunday night when Tasché Burger (19) from Brackenfell in Cape Town was announced as the winner of the third season of The Voice South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101). the channel had a press conference with her, M-Net executives and the show's director.

Here are 6 things we learned in response to their answers to the media's questions:


1. The difference between votes and why it's important to vote
M-Net says almost 10 million votes during the course of this season and that voting results were independently computed by Deloitte and Touche. TVwithThinus asked how close the difference was between the top vote-getters and how important it really is for DStv subscribers to vote.

"Tasché has been a firm favourite since the start of the voting process, from the point past the coaches' stage. But I can say of the top 2 runners-up, between Siki Jo-An and Soné that is was very close," said Kaye-Ann Williams, the head of local content and independent films for M-Net channels.

"People who vote make a massive difference. It's so important to vote, it's so important to encourage people to engage and to participate and that if they love someone to express it through voting for them. So absolutely, yes."

2. Tasché Burger feels amazing - and missed home
Winner Tasché Burger (19) from Brackenfell was asked how she feels. "I feel amazing. I'm so thankful. I came here for a platform and then I did it and it's crazy. I don't know quite how to feel but it's amazing."

She said that in 5 years time "I'd like to be a great artist and bring a bit of difference in the industry. I just want to sing".

She said she would like to sing with Afrikaans songs "because that's my home language, I feel comfortable in Afrikaans. But I don't care - wherever there's a song that I connect with, however a song makes me feel, I will sing it - Afrikaans and English. Genre-wise I think country-rock".

She said that the hardest part was being away from home. "We've been here for 2 months already and we miss home. I miss my braai. I miss my mense (people). But it's all worth it, and I can't wait to go home."


3. Coach Francois van Coke's spirit animal
Francois van Coke, who is the successful coach behind Tasché, was asked how he feels."I'm not the winner,  Tasché's the winner. I'm just so happy that I could be a part of her journey. She picked me during the blind auditions, she could have picked anyone."

"I think if she picked anyone, they would have been the winner as well. I'm just happy that I'm involved in her journey; and I want to be involved moving forward as well."

He called Tasché his "spirit animal".

4. A season 4?
"It's too soon to tell if we're going to do a season 4 of The Voice South Africa but I do want to say that as M-Net we are exceptionally proud of this production team," said Kaye-Ann Williams.

"When we started this journey it was a year and a half before we even had a discussion with a coach and we put together a team of some of our favourite producers and that was Darren Hayward, who is the director; and James who is music director; and then we brought in Ady at Blackswanmedia. And it became a happy marriage".

"And I want to say on behalf of M-Net we are extremely proud of what you guys have achieved; we asked a lot of you, and I have to say that any time I've worked with Ady or Darren or Bruce or anyone else on the team it has been very collaborative."

"So, nothing on the card yet but I want to say thank you, we are very, very proud of you guys. And I want to say thank you very much to the coaches. It was an incredible journey."

"You were extremely committed, always giving your time, always attending rehearsals, always invested in your talent. And even when it's not your talent being invested in their success. I want to say thank you for your commitment and for your creativity, and thank you for your time."


5. Lira's favourite season so far
"It really was my favourite season so far," said Lira about the just-concluded third season. "I just think everything was epic, was big, was better."

"The energy, the collaboration - it was just a powerful experience for me in every way. It was the first time that we had a female top 3. And I just want to say kudos to M-Net because you can see through the reflection of the results that The Voice SA was more inclusive."

"It's the first time that someone like Siki made it so far in the competition, and it makes me so proud to be South African. I just felt it was so inclusive, that people are so invested; everybody was watching, so I'm just proud in every way."


6. M-Net improving duty of care of reality contestants
"I think through the years we have learned a lot, we've done quite a lot of reality shows, and hopefully we just get better and better every year in trying to life-coach and to provide support for the contestants," said Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

"The beauty of a show like The Voice South Africa is that the talent have the coaches to guide them. They have the co-coaches as well - they connect with them. They're able to go backstage and meet all of the musicians, so they have quite a big support system. Darren Hayward as the director as well."

"We have learned a lot from the beginning."

Kaye-Ann Williams said that "there is a proper mentorship that happens. So they're not just left to their own devices to figure things out on their own. In the last 3 years, and I've been past of this team, we've grown a lot in terms of what we call "duty of care" towards our participants and our reality shows.

"Jan du Plessis, M-Net channels director, makes a concerted effort to meet with every single person who gets eliminated to make sure that they go through Lani's publicity team, we have proper psychologists, so we make sure that whoever is part of our reality slate understands that they will always be part of the M-Net brand, that they will always have our support, whatever they decide to do."


ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. How M-Net's The Voice SA director Darren Hayward once again pushed further in the 3rd season to create true TV pearl spectaculars - an appreciation.
ALSO READ: Tasché Burger from Brackenfell in Cape Town wins the 3rd season of The Voice South Africa on M-Net.

THE LAST (PLASTIC) STRAW. Africa's premium TV content providers - BBC, M-Net and FOX - now putting their event spend and influence where their mouths are as they lead the charge in getting rid of plastic straws.

A small yet important detail noticed by the well-heeled pitching up at the media events of  South Africa and Africa's most premium TV content providers is how FOX Africa, M-Net and BBC Studios Africa are suddenly leading the charge of getting rid of plastic straws.

All of them, in the span of two months have visibly dumped plastic straws replacing them with paper straws and are forming the vanguard in South Africa's broadcasting industry of putting their money where their mouths are: Still entertaining guests with drinks but banishing the plastic.

South Africa's blue chip pay-TV broadcasters have quickly joined companies like mass market retailers Woolworths and Pick n Pay on an aggressive drive to cut down on wasteful plastics - especially plastic straws - along with Tsogo Sun that has instituted a plastic straw ban at 100 of its hotels, along with Ocean Basket restaurant.

It signifies a rapidly growing and seismic shift in the southern most tip of Africa around how the corporate thinking about plastic straws are changing.

While the efforts that these broadcasters are making likely won't even be listed as part of their dedicated "corporate social responsibility" projects, their collective move to be visibly more environmentally responsible has the potential to ripple outwards into the consumer market with marked impact.

While BBC Studios Africa, FOX Africa and M-Net continue to host the who's who in the media and press circles, alongside advertisers and producers, social media stars and TV critics, including celebrities and TV talent at their events, they are clearly directing their budgeted event spend away from plastic straws to paper ones.

The result is that the targeted high-profile influencers invited to these events have the collective power to rapidly help reshape South African and African consumers' thinking about the need to reduce plastic waste and how ditching plastic straws for paper ones can make a massive environmental change.

In August FOX Networks Group Africa, that runs the National Geographic channels on DStv, StarSat and Cell C black, held its swanky annual upfront at the 54 on Bath Hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

Plastic straws were suddenly gone, while guests went home with a special metal straw as part of the goodie bag.

Khosi Khanyile, FOX Networks Group Africa marketing director, told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry about the straws that on World Oceans Day, 8 June 2018, National Geographic started a campaign of raising awareness around single use plastics and the damage done to the oceans.

"We encourage people from all walks of life to reduce single use plastics. As FOX Networks Group Africa, we have committed to eliminating single use plastic in the office and in all our events."

"We have even rallied the support of restaurants in and around our office block to curb the use of single use plastic and many have joined. We also run a recycling drive in the office and on 28 September, did a clean-up of the banks of the Klein Jukskei river in Johannesburg – paying particular attention to picking up plastic."

On 7 October at the live viewing party and after-party of the second season My Kitchen SA finale, M-Net (DStv 101) also suddenly did away with plastic straws, replacing them with paper straws at the event for media, producers, TV talent and advertisers held at the MultiChoice City headquarters in Randburg.

"This season of My Kitchen Rules South Africa focused on South African cuisine and conscious cooking. There was even a challenge during which the contestants were tasked to prepare scrumptious dishes with limited water supply and were penalised for food wastage," Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry about the straws.

"When we do events our very experienced and fabulous events team always makes sure that the event matches the values and content of the show."

"Therefore, it made perfect sense for us to use environmentally-friendly straws for this event. By the same token, it's also important for us to show with all our events that we are responsible corporate citizens and wherever necessary we would like to use less plastic or materials that are not friendly to the environment."

Just days later, on Wednesday 10 October, plastic straws were conspicuously absent at BBC Studios Africa's latest BBC Africa Summer Upfront 2018 where guests mingled at the sprawling green lawns at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

The brightly coloured green and blue paper straws were instantly visible.

BBC Africa's PR agency, Atmosphere, when also asked about the switch from pastic to paper straws, referred TVwithThinus to a statement from earlier this year the BBC in the United Kingdom issued, headlined "BBC to ban single-use plastic", announcing the British public broadcaster's plan to remove single-use plastic from its operations by 2020.

"We aim to be free of single-use plastic across the BBC by 2020. Discussions will take place over the coming months with current suppliers and services to assess when further changes can be introduced, cutting the amount of single-use plastic in other parts of our operations such as coffee cups, packaging of products we buy and catering on location," the BBC said.

"Blue Planet II attracted global attention in highlighting the long-term, damaging impact single-use plastic is having on the world's oceans and environment."

Tony Hall, the BBC director-general, said "Like millions of people watching Blue Planet II, I was was shocked to see the avoidable waste and harm created by single-use plastic. We all need to do our bit to tackle this problem and I want the BBC to lead the way."

"Scrapping throwaway plastic cups and cutlery is the first step, and with our plan I hope we can have a BBC free of single-use plastic altogether."

Survivor South Africa's first-ever Cape Town finale for Survivor SA: Philippines on M-Net will be done from Silverline Studios with parts of the set shipped home - and new surprises.

The 6th season's 2-hour finale of Survivor South Africa: Philippines on M-Net (DStv 101) will end on Thursday 16 August with host Nico Panagio revealing the winner and final vote tally in a live broadcast that will take place in front of a live studio audience done for the first time from Cape Town and that promises some new surprises.

The previous 5 seasons of Survivor South Africa on M-Net, all had final episodes done from Johannesburg, South Africa but Afrokaans, the production company that took over from this season, decided to move the cast reunion and big winner reveal to the Mother City.

TVwithThinus can reveal that the Survivor South Africa: Phillipines season finale will take place at the Silverline Studios in De Waterkant, Cape Town.

Lani Lombard, head of M-Net publicity, told TVwithThinus that Cape Town's notorious and notoriously fickle and fast-changing weather won't be a problem.

"We considered several venues around the country for the final and the Silverline Studios met all our requirements."

"This season has also become known for its twists and turns and building on this trend, this is the first time that a Survivor South Africa final will be held in Cape Town."

The exclusive guest list to fill the Survivor South Africa live studio audience will include the clean-scrubbed Survivor SA castaways, the media and sponsors, as well as celebrities who are fans of the show.

Fans of Survivor South Africa: Philippines haven't been forgotten with viewers who want to get access to the event and attend the finale who can win tickets on the Cape Union Mart and Huawei social media platforms.

As to what part of the special 2-hour Survivor SA: Philippines broadcast will be a live broadcast, Lani Lombard says that during the first hour viewers will see how the last two days played out on the Survivor island in the Philippines that were filmed a few months ago earlier this year for 39 days around El Nido, Palawan.

Thereafter the action will move to the Silverline Studios in the V&A Waterfront precinct, used by several American TV shows and films shooting in South Africa, for the winner announcement and the reunion show.

"There will also be prize handovers and a couple of surprises. We're not saying exactly when the winner will be announced," says Lani Lombard.

And where has the votes been kept since the island voting? "The votes that were cast at the final Survivor SA: Phillipines tribal council have been in executive producer Handrie Basson's possession from the second that host Nico Panagio walked off the set with the urn," says Lani Lombard.

"He has kept them under lock-and-key at an undisclosed location and they will only surface again when Nico opens the urn and reads them out to the castaways on 16 August."


Showstopper set, new surprises
Asked what production wise might be different in and during this season finale, Afrokaans' Handrie Basson, executive producer, tells TVwithThinus that "we had some of our set elements shipped from the Philippines and it docked in Cape Town harbour, close to the studio".

"It allows us to use more elements from the island in the overall set build of the Survivor SA: Phillipines live finale broadcast."

"The outside broadcast (OB) set-up and technical specifications will be similar to M-Net's other live broadcasts. Our Cape Town studio allows for a big studio audience, plus the scope to create a showstopper set, playing homage to our Philippines set."

While previous Survivor SA finales literally shipped in sand to the soundstage, Afrokaans is promising some new surprises to close the latest season.

"We will be crossing back to the island for the final two days - day 38 and day 39 - during the live broadcast to watch these events unfold," says Handrie Basson. "These pre-recorded inserts will live side-by-side with live crossings from the Cape Town studio."

"Our art department is recreating some elements from our iconic set from the Philippines that will feel familiar to what viewers saw on the island, as well as some pieces from the actual set that was shipped back to South Africa."

"The studio set will look and feel familiar to viewers, but with tweaks to maximise the experience for both the studio audience and the viewers at home."

The 2-hour finale of Survivor SA: Philippines will start on M-Net (DStv 101) on Thursday, 16 August at 19:00 until 21:00.

M-Net launching the M-Net Movies Marvel Studios pop-up channel from 13 April for DStv Premium subscribers showing 15 Marvel action hero films as well as documentaries and extras.

M-Net's M-Net Movies channel division is creating another pop-up channel, this time a M-Net Movies Marvel Studios pop-up channel that will run for 10 days in April for DStv Premium subscribers.

The M-Net Movies Marvel Studios pop-up channel will start on Friday 13 April on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on DStv channel 109, and will run until Sunday 22 April, showing 15 Marvel action hero films and some other content, in the lead-up to Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War movie being released in cinemas.

The M-Net Movies Marvel Studios pop-up channel will run from 06:00 to midnight daily.

Each day of the week a film from the Marvel action hero franchise, which has overlapping storylines, will be shown in chronological order. 

Starting with 2008’s Iron Man, DStv subscribers can revisit the stories of the heroes all the way through to Spider-Man: Homecoming, which will close the channel on Sunday 22 April.

"This channel is a special treat for the legions of Marvel fans - both old and new - who have enjoyed the live-action exploits of favourite Marvel Superheroes in films that express the unique vision and creativity of their filmmakers, and deliver thrilling action and visual spectacles with relatable characters," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

"The timing of our M-Net Movies Marvels Studios pop-up channel is also absolutely perfect with the franchise currently creating an incredible buzz worldwide."  

The release of the recent Black Panther became the biggest film of all time in East, West and South Africa, showing that Marvel Studios is at the forefront of the comic-book-turned-action-pop-culture phenomenon. 

While the M-Net Movies Marvel pop-up channel will give DStv viewers the opportunity to enjoy more gems of the franchise, which has been ten years in the making, it also serves as a lead-up to the new Avengers: Infinity War which hits South African cinemas on Friday 27 April 2018.

On top of the 15 feature films there will also be programming linked to the behind the scenes of the movies, such as: United We Stand, Divided We Fall; The Making of Captain America: Civil War; Guide to The Galaxy with James Gunn and more. 

Additionally, avid fans of the blockbuster franchise will be treated to a range of documentaries offering incredible insight into the history of Marvel. 

These include: Marvel 75 Years From Pulp to Pop; From Asgard To Earth (Thor); Marvel's Captain America: 75 Heroic Years; Ultimate Iron Man: The Making of Iron Man 2 Rebuilding the Suit, and Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe.

The 15 Marvel Studios blockbusters on the M-Net Movies Marvel Studios pop-up channel are:

Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Thor (2011)

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Ant-Man (2015)

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Doctor Strange (2016)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

M-Net reveals the Asia Pacific archipelago of the Philippines as the exotic setting for 6th season of Survivor South Africa; will start on 3 May as longest season yet, lasting 39 days.

The 6th season of Survivor South Africa starting on 3 May on M-Net (DStv 101) will be set in the Asia Pacific paradise of the Philippines archipelago and will be known as Survivor SA: Philippines as tribes of ordinary South Africans from all walks of life battle it out to outwit, outplay and outlast each other in the azure blue seas of this exotic locale in the longest season yet.

Filming started in January on Survivor South Africa: Philippines, with the latest season of the popular format reality show, this time produced by Afrokaans, that will be making its debut on M-Net from Thursday 3 May at 19:00.

Once the show starts, TVwithThinus that had the chance to be on location and visit behind the scenes during the filming of the show's new season, will bring readers more of not just the daunting challenges that faces the contestants, but also the production - with an amazing array of twists and turns awaiting viewers in the new season.

American, French and Israeli versions of Survivor have already been filmed in and around islands of the Philippines before with the beautiful and far-flung archipelago that boats some of the world's top-ranking beaches and is known for being a tropical paradise - home to exotic creepy crawlies living in its dense forests, as well as incredible marine life inhabiting its azure oceans.

The South African Survivor SA castaways will be exposed to the beauty of thousands of islands connected by Pacific waters, each one home to these distinct forests and bays which are teeming with indigenous wildlife, both beautiful and dangerous.

"The location of every Survivor series is a crucial part of the show," says Lani Lombard, M-Net’s head of publicity. 

"It stands alongside the castaways as a silent character in its own right – providing the stunning and punishing backdrop against which all of the triumphs and betrayals of this strategically gruelling game play out."

TVwithThinus can exclusively reveal that filming on Survivor SA started at the beginning of January and will finish towards the end of February with contestants who once again had to secretly slip out of South Africa - not knowing how long they might stay in the game and for how long they will be away for.

TVwithThinus can reveal that all of the sound equipment were brought in from America, all of the camera gear was air-freighted in from South Africa to the Philippines in December 2017 and that the show's art department who build all of the challenges and the tribal council area have been in the Philippines since November 2017, preparing all of the builds required for the show.

TVwithThinus can also reveal that Survivor SA: Phillipines will be the longest season yet - stretching a full 39 days.

"The show is longer in duration than any previous Survivor SA season," says Afrokaans. 

"This time filming is taking place over 39 days as opposed to the 27 from the previous seasons. We have crew members who have worked on all 6 seasons of Survivor SA as well as crew members - South African and Philippino - who have worked on numerous seasons of the American Survivor series."

"We have assembled some of the best in the industry to create this show to the highest production value."

M-Net replacing Ellen with James Corden; Ellen moving to VUZU on DStv as the British talk show host takes the 5pm slot.

M-Net is replacing Ellen DeGeneres in the pay-TV broadcaster's late afternoon timeslot with James Corden.

After several years on M-Net (DStv 101), Ellen will start on VUZU (DStv 116) on Monday 11 September, with The Late Late Show with James Corden that will start in Ellen's place on the M-Net channel on 18 September in the 17:00 timeslot.

M-Net gave no reason for moving Ellen away, although the channel did the same with fellow talk show The Talk a few years ago that was shipped from M-Net to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161).

The Late Late Show with James Corden was previously exclusively available on Naspers' subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service Showmax, but since his pop culture success with his "carpool karaoke" James Corden has seen a dramatic rise in his showbiz profile worldwide.

"Don't be misled by the words 'Late Late' in the show's title," says Lani Lombard, M-Net head of publicity.

"Even though the programme is broadcast late in the evening in the United States, it's the perfect entertainment to put you in a good mood for the bumper prime-time offering each night."

"M-Net continues to bring you the very best entertainment from around the globe and we're thrilled to add this trendy programme to our schedule."

Like Ellen, the British James Corden's couch is filled with American entertainers, performers, singers, film stars and artists, and like Ellen he often sings along with them.

M-Net has been showing reruns of the 14th season of Ellen, with the 15th season of Ellen that will start in America on Tuesday 5 September and is the season that will show on VUZU.

It's not clear what season of The Late Late Show with James Corden will be on M-Net, although it will likely be the new third season starting in America on Tuesday 5 September.

M-Net recalls ousted The Voice South Africa contestants as a voting fiasco once again engulfs the reality singing show.

M-Net's The Voice South Africa reality singing show is recalling the last two ditched contestants back for Sunday's episode and also won't be voting any contestant out this coming Sunday after yet another voting fiasco has derailed the carefully planned structure of the pay-TV broadcaster's second season.

In the third voting misfire to hit and negatively impact the South African version of the African Media & Production Network (AMPN) produced show based on the international Talpa format - two during the fateful first season and now also marring the second season - M-Net has been forced to halt this week's voting.

Hours before Tuesday night's 22:00 cut off, M-Net abruptly scuppered the viewer voting for this week and decided to disregard hundreds of thousands of viewers votes due to irregularities regarding alleged paid-for marketing votes that could potentially skew the results.

Not only did M-Net discover that the paid for social media posting from some of the contestants' personal social media accounts could affect who gets jettisoned this week, but that it also stretches back and impacts the past two weeks' results.

Voting for The Voice South Africa can only be done through SMS - limited to 100 votes per user - and WeChat - also limited to 100 votes per user.

At the moment M-Net (DStv 101) and AMPN - that is also concurrently producing a second season of The Voice Nigeria done in South Africa's Sasani Studios - isn't planning to push out the live second season finale of the South Africa show set for 9 July that would be more fair for the remaining contestants, rather opting for a jumble-filled finale with a bumper line-up of contestants.

M-Net is inviting the booted contestants Luke Lovemore and PJ Pretorius back who must still indicate in writing if they want to return to The Voice SA for Sunday's live show in which nobody will leave.  

The remaining five The Voice South Africa contestants will perform, along with Luke Lovemore and PJ Pretorius if one or both opt to return.

After carefully working to steer clear of the voting problems of the first season of The Voice SA that first saw 8 000 SMS votes not delivered in time and counted and then the voting platform collapse during the live finale, M-Net and AMPN that added more episodes to the second season, is once again being confronted with a show not going according to plan.

At 19:01 on Tuesday evening M-Net issued a statement saying The Voice South Africa that has been drawing packed crowds to the weekly Sunday shows is discarding the hundreds of thousands of votes of the past week and asking the last two voted out contestants back "in the interest of fairness and transparency".

M-Net says paid-for marketing, which is against the rules of The Voice SA competition, "can cause voting spikes which could provide an unfair advantage".

M-Net didn't say how it will bypass, filter out, or circumvent the undue voting influence in The Voice SA for the foreseeable future. M-Net also didn't disclose which of the contestants' social media accounts contain alleged paid-for activity.

M-Net said an investigation showed that paid-for social media marketing "could have affected the outcome of the voting results" the last few weeks of The Voice South Africa and that Luke Lovemore and PJ Pretorius who were voted out, could possibly have remained in the show.

M-Net says it's unable to know with certainty what The Voice South Africa's accurate and credible voting tallies for the past few weeks are supposed to be.

"Despite our best efforts, we could not determine with certainty whether misconduct took place and what the impact was on the voting results," says Nkateko Mabaso, M-Net South Africa's general manager in the statement.

"We believe the fairest solution under these circumstances is to give all the affected talent another chance".

Despite discarding thousands of viewers' votes, M-Net wants viewers to continue to vote.

"The Voice SA has proved to be an excellent platform for launching the careers of new singing talent and we would like to encourage our viewers to continue to vote for their favourites," he says.

Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity says The Voice SA is so far sticking to its Sunday 9 July date for the second season's live finale.

It’s not yet clear if the voting issue could impact M-Net and MultiChoice’s just-launched DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards set for 26 August. The live awards show also asking the public to vote, is also making use of WeChat, SMS and USSD for votes.