Botswana Labour Minister Chases MultiChoice Botswana CEO Stephanie Pillay Out of the Country with Non-Renewal of Work Permit and 2-Month Ultimatum to Leave After Alleged Axing of Local Workers

by Thinus Ferreira

Botswana's minister of labour and home affairs, Major General Pius Mokgware, has chased MultiChoice Botswana CEO Stephanie Pillay out of the country with a 2-month ultimatum to leave, in retaliation for Pillay who allegedly fired Botswana staffers.

Stephanie Pillay who was MultiChoice Botswana managing director was upped to CEO earlier this year.

The Botswana government's shocking rebuke of Stephanie Pillay comes after the country's government alleges that she fired more than 10 Botswana staffers over the past four years and allegedly replaced them with "foreign nationals", meaning non-Botswana workers.

The Botswana government decided not to renew Stephanie Pillay's work permit to be in and work in Botswana, which is a massive corporate problem for Canal+'s MultiChoice Botswana.

Stephanie Pillay has allegedly been given a 2-month ultimatum to be out of Botswana by mid-December.

Two weeks ago, MultiChoice execs apparently flew to Botswana to try and reason with the government and to try and implore Pius Mokgware not to force Stephanie Pillay out of the country, but to no avail.

MultiChoice Botswana and Stephanie Pillay raised the ire of the government and Mokgware after fired and angry existing staffers at the pay-TV operator approached him and the government department about the retrenchments and other complaints.

Last week TVwithThinus asked Canal+ and MultiChoice for comment about the issue and Stephanie Pillay, the 2-month ultimatum, the MultiChoice directors who flew to Botswana to speak to the minister and allegations around the dismissal of Botswana workers.

Comment from Canal+ and MultiChoice will be added here when received.

Stephanie Pillay upped to MultiChoice Botswana CEO

by Thinus Ferreira

Stephanie Pillay who has been MultiChoice Botswana managing director has been upped to MultiChoice Botswana CEO.

Stephanie Pillay, known as "Steph", joined MultiChoice Botswana in 2022 as managing director.

Before her move to Botswana, she was at MultiChoice Africa where she served as the regional head of customer experience (CX) and care for MultiChoice Africa's southern markets.

MultiChoice Botswana adds Route 2, Abashwe and The Prophet as 3 local films to Mzansi Magic in November

Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Botswana is adding three locally-produced films - Route 2, Abashwe and The Prophet - to Mzansi Magic during November.

Filmmaker Afentse Fenny Lekolwane is responsible for Route 2, Johnson Otlaadisa lensed Abashwe, while Tumelo Chaba is the filmmaker behind The Prophet who is executive producer and director.

Route 2, set in the rolling hills of Botswana's countryside, has a logline that describes it as a film that is "a beautifully absurd and visually striking tale of survival, loneliness, and the unpredictable magic of shared journeys".

Route 2 takes viewers "on an emotional road trip that explores how human connection often emerges from the most unexpected detours in life. It is a story about rediscovery, resilience, and the unpredictable beauty of chaos, reminding audiences that sometimes the journey itself holds more meaning than the destination".

The Prophet is described as a drama that "unpacks themes of betrayal, vengeance, and redemption".

"After his father loses a million-pula property to a manipulative church, a tragedy that leads to the untimely death of both his parents, Jacob creates a fake prophetic ministry to exact revenge."

"Yet, when love unexpectedly finds him, he faces a moral crossroads between forgiveness and vengeance. The Prophet captures the complexity of faith and human emotion, offering a raw look at how trauma can shape belief and identity."

Abashwe follows "the emotional journey of a hardened single mother who has long given up on love".

"Scarred by past disappointments, she remains sceptical even when she meets a charming young executive who seems genuinely interested in her."

MultiChoice Botswana, MD, Ms Stephanie Pillay, MultiChoice Botswana managing director, says "We are incredibly proud to see Botswana’s creative talent taking centre stage on one of Africa’s most celebrated entertainment platforms".

"As MultiChoice Botswana, we believe in the power of local stories that reflect Batswana’s culture, aspirations, and identity."

"Through platforms like Mzansi Magic, we are amplifying local voices, allowing them to be seen and celebrated across the continent."

MultiChoice Botswana increases DStv fees up to over 7% from April 2025

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Botswana is increasing subscription fees for DStv between 2% and up to almost 8% for subscribers from April 2025.

MultiChoice Botswana is increasing DStv Premium by 4.2% from P825 to P860, while DStv Compact Plus is increased by 1.7% from P585 to P595.

DStv Compact is increased by 3.4% from P435 to P450, while DStv Family is increased by 5.3% from P280 to P295.

DStv Access is increased 7.6% from P130 to P140, while DStv Pula is increased 6.2% from P80 to P85.

MultiChoice Botswana says "Africa's most-loved storyteller has reflected on the rate of consumer inflation and current economic pressures facing Botswana when considering our price adjustments, which will come into effect as of 1 April 2025".

Lorato Mwape promoted and appointed as MultiChoice Botswana managing director.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Africa has promoted and appointed Lorato Mwape as MultiChoice Botswana managing director to oversee the pay-TV operator's business in that country.

Lorato Mwape has been MultiChoice Botswana's head of customer care and experience since she was appointed in this role at the company in April 2019.

"I am delighted to announce the appointment of Lorato Mwape as Managing Director of MultiChoice Botswana," says Nyiko Shiburi, Southern Africa regional director of MultiChoice in a statement, and who himself is soon taking over as new MultiChoice South Africa CEO.

"During her time with the business, Lorato Mwape has launched a number of innovations geared towards the best interest of the customer, such as a home delivery service, which offered a unique solution to DStv Botswana subscribers during a time of significant need."

Lorato Mwape says "In each and every role I have undertaken in my professional career, my mandate has always been to create solutions to everyday problems that supersede both the internal and external customer’s expectations".

"I’ve learnt that the only way to achieve this is through listening, learning and improving. Through my own work, passion and drive, my hope is to empower those I lead to do the same."

Prior to her joining MultiChoice Botswana, Lorato Mwape has worked in the roles of service quality manager, customer care service & quality manager, retail manager and call centre manager in her over 18 years of experience within the telecommunications space.

Lorato Mwape also holds a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in marketing management from MANCOSA, an Honours diploma in applied management and business skills from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, and a certificate in management.

Coronavirus: Over 152 000 DStv subscribers in South Africa sign a petition in a week asking for similar help as MultiChoice extends free bouquet upgrades in Nigeria and Botswana to Ghana and Zimbabwe as well.

by Thinus Ferreira

A petition started by upset DStv subscribers in South Africa has grown to over 152 000 signatures in 7 days since it was started last week, with South Africans asking for lower monthly fees and payment compassion similar to what's happening in other countries where MultiChoice continues to give massive discounts and free bouquet upgrades and has now provided relief for subscribers in Ghana and Zimbabwe as well after giving reprieve to its pay-TV customers in Nigeria and Botswana.

Last week Thursday Sfiso Gwala started a petition entitled "DStv should give S.A. subscribers a payment break or decrease prices during Covid-19" on the change.org platform where it has quickly shot up to become one of the highest "trending" and popular petitions on the platform.

The over 152 000 signatures a week later which saw a jump of another 41 000 signatures on Wednesday night since the 109 000 of Wednesday afternoon, is more than a hundred thousands more than the petition that was started in October 2019 that demanded that MultiChoice return the Crime+Investigation, History and Lifetime TV channels from A+E Networks UK to DStv and which eventually saw the History and Lifetime channels saved.

The petition was prompted after South African DStv subscribers discovered that MultiChoice through its MultiChoice Africa division is giving discounts of up to 75% to DStv and GOtv subscribers, as well as automatically upgrading them to the next higher bouquet for free as part of consumer relief because of Covid-19 national shutdowns.

MultiChoice Africa runs and oversees the various countries in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa.

After Nigeria and Botswana, MultiChoice has now also extended the free package upgrades to its subscribers in Ghana and Zimbabwe.

Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice Nigeria's chief customer officer said that the huge pay-TV discounts are a way of thanking pay-TV customers for their consistent loyalty.

In Botswana MultiChoice thanked DStv subscribers in that country last week for their loyalty and automatically upgraded them the next DStv bouquet for free.

Lorato Mwape, MultiChoice Botswana's acting managing director, in a statement, said that "It is our priority to put customers at the heart of everything we do, and in line with our mission to make great entertainment available, even during the most trying of times, we wanted to gift our very loyal and valued customer base by giving them a chance to experience a wider range of the quality content we carry on our other packages. This is our token of appreciation for their continued support".

Now MultiChoice Zimbabwe is giving DStv subscribers a free bouquet upgrade as well.

"The upgrades are a reward for customers' support for the DStv brand and a means of supporting customers at this difficult time," says Liz Dziva, MultiChoice Zimbabwe PR manager. "DStv customers who are fully paid up on their subscriptions will automatically get upgraded" to the next higher package at no extra cost."

In Ghana MultiChoice is upgrading DStv and GOTV subscribers to the next higher package for free as well.

Cecil Sunkwa Mills, MultiChoice Ghana managing director, said MultiChoice is doing it to thanks customers for their loyalty.

"It is our priority to put customers at the heart of everything we do, and in line with our mission to make great entertainment available, even during the most trying of times, we wanted to gift our very loyal and valued customer base by giving them a chance to experience a wider range of the quality content we carry on our other packages. This is our token of appreciation for their continued support," said Cecil Sunkwa Mills.

Since a week ago last Thursday, representatives of MultiChoice South Africa and its PR company Aprio were asked for comment and whether MultiChoice has any plans to offer similar discounts or free upgrades to South African customers as in Nigeria and Botswana.

MultiChoice said it was working on a response but a week later haven't yet responded.

In South Africa, MultiChoice's biggest market, DStv subscribers are already paying some of the highest monthly subscription fees after currency adjustments where another annual increase came into effect at the beginning of April amidst the Covid-19 shutdown in the country.

Through no fault of MultiChoice and to make matters worse, the DStv price increase happened as live sports programming on SuperSport dried up because of the global pandemic, while multiple international and local TV channels had to adjust their schedules and push out new programming, while some local weekday soaps have run out of episodes with more to follow during May.


ALSO READ: Coronavirus: South Africa's DStv subscribers up in arms as thousands sign a petition over massive MultiChoice discounts and free bouquet upgrades in other African countries over Covid-19: 'My kids laugh in my face that Anaconda has been repeated so much they are no longer scared'. 

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Over 100 000 DStv subscribers in South Africa sign a petition in just 4 days asking MultiChoice for payment compassion and a DStv fee decrease after other African countries got up to 75% discounts and free bouquet upgrades.

Coronavirus: South Africa's DStv subscribers up in arms as thousands sign a petition over massive MultiChoice discounts and free bouquet upgrades in other African countries over Covid-19: 'My kids laugh in my face that Anaconda has been repeated so much they are no longer scared'.

by Thinus Ferreira

DStv subscribers in South Africa are adding their names to a petition that has been growing by tens of thousands, saying that they want similar across-the-board reductions in their monthly subscription fees and payment compassion from MultiChoice after the pay-TV operator gave massive discounts of up to 75% and free bouquet upgrades to subscribers elsewhere in Africa.

A parent complaining about DStv repeats said that her kids "laughed in my face that Anaconda has been repeated so much they are no longer scared".

By Friday morning over 28 200 people have signed the petition that increased by over another 10 000 to 38 800 by early Friday afternoon, after it was started on Thursday by Sfiso Gwala on the change.org platform.

The petition instantly became one of the "trending" and most popular petitions over the last 24 hours after South African DStv subscribers noticed the discounts and upgrades MultiChoice gave to its pay-TV customers in other African countries.

Because of the various Covid-19 national lockdown situations enacted across the African continent, MultiChoice has given subscription fee discounts of up to 44% to DStv subscribers and up to 75% to GOtv subscribers in Nigeria.

Meanwhile MultiChoice thanked DStv subscribers in Botswana this week for their loyalty and automatically upgraded them the next DStv bouquet for free.

While several other African countries already pay less than DStv subscribers in South Africa - MultiChoice's biggest market - South African subscribers haven't received reductions in their subscription fees or package upgrades where an annual price increase came into effect at the beginning of April.

MultiChoice Nigeria told DStv subscribers that it is giving the massive DStv and GOtv discounts to lessen the impact of the ongoing socio-economic crisis caused by Covid-19 in the West African country.

Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice Nigeria's chief customer officer said that the huge pay-TV discounts are a way of thanking pay-TV customers for their consistent loyalty.

MultiChoice Botswana automatically upgraded DStv subscribers on Monday 20 April to the next higher DStv bouquet for free.

"It is our priority to put customers at the heart of everything we do, and in line with our mission to make great entertainment available, even during the most trying of times, we wanted to gift our very loyal and valued customer base by giving them a chance to experience a wider range of the quality content we carry on our other packages," says Lorato Mwape, MultiChoice Botswana's acting managing director, in a statement.

"This is our token of appreciation for their continued support," she says.

On Thursday and again on Friday morning representatives of MultiChoice South Africa and it's PR company Aprio were asked whether MultiChoice has any plans to offer similar discounts or free upgrades to South African customers as in Nigeria and Botswana.

MultiChoice said it is working on a response. When comment is received from MultiChoice it will be added here.

TVwithThinus scanned and read through all of the comments left on the petition by 02:00 on Friday morning. Here is a selection:

"After cutting back and going back to DStv Compact since the kids are at home, I'm really disappointed that even the kids told me to cut back and save my money because they are tired of repeats. They laughed in my face that Anaconda has been repeated so much they are no longer scared."
- Lih Mcrepeat


"DStv keep on repeating shows. Now with lockdown, we do not get salaries and I think DStv can give us payers a holiday payment for at least 1 month or else they are going to lose subscribers." "I love DStv and for 8 years I subscribed with DStv that gives me good entertainment. Now with this pandemic Covid-19 I lost my job and I only have few savings. Please help reduce the cost." 
- Lindokuhle Dlamini


"We can't be paying for repeats. No soccer and Indian soapies are on. Repeats and South African soapies will be on repeats as well."

- Itshekeng Mogotlhe

"DStv lacks content, they repeat programmes. Even the cartoons are repeated yet they charge so much. How can one watch Anaconda in 2020?"

- Pamela Mkonto

"DStv doesn't have a heart for their customers, my vehicle insurance has offered 10% during Covid-19 period, I expected DStv to ease or postpone the subscription. When my fibre is done I am going to Netflix period, DStv keeps on repeating the same old movies, It's a pity they take our loyalty for granted."

- Steven Mdlalose

"Prices are just too high. How can they give a price drop to other African countries except their own country? Do we not deserve it?"

-Simphiwe Mtshali

"Prices are ridiculous and we are not working at the moment. The content has been reduced as there is no sport which is why I have DStv in the first place."

- Buzwe Jongolo

"I'm a student and I'm in Grade 12 and my mom hasn't been paid. I follow the Mindset channel to learn. So now if my mom can't pay how am I going to learn because self-studying is not easy for us."

- Oratile Simelane

"I have been a DStv client for over 10 years and a DStv Premium subscriber. What I have seen is that premium subscribers pay the most but get the least incentives. The subscription has also become too expensive over the years but very little benefit."

- Mdumiseni Mtshali

"I don't know why MultiChoice hasn't done this already amidst of what is happening in our country. I'm deeply disappointed with the company."

- Simpiwe Panziso

"There are lot of repeat shows, and soapies are temporary coming to an end. So we really deserve a payment break."

- Nkosinabo Vilakazi

"DStv is disrespectful to its South Afrikan clients. No sympathy even when the country is going through it's worst period in recent memory. The lack of compassion is absolutely ridiculous."

- Mpho Ratshefola

"This petition should go beyond the subscription fees, they should also stop showing the same thing over and over."

- Nyikk Maluleke

"Wanted to watch the movie Contagion but wasn't on a premium package. The same movie was played within a week on SABC television. To top it they didn't even put it on catch-up. Too many repeats and some shows are no longer filming, meaning I'll be paying for repeats."

- Mmakgoadi Ramaroko

"I am signing this petition because lots of companies, like banks, insurances and gym, are giving discounts or not charging at all. Why is DStv not doing the same for their customers. Is is arrogance or what?"

- Lindile Qubeka

"We find that so many movies are a repeat and it is old movies as well. In our lockdown period we need value for what we are paying for. Movie entertainment and the exploration of DStv should be top quality to promote your service. Most of your viewers do not have the full packages, BoxOffice or Netflix for variety movie choices. Now we request good service in this lockdown time and request for a discount or lower rate billing amount during this lockdown period."

- Renee Erasmus

"DStv must reduce the prices of their packages. They must open their decoders even to subscribers who did not pay. But they must only open learning channels and news. That DStv Now app is not working because people do not have data. Unless if they talk to service providers to zero-rate data charges on that useless DStv Now app."

- Mathule Letuka

"No one has money at the moment. People are struggling for everyday needs. We have been faithful subscribers since day 1 and now that we need you the most, we get cut off. Thank you. It has been a good ride. Maybe we should find comfort elsewhere."

- Tatenda Mtangi

"I'm the breadwinner who have 5 dependents including my husband who's a contractor and is currently affected by Covid-19 and doesn't earn any money! So my little salary can't cover most of my debt as we have to eat as well. The cut can make a huge difference."

- Linda Manyane

"We are at home with little to no income. This is the least they can do, we have been DStv subscribers for years. Else we switching to Netflix."

- Dimpho Ndlovu

"The content we are watching is obsolete. We are paying for new content not repeats. The least they can do is open up all channels at a fixed lower price to every subscriber during this lockdown. People are beginning to see the actual value they are getting from DStv because they watch TV everyday now."

- Bandile Mbanda

"I have been dedicated for many years to DStv. I never missed a payment, even with me being now unemployed. With Covid-19 indefinite lockdown why we all need a break."

- Stephen Ngcobo

"DStv only caters for other African nations but not for SA of which makes this company discriminatory."

- Mbulelo Magidela

"Many major companies that play a role in our daily lives have made a difference by taking a load off customers backs. This is not the time of making a quick buck while we’re home with no choice. As the human race we need to stand together now more than ever. Every little bit counts."

- Gugulethu Msibi

"There is no longer live sport, the rest is repeat rubbish. Premium subscribers are being ripped off."

- Edgar Hoffmann

"I'm very disappointed in the service that DStv is providing us with us as paying customers. DStv continues to air old content and has recently told us that they will be airing old episodes of some the local dramas/telenovelas, yet we're expected to pay the full amount by the end of the month. This is unfair as it is known that the country is in Lockdown and DStv should be offering us discounts or opening up all channels for us".

- Ntethelelo Hlongwa

"Isibaya, is about to run out of episodes, Gomora too, there are no live sports games so nothing is worth paying the ridiculous monthly premium."

- Duncan Letsholo

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Over 100 000 DStv subscribers in South Africa sign a petition in just 4 days asking MultiChoice for payment compassion and a DStv fee decrease after other African countries get up to 75% discounts and free bouquet upgrades.

MultiChoice Botswana wins big court victory over discretionary price increases as Appeals Court slams Botswana's broadcasting regulator for its over-reach.

MultiChoice Botswana scored a big court victory over Botswana's wayward broadcasting regulator as the Botswana appeals court slammed the over-reach by the Botswana Communication and Regulatory Authority (Bocra) wanting to impose tariff regulations on the pay-TV operator in the Southern African country.

In 2017 the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (Bocra) demanded that MultiChoice Botswana first submit its planned DStv price hike tariffs for approval by the regulator, instead of increasing its fees when it wants to.

MultiChoice Botswana went to court and was granted an urgent court interdict to prevent Bocra from suspending its licence and shutting MultiChoice Botswana down by showing that MultiChoice Africa is responsible for DStv tariff and DStv bouquets design.

The case then went to Botswana's High Court.

Botswana's Sunday Standard reports that Botswana's court of appeals judges slammed Botswana's broadcasting regulator in its judgment, with Bocra ordered to pay the cost of the court case.

Three Court of Appeal judges led by Justice Brand ordered Bocra to allow MultiChoice Botswana to continue with its business.

According to the Sunday Standard, the judgment found that it is "highly unlikely" that Botswana's broadcasting regulator will ever be able to find a lawful way to order a company like MultiChoice Botswana to submit its price increases for approval before it can do so.

"In so far as its seeks to control the activities of a third party, MultiChoice Africa though imposing conditions on the licensee, MultiChoice Botswana, its purpose and motive will always constitute an ulterior motive which would render the conditions thus imposed unlawful," the judgment reads.

The judgment noted that Bocra accepted that since MultiChoice Africa is a company registered in Mauritius, unless it voluntary complies with the legislative framework in Botswana, it is difficult for it to compel it to do so.

Justice Brand said there is nothing in the regulatory language to suggest that Bocra may impose conditions on licensees that are wholly unrelated to the conduct authorised by the licence purely to control the conduct of a third party.

Katlego Arnone appointed new MultiChoice Botswana managing director from September.

Katlego Arnone has been appointed as the new MultiChoice Botswana managing director overseeing Naspers' pay-TV business in the Southern African nation from 3 September that operates services like DStv Botswana and GOtv Botswana.

Katlego Arnone will oversee MultiChoice Botswana that employs around 80 staffers and comprises a national Botswana footprint of 69 retailers, 90 accredited installers, 6 agents and 24 direct sales force agents.

MultiChoice says Katlego Arnone's new role will "include a sharp focus on customer service and reshaping the business to improve on customer experience, whenever and wherever there is customer engagement".

Katlego Arnone joins MultiChoice Botswana from Liquid Telecom where she was chief commercial officer. She has an MSc in leadership and change management from Leeds Metropolitan University and a B.Com management degree from the University of Botswana.

Katlego Arnone in a statement says "In line with the business purpose of enriching lives, MultiChoice was a natural choice for me".

"It offers a number of platforms to fuse my passion for people and technology into powerful projects to change lives; whether it is the life of the boy in the rural area who has never seen a TV set before, to reaching out to those who we have left behind, to tapping into the creativity and tech savviness of the youth."

"After a rigorous search process, we are delighted to welcome Katlego Arnone to the MultiChoice family," says Nyiko Shiburi, MultiChoice's southern regional director in a statement.

"Katlego has very significant experience in the ICT industry with an emphasis on customer experience. I look forward to working with Katlego to continue the growth of our business in Botswana".

MultiChoice has over 10 000 pay-TV subscribers in Botswana.

The country's telecommunications regulator recently ordered MultiChoice Botswana to first submit applications and notifications of possible subscriber price hikes to the regulator for approval, before DStv and Gotv subscribers' fees are increased - something MultiChoice said it won't and can't do.

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 18 September 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:

■ Robert Bianco is gone as TV critic of USA Today in America; and meanwhile in a MUST-READ, TV critic Gail Pennington is retiring from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch after 23 years of covering television (PS: TV critics no longer take pictures with the talent.)

■ The upcoming new TV season from America is going to be basically trash, warns AdAge, "cobbled together from the contents of a junk drawer stuffed with reboots, spin-offs and formulaic mush".

■ Reports of the death of broadcast television are greatly exaggerated, to kinda quote Mark Twain says the boss of NBC in America.


■ An uninformed idiot who really should know better, is let loose to share his "impression" that TV audiences in South Africa and DStv audiences are "dwindling". Of course it's growing since DStv subscriptions are increasing (more South African homes have DStv than ever before) as are TV set sales, but as this person says "I have no evidence for this other than my own observations".


■ Technology companies are the new titans of television.
As TV, the internet and wireless technologies converge, it's spend, spend, spend for tech companies to create and own content.


■ As SuperSport spends a lot of money to hype its acquisition of WWE wrestling, Africa's DStv subscribers are very angry at SuperSport for its failure to show the Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin boxing match outside of South Africa.
The rant-filled comments from angry DStv subscribers directed at SuperSport and MultiChoice below Edem Djokotoe's article are fascinating and revealing.


■ MultiChoice Botswana wins in court over Botswana's broadcasting regulator.
The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (Bocra) demanded that MultiChoice Botswana submit its DStv price hike tariffs. MultiChoice Botswana won by showing that MultiChoice Africa is responsible for DStv tariff and DStv bouquets design and was granted the urgent court interdict to prevent Bocra from suspending its licence (and shutting MultiChoice Botswana down).
The case will be heard in October.

■ FOX that wants to take over Sky will be the British broadcasting regulator's hardest test ever.
Ofcom will have to decide whether the take-over will represent a "FOX News-ification" of Sky News (DStv 402), and also whether it will threaten and diminish media plurality.


■ The mess created by trash press, that creates an even bigger mess.
Long story short: So MultiChoice Nigeria keeps inviting moronic media to media briefings - dumb-dumbs who don't understand television, don't understand pay-TV, don't care to learn, report wildly incorrectly and end up inflicting reputational damage on DStv Nigeria, misinforms consumers and makes things worse.

- The latest trashination started when MultiChoice Nigeria had a media briefing to explain that DStv Nigeria subscribers actually benefit through bundling of content.
DStv explained that nowhere in Africa is pay-per-view (PPV) used and that DStv subscribers could watch the Floyd Mayweather/Connor MCGregor fight on SuperSport for instance where in America they would have had to pay much more for this single PPV event.

1. Lo and behold Nigerian trash-reporters literally reports that MultiChoice Nigeria is set to introduce "Pay-per-view".
2.Trash-bad copy-and-pasters ranging from IT News Africa to Telecompaper to several others, damage their credibility and make the misinformation worse by re-"reporting" without checking anything, that MultiChoice Nigeria is launching PPV.
3. MultiChoice Nigeria is forced to issue a new statement to deny that it's launching PPV - ironically what the original press briefing was supposed to spell out. MultiChoice Nigeria - without calling out the specific media trash that caused the mess, says MultiChoice has no pay-per-view plan.



■ The 69th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards 2017 in America made history when The Handmaid's Tale became the first TV show by a streaming site (Hulu) to win the Emmy for best TV drama.

- Deadline analyses that the 2017 Emmy "had something for everyone". "Sleek and sincere," notes Variety but says there's still a long way to go.

- Women working in television in America are making strides, the audience stood up for those who really deserved it and there were memorable speeches, while Strange Things, The Crown, Feud and Westwold turned out to be duds.

 - It's also been disappointment for This Is Us seen on M-Net (DStv 101) that lost out on all its Emmys except for one (but the show is still great!). Why a lot of the stars wore blue ribbons on the red carpet.

- A lot of diverse winners at the 69th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards 2017, the Emmy's best and worse moments, more snubs and surprises, how his Donald Trump overkill marred Stephen Colbert's hosting debut that included Sean Spicer's surprise appearance. Donald Trump basically got a key supporting role at the 2017 Emmys.

- How Saturday Night Live (SNL) got it right and won several Emmys in the "year of Trump". Netflix spends $6 billion per year on new content and Hulu ended up winning the big Emmy first.
And Entertainment Weekly chooses its 10 best moments.



■ Snapchat is against freedom of speech. Snapchat has agreed to a request from the Saudi Arabian government to block Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) news articles and video on its Snapchat app in that country.

■ "The national broadcaster has to look for quality content as well as improve on other issues like presentation and the general programming format".
That's interestingly not being said of South Africa's inept, debt-riddled and struggling SABC although it's as applicable, but of Zimbabwe's propagandistic state broadcaster, ZBC in what Zimbabwe's The Sunday Mail describes as a "do-or-die moment".

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 8 February 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:


■ Advertisers flee Russia Today (DStv 407) after Britain's Sunday Times scares them off.
Russia's RT channel details how media enquiries by the Sunday Times made advertising agencies pull their TV commercials out of fear.

■ MultiChoice Zimbabwe's "Free February" DStv subscription a bit of a fail.
After paid-up Zimbabwe DStv subscribers were promised a month's free subscription in February in a promo, MultiChoice Zimbabwe now says it's only for randomly chosen subscribers, not for everyone.

■ Togo shuts down private TV station La Chaine du Futur.
Togo government says it doesn't have the right "permission formalities; Amnesty International says its an attack on freedom of speech.

■ "Am I a prude?"
Bruce Stephenson in The North Coast Courier wonders if the "lusty banging" in The Vikings on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) is too much.

■ China's StarTimes need to catch a wake-up in Ghana
After trashy StarTimes abruptly cancels the Gala competition for soccer which it announced and of which it took over the sponsorship.

■ Disney blames struggling sport channel ESPN for its fall in profits.
As ESPN viewership continues to plunge, the sports channel that once helped pay-TV revenue is down in profits and revenue and now hurting Disney's bottom line.

■ The AMC channel starts looking to the (uncertain future).
With the AMC channel that got dumped by both MultiChoice from DStv and from Starsat, the original home of the stumbling zombie drama The Walking Dead is forced to make plans for an uncertain future.


■ MultiChoice warns of a surge in fake DStv installers in KwaZulu-Natal.
Fake DStv agents and installers are promising DStv subscribers unrealistic services like free DStv package upgrades.
■ Meanwhile fly-by-night fake DStv agents also also invading Botswana with MultiChoice Botswana warning that people are buying South African DStv subscriptions at the border.
■ And in Kenya pirates stealing DStv signals and reselling it are arrested in their illegal distribution nest leaving thousands of "subscribers" without DStv and StarTimes.
■ Meanwhile MultiChoice Ghana has opened an online shop where people can buy DStv decoders and accessories.


■ Row over MultiChoice's Big Brother Naija filmed in South Africa reveals ...
reveals how hard it is to do business in Nigeria says The Economist.
And what a "goofy outcry" over Big Brother Naija done in South Africa.


■ Tellytrack's (DStv 239) absolutely horrible 2017 The Sun Met coverage.
The legendary Martin Locke explains how awful and badly coordinated the Tellytrack channel's coverage was of this year's horce racing event.

■ New TV drama This Is Us gives TV broadcasters hope.
While the new TV season's biggest hit, This Is Us, isn't anywhere on M-Net, DStv or South African television, The New York Times reports why this new drama series is giving hope to American broadcasters.

■ StarTimes acquires rights for StarSat South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa of Pakistan Super League cricket.
The two-year deal will start with the 2017 edition of the Twenty20 franchise tournament starting Thursday until 5 March.

■ Yolisa Phahle, M-Net CEO on why Netflix keeps her up at night.
I was on holiday, but catching up: M-Net boss did an interview in January 2017 with CNN and Eleni Giokos on M-Net's future prospects.

MultiChoice Botswana investigated for anti-competitive behaviour; MultiChoice says it can't comment.

MultiChoice Botswana is being investigated by Botswana's Competition Authority as to whether the satellite pay-TV service has been or is engaging in anti-competitive behaviour.

It follows after a public complaint that MultiChoice's behaviour is restricting consumer choice and that MultiChoice is allegedly abusing its dominant position as a pay-TV provider in that country within the TV market.

The MultiChoice case is noteworthy because it also deals with the issue of so-called "bundling".

MultiChoice Botswana offers various bouquets similar to what MultiChoice offers in South Africa and in all other African countries. It is now argued in Botswana that the DStv subscriber is forced to take up pre-selected blocks of TV channels without the option to so-call "pick and choose" individual TV channels.

MultiChoice Africa tells TV with Thinus that "MultiChoice is aware that a complaint has been lodged against MultiChoice Botswana at the Competition Authority".

"MultiChoice is not in a position to comment on the complaint or any matter related to the complaint until such time as the relevant regulatory authorities have properly disposed of the matter".