Primedia launches Primedia+ as its new streaming hub.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's Primedia has launched a Primedia+ app as its new hub for live-streaming and as a catch-up destination for the content from its radio stations as well as its growing video content output like news bulletins and other planned TV show ventures under its Primedia Studios banner.

Primedia+ that went live as an app and a new website at primediaplus.com on 16 January is described as a "one-stop destination" for Primedia content, enabling live-streaming and catch-up content from its radio stations like Kfm 94.5, 702, 947 and CapeTalk, as well as EWN TV news bulletins.

Primedia+ is available on the Huawei AppGallery, Google's Play Store for Android and the Apple App Store and follows the track of apps like SABC News and SABC+ that offers live-streaming of the public broadcaster's audio and video services.

Primedia didn't issue any press release but in an interview on 702 Kobus du Toit, Primedia group digital product manager said "all the amazing content that Primedia produces comes into the platform".

Content can also be saved for offline listening and viewing later. 

Barbara Friedman, Primedia digital content editor, in an interview on CapeTalk said "the new version is crystal-clear, it works".

She explained that EWN TV produces nightly TV news bulletins done in isiZulu and English versions which are also available through the app and website.

Former Idols SA judge Randall Abrahams exits Primedia to head up Telkom's digital solution division.

by Thinus Ferreira

The former Idols SA judge Randall Abrahams (54) has left Primedia after just over a year, to join Telkom in the role of overseeing its digital solutions business division.

Randall Abrahams joined Primedia as CEO in May 2022. 

After Lindile Xoko was appointed a few months later as new Primedia CEO on 1 January this year, Randall Abrahams got both a position and job title change to "vice president of Primedia International" for the Primedia group where he reported to Primedia group CEO Jonathan Procter.

Now Randall Abrahams has exited Primedia after a year and a few months, for a new job at Telkom where he has been appointed as group executive for digital solutions and will manage the digital platform business within the telecom's technology division.

Randall Abrahams will now be responsible for driving Telkom's digital strategy and "identifying and implementing technologies to develop opportunities" for Telkom.

He will be involved in developing Telkom's platform business in non-connectivity products like fintech, advertising, content, Smart Homes and small business enterprise solutions.

Randall Abrahams says "Joining Telkom is a proud moment for me and I relish the challenge and the opportunities that the group offers. It's a chance to really make a difference by improving the lives of South Africans through Telkom's data-led capabilities."

Serame Taukobong, Telkom group CEO, says "We are excited to have Randall joining Telkom. His expertise in the digital and communications space is highly respected and we look forward to working with him on our ongoing digital transformation to deliver value for our stakeholders."

Besides his long-running Idols judge duties for 17 seasons where he holds the record as the South African singing reality show's longest-serving judge, Randall Abrahams was also the managing director for the Universal Music Africa Group in South Africa.

Besides his stint at Primedia he was also radio station manager at Good Hope FM and YFM, general manager of public commercial radio at the SABC, and was CEO of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs).

Katlego Maboe to host Deal or No Deal SA revival on SABC1 from 6 March.

by Thinus Ferreira

SABC3's Expresso presenter Katlego Maboe has been selected to become the host of the revival of the Deal or No Deal SA gameshow on SABC1 from 6 March.

Katlego Maboe recently returned to Expresso's presenter emsemble following his relationship cheating scandal. He will now host Deal or No Deal SA that Anele Mdoda's Rose and Oaks Media production company is producing for SABC1.

SABC1 will strip the half-hour Dealor No Deal SA episodes in which contestants get to choose which of 20 boxes to open to win possible cash prizes ranging from R1 to R250 000, on weekdays at 19:30. Repeats will run on weekdays on SABC3 at 17:30.

Primedia decided to revive the game show which lasted for two seasons on M-Net (DStv 101) in 2007, together with a version for Southern African countries which was carried by MultiChoice for DStv subscribers outside of South Africa. 

"We are delighted to offer this exhilarating, upbeat show to our audiences," says Lala Tuku, SABC head of local content.

"While we will be using the winning format that has seen Deal or No Deal become a global broadcasting phenomenon, the show will feature new innovations and be distinctively South African. Every day, a contestant will have an opportunity to win up to R250 000. With an electric energy that makes dreams come true in an instant, this is television entertainment at its best."

About choosing Katlego Maboe as the show's host, Lala Tuku says "We needed an all-rounded host for this very special show, and we are convinced that he has the requisite flair and finesse, and the generosity of spirit to ensure that Deal or No Deal becomes an essential, not to be missed, part of the daily life of South Africans across the nation".

"His charisma and compassion will ensure that each episode of Deal or No Deal is an emotive, highly charged journey for both contestant and viewers."

Lindile Xoko, Primedia Broadcasting CEO, says "Deal or No Deal is a result of collaborative work and we are very fortunate to be in a position to leverage our relationships with our advertisers".

"It was through a synergetic partnership approach that we have successfully identified a suitable sponsor for the show and to indeed make it a reality. Deal or No Deal, an uplifting show which can make the dreams of ordinary South Africans come true, is a definite winner and it is a much-needed antidote for the people of Mzansi".

ALSO READ: South Africa's Primedia ties up rights to The Masked Singer SA with Anele Mdoda to produce for unnamed TV channel, plans to revive Deal or No Deal SA.

South Africa's Primedia ties up rights to The Masked Singer SA with Anele Mdoda to produce for unnamed TV channel, plans to revive Deal or No Deal SA and take EWN visual with video news version.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's Primedia primarily dabbling in radio has picked up the rights to The Masked Singer South Africa which will be produced by Anele Mdoda's Rose and Oaks Media for an as-yet-unnamed TV channel, potentially putting a spoke in the wheels of the SABC's SABC3 TV channel which has been trying and looking at producing a localised version of the singing competition show.

Primedia also plans to revive the game show Deal or No Deal South Africa which lasted for two seasons on M-Net (DStv 101) in 2007, together with a version for Southern African countries which was carried by MultiChoice for DStv subscribers outside of South Africa. 

At Primedia's Tuesday evening event, Anele Mdoda revealed that Primedia has secured the rights to The Masked Singer SA which Rose and Oaks Media will produce in at least three different South African languages.

SABC3 channel boss Pat van Heerden has been trying to get a local version of The Masked SA off the ground as the channel's big new local variety competition show with the channel which has been carrying the American version of The Masked Singer on its schedule.

It's unclear if SABC3 will be able to or has secured a deal with Primedia to broadcast The Masked Singer SA, or whether the show will go to another channel like e.tv, or one of the M-Net produced channels for MultiChoice's DStv.

Primedia also plans to launch video versions of its Eyewitness News (EWN) news bulletins - an English version done by the former eNCA anchors Jane Dutton and Shahan Ramkissoon now at the Eclipse PR company, and a Zulu version anchored by Kwazi Kwaza.

Former Idols judge Randall Abrahams appointed Primedia CEO.

by Thinus Ferreira

The former Idols judge Randall Abrahams has been appointed as the new Primedia CEO and will start in the role today.

Jonathan Proctor, Primedia Group chief executive made the announcement in a press release late on Monday.

Randall Abrahams is known for his role as one of the judges of the singing reality show Idols on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) until last year after he was let go by the production company [SIC] Entertainment, producing the local version of the Fremantle TV format.

Randall Abrahams takes over from Geraint Crwys-Williams who was acting Primedia CEO and who had already left the position.

Primedia owns South African radio stations like Talk Radio 702, Cape Talk, 947, as well as the news division Eyewitness News (EWN).

"I am pleased to return to a swiftly evolving broadcast landscape and I'm very excited to join the Primedia Group," says Randall Abrahams in the prepared statement.

"Primedia remains at the forefront of both content creation and distribution with a drive for continued innovation."

"Working under Jonathan Proctor's leadership alongside a team of experienced marketers and creators is an exhilarating prospect, and l aim to bring my combination of experience and innovative ideas to the table."

Jonathan Proctor says Randall Abrahams has been instrumental in the turn-around and refocusing of the SABC commercial radio portfolio where he worked under Peter Matlare, and also worked in the complex merging and transformation of Universal and EMI Music Groups, as well as with the turn-around of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs).

Randall Abrahams previously served on various regulatory bodies such as the South African Standards Authority, the NAB and the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) among other public service contributions. 

"I see him not only playing a critical role in entrenching Primedia as a forward-looking, leading-edge media company, but also in helping to accelerate talent development across our prized suite of media offerings."

SABC, Primedia and Ster-Kinekor fined for 'cartel conduct' price-fixing, to pay millions in fines.

The SABC, Primedia and Ster-Kinekor have admitted to "cartel conduct" and price-fixing and will be paying millions of rands in fines after reaching settlement agreements with the Competition Commission.

This follows an investigation that started in November 2011 which found that the SABC, Primedia and Ster-Kinekor colluded through the Media Credit Coordinators (MCC), with members offering discounts and payment terms to advertising agencies that placed advertisements with other members.

The SABC, Primedia and Ster-Kinekor were also found to have employed an intermediate company named Corex to perform risk assessments on advertising agencies to impose a settlement discount structure on the agencies.

The Competition Commission's investigation found that these practices restricted competition among the companies and that their price-fixing and trading terms contravened the Competition Act.

The SABC, Primedia and Ster-Kinekor have been ordered to pay administrative penalties, provide bonus advertising space to qualifying agencies, and contribute to the Economic Development Fund (EDF).

The SABC has to pay a fine of R31.8 million and provide 25% bonus advertising space for every rand of space purchased by small agencies for the next three years. This is capped at R40 million annually, amounting to a total sum of R120 million over the three-year period.

The SABC must also contribute R17.7 million to the EDF over the next three years.

Primedia agreed to pay an administrative penalty of R9.6 million and will also provide 25% bonus advertising space to qualifying agencies, capped at a value of R72 million over three years. Primedia will also contribute R3.4 million to the EDF over a three-year period.

Ster-Kinekor agreement to pay R436 999.90 as a fine and will provide 25% bonus advertising space to qualifying agencies, capped at a value of R3 million for a period of three years. Ster-Kinekor will pay R157 319.96 to the EDF.

The EDF is managed and administrated by the Media Development and Diversity Agency.

Several other companies have already been fined heavily previously for the same collusion, including MultiChoice's DStv Media Sales, Naspers' Media24 and Caxton.

Radio 702 talk show and presenter Eusebius McKaiser created hostile environment, showed intolerance, Broadcasting Complaints Commission finds.

702 has breached the Broadcasting Code with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) finding that the talk radio station breached the Broadcasting Code after a talk show presenter created a hostile environment, showed intolerance against opposing views and exhibited a lack of respect towards callers and other views.

702, owned by Primedia Broadcasting, wasn't fined but got reprimanded by the BCCSA following listener complaints, after a morning show on 7 May 2017 with presenter Eusebius McKaiser.

Listeners submitted complaints to the BCCSA regarding Eusebius McKaiser's apparent "censorship" and told the BCCSA that despite the presenter's "vitriolic attack" on former South African president FW de Klerk they would have liked to hear what the De Klerk Foundation would have said it the representative wasn't cut off.

"Many people would have liked to hear what the chair of the De Klerk foundation has to say about this sensitive subject but Eusebius McKaiser's censorship will only allow selected comments to go on air.

“I feel that this kind of conduct is upsetting to a lot of people and also agitating in an already volatile social climate. Eusebius McKaiser’s conduct does not help the people of South Africa to understand the importance of open, honest dialogue as an important tool to solve problems. He causes tension between races and people with different background,” one of the complainants, Thomas Mihal told the BCCSA.

Dave Steward, chairman of The FW de Klerk Foundation, who was heard on the day's phone-in show, was one of the other complainants, and said he was "shouted down and ultimately cut off by Eusebius McKaiser".

702's topic revolved around the inclusion of the former apartheid president FW de Klerk's inclusion in a forum of former presidents aiming at promoting a dialogue around issues facing the country, and whether it was appropriate for an apartheid president to be included in the initiative known as the National Foundations Dialogue Initiative (NFDI). 

Eusebius McKaiser cut the representative off who was on the line.

702 told the BCCSA that it disputes the allegations that the talk show was a "vitriolic attack on FW de Klerk", saying the show's intention was not to criticise FW de Klerk. 702 told the BCCSA that former president Thabo Mbeki and current president Jacob Zuma were both also criticised in the programme.

The BCCSA in its judgement found that Eusebius McKaiser "didn't make reasonable efforts to fairly present opposing points of view", that there was "a hostile attitude demonstrated towards De Klerk by what both the presenter and his guests said", that the presenter didn't correct a caller using the word "criminal" and that the only caller making an effort to put up an opposing view had his call cut off.

The BCCSA found that the 702 talk show exhibited "a lack of fairness", that "the lack of respect towards callers and lack of tolerance towards views which do not correspond to those of the presenter also appear from what is said" and that "these are qualities that are expected of presenters in this type of programme".

BCCSA: '702's Eusebius not tolerant'

The BCCSA also slammed 702 for arguing that the show was not aimed at discussing FW de Klerk’s views, calling the radio station's argument "to say the least, ingenious".

"The many times that De Klerk’s name was mentioned during the programme, which lasted 80 minutes, is proof of the fact that the programme was about him and, by necessary implication, his views," the BCCSA says in its judgment.

"702 argued that it would have been irresponsible to have De Klerk on the show. We find that it was a contravention of clause 13(2) of the Code not to have him or a spokesperson of his foundation on the show."

"The first complainant, who is a spokesperson for the FW de Klerk Foundation, was not invited to appear on the talk show, and when he phoned in, he was cut off before finishing his contribution to the debate."

"It is clear to us that the intention of the presenter was to cast as bad a light as possible on De Klerk and in the process he was not tolerant towards opposing views, thereby not obtaining balance between opposing points of view".

"It is important to state that nowhere in this judgment do we say or even suggest that 702 should not have discussed De Klerk or his views. This is the content of the right to freedom of expression which the BCCSA enforces."

The BCCSA says "the presenter did not make a reasonable effort to fairly present opposing points of view. Neither did 702 allow De Klerk a right to reply, while its intention with the programme was clearly to criticise De Klerk".

702 was not ordered to broadcast a summary of the finding and the BCCSA judgement found that "the appropriate sanction in this instance will be a reprimand" for 702.

BREAKING. eNCA - joined by MultiChoice and Primedia - to apply on Wednesday to televise the Oscar Pistorius muder trial.

The South African 24-hour TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403) will bring an application on Wednesday, 19 February, before the North Gauteng High Court to televise the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.

ALSO READ: The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) wants the world to watch the Oscar Pistorius murder trial court proceedings live on television.

On Valentine's Day 2013, the Paralympic athlete, known as "The Bladerunner" shot and killed his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He will now stand trial from 3 March as he is accused of alleged premeditated murder.

eNCA says the TV news channel wants to televise the murder trial and will bring the court application tomorrow.

"Alternatively we will ask the court to permit use of audio only if television cameras are not permitted. We are acutely aware of the sensitivities around televising a criminal trial, and that many witnesses may not want to appear on TV".

MultiChoice and Primedia have joined eNCA's application.

"Over the past 10 years eNCA and sister company e.tv have made great strides in covering court cases," says the news channel. "It is now fairly common practice to allow cameras into court for arguments and judgments".

"On this basis we were granted limited access to the Schabir Shaik corruption trial, judgment in President Jacob Zuma's rape case as well as Julius Malema's appearance before the Equality Court".

"However broadcasting witness testimony has not been permitted to date in criminal matters," says eNCA.

"With the advent of social media networks it is now possible to offer real-time updates from the courtroom, which effectively amounts to live coverage albeit in a printed form".

"It is our view that micro-blogging is prone to inaccurate reporting, sensationalism and lacks context or nuance, while a broadcast of events can help audiences understand exactly what is being said and the tone in which testimony is delivered"

"The court will have to consider the need for openness and transparency in the justice system with the defendant's right to a fair trial," says eNCA. 

"We will argue that a balance can be struck with the courts in order to achieve both. eNCA will comment further after the application is heard. It is unclear when the High Court will rule on the matter".

Existing broadcasters and wannabe broadcasters square off over digital television competition in South Africa for when DTT starts.

Existing South African broadcasters saying its madness to licence and introduce new TV broadcasters when digital terrestrial television (DTT) finally one day start in South Africa, are squaring off against wannabe broadcasters and companies who want to start new TV broadcasting channels as well as pay-TV services during the same time.

Some companies like Kagiso Media, MSG Afrika which recently made a failed bid for TopTV, and Primedia have been mulling and are itching to start TV services in South Africa.

They want to add to the flurry of channels when existing broadcasters like pay-TV broadcaster M-Net, the public broadcaster SABC, and the commercial free-to-air broadcaster e.tv each expand their respective TV channel line-ups to about 8 TV channels or more when DTT finally launches in South Africa.

Public hearings got underway at South Africa's broadcasting regulator which is looking into specifically the possible introduction of further TV competition within the South African television industry and the shape and form it should take, as well as diversity in TV broadcasting, when DTT - a process long-delayed in South Africa - finally starts in this country.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) gave the South African public less than 16 hours notice about the public hearings which was held yesterday and where broadcasters such as the SABC and e.tv as well as new possible players Kagiso Media took widely differing stances on whether new entrants should be allowed when DTT starts.

e.tv complained that existing broadcasters have been allocated to little multiplex spectrum making it almost impossible for a broadcaster such as e.tv to offer high definition (HD) channels.

e.tv, similar to the SABC and M-Net, has each been allocated a limited portion of spectrum which allows for a certain number of new TV channels. An HD channel or more than one HD channel will dramatically lessen the total overall number of TV channels a broadcaster can offer since it gobbles up more spectrum.

e.tv complained about the ongoing delays of the start of DTT and the switch-over process, saying it is making it more difficult for e.tv to grow TV audiences and that the delay is causing MultiChoice which runs the DStv satellite pay-TV platform to grow its subscriber base and entrench itself further.

The SABC told Icasa that the start of DTT is definitely not the time to licence new additional TV channels since existing broadcasters will already have a very difficult time to do the costly switch from analogue to digital broadcasting with operating costs which will soar running new channels and securing content, as audience fragmentation grows due to the availability of more TV channels.

The SABC asked Icasa to first do a regulatory impact study of what the result will be for South Africa's TV industry if new broadcasters are to be licensed at the same time as DTT starting. The SABC said new TV competition must be timed correctly and that the digital migration period is not the right time to start new TV services in the country.

Kagiso Media told Icasa that the longer the introduction of DTT is delayed and if new TV competition is not introduced, new TV broadcaster entrants into South Africa's TV industry are less and less likely to succeed, citing the problems and struggles with On Digital Media (ODM) and its TopTV service which is currently in business rescue.

Kagiso Media also told Icasa that measures should be put in place to give new TV entrants a chance to get access to premium TV content, citing TopTV's failure to access sport content.

Kagiso Media which wants to start both free-to-air commercial TV channels as well as a pay-TV service similar to M-Net, also wants new digital terrestrial pay-TV services to get "open time" broadcasting windows where their signals can be broadcast unencoded so that potential subscribers can see the content. Kagiso Media told Icasa this will help new pay-TV broadcasters in South Africa to see what new TV services exist.