As the 3 M-Net Series channels on DStv turn one year old today, a look back and a look forward, as another 'complete overhaul' awaits.

The set of three M-Net Series channel that pay-TV broadcaster M-Net supplies to MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform turns one year old today - 9 July.

And while M-Net Series' first birthday in its current channels format is a cause for celebration for pay-TV viewers who are getting to see more overseas TV shows (and faster), there's also strong indications that the subset of channels are in for yet another major redo before long.

M-Net Series which started out as just one channel - showing retro-television - could possibly even go back to being just one M-Net Series channel, and possibly even with a new name, like, for instance M-Net Atlantic.

Before TV with Thinus looks forward to what the future could hold for M-Net Series, lets first look back to its past.

The M-Net Series channels of course have a storied legacy, and whatever changes might come in the months ahead, the one thing that remains is that the aim has been, and will be, to bring more and better series television to South African pay-TV viewers.

M-Net Series is the still in existence M-Net supplied TV channel to DStv which has gone through the most changes since The Series Channel, then with an all yellow and black look, started as a retro-TV channel showing Little House of the Prairie and Mary Tyler Moore.

While the Soap channel, ActionX, K All-Day, GO, MK and others came and fell away and morphed into other content pipes, The Series Channel changed and changed and changed but endured.

With numerous on-air and channel proposition changes over the almost past two decades M-Net Series has allowed South African pay-TV subscribers to see more foreign television - especially American TV - which simply couldn't (and still cannot) be accomodated on just one channel like M-Net.

That's its big strength - added value - and will remain its strength going forward irrespective of what guise M-Net Series might be taking on next.

The split into three channels of M-Net Series a year ago allowed the funneling of even more TV content to viewers. Although there's more content for viewers than ever before, there's been things that haven't been working.

The name of M-Net Series Reality (DStv 114) doesn't really tell viewers all of what is on this channel, like its heavy (and good) American talk show offering.

Likewise M-Net Series Zone (DStv 115) appears to have been a misfire - a channel derided by DStv subscribers when it launched as largely a knock-off rerun channel.

To their credit M-Net executives went to the ER to quickly try and beef up the channel with better shows and a better programming and scheduling structure.

A year later it doesn't seem to have been working - or at least viewer response isn't what it should be or should have been, sources have been saying for months. Therefore the writing might very well be on the wall for M-Net Series Zone as a TV channel which has not been performing to expectation, despite ongoing improvements over th.e past year by M-Net.

With the M-Net Series channels turning one, TV with Thinus asked M-Net about the channels' future.

It comes amid ongoing talk and word doing the rounds the past two months that M-Net Series is in for a "relaunch" or "rebrand" before the end of this year.

In fact, M-Net told all staff at the Randburg-based pay-TV broadcaster that M-Net Series requires "a complete overhaul" and according to various sources, viewers could possibly see the result of that complete overhaul implemented by possibly late September to October.

"These three channels have increased the viewership of international shows - our objective with launching the channels a year ago," says Yolisa Phahle, M-Net's CEO for South Africa, when asked how M-Net feels about the performance of the three M-Net Series channels after a year.

Asked what worked, what surprised and what worked less well, Yolisa Phahle says that "reality programming is increasing in popularity. We still believe that there are great series that people are not watching and we are working on ideas to fix this".

"The three channel strategy has delivered increased viewership and each M-Net Series channel has contributed to this in different ways," says Yolisa Phahle.

"M-Net Series Reality speaks to one psychographic, M-Net Series Showcase to another and M-Net Series Zone has given DStv Compact viewers new drama content, but we feel still that we can improve awareness around new content," she says.

And how has the channels enabled M-Net to bring more content and quicker to viewers? Yolisa Phahle says M-Net has managed to bring content to viewers much faster than before.

So, what does the future hold for the M-Net Series channels? Of course the ongoing development and changes of a specific TV channel (especially when its part of an overall group) should never be seen in isolation.

You can't, because its all part of an integrated network of content - where very decision and change affects the entire content ecosystem.

It's TV with Thinus' understanding that one - or even two - of the M-Net Series channels, possibly M-Net Series Zone and M-Net Series Reality could perhaps be closed down, discontinued, or morphed into, or their content folded into, other channels like the possible start of a second Vuzu channel like Vuzu Amp.

I asked this and if there would be a rebranding, and whether there's been talk, discussions or plans about possible M-Net Series closures, but for now Yolisa Phahle didn't want to be drawn about this.

What looks certain however is that the M-Net Series channel or channels will not be looking the same at this time next year.

So where does that leave M-Net Series Showcase? Well, M-Net Series Showcase, the premium channel of the three, could possibly be rebranded to something like M-Net Atlantic, similar to BSkyB's Sky Atlantic TV channel.

Sky Atlantic specialises in showing only high-quality, premium American TV shows. Given how M-Net follows the BSkyB model, which it did for its M-Net Movies channels, a M-Net Atlantic type channel seems a possibility.

"We believe we have the best variety of drama and reality and will continue to work to improve the viewer experience," says Yolisa Phahle when asked what M-Net wants to say to viewers about the M-Net Series channels being on-air for a year now.

The coming months will tell and show exactly how the set of M-Net Series channels will change. For now, there's one candle on the cake to celebrate a birthday - a year of more TV shows and more content the past year than what viewers had before.

GO VIKINGS. M-Net keeps conquering; the second season of Vikings sets sail straight after the first on M-Net Series Showcase

The second season of the well-produced historical drama Vikings starts tonight on M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) at 22:00 following straight after the first season which started on M-Net Series Showcase in March.

The second season of 10 episodes of Vikings has one episode more than the first season and will all play out on Thursdays at 22:00 on M-Net Series Showcase.

This is excellent and exceptional programming from a broadcaster that is in the interest of and to the benefit of the consumer.

M-Net firstly acquired the MGM Television produced show to broadcast it in South Africa when A+E Networks UK failed to get and schedule it for viewers in History (DStv 186).

History's loss was also M-Net's gain - especially since History is not a high definition (HD) channel and M-Net is showing Vikings to South African viewers the way it is meant to be seen: in HD on the M-Net Series Showcase channel.

Secondly the decision by M-Net to show the available second season of Vikings closely (immediately) after the first season to help South African viewers catch up, is extremely laudable and commendable.

Thirdly, the second season of Vikings started in February in the United States. This means that M-Net has made Vikings instantly yet another TV show which it is rolling out very close to the overseas broadcasting date. Vikings has been renewed for a third season in 2015.

TV with Thinus asked M-Net why it decided to show the second season of Vikings straight after the first season.

"M-Net has always treated viewers to the best international series available and the latest digital technology now makes it possible to bring these series to our screens much closer to the US debuts," says M-Net.

"Our M-Net Series Showcase viewers enjoyed the first season of Vikings and it makes sense to continue with the story without delay".

BREAKING. M-Net has The 100; spacey new teen youth drama set on a post-apocalyptic Earth earmarked for M-Net Series Showcase for June.

You're reading it here first. 

It is a good Friday: I can exclusively break the news that M-Net has the broadcasting rights to the great new science fiction youth drama The 100 - and I can reveal that it will start on 4 June at 20:00.

The excellent The 100 revolves around a group of teenage convicts send to Earth to test - after mankind found refuge in a cobbled together space station nicknamed "The Ark" following a devastating nuclear war - whether the planet down below is habitable again.

The kiddies would have died anyway. For the smallest "crime" you're thrown in jail and then pushed out of an airlock because there's too many people, and resources are dwindling fast.

While the kids are "given" a chance to live - jettisoned, and making it to Earth (well, not all of them), they struggle from the first moment. Things change fast on a changed Earth in this type of Lord of the Flies meets Hunger Games drama.

There's also major drama happening up there on the space station - intrigue, intrigue! - as the leaders and doctor all have kids down below and an evil guy has a plan to "save humanity" by killing most of humanity left on the space station!

M-Net tells me the first season of The 100, which started in mid-March in America, is earmarked for M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113), meaning DStv subscribers will be able to watch it in high definition (HD).

Vikings gets a starting date and a TV channel on DStv; coming to M-Net Series Showcase from Thursday, 13 March at 22:00.

Vikings, the excellent historical drama which was shown on History in the United States, received a starting date and a TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv - Vikings' first season will now start in South Africa on M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) on Thursday 13 March at 22:00.

TV with Thinus scooped the news at the beginning of January this year that M-Net has Vikings, although a specific M-Net channel still wasn't known.

Now it will be M-Net Series Showcase, meaning that South African viewers will be able to watch Vikings, produced by MGM Television, in high definition (HD) in South Africa.

History (DStv 186) isn't a high-def channel and didn't want to bring Vikings to viewers in South Africa and Africa itself.

M-Net has Dracula, with the new drama series reinventing the vampire legend, tentatively set for March 2014 and M-Net Series Showcase.

You're reading it here first. 

I can reveal that M-Net has the uber-ooh Dracula - and I can spill that the South African pay-TV broadcaster has tentatively earmarked the fantastic new drama series for the M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) channel.

TV with Thinus can also reveal a tentative starting date for Dracula on M-Net Series Showcase of 24 March 2014.

The brand-new (and awesome) American drama series starring the real life sex-drugs-bite-you Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

Dracula is exceptional in the clever cool way in which it plays with the Dracula legend and for the way in which it up-ends nearly every single thing you thought you knew about vampire and the vampire - besides the rules of drinking human blood and of not being able to cope with direct sunlight which remain true to the rules.

What if Dracula was actually a good guy? What if Van Helsing was actually not such a good guy? What if Dracula wanted to help (save) the world? What if an evil and nefarious secret society was destroying the world and Dracula was fighting them and their evil deeds?

What if Dracula was a clever inventor and was really in love with a girl who was killed and who he somehow just found again? This great new drama and must-see television gives viewers just that.

It's set in the Victorian era and the look is simply sumptuous. Dracula comes with  a lot of great special effects, cool scary moments, great story, action, costumes and just impressive scale.

M-Net on DStv subscribers angry over M-Net Series changes: 'Shows are still on DStv Compact, just in a slightly later window.'

M-Net addressed angry DStv subscribers' resentment over M-Net Series channel changes on radio, saying that DStv subscribers and M-Net series' viewers are actually going to get and see more new content on the new M-Net Series Zone (DStv 115) channel in coming months.

DStv subscribers who used to watch shows on M-Net Series (DStv 114) only to see their content stop and be cut when the M-Net Series channel split into three M-Net Series channels are fuming after only M-Net Series Zone was made available on the DStv Compact bouquet - without their shows.

M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) which grew out of M-Net Series as the premium channel, has not been made available by MultiChoice for DStv Compact subscribers. DStv Compact subscribers feel that M-Net Series has been substituted by a lesser channel and are angry that shows they followed are no longer available now.

TV with Thinus broke the news last week that DStv subscribers started an online petition, prompted by the M-Net Series channel changes which were introduced.

The petition states that "it has become apparent that DStv has complete disregard for their Compact and Select package subscribers. Taking away a channel we had previous access to is the final straw. We request that the original M-Net Series channel be reinstated or that access to all three new M-Net Series channels be granted to all DStv subscribers."

The online petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/non-premium-dstv-subscribers-unite/ which was started last week, keeps drawing page after page of responses from subscribers saying things like "it is totally unacceptable to remove a channel that we used to be able to watch with all the reality and series shows and the cheek to still charge us the same price. What a shame."

"The recent changes that was made in the last week or so to DStv Compact has maybe created some of these complaints that's coming out now," Pierre Cloete, M-Net's director for general entertainment channels told John Webb on talk radio702 after news about the petition broke.

"We actually tried to improve a lot of the channels that's currently on the bouquet," Pierre Cloete explained.

"The complaints mainly are that some of the shows that's been on M-Net Series are now not on the DStv Compact bouquet anymore, it's on the Premium bouquet."

"The changes that we've made are specifically trying to expand our series offering into three very dedicated channels," explained Pierre Cloete.

"The first one is M-Net Series Showcase. It's also in HD. A lot of premium first-run content goes onto this channel. We've actually lifted up this channel. We've rebranded the channel and we've added a lot of brand-new series to this Series Showcase channel."

"Then we've created M-Net Series Reality channel which is dedicated to reality content and talk shows."

"Then M-Net Series Zone which still carries all the great shows that used to be on Compact. They're still on Compact, they're just in a slightly later window," said Pierre Cloete.

"We've also increased the actual content on M-Net Series Zone; because now we're taking the best from M-Net, the best from Showcase and we're putting it on Zone for the Compact subscriber. So overall the Compact subscriber in the long run in the next few month will  see a lot of new content coming through on the M-Net Series Zone channel."

Regarding the number of repeats which viewers complain about, Pierre Cloete said "we're not really concerned."

"We do look at international channels. We look at other pay channels. The basis of pay television is there are repeats. It's not really a negative in many cases to be honest. I know some viewers do see it as negative. On our channels our viewers actually want the repeats because they do miss shows. There's so many shows on at the moment," explained Pierre Cloete.

"If you don't have any repeats people miss it and they don't actually get to watch it. We don't repeat anything in primetime. All your primetime shows are premium shows and we mainly repeat 'off primetime' for people to catch up."

"On the M-Net side we don't really see repeats as a negative. There are complaints obviously across the board. We try and limit it. We don't play shows more than 4, 5 times on a channel. So it doesn't really get repeated a lot and its more for the convenience factor," said Pierre Cloete on 702.

BREAKING. Angry DStv subscribers start a public petition about content; MultiChoice says subscribers getting more programmes than before.

Angry DStv subscribers in South Africa have started a public petition, upset at what they say is less television per pay-TV package although they pay the same, following recent DStv channel changes.

A public petition at www.ipetitions.com/petitions/non-premium-dstv-subscribers-unite has sprung up, which instantly started getting signatures from upset subscribers.

"It has become apparent that DStv has complete disregard for their Compact and Select package subscribers. Taking away a channel we had previous access to is the final straw," says the petition. "We request that the original M-Net Series channel be reinstated or that access to all three new M-Net Series channels be granted to all DStv subscribers."

At issue is the M-Net Series channel and kykNET channel which DStv subscribers say were available when they signed up to certain DStv packages. DStv subscribers who received M-Net Series on certain DStv packages for example, now get M-Net Series Zone and not the premium M-Net Series Showcase.

TV with Thinus heard from upset DStv subscribers such as Thabang for example, saying "I am a DStv Compact subscriber. I'm one of many people who are very uset over the fact that all of our favourite M-net Series shows have been moved to DStv Premium. Not all of us can afford DStv Premium. We have called to DStv to complain; phones were hung up in our ears. Would it be possible for you to find out for us whether M-Net will include the new M-Net Series channels on DStv Extra or will they make it available for Compact subscribers?"

"We would like to assure these customers that all our customers are important to us," says MultiChoice. "The changes that we continually make on DStv packages are designed to enhance the experience of our offering."

"There are quite a few misunderstandings that we would like to clarify. The M-Net Series Zone channel will continue to bring our Compact subscribers the latest seasons of top-rated series," says MultiChoice. "In fact they will get more programmes than they had before."

"Some of the new series coming soon on the channel, for example are the latest seasons of Suits, The Good Wife and Blue Bloods. The following new shows will be screened between August and October of this year on M-Net Series Zone: The Americans, The Following, Elementary, Defiance, Chicago Fire and Primeval."

"The DStv Select package with kykNET is still available to customers who subscribed to it prior to the launch of DStv Family," says MultiChoice. "DStv Select customers who moved to other packages are able to go back to DStv Select to access the kykNET channel."

"DStv Select is not available to new customers and to previous DStv Select customers who have been disconnected from it for more than three months."

"kykNET & Kie was added to a number of DStv packages to give customers who did not have access to kykNET content, a chance to see home-grown shows," explains MultiChoice.

"We are committed to add value to our customers - this year we revamped our DStv Lite package into DStv Access, introduced DStv Family and DStv Extra. We also continue to add a number of channels on a regular basis to all packages," says MultiChoice.

Will M-Net's best series from now on be on the M-Net channel or on M-Net Series Showcase? More M-Net Series channels possible? M-Net answers.

You're reading it here first. 

The new expansion of M-Net Series from today into the channels trifecta of M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113), M-Net Series Reality (DStv 114) and M-Net Series Zone (DStv 115) creates a new dynamic in South African television as it broadens the overall available premium landscape.

Besides M-Net (DStv 101) as a high definition (HD) premium, destination-viewing, appointment-television, TV channel showing first-run shows "hot on the heels" of American broadcasting date series, M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) now in every way offers the very same channel proposition.

High-def? Check. Premium channel? Check. Destination-viewing, appointment television, "hot on the heels" broadcasting dates close to American airdates? Check, check, check.

Which means that M-Net Series Showcase is now, although its a sibling, in direct competition for that best helping of more hot and delicious food left on the dining room table at dinner.

So, how will viewers know whether a hot new high-buzz show or series will be on M-Net (DStv 101) first, or whether it will be on M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) first?

Does M-Net keep a must-get, must-have show on M-Net (DStv 101) to entrench and continue to symbolise its legacy bluechip status under the now ever-growing plethora of M-Net produced TV channels?

Or does M-Net allocate core quality series to M-Net Series Showcase, thereby slightly diluting the M-Net (DStv 101) channel, but adding cache, lure and ballast to M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) to signify and  grow the image of its premium status in viewers' and DStv subscribers' minds?

M-Net Series Showcase is launching with a massive menagerie of must-watch, premium television in high definition - an astounding avalanche of breathtaking TV content. Will it remain this way? I asked M-Net whether strong and premium TV shows are going to end up on M-Net Series Showcase exclusively which might previously have been on the M-Net channel.

"M-Net 101 will remain the flagship TV channel in the M-Net stable," says the Randburg-based pay-TV broadcaster, "and will broadcast the absolute 'best of the best' ".

"Adding to the amazing shows on M-Net 101, the new channels will allow more creative scheduling, that will amplify the way viewers can enjoy their TV series."

So how will a viewer or DStv subscriber be able to judge or guess instantly what would always be an M-Net show in terms of a series, and what would be a M-Net Series Showcase show? "M-Net 101 is where the biggest blockbuster shows can be found," M-Net tells TV with Thinus. "M-Net Series Showcase will complement the M-Net 101 scheduling."

"As viewers have different tastes, their most beloved series will be either on M-Net or M-Net Series Showcase. But having more than one channel allows us to have more top-notch content."

With the new M-Net Series channels template - a subset "grid" similar to the M-Net Movies brand which was commercially launched in October 2012, M-Net is now piping TV series loosely graded on a matrix according to genre, quality and time. Why did M-Net decide to do it?

The pay-TV broadcaster says "the world of television is dynamic and ever-changing and we review and adapt our content strategies continually. Whatever we do, it will always be for the convenience - and needs of - our multitude of audiences".

The M-Net Series template - similar to the M-Net Movies kaleidoscope of channels which already expanded beyond its original channel group launch with the start of the M-Net Movies Zone channel recently - is clearly also expandable. Could there be more M-Net Series channels in the future, possibly grouped around a specific genre or type of series?

"It is too early to predict the future of more M-Net Series channels at this stage," says M-Net, "but the way the channels are structured will make it easy to add more channels, if required."


ALSO READ: Green! Silver! Purple! What the colours of the new M-Net Series channels trifecta really mean and signify.

Green! Silver! Purple! What the colours of the new M-Net Series channels trifecta on television really mean and signify.

You're reading it here first.

M-Net's massive new expansion comes into effect today: the lineation of the singular M-Net Series channel into a trifecta of tiered channels for the M-Net Series brand: M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113), M-Net Series Reality (DStv 114) and M-Net Series Zone (DStv 115).

But what do the colours of the individual new M-Net Series channels signify and invoke? Why is M-Net Series Showcase green? Why is M-Net Series Reality silver? Why is M-Net Series Zone purple?

I asked, and the pay-TV broadcaster who supplies the channels to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, is explaining the rationale behind the look of the various new M-Net Series channel offerings.

"Three very different colours were chosen to depict the personality of the M-Net Series channels," says M-Net.

"The green colour of M-Net Series Showcase will remind viewers of the freshness of the content and the greath 'wealth' of great characters to be found on the channel,"says M-Net.

"The silver colour of M-Net Series Reality ties into the sparkle of reality shows and signals the positive attitude of the channel and content."

"The purple colour of M-Net Series Zone symbolises the passion which series lovers demonstrate and will remind fans that they will be able to watch their favourites in a condensed time frame," says M-Net.


ALSO READ: Will M-Net's best TV series from now on be found on the M-Net channel or on M-Net Series Showcase? Is more M-Net Series channels possible? M-Net answers.

BREAKING. Defiance now starting on M-Net Series Showcase on 15 July at 20:30 - and the starting dates of all the channel's other new shows.

M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) which starts in high definition (HD) on Tuesday 9 July has reshuffled and reworked the launch month schedule.

The big-buzz new science fiction drama Defiance will kick off on M-Net Showcase on 15 July at 20:30.

Here's the latest starting dates and times for shows and the programming which DStv Premium subscribers will be able to see on the channel:

Ellen X, Starts 9 July at 18:00. New episodes of Ellen will start in September.

Baby Daddy II, Starts 9 July at 19:00

Castle V, Starts 9 July at 19:30

Criminal Minds VIII, Starts 9 July at 20:30

Major Crimes, Starts 9 July at 21:30

The Carrie Diaries I, Starts 10 July at 19:30

Pretty Little Liars III, Starts 10 July at 21:30

Cougar Town IV, Starts 11 July at 19:00

Once Upon a Time II, Starts 11 July at 19:30

Army Wives VIII, Starts 11 July at 20:30

Mad Men VI, Starts 11 July at 21:30

Parks & Recreation V, Starts 12 July at 19:00

Teen Wolf II, Starts 12 July at 10:30

Grimm I, Starts 12 July at 20:30

Supernatural VIII, Starts 12 July at 21:30

1600 Penn, Starts 14 July at 17:00

Last Man Standing II, Starts 14 July at 17:30 (moves from M-Net to M-Net Series Showcase)

Hot in Cleveland IV, Starts 14 July at 18:00 (moves from M-Net to M-Net Series Showcase)

Smash II, Starts 14 July at 19:30

Covert Affairs III, Starts 14 July at 20:30

Nikita III, Starts 14 July at 21:30

Veep I, Starts 14 July at 22:30 (double episodes every week)

30 Rock VII, Starts 15 July at 19:00

Primeval: New World I, Starts 15 July at 19:30

True Blood VI, Starts 15 July at 21:30


On Saturdays from 17:30 to 20:30 viewers will be able to watch four episodes of 90210 V starting 13 July at 17:30.

On Saturdays from 20:30 until 22:30 and starting on 13 July, viewers will be able to watch three episodes of Chicago Fire I.


Series moving over from the existing M-Net Series channel to M-Net Series Showcase include:
New Girl II, continues on 10 July at 19:00

Glee IV, continues on 10 July at 20:30

Bunheads II, continues on 14 July at 18:30

FINALLY HATCHED. M-Net Series, M-Net's second channel cluster brand name finally breaks out of its shell; now finally able to grow and soar.

With M-Net Series - once the home of Mary Tyler Moore reruns (we still love you, Mary), The Wonder Years and Little House on the Prairie when it started on MultiChoice's DStv - now finally pecking through its shell in a transformative expansion event, the M-Net Series brand within the realm of subscription television in South Africa and Africa is finally released from its confined existence and able to grow.

Earlier today M-Net at its media roadshow in Durban that the existing M-Net Series channel is expanding and folding out from 9 July on DStv into a trio of channels - a premium M-Net Series Showcase channel which will be in high definition (HD), as well as M-Net Series Reality for "conversational reality" shows, and a M-Net Series Zone, a rerun type channel giving viewers who haven't seen a show or season to catch up.

Not only do the new M-Net Series channel logos (above) share a striking resemblance to the flip folder "mini bouquet" of M-Net Movies channels rolled out by the South African pay-TV broadcaster in October last year, it also ties and brings the existing M-Net Series channel as well as the new channel expansions closer in terms of brand look to the blue ribbon device M-Net mothership. M-Net Series is an M-Net product - and don't you forget it.

Similar to the many more M-Net Movies channels in existence - M-Net Movies Zone which was just added and with M-Net Movies Showcase and M-Net Movies Zone now both sharing channel moniker suffixes with M-Net Series channels - its tantalisingly clear, although still speculative, that even more M-Net Series channels could possibly be added by M-Net and DStv in the future.

Mmm. How about a M-Net Series Sci-Fi, the absence of which I just lamented?

The more structured and "zoned" approach for M-Net Series as a brand and as separate content pipes is a great thing and a natural evolution for both M-Net as well as DStv.

Pay-TV subscribers to services like MultiChoice's DStv want channels where the channel proposition is clearly defined, metered and provides a satisfying viewer pay-off. (Some channels are not - History is for instance more "Ancient Aliens Channel" thesedays.).

M-Net Series Reality will for instance, like CBS Reality, provide a buffet of all-you-can-eat reality shows falling within a certain niche if you look closely. M-Net calls it "conversational reality shows". The channel will now also be carrying all the talk shows.

More M-Net Series channels also means the possibility that more foreign TV shows can be shown quicker and closer to the American and British broadcasting dates - the TV series plate which is now bigger can now carry more content.

With M-Net Series "set free" so to speak, the gain is for the South African TV viewer. Although currently the gain is in essence only one channel - since M-Net Series really only changed into M-Net Series Showcase and M-Net Series Reality was added (M-net Series Zone is a rerun channel) - the beginning of M-Net Series branching out, is a welcome start.

BREAKING. M-Net Series channel finally going HD on MultiChoice's DStv; M-Net Series expanding as a channel subset with Reality and Zone.

You're reading it here first. 

The long-gestating plan to turn the M-Net Series (DStv 114) channel into a high definition (HD) TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and to expand the M-Net Series brand into an expanded TV channels subset is finally happening with M-Net Series turning into M-Net Series Showcase as an HD channel, and M-Net Series Reality and M-Net Series Zone being added as two further standard definition (SD) TV channels.

TV industry insiders knowledgeable about the M-Net Series plans and TV with Thinus have steadily tracked it, and today the pay-TV broadcaster made it official by revealed the major upgrade to its M-Net Series channel brand.

The flagship M-Net Series channel will change to M-Net Series Showcase in name and become a HD channel on the new DStv channel number 113, M-Net Series Reality will show reality shows on channel  115 and M-Net Series Zone on channel 114 will be a rerun channel with previously shown seasons of shows seen on the M-Net channel and elsewhere.

The channels will go live on 9 July on DStv during the primetime evening. DStv Premium subscribers will get all three M-Net Series channels. DStv Compact subscribers will get M-Net Series Zone.

M-Net Series has been on a constant evolutionary change since the channel - provided by M-Net to MultiChoice - started as The Series Channel on DStv showing only old library titles of American shows similar to TopTV's Fox Retro channel.

At M-Net's media roadshow currently underway at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort in Durban, M-Net talked about the upcoming changes.

Plans more than a year ago to turn M-Net Series into a high definition (HD) channel and to start further additional M-Net Series channels on the DStv bouquet which went through various permutations and was postponed in favour of first launching, extending and structurally realigning M-Net movie channel offering under the M-Net Movies umbrella and boosting DStv's movie channel offering in the process.

Now the M-Net Series channel is following the same pattern, also with a showcase channel and additional channels.

M-Net Series Showcase on channel 113 will have Defiance I, True Blood VI, Castle V, Criminal Minds VIII, The Carrie Diaries, Pretty Little Liars III, Mad Men VI, Army Wives VIII, Teen Wolf II, Grimm I and Supernatural VIII.

M-Net Series Reality will have "the best conversational reality series depicting real talent, real people and real stories on channel 115. Shows on this channel will be Real Housewives of New York, Real Housewives of Orange County, Junior MasterChef II, Life After Top Chef, America's Got Talent, The Face I, Ready for Love I and Fashion Star.

M-Net Series Reality will also be the channel carrying the talk shows from now on.

The schedule for M-Net Series Zone has not been locked down yet I'm told but the channel on channel 114 will "offer the best in uninterrupted bundled episodes of series' that viewers may have missed."


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