MultiChoice and ViacomCBS Networks Africa quietly switch placeholder channel MTV Music 24 on DStv to MTV Hits after two years.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and ViacomCBS Networks Africa have quietly changed the MTV Music 24 channel into MTV Hits (DStv 323).

Apparently indicative of the empty space-filler and time-waste that the channel is, neither MultiChoice, ViacomCBS Networks Africa, or ViacomCBS Networks Africa's PR agency DNA Brand Architects could be bothered to notify the media, or to respond with answers to media queries or with the most basic of press release announcement.

The switch from MTV Music 24 to MTV Hits comes just 2 years after the tired VH1 Classic was changed into MTV Music 24. 

Last week TVwithThinus in a media enquiry asked DNA Brand Architects for help about MTV Music 24 upcoming change to MTV Hits. Why is ViacomCBS Networks Africa changing the music channel? What will MTV Hits be showing? What will MTV Hits programming be? Is there an official channel logo?

DNA Brand Architects said that it hasn't public announced the channel's change and that "We will share a statement as soon as possible".

By Tuesday morning at the time of publication of this article, and after MTV Music 24 had now changed to MTV Hits, there was still nothing.

Whatever MTV Hits has or shows is clearly of no real importance to MultiChoice nor ViacomCBS Networks Africa that neither cares for any exposure of press coverage of the change or the channel, or about communicating about it to the media.

UPDATE Tuesday 1 June 2021 12:15:

Fathima Beckmann, ViacomCBS Networks Africa communications director has responded after I reached out to her on Tuesday morning - something one would expect DNA Brand Architects to have done days ago and that actually gets paid by ViacomCBS to communicate on ViacomCBS's behalf, instead of showing an insouciant attitude towards a media enquiry.

The ever-gracious Fathima Beckmann says that "similar to the VH1 transition to MTV Music 24, ViacomCBS Networks Africa has transitioned MTV Music 24 to the current and evolved Music Hits on DStv" and confirms that "the transition was made yesterday on DStv channel 323".

"This channel replacement with MTV Hits offers current and relevant content for our viewers and will continue to play just music videos which we are confident will resonate even more strongly with local audiences."

"MTV Hits will continue to play current, proven and future music videos from all genres, including pop, dance, rock and urban with popular artists from Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Drake, Beyonce to Imaging Dragons and Ariana Grande."

ALSO READ: VH1 Classic on DStv swapped for MTV Music 24.

VH1 Classic on DStv swapped for MTV Music 24; Viacom Africa's kids channel Nickelodeon upgraded to HD from 5 March.

Viacom Africa and MultiChoice are removing the outdated VH1 Classic channel and replacing it with a third MTV channel on its DStv satellite pay-TV platform, MTV Music 24 (DStv 323), with the standard definition channel that will continue to play just music videos from 5 March.

Meanwhile Viacom International Media Networks Africa's (VIMN Africa) kids channel Nickelodeon (DStv 305) will be upgraded to high definition (HD) in South Africa, and MTV Base (DStv 322) will be made available to DStv Access subscribers from the same date.

VH1 is getting swapped out for MTV Music 24, and will play music videos from all genres, including pop, dance, rock and urban.

"As we celebrate the 14th year of establishing VIMN’s local presence on the continent, we continue to value our strong partnership with MultiChoice to deliver great entertainment experiences to subscribers across Africa," says Alex Okosi, VIMN Africa executive vice president and managing director.

"The expansion of MTV Base's reach to DStv Access, the arrival of MTV Music 24 and the upgrade of some of our channels to HD are part of our commitment to provide dynamic channels that speak to diverse audiences".

VIMN Africa says the move to HD forms an important part of VIMN Africa's distribution strategy with MultiChoice with the network launching 4 channels across the Southern Africa (SADC) region - BET, Comedy Central, MTV and MTV Base - to high definition next month. 

Nickelodeon will be upgraded to HD in South Africa from 5 March.

Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice executive head for content strategy, says "DStv is always thrilled with the innovative customer solutions that come out of the Viacom stable. We are inspired by their focus on producing local content and putting local talent in the limelight through well-established international brands".

"Our DStv Access customers will thoroughly enjoy the programming on MTV Base, which really speaks to this audience and the addition of MTV Music 24 is a current and relevant evolution that will delight viewers."