1Gospel channel announces April 2025 Easter programming

by Thinus Ferreira

The 1Gospel (DStv 331) channel from Urban Brew Studios has announced its April 2025 Easter programming line-up that will include several gospel artists, a 2-part concert experience, as well as the channel's annual Easter special.

"At One Gospel, our Easter programming is thoughtfully curated to honour the depth of this sacred season and invite viewers into a journey of faith, hope, and restoration," says Yandiswa Nkonde, 1Gospel channel head.

"We encourage our audience to embrace the message of redemption and triumph that Easter represents."

This year's 1Gospel Easter line-up includes:

Worship throne: Easter edition

14 to 18 April 2025, 12pm

This special edition brings together celebrated gospel artists in a dynamic worship experience. Tune in for soul-stirring music that captures the themes of renewal, hope and resurrection, all wrapped in authentic and heartfelt praise.

Annual Easter special

18 April 2025, 11:00

A 2-hour Easter showcase hosted by Candice Modiselle and Khaya Mthethwa, featuring special guests from Spirit of Praise. Through powerful music and engaging conversations, this special reflects on the suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and how his work continues to impact our lives today.

Fearless Lovers of Worship (FLOW): Live concert by The Jesus Collective

Part 1: 13 April | 21:30

Part 2: 20 April | 21:30

Join The Jesus Collective for an unforgettable two-part concert experience. Get to know the group behind the worship movement, hear their stories, and immerse yourself in four hours of passionate, live worship. These specials offer a deeply intimate encounter with music that celebrates faith, love, and purpose.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 13 October 2015

■ Russian TV weather report says conditions "excellent" for bombing Syria.
Russian television goes into mega propaganda mode (again) as Russian state television start relentlessly positive coverage of Russia's bombing of Syria, with even the weather reports chiming in to say that conditions are perfect for flying fighter jets and launching airstrikes.
Russian television has suddenly switched from covering Russia's war in the Ukraine to Russia's attack on Syria.
Russia is bombing civilians in Syria and an Al Jazeera team of journalists narrowly escaped a Russian airstrike and lived to tell about it.


■Actor Sammy Moeti from Muvhango on SABC2 has died.
Passed away after a long illness and playing the character of Vho-Mushasha.


■ Back to court for the SABC's matricless boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
With the one part of the controversial SABC boss' court case heading to the Constitutional Court (the part of suspending him and for the SABC to start a disciplinary hearing), the other "B" part is continuing today at the Western Cape High Court over his alleged irregular appointment as chief operating officer (COO) at the SABC.
- Inside the confused mind of the SABC's Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
- The COPE political party is delighted "that Baba can't always get what he wants".


■ The once-open SABC has shut itself off, dictating to people, with brazen salary increases, successive qualified audits, and a pathologically dysfunctional SABC Board presiding over losses of hundreds of millions of rand says the public pressure group for public broadcasting, SOS Coalition.

■ South African Airways just opened its refurbished domestic lounge and calls it VIA.
Which is unintentionally very funny and might create a problem soon when there's more than one brand with the same name in South Africa.

■ MultiChoice hikes DStv subscriptions by 30% from 8 November in Zambia.
The second DStv price increase from MultiChoice this year for Zambia, following similar, second price increases in Uganda and Kenya last month. MultiChoice Africa blames the local currency drop against the dollar.

■ Nigerians furious after MultiChoice dumps ONE Gospel (DStv 331) from DStv in Africa.
- In Malawi DStv and Gotv subscribers are annoyed over MultiChoice's decision to take ONE Gospel off.

■ Felicia Mabuza-Suttle lives her dream.
The former Top Level and Felicia Mabuza-Suttle Show talk show host talks on SABC2's Morning Live about her new book.

■ Even more changes coming to MSNBC (StarSat 263), says channel boss Andrew Lack.
Executives looking at expanding Morning Joe, testing a lot of programming ideas, and pleased with the return of the disgraced Brian Williams now anchoring on the channel after dumped from NBC Nightly News for lying.

■ DStv incurs the wrath of subscribers.
In the Ghanaian cartoonist Makaveli's latest cartoon, DStv subscribers are burnt and roasted in a DStv pan as MultiChoice looks on. DStv subscribers across Africa are furious over a 2nd subscription increase in the same year from the pay-TV operator.

■ Boomerang (DStv 302) gets Grizzy and the Lemmings.
Turner Broadcasting International buys the new p"playful family comedy" for its Boomerang channel worldwide.

■ SABC1's Roots presenter Ngizwe Mchunu arrested for speeding.
TV presenter drove 161km per hour in Mpumalanga. Says "everyone sometimes drives over the speed limit but journalists only report it if the culprits are celebrities".

■ Caxton says with the MultiChoice and SABC deal that Naspers and the public broadcaster merged
"MultiChoice has acquired the ability to materially influence the television broadcast business of the SABC," says Caxton.

■ Empire: TV's biggest show is waiting for the cliff to come.
The hit drama on FOX (StarSat 131 / DStv 125) that just started its second season and is also coming to e.tv is burning through story so quickly and bringing in so many guest appearances that it's set to crash and burn like so many series before it.

■ The BBC's television boss Danny Cohen is leaving.
BBC director-general calls him "one of TV's great talents".

■ Algeria shuts down private TV station El Watan
which according to the government "isn't licensed" to broadcast news in the country, after an interview is broadcast which critised president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

■ SABC buys Among Wolves and Doctors Without Borders
at the annual Mipcom TV buyers festival, while MultiChoice buys 28 hours of natural history programming from Terra Mater for its video-on-demand (VOD) service.
- Meanwhile digital TV is the "new TV world order" as TV produced by and for over-the-top (OTT) platforms and players fuelled the lastest Mipcom TV market.

■ Incompetent minister of communications, Faith Muthambilashes by ANC over digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration mess.
Could possibly be forced to reverse the policy on non-encryption of set-top boxes (STBs) needed in South Africa for digital television. Meanwhile the ANC says it can't ignore the "destruction of the SABC".

■ Game of Thrones filming delayed over a fantasy castle.
The HBO show on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) can't get filming permission for the 6th season for a fake fantasy castle set in a Northern Ireland village.

■ Minority Report on FOX (DStv 125 /StarSat 131) gets its episode season order cut down to 10
while Extant seen on M-Net (DStv 101) is cancelled.

■ The now trashy and irrelevant, yet once great TV Guide magazine sold again.
for the 3rd time in 10 years.

■ Significant viewership drop-offs for new American TV season.
Up to 25% less viewers.

■ Viacom has big problems.
The conglomerate that owns MTV,Comedy Central and Nickelodeon is in trouble. Once MTV defined what was cool for kids. Now Viacom is in turmoil and getting lost amid the explosion of competition from traditional and digital platforms.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 1 October 2015

Tim Gunn trashes Anna Wintour.
You simply MUST watch what Tim Gunn reveals about Anna Wintour and the Vogue editor to Meredith Vieira of The Meredith Vieira Show on SABC3.


Why allow a con-artist to bleed the SABC dry?
More reaction to the SABC's matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng and his massive salary of R3.78 million.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng "has a knack for saying the dumbest things" and "each time his bloodshot eyes glare at us from newspaper pages or television screens, he is taunting us".
Hlaudi Motsoeneng's massive SABC salary "is bizarre," says the Public Protector.
"The SABC needs to fire Hlaudi Motsoeneng".
Meanwhile the SABC's SABC News tries to "dispel confusion" over Hlaudi Motsoeneng's salary in a news story insert that is real news and not satire and not fake and not a joke.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng claims: "I saved 800 jobs at the SABC and created another 250" and that he has been approached by international broadcasting organisations to join them.


The SABC is facing R1 billion in claims from individuals and government entities - at least 20 claims over millions of rand.


Namibian DStv subscribers are furious at SuperSport over "stupid remarks".
Disgusted with SuperSport presenter Tony Ndoro's insulting remarks who was "temporarily removed". SuperSport said it "apologises to Namibian subscribers for remarks" and that Tony Ndoro will no longer comment on Namibian matches.
Meanwhile angry viewers forced SuperSport to commit to an apology this coming Sunday live on the air during Master Plan over the remarks broadcast over SuperSport airwaves about Namibia.


Why Discovery Networks can't win over investors.
People remain lukewarm and sceptical that Discovery Networks, that runs channels like the Discovery Channel (DStv 121), is ready for the streaming media revolution.
Promises that Discovery will grown in America despite turbulence, promises that Discovery will reach 3 billion subscribers worldwide by the end of this year, promises 3 years of profit growth for Discovery.
Discovery's CEO David Zaslav calls video-on-demand (VOD) services "dumb" and that the economics are inferior.
At Discovery's first Investor Day media day in New York he says VOD services work in markets where many people speak English and like American entertainment.
Oprah Winfrey's new spiritual discovery series Belief will start on OWN, one of Discovery Networks' channels, and will air around the world from October.
Oprah's OWN is now "a cash flow machine" for Discovery after 5 years after it struggled initially.
Discovery Networks International plans to show the trophy hunting documentary Blood Lions in South Africa and worldwide about the trophy hunting industry in South Africa (no announcement in South Africa yet).
Racing Extinction will start as a worldwide event from Discovery on 2 December in 220 countries and will presumably be on Discovery Channel (DStv 121) and Discovery Science (StarSat 222) in South Africa.


Tony Danza was "disappointed; Alyssa Milano left "a lovely message"
After Who's the Boss?'s gay Danny Pintauro revealed to Oprah Winfrey that he is HIV positive. "The stigma of HIV/Aids is the reason it's continuing to be there," he tells E!.

More embarrassment for MSNBC?
With the disgraced Brian Williams now anchoring on MSNBC, Michael Wolff notes that Today, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, CNBC (DStv 410) and MSNBC (StarSat 263) are all troubled brands.


HBO's new Westworld remake forces extras to be okay with nudity and sex touching.
Unions concerned after contracts for background extras require consent for naked bareback riding on all fours, hand-to-genital touching, while some might get their "genitals painted". Also genital-to-genital touching on the show "about the future of sin" set at a futuristic theme park where robots go haywire.
Anyone for "contorting to form a table-like shape while being fully nude" on television? The more than 50 extras got paid $600 for the simulated sex scenes on the HBO set because of the "unprecedented amount if simulated sex" they have to perform.
HBO now denies that the trashy nudity and sex document for the controversial simulated sex lot came from them and that it "contains situations that we do not require of any actor".
Hollywood's actors unions and guilds upset and scolds HBO for the trashy contract.


MultiChoice is dumping ONE Gospel (DStv ccc) in the rest of Africa from DStv.
The Christian gospel channel produced by Urban Brew Studios is a gonner on DStv outside of South Africa from 30 September.
DStv subscribers are furious over the removal of ONE Gospel and accuses MultiChoice of a breach of contract while DStv gave no real reason for cutting the channel.
At least there is the SABC Crown Gospel Awards happening on 15 November in Durban "a phenomenon that is currently international".


Absolutely brilliant!
John Oliver brings back a Days of Our Lives character.
The host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on M-Net (DStv 101) resurrects the dead EJ DiMera (James Scott) for a migrant Syrian teenager "for one night only" who is in love with the American soap.
The whole 18 minutes is a brilliant and beautiful explainer - using television for the best of what it can be.
I wanted to cry when Noujain Mustaffa explained how she learned English by watching Days of Our Lives. And the Days of Our Lives bit starting at 15:50 after you've watched the whole explainer with Sami and EJ ... utterly perfect.

(Meanwhile Fortune looks at the impact John Oliver has had in a very short time and why his influence is no joke.)


MultiChoice explains how it compiles TV channels on DStv.
DStv channels constantly monitored, and the "DStv audience is a challenging one to cater for".

Why reality TV has been voted off the island this new TV season.
People still want reality but are tired of the same stuff and viewers are "ready for something different". Meanwhile reality TV producers say reality shows are not dead - at least not for legacy shows.

The secret of Empire's success.
The hit drama series on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) shows that culturally relevant programming can have mass appeal and that ... content is king.
And FOX is already thinking of planting a character in Empire to then create a spinoff. Just like Dynasty in the 80s if I remember correctly (and I do).

The Simpsons will likely end with its 30th season.
Longest running primetime animation TV series just started its 27th season. And why did the show wait so long for Smithers to come out as gay?

New reality show coming to SABC3. Apparently.
The Paw Paw Films production which also wants identical twins, will be looking at the workings of the human mind to demonstrate how phobias and hypnosis works.

Where have all the young men gone?
A massive 22% less young men - TV's most coveted demographic is gone since the start of the just started new TV season.

Rob Lowe speaks out about the objectification of men on television.
"I unbutton my shirt and then he looks at me and I realize what he wants to see is nipple," says the star of the new drama The Grinder.

Quantico copies from Shonda Rhimes' dramas.
The great new drama that just started on Vuzu Amp (DStv 114) and which is not from Shonda Rhimes copy and paste what Shonda did with Grey's Anatomy and her other dramas.
By the way, Quantico is one of those shows that's indicative of how the international TV market and what they want and require is impacting and changing the TV made in America.

Stephen Colbert simply won't stand evasive answers and non-responses.
Neither do I. On his new late night talk show Stephen Colbert refuses to back down and just need those who are supposed to talk, to co-operate, when Kerry Washington gives the moronic "watch this space" answer.

CSI out-CSI-ed itself for the finale.
A completely fitting farewell you want to see. And the finale scene of CSI was thought up 16 years ago already says creator Anthony Zuiker.

Blindspot creator has a 3 season plan.
Remember how Prison Break fizzled and eventually had no place to go? Creator of Blindspot coming to M-Net (DStv 101) says there is "a real concrete plan for the first three seasons".

American TV critics complain about not getting a 2nd episode for review.
American TV critics are fed-up with only getting a pilot episode of a new show to review and not more episodes as TV series become more serialised. Meanwhile South African TV critics mostly get nothing and maybe one episode and only sometimes shown something if there's a press launch for a TV show and you're so very "privileged" to be invited.

The Lonely brilliance of MacGuyver.
One of the quintessential TV series of the 80s - one which even even boosted SABC3's midday ratings in 2012 as I reported three years ago is exactly 30 years old.

Traffic! returns to e.tv for a 2nd season
On 6 October at 21:05. Of course ga-zero information to TV critics and the press, but e.tv's website says it will revolve around a serial killer muthi murderer who steals fetuses.

Once people get kids - even millennials - they ...
get or go back to getting pay-TV says The New York Times. Exclusive video-on-demand streaming lasts only until millennials start familes.

Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) in America won't recognise its union.
Digital employees at Al Jazeera America complain about pay discrepancies, lack of communication between labor and management, and uncertainty.

The boring, boring, boring Homeland on M-Net (DStv 101) ...
... is a typical example of how shows overstay and become stale and irrelevant while it suffers the tyranny of being unable to do anything or kill of the core cast.

The SABC-MultiChoice deal challenged at the Competition Commission Tribunal.
Caxton, SOS Coalition and Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) challenging the massive R533 million deal MultiChoice signed with the SABC which it argues constitutes a merger between DStv and the South African public broadcaster.
Does MultiChoice control the SABC's assets and policy? asks Moneyweb, reporting that MultiChoice's contract with the SABC for SABC News (DStv 404) and SABC Encore (DStv 156) is characterised as "extraordinary" and "deeply unusual".

BREAKING. ONE Gospel cancels Call to Worship, Gospel Truth; dramatically changing the channel to 90% music from November 2012.

ONE Gospel (DStv 331), the gospel TV channel run by Kagiso Media, is radically repositioning the TV channel, dumping its talk shows and other programming to become a 90% music channel from Thursday 1 November which is cheaper to produce.

Call to Worship and Gospel Truth, although popular on ONE Gospel, are getting cancelled as is almost everything else not directly gospel music video related.

"There will be no reality show, and no fiction," says ONE Gospel, which will from November "play soul inspiring music, with a combination of classic hits and new releases from the most popular gospel artists".

It marks a massive change for ONE Gospel which dabbled in reality shows such as I Want to Sing Gospel, this year had Ever After following weddings, and also produced local talk shows.

ONE Gospel started in November 2007 and is radically transforming five years later, saying the channel "is taking a different direction" and that "the time has come for that".

"ONE Gospel will focus on mainly music from South Africa, East Africa and West Africa, however your favourite gospel music videos from the likes of Kirk Franklin, TD Jakes, Juanita Bynum will still be in the mix," says the channel.

The shows Call to Worship and Gospel Truth are both being dumped and will end on 30 November. "Finally gospel music lovers will enjoy less talk and more music," says the channel which can be seen in sub-Saharan Africa, East Africa and much of West Africa.

Programming note: Call to Worship, a new show with Loyiso Bala, starting on ONE Gospel on Thursday 30 August at 21:00.

Call to Worship is a new show starting on Thursday 30 August at 21:00 on ONE Gospel (DStv 331) with Loyiso Bala as presenter.

Call to Worship will be a theme drive music show I'm told, seeking to "tell the message of the Gospel through music and takes a journey into the inspiration behind the different artists's music as well as their personal journeys with the Lord".

"I'm really excited about being a part of the ONE Gospel family," says Loyiso Bala in a statement. "I have a passion for everything that is to do with worship, whether in song or in service. ONE Gospel will provide me the perfect platform to grow as both a worshipper and as a servant."

Programming note: Ever After, a brand-new wedding magazine show starting on ONE Gospel on Thursday 31 May at 21:00.

Ever After is a brand-new local magazine show focusing on South African weddings and wedding stories and will start on Thursday, 31 May on ONE Gospel (DStv 331) at 21:00.

Ever After will not only focus couples planning their wedding but also have couples who have been married for very long, giving marriage advice, sharing their marital experiences and personal stories - both the positive and uplifting, as well as how they made it through very difficult and trying times of hardship.

Ever After will mostly be shot on location and interviews and inserts will revolve around wedding preparations, anniversaries and couples talking abouot how they've dealth with conflict and misunderstandings.

Cameras follow nervous brides and grooms on their preparations, shows venues, have couples share memories and first dates and the planning and stressful preparations for the big wedding day.

BREAKING. One Gospel presenter Xylon van Eyck battling cancer; will continue doing his show as he undergoes chemotherapy treatment.

I'm told the TV presenter Xylon van Eyck is battling cancer after the 27 year old has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma last month.

Xylon van Eyck who has started chemotherapy treatment is the presenter of This Generation Loud (TGL) on One Gospel (DStv 331) on Tuesdays at 19:00. After a CT scan last month revealed enlarged lymph nodes, he started chemotherapy which will probably continue for the next 6 months.

According to the channel Xylon van Eyck will try to continue presenting TGL during his treatment. ''At least no-one will be able to see if my hair falls out,'' says the bald presenter.

''On a serious note, I believe that God doesn't give us anything we can't cope with and I believe that He is with me through all my treatments, stresses and unexplained moments. My prayer remains the same: that He will open my eyes to see what He is doing in my life.''

Programming note: Roxy Burger and Xylon van Eyck presenting the 3rd season of Unashamed on ONE Gospel.

Roxy Burger (currently doing red carpet coverage on the second season of SABC3's Flash!) and Xylon van Eyck are the presenters of the new third season of Unashamed on ONE Gospel (DStv 331). 

In Unashamed South African celebrities talk about their Christianity, their doubts, fears, journeys, and the realities around their Christian faith experience. Unashamed is broadcast on Mondays at 19:00 with a repeat on Tuesdays at 11:00.

Wannabe gospel singers get another chance to Shine as ONE Gospel launches a second season of its reality talent show.

Exactly a year after its first season, ONE Gospel (DStv 331) is embarking on a second season of its Shine gospel singer talent search competition which will start on the Christian music TV channel on 4 September at 18:00.

The first season Shine presenters Zanele Mbokazi and Lionel Petersen have been replaced by a single presenter for the second season of Shine in the form of Fezile Makhanya with auditions that will start on 4 August - a month before the broadcast starts.

Like last year Shine is again forcing contestants to pay to enter the second season - a practice that's widely frowned-upon within the TV industry. Contestants entering a TV show, especially a reality show, shouldn't be paying for the opportunity.

Contestants will have to pay R2 to SMS the word ''Shine'' to 34627 with their names and contact details and the city they want to audition in, and will then get an SMS back.

Shine's second season audition dates are:
4 - 6 August (Mamelodi – Pretoria)
10 - 13 August (Soweto)
18 - 20 August (Umlazi - Durban)
25 - 26 August (Tygerberg Radio - Cape Town)

The judges will choose two finalists from each region (8 in total) who will travel to the ONE Gospel studios in Johannesburg to compete further.

Programming note: New talk show The Scarlet Lounge on Mondays on ONE Gospel marks Thami Ngubeni's return to South African television.

The Scarlet Lounge is a brand-new local talk and magazine show on Mondays at 21:00 on ONE Gospel (DStv 331) and marks Thami Ngubeni return to South African television as a presenter.

The Scarlet Lounge on the Christian music TV channel is aimed at women and the challenges they face. Thami Ngubeni interviews worship leaders, songwriters, ministers and inspirational speakers.

''I hope The Scarlet Lounge will speak life, freedom and realization to women that will be a part of it,'' Thami Ngubeni says. ''I'm beyond excited about sharing this platform with other women and having fun. Life is as it is but how we choose to experience the journey is entirely up to us.''

O HALLELU! One Gospel adds a gospel game show hosted by Nimrod Nkosi; one other new show.

You're reading it here first.

The former Lotto TV host Nimrod Nkosi returns to television this coming Monday night at 21:00 as the presenter of a brand-new local production on One Gospel (DStv 331) - a gospel game show entitled Ivangeli Game Show.

The Ivangeli Game Show will test contestants' knowledge about gospel music and in one of the competition categories contestants will have to sing their favourite gospel songs and hymns. Contestants will win gospel CD's and DVD's as well as hampers.

One Gospel has a second new show starting with I Just Wanna Praise that kicks off this coming Tuesday at 17:00 on the channel and is a phone-in and dedication music video show. Viewers across Africa would be able to ''send a special message'' when they call +27 (0) 83 913 33 331 and request a gospel music video.

BREAKING. One Gospel adds a talk show for Joshua Maponga; decides to make Sarah Ngubeni the new face of the channel.

You're reading it here first.

One Gospel (DStv 331) just announced that the channel will be adding two new shows at the end of this month - Joshua and Church Point.

Joshua will be presented by Joshua Maponga and Church Point by Sarah Ngubeni. Sarah Ngubeni will also be used by One Gospel in a wider, overall marketing strategy by making her the ''face of One Gospel'' as a TV channel.

''In line with our content strategy to constantly reach out to our viewers, One Gospel has created two new shows which will help us better understand our audience and know who we are broadcasting to,'' says Abe Sibiya, One Gospel channel head. Joshua with a lifestyle talk show format starts on Wednesday, September 29 at 18:15 and Church Point that will be a profile show starts on Thursday, September 30 at 19:00.

BREAKING. How is this for striking a false note! Why, sadly, ONE Gospel is losing its Shine before it's even started.

You're reading it here first.

Talk about a false note! Pathetic, sad and completely inappropriate is the exploitative ONE Gospel (DStv 331) entry process for its upcoming new Shine gospel-star-seeking reality show, forcing would-be entrants to not only PAY to enter . . . but pay TWICE!

Last month I told you RIGHT HERE about ONE GOSPEL's first attempt at a local reality show. Since then TV with Thinus readers begged for more information - especially more specific venue and time details since ONE GOSPEL only released dates and cities. First off, there's no problem with having  media partner(s) for your TV show once its being broadcast, but its morally reprehensible to have contestants for your show having to pay to get the basic entry information for that show. That is exactly what ONE GOSPEL has gone and done, putting a serious dent in its halo. Interested contestants first have to buy one of two specific newspapers who are media partners, to get hold of a printed SMS number. Then contestants have to pay again by sending an SMS to register for Shine. ''Everyone who would like to enter need to register,'' ONE Gospel tells me. Thus, unlike how reality TV shows in South Africa usually works, you can't just show up or enter without first paying. TWICE.

The initial entry information for people entering TV talent competitions should be made freely available and the Christian oriented ONE Gospel is hitting a big time falsetto in this case. Keep in mind that whatever the TV show is, they make their money when the show is eventually broadcast. Why do you want contestants to first support your media partners and then pay to register? Ludicrous. Not Idols, Big Brother Africa, Popstars, Survivor SA, SA's Got Talent or any of the other current South African reality shows are doing that. It's fine to get viewers watching the show to interact later and then make them pay for the on-screen entertainment, but that a whole other matter.)

To add insult to injury by making contestants fork out money to become part of a reality show such as ONE Gospel's Shine, you then trot the selected ones out like show ponies during the broadcast. Its really not what should be happening. Actors and on-air talent don't pay (TWICE!) to be on TV shows, in adverts or in movies and neither should reality TV contestants. ONE Gospel and production house Urban Brew should really know better and do better if they really want to . . . shine.

UPDATE (Tuesday 17 Aug 16:00): ONE Gospel tells me that ''the entry mechanism was developed to manage the number of people who enter the competition''. The channel says that contestants who want to enter can email shine@onegospel.com ''or watch the channel''.

O HALLELU! Gospel singers get the chance to Shine in ONE Gospel's new reality talent show.

ONE Gospel (DStv 331) is getting into the reality talent seach craze with the channel's own reality show called Shine.

Shine will be hosted by TV presenter Zanele Mbokazi and gospel musician Lionel Petersen and will be looking for South Africa's next great gospel music act. According to ONE Gospel, ''performers who have dreamt of sharing the stage with phenomenal and successful musicians like Rebecca Malope and Joyous Celebration, now have the opportunity to showcase their talent. Soloists, bands, choirs or instrumentals all qualify to enter the competition.'' The auditions will start in Mamelodi, Pretoria on August 5, then move to Soweto, Polokwane, Durban, Nelspruit and end in Cape Town in September.

The judges will choose two finalists from each region (12 in total) who will travel to the ONE Gospel studios in Johannesburg to compete further. Every Sunday, performers will need to impress the judges and three finalists will be eliminated at the end of each episode. In the final episode the judges and the studio audience will vote for the overall winner. Besides a recording contract from SouthStone Records the Shine winner will also sing at ONE Gospel's first concert in December.

The first episode of Shine will go out on Sunday August 8 at 17:00 on ONE Gospel. Here's the specific audition dates and cities: 5 & 6 Aug: Mamelodi, Pretoria; 12 & 13 Aug: Soweto, Johannesburg; 19 & 20 Aug: Lakazi, Nelspruit; 26 & 27 Aug: Seshego, Polokwane; 2 & 3 Sep: Khayelitsha, Cape Town and 9 & 10 Sep: Umlazi, Durban. For the audition you need to take your ID book along and prepare a gospel sing.