MultiChoice to be adding the new M-Net supplied channel, Jango Magic, in Portuguese, to DStv in November.

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Jango Magic will be added as a brand-new Portuguese infused TV channel to MultiChoice's DStv in November.

M-Net East Africa regional director Michael Ndetei revealed Jango Magic to advertisers, TV critics and journalists on Wednesday evening at the M-Net Showcase event at Urban Tree in Johannesburg organised by M-Net and DStv Media Sales.

Jango Music will be on DStv in the rest of Africa, excluding South Africa, in countries like Angola and Mozambique.

Meanwhile AfricaMagic, M-Net's other TV channel's brand will debut a brand-new Nigerian telenovela, Hotel Majestic, in 2015.

[Editor: I saw the logo when it was unveiled, but didn't take a photo.]

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.

Michael Ndetei appointed as M-Net's first ever regional director for East Africa.

Pay-TV broadcaster M-Net has appointed its first ever regional director for East Africa, Michael Ndetei who will take up his new position on 1 March 2014.

Michael Ndetei's M-Net appointment follows the appointment of Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu as M-Net's first everregional director for West Africa.

Michael Ndetei and Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu's appointments clearly signals M-Net dramatic, ongoing expansion across the continent, as East and West Africa now solidify their respective regions as places where M-Net seriously intends to expand beyond Southern Africa.

Michael Ndetei was a former senior executive at Kenya's Kenya Television Network (KTN).

M-Net CEO Patricia van Rooyen says Michael Ndetei's appointment reflects M-Net's rapid growth in East Africa.

Patricia van Rooyen, M-Net CEO says "such has been the increase in our pan-African viewership that we recently decided to split our Africa operations into East and West Africa. This will enable us to increase our presence in these regions, and to focus on delivering content and services that are tailored to exactly what our audiences want".

"Michael Ndetei is a dynamic and experienced broadcaster who has been instrumental in programming decision-making at KTN, and before that at Citizen TV," says Patricia van Rooyen.

"With Michael Ndetei at the helm of a strong regional team, we have every confidence that the M-Net magic will cast its spell overn even more East Africans".

Michael Ndetei has a BA degree in Communication Science, a diploma in TV production and is currently completing his Masters in theatre arts and film.