BREAKING. M-Net suddenly no longer shutting down Maisha Magic channel in March; now keeping Maisha Magic on air until end of May.

In a sudden almost turn-around pay-TV broadcaster M-Net is no longer shutting down the Maisha Magic TV channel it launched in September 2014 but will now suddenly keep Maisha Magic on the air and on MultiChoice's DStv until the end of May.

In February M-Net announced that Maisha Magic is being canned at the end of this month, the result of under-performance in the ratings.

Now suddenly Maisha Magic - like a convict on death row - its getting a further two months grace period.

According to Patricia van Rooyen, M-Net sub-Saharan Africa CEO, the decision to extend Maisha Magic's termination to the end of May was taken after further deliberation and following an assessment of Maisha Magic's performance.

It appears that certain on-air and commissioned shows, according to existing contracts had ongoing episodes to deliver, and M-Net can get more mileage out of letting that programming continue until its natural conclusion of existing season orders.

Programming on Maisha Magic include Don’t mess with Kansiime, Mr and Mrs Singh, Mazagazaga, Maisha Superstar, Tujuane Plus and Rush and Deception.

"M-Net has put on hold plans to shut down Maisha Magic in March and extended the viewing of the channel to the end of May this year.  Viewers have now been assured that they will still enjoy their favourite shows as arrangements are being made on a smooth transition as well as a natural closure to some of the channel's already on-air shows," says M-Net in a statement released on Friday.

SHOCKER. M-Net shutting down Maisha Magic channel on MultiChoice's DStv mere months after launching; what's going on with M-Net?

What on Earth is going on with M-Net, and is the sterling pay-TV brand starting to self-destruct and destroying its own image in Africa? That's what insiders are asking with the shocking news that M-Net is immediately shutting down its recently launched Maisha Magic channel on MultiChoice's DStv in East Africa.

TV industry insiders are buzzing over M-Net's abrupt about-turn - launching Maisha Magic as a TV channel on DStv and then canning it - raising speculation about very bad executive management appointments, absent oversight and a lack of adequate - if any - channel testing, planning and feasibility studies.

"You expect this from other African free-to-air [broadcasters] but not M-Net. What on Earth is going on?" said a veteran African TV business insider on Thursday night over the shocking news that M-Net is ending Maisha Magic on DStv mere months after it launched the channel with great fanfare.

"You don't just launch a channel - especially not on MultiChoice and then yank it. It's like opening a hotel, paying for the construction and turn-key set-up and then closing it down without any profit".

M-Net is dumping Maisha Magic in East Africa as a TV channel, raising concerns over what is happening - or not happening - under the management of Michael Ndetei who was appointed as M-Net's first ever regional director for East Africa exactly a year ago in February 2014.

M-Net says "an in-depth assessement of each of the channel's viability was concluded, including a review of the rankings and popularity of the channels" and that "a decision was taken to close Maisha Magic and refocus on Maisha Magic Swahili".

M-Net is dumping and getting rid of Maisha Magic on DStv abruptly at the end of March - raising serious concerns of what, if any, "in-depth assessement M-Net did before it decided to launch Maisha Magic with great fanfare from 1 September 2014.

Six months later, Maisha Magic is a disastrous M-Net failure - an unprecedented flop in the history of M-Net, bigger than GO and The Soap Channel which M-Net supplied to DStv and which were both terminated.

"Unfortunately Maisha Magic has not performed and grown as per our expectations." says M-Net CEO for Sub-Sahara Africa, Patricia van Rooyen.

Patricia van Rooyen says M-Net decided to can Maisha Magic saying M-Net made "the carefully considered but difficult decision to cease operations of the channel".

It gives Maisha Magic the dubious and shocking distinction of holding the record of shortest-lived TV channel ever on MultiChoice's DStv, and the M-Net packaged TV channel for DStv which lasted the shortest period of time - just 6 months.

It raises serious questions over why M-Net decided to launch the failure of a TV venture in the first place, why adequate market research and channel creation steps were not taken and what market research and intelligence M-Net is using - if any - to come up with new TV channels for DStv subscribers across the continent. 

M-Net says its "grateful" to Michael Ndetei and some of the most talented and creative people in the Kenyan media industry" but the Maisha Magic closure is flashing red lights over what exactly M-Net is doing in East Africa and whether its lost its magic.

"M-Net remains firmly committed to the Kenyan market and will ensure that it continues to support film makers by showcasing their talent on other M-Net channels."

"The film and television industry in Kenya will continue to be supported by M-Net's investment in channels made in Africa for Africa, thus ensuring that we assist Kenya in playing a role in the growth and future of African television and film on the continent," says M-Net.

Yet the shocking real-life actions are speaking much, much louder than words.

In 2014 Michaerl Ndetei said "there's definitely great potential for a customised East Africa television brand". Well, it seems that Michael Ndetei spoke too soon - or at least too soon as far as M-Net is concerned and is either clearly out of touch or not up to the job.

Either in reality there isn't great potential in general in the market for what M-Net offered, or there isn't an appetite  for subscribers to specifically M-Net's East African product.

The abrupt dumping of Maisha Magic means that nothing will come of M-Net lofty ideals and now lofty 2014 announcement that Maisha Magic will be followed by many more Maisha Magic branded TV channels in East Africa in the future.

With M-Net dumping Maisha Magic on MultiChoice, is not clear whether it's completely capitulated and given up on the red-hot Swahili market in East Africa where rivals like Zuku started Zuku Swahili Movies as a new channel in 2014, and StarTimes run channels like Star Swahili and Bollywood Swahili.

How will M-Net subscribers trust M-Net again when it again in future says its launching yet another Swahili or other M-Net type brand in East Africa? People won't trust it to last. What they will do is laugh it off. 

Like Mello Yello, Vanilla Coke and Fresca. 

All of them remembered - but laughed at - as shocking brand extension failures of their main brands which never should have happened. Add Maisha Magic to that list.

Maisha Magic launches as a brand-new M-Net brand and as a new TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv platform in East Africa.

M-Net is broadening its subset range of TV channels in Africa and is starting the new TV brand and TV channel of Maisha Magic on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in East Africa.

M-Net will also be changing the AfricaMagic Swahili TV channel's name on DStv to Maisha Magic Swahili during September.

The pan-African pay-TV broadcaster already runs the M-Net Series channels and the AfricaMagic set of channels on DStv, with the AfricaMagic set of channels that suddenly all changed channel names from the beginning of August, and the M-Net Series channels which will undergo a major restructuring soon as well.

Maisha Magic  is launching as a new brand name and as one TV channel on 1 September on DStv in East Africa, although multiple more Maisha Magic TV channels are envisioned to be rolled out in the future by M-Net - similar to what happened with M-Net's AfricaMagic.

In fact the existing AfricaMagic Swahili TV channel available outside of South Africa, in East Africa, will be changing its name and switching from the AfricaMagic set of channels to the new Maisha Magic group next month.

Maisha Magic will start broadcasting on 1 September on DStv channel 161 (the channel number of Mzansi magic in South Africa) and M-Net is changing AfricaMagic Swahili to Maisha Magic Swahili on 24 September.

Maisha Magic's TV schedule as a channel will largely be compiled with East African TV content, although the M-Net packaged channel will also have South American telenovelas, dubbed into English, on its programming line-up.

Other programming on Maisha Magic include sitcoms, reality shows, dramas and music programmes.

"M-Net has been building steadily on its investment in East African market, centralised in Kenya but with outreach across the region," said Michael Ndetei, M-Net East Africa regional director who announced the new Maisha Magic brand and channel on Monday at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

"Whilst the AfricaMagic brand represents a powerful philosophy about pan-African cohesion, there is definitely great potential for a customised East Africa television brand."

"We have always believed that East African talent and East African stories are as vital and as compelling as those found anywhere else in Africa. We are ready to launch Maisha Magic, both the channel and the brand," said Michael Ndetei.

"About 85% of the programmes will be produced in Kenya so that we build on the economy and also build on the capacity to produce more films in the country".

M-Net is also changing the name of its AfricaMagic Original Films initiative in East Africa to Maisha Magic Original Films.