Cell C black loses more TV channels with True Movies and POP from Sony Pictures Television Networks also removed.

Cell C black is losing more TV channels with True Movies and the kids channel POP - both from Sony Pictures Television Networks - also being removed, with Cell C black that didn't want to tell the broader public about it.

It follows after Sony Pictures Television Networks decided to abruptly remove its linear Sony Channel and Sony MAX channels from Cell C black in January 2019, with these two channels that also went dark on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform since November 2018.

The removal of the channels are part of Sony Pictures Television Networks strange and as yet unexplained decision to change its channel distribution business South Africa and Africa.

Cell C black has now also lost True Movies (Cell C black 242) that got culled on 31 January and was already dumped from MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform a while ago due to under-performance, as well as the kids' channel POP (Cell C black 303) that will be taken away on 31 March 2019 when it shuts down.

Both True Movies and POP are run by Sony Pictures Television Networks.

It means that Cell C black is suddenly down 4 TV channels at the beginning of 2019 while Cell C black subscribers are paying the same subscription fee as before for less content. Cell C black didn't say with what or if the 4 channels will be replaced.

POP also remains available on China's StarTimes (Africa)/StarSat (South Africa) satellite pay-TV platform. StarSat was asked whether POP is closing down and being removed from its platform but didn't yet respond. If/when StarSat responds it will be added here.

Ntombi Gama, Cell C black's spokesperson at the Atmosphere PR agency, confirmed in a media enquiry to TVwithThinus that True Movies and POP are also cut from Cell C black in addition to Sony Channel and Sony MAX.

Asked why Cell C black doesn't communicate the discontinuation of TV channels on its service publicly and why potential customers are kept in the dark regarding the changing channel line-up of the service, Ntombi Gama says "we have been communicating these changes to our own subscribers".

TVwithThinus also reached out to Sony Pictures Television this week, with Sony Pictures Television Networks that responded with the same holding statement as in January, again saying that "As part of a review of our channel portfolio, we have decided to revise our offering in sub-Saharan Africa".

"We are actively examining other possibilities in the territory and remain excited about future programming opportunities there."


UPDATE Wednesday 13 February 2019 - 11:40
StarTimes/StarSat respond to the media enquiry confirming that the POP channel will be removed from StarSat since Sony Pictures Television Networks will no longer be producing the channel.

Sony Pictures Television Networks decides to leave Africa as the Sony Channel and Sony Max are yanked from Cell C black.

Sony Pictures Television Networks has decided to leave Africa with its Sony Channel and Sony Max channels that have now also been removed from the Cell C black video streaming service after the channels went dark on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform since November 2018.

The Sony Channel (Cell C black 203) and Sony Max (Cell C black 204) both disappeared from Cell C black's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service where they remained available as linear TV channels after their removal from DStv.

It means that Sony's channels are now no longer available anywhere in South Africa.

Cell C black didn't release a public statement but was asked for comment on Monday morning about the absence of the Sony channels on its offering.

"We did not release a press statement but informed active subscribers," Ntombi Gama, Cell C black spokesperson told TVwithThinus, noting that Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) decided to exit the African market and that Sony's channels are no longer available anywhere in South Africa.

"Sony Pictures Television Networks has made a decision to exit the African market. This means that their channels are no longer available for broadcast anywhere in South Africa. Sony Max and Sony Channel are therefore no longer available on Cell C black's live TV offering."

"With more than 60 live channels available on Cell C black, including new seasons of Lee Daniels' STAR and The Gifted on FOX Cell C black 201), subscribers still have access to the best entertainment on offer."

TVwithThinus also reached out to Sony Pictures Television on Monday, with Sony Pictures Television Networks that responded by saying "As part of a review of our channel portfolio, we have decided to revise our offering in sub-Saharan Africa".

"We are actively examining other possibilities in the territory and remain excited about future programming opportunities there."

BREAKING. MultiChoice dumps Sony Channel and Sony MAX from DStv at the end of October after not renewing the Sony Pictures Television Networks contract.

MultiChoice is dumping the Sony Channel (DStv 127) and Sony MAX (DStv 128) from its DStv satellite pay-TV platform at the end of October after not renewing the channel's carriage contract with Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN).

MultiChoice was asked why it decided not to renew the  carriage contract but declined to answer.

In a terse statement, MultiChoice that incorrectly refers to the Sony Channel as Sony Entertainment, says the Sony channels will stop airing on DStv and that "as from end October 2018, Sony Entertainment (DStv channel 127) and Sony MAX (DStv channel 128) will stop airing on DStv. The current contract with Sony will expire end of October".

Emma Marshall, spokesperson at Sony Pictures Television for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry on Friday that "Sony Pictures Television's channels in Sub-Saharan Africa, Sony Channel and Sony Max, will stop being carried on MultiChoice’s DStv platform at the end of October, as the contract between SPT and MultiChoice expires at that time".

"We thank our viewers in the region for their support. SPT is excited about future opportunities in the Sub-Saharan African market and is exploring programming options for the continent."

The Sony Channel rebranded from Sony Entertainment Television in September 2014 after MultiChoice added it 11 years ago in November 2007.

In January 2011 MultiChoice added Sony MAX as a male-focused channel and as a replacement for Sony's terminated Animax channel. MultiChoice then said that it hoped to do "many more Sony channels on our DStv platform" and that Sony MAX "is fitting in perfectly with the DStv platform".

The Sony Channel and Sony MAX will remain available as linear TV channels on Cell C black on channels 203 and 204.

The Sony Channel and Sony MAX have largely been neglected over the past two years.

In 2016 MultiChoice Africa removed both channels from DStv and GOtv elsewhere in Africa outside of South Africa but later returned it to its GOtv digital terrestrial television subscription service.

In South Africa, MultiChoice also came close to removing the channels at this time, according to sources, who said that the two Sony channels were destined to suffer the same fate as in the rest of Africa after Naspers' pay-TV arm embarked on a wider plan to cut back on channels with too much repeat programming that were angering DStv subscribers.

In the end the Sony Channel and Sony MAX both got a last-minute reprieve, but now the axe finally came down on the channels due to too much old content and repeats.

In mid-2016 Sony Pictures Television Networks for Africa and The Sony Channel dragged MultiChoice into scandal for the faking of Gogglebox South Africa by making as if TV households were watching content across DStv channels that MultiChoice never even showed. Gogglebox SA got cancelled with people involved in the scandal who got fired.

2017 also marked the first year since SPTN started doing it in 2013 that Sony Television in Africa stopped doing any kind of annual Sony upfront event in South Africa with 2018 that also had none.

The accomplished and respected Sonja Underwood who used to be Sony Pictures Television Networks' territory director for Sony Africa's channels also left Sony at the end of March 2017, something that Sony didn't announce, with no new Africa boss who engaged with media or TV critics the past two years.

In July 2018 SPT promoted Kunle Falodun as the "country" leader for Africa to drive and look after Sony's plans and its channel distribution for the African continent, including South Africa.

Sony Max on DStv doing Halloween in October with a first season marathon broadcast of Hannibal; new second season of Freakshow.

Sony Max (DStv 128) is doing a Halloween month for October with special Halloween themed programming, including a marathon broadcast of the first season of Hannibal.

The first season of Hannibal with Mads Mikkelsen and Will Graham will be broadcast on Sony Max, starting on Friday, 31 October at 22:00, and continuing through on Saturday,1 November and Sunday 2 November.

The second season of Freakshow starts on Sony Max on Tuesday 21 October at 21:00. 

The second season of the gameshow Hole in the Wall just started on Mondays at 18:10.

A scary movie on Sony Max is Primal Force on Monday 27 October at 21:00, in which a private plane carrying the daughter of a businessman crash-lands on the uninhabited island of San Miguel off the coast of Mexico, an island the locals regard as cursed.

A rescue mission is dispatched to look for survivors, but the team first has to get past the population of mutant baboons.

BOOB TUBE. Poorman's Bikini Beach back on Sony Max from 11 June at 23:00 with daily episodes filled with the jigglies.

Poorman's Bikini Beach is back on Sony Max (DStv 128) from Tuesday 11 June at 23:00 with new weekday episodes of the jigglies.

Bodacious babes in bikinis harass James "The Poorman" Trenton who just tries to do his job of covering beautiful girls at beach side beauty pageants and all the insane goings-on behind the scenes at these events.

Sony Max grabs the first season of Man v. Food Nation as well as two accompanying specials for South Africa and Africa.

Sony Max (DStv 128) in Africa and South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv has acquired the broadcasting rights to Man v. Food Nation in a deal with distributor Passion Distribution.

Adam Richman is the presenter of the show and Sony Max acquired the first season of Man v. Food Nation as well as two accompanying specials.

"Africa is becoming a hugely viable market for Passion and one we are seeing a lot of growth in," says Rebecca Thomas, sales manager for Passion Distribution in a press statement.

"We are continually doing business with countries across the continent by focusing on the individual territories as well as the larger pan broadcasters, in order to continue this growth into 2013 and beyond."

More kung fu martial arts movies coming to Sony Max viewers after Sony Pictures Television signs a new package deal with Celestial Pictures.

More martial arts movies are coming to Sony Max (DStv 126) after the Hong Kong based Celestial Pictures signed a package deal with Sony Pictures Television for a set of kung fu movies on Sony Max for South Africa and Africa.
Kung fu movies that will be shown on Sony Max in the continent within the next few months include The Chinese Boxer, Mad Monkey Kung Fu and Shaolin Temple.

If you want to know what kind of shows will be on the new Sony Max TV channel on DStv and what days and times it will be on.

One of my TV columns is weekly and its new today. For Channel24 I did a run-through of the specific kind of TV programming that viewers will be able to see on the new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel that will be launching tonight at 21:00 on DStv.

You can read it RIGHT HERE and find out what kind of shows there will be on Sony Max and exactly on what days and times it will be on.

INTERVIEW. ''We realized there's an opening in this market place; we can attract new TV audiences with Sony Max,'' says SPT exec.

Eddie Nelson (left), senior vice president for the EMEA region of Sony Pictures Television and Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice's general manager for content with a faux wrestler at the launch of the new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel. CMLL: Arena Mexico is one of the new shows on Sony Max.

Photo: Michael Stewart/Pixel Painter

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The first new TV channel of 2011 in South Africa launches tonight at 21:00 when Sony Max (DStv 126) makes it debut on DStv. I sat down with Eddie Nelson, senior vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region of Sony Pictures Television to talk about how Sony Pictures Television sees Sony Max and the region, how the channel will be different and what the channel's aims are.

''If I look at where I sit, where EMEA sit, I can see exceptional growth rates for Sony Max in viewership, I see an opportunity to expand our programming into South Africa and Africa and I see us getting into places where people can access us when they want to be entertained and can get access to great, quality entertainment,'' says Eddie Nelson when I asked him how Sony Pictures Television that is launching Sony Max, sees Africa and Southern Africa as a TV market.

''I think that what we've shown with Sony Entertainment Television is that with the right shows and the right package you can get and keep viewers,'' he says. ''We've been talking with MultiChoice and together we realized there's an opening in this market place, we can attract new TV audiences with Sony Max and we can work with MultiChoice to build and expand the brand. We had to sit and work out what it was and will be; working out the right programming and the look and feel.''

So how will Sony Max be different in terms of its programming offering from not only Sony Entertainment Television (DStv 113) but also because Africa within the EMEA region has a specific viewers' taste? Eddie Nelson says that irrespective of region, the basic underlying principle that's also driving Sony Max's programming strategy is entertainment. ''The main thing is that wherever we are in the world the main thing is that people want to be entertained. That's the key thing. And there are multiple television stations available in almost every country in the world.''

''Our job is to say: ''Here's a specific country. We're going to try and go into that country and impact the viewers by building a channel brand through scheduling. We say: Okay, what kind of brand? What kind of programming proposition will be just right for this market?'' Of course Africa is different from everywhere else, but underlying it all our job is to find the right shows. Not every channel has Takeshi's Castle or science fiction. But in this market in South Africa we knew Takeshi's Castle is very, very successful. We knew from the responses we had that Takeshi's Castle really is a show we should have on Sony Max for instance.''

ALSO READ: How the new Sony Max channel logo and name came to be.
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ALSO READ: ''We could immediately see Sony Max fit in perfectly with the DStv platform,'' says MultiChoice content exec.
ALSO READ: ''Sony Max is a channel for guys, full of stuff you'll enjoy watching as a guy,'' says Sony Pictures Television exec.
ALSO READ: Sony Max mixes it up and maxes the fun at the new TV channel's launch with cool cocktail menu's.
ALSO READ: Sony Max is the brand-new channel ''for the men of Africa'' that launches 1 February.

Sony on how the new Sony Max channel's logo and the new name came to be.

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The new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel will make its debut on DStv tonight at 21:00 in the place of the defunct Animax - sporting a vibey and glossy black and orange channel logo with a textured 3D look. But how did that logo came to be and why Sony Max as the channel name?

''We looked at what kind of colours resonate with our audience,'' says Eddie Nelson, senior vice president of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region of Sony Pictures Television when I asked him about the logo design and the logo creation process. ''We already have the Sony Entertainment Television (DStv 113) channel, so we thought around that. We went with and looked at a lot of different iterations,'' he says. ''Then the design team created the 3D effect and showed it coming out of the screen. It just seemed to leap just off the screen a lot more. It resonates with the action that will be on Sony Max. There's also a bit of drama in there. It shows quality. When we looked at all the logos this one for Sony Max was the best.''

I asked Eddie Nelson why Sony Max was chosen as the name, given that an Indian Sony Max (DStv 457) already exists as a channel name on DStv's Indian North bouquet and whether a whole new name for the channel was considered. ''Of course we considered all the different names we have and all different kinds of names for the channel,'' he says, ''but 'Max' is what identifies us. Max tells what we're trying to do. So we decided on Sony Max because we believe that's the best name for this particular channel. We're very happy with it. It's a great brand.''

LUCHA LIBRE! Beefy half naked wrestlers and a wrestling ring helps to spice up DStv's max-tastic Sony Max channel launch.

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Since the new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel that kicks off on 1 February at 21:00 will bring South African viewers some CMML: Arena Mexico wrestling for the first time - Mexican wrestling where the wrestlers fight with masks - the official launch of the new Sony Max channel earlier this evening sported some studly guys with very impressive physiques.

They're not really wrestlers but the toned and sculpted six pack brigade stood next to the red carpet welcoming guests to the Sony Max launch. Later two of them got into a real wrestling ring (impressive!) that was set up on stage, and later they walked around with big silver trays (it must have been heavy which is why they were asked) serving really great food.

For some more Sony Max wrestler pics, as well as how the Sony Max stage looked for the channel's launch presentation, click on READ MORE below.

BREAKING. ''We could immediately see Sony Max fitting in perfectly with the DStv platform,'' says MultiChoice content exec.

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''I hope we can do many more Sony channels on our DStv platform. We are very lucky to have 4 such great Sony's brands on the DStv platform, 2 in English and two in Hindi,'' said Aletta Alberts, general manager: content at MultiChoice, at the official launch function earlier this evening of the new Sony Max channel. Sony Max (DStv 126) starts on 1 February at 21:00.

''I think Sony Max - from the time we started discussing this channel - we were all very excited. We could immediately see Sony Max fitting in perfectly with the DStv platform. Also, this is a genre that our audiences love and I think for both our subscribers to DStv Premium as well as the DStv Compact market, Sony Max is going to do great.''

''I do think that the channel is for males, but Sony Max will be happy to tell you that wrestling has big female interest as well. I really want to thank Sony Max for its commitment to content,'' said Aletta Alberts. ''Lastly, I have mentioned wrestling... and I see all my friends that I always wrestle with... the media. Thank you very much for coming. I hope you're going to write a lot about this channel. Talk to us, continue talking to us on Twitter and our forum. For those who are very brave and want to push the boundaries, pick up the phone and call us,'' she said.

''So my old rhetoric as always is, if you think we're doing well tell us and write about us, and if we're not doing well with certain things write about us and tell us. And happy new year.''

ALSO READ: ''Sony Max is a channel for guys; full of stuff you'll enjoy watching as a guy,'' says Sony Max channel exec about new channel.
ALSO READ: Sony Max mixes things up and maxes the fun at the channel's launch with cool cocktail menu's.
ALSO READ: Sony Max is the brand-new DStv channel ''for the men of Africa'' that will be replacing Animax from 1 February.

BREAKING. ''Sony Max is a channel for guys, full of stuff you'll enjoy watching as a guy,'' says Sony Max channel exec about new channel.

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''Sony Max is a channel for guys, just for guys,'' said Eddie Nelson, senior vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region for Sony Pictures Television at the official launch earlier this evening of the new Sony Max channel.

Sony Max (DStv 126) will start to broadcast on 1 February at 21:00 on MultiChoice's pay TV platform. ''Our aim is for Sony Max to be full of the stuff that you will enjoy watching as a guy,'' said Eddie Nelson. ''Regarding distribution we're on both DStv Premium and DStv Compact on channel 126 from February 1. We will immediately be in 3 million homes to begin with and will then try to extend this channel to sub-Sahara Africa to markets such as Nigeria and Kenia.''

''Sony Max is really made for guys. It's a channel full of attitude. We're going to be exciting. Sony Max will target a male audience between 24 to 49 who likes gripping drama and entertainment but of course there is a secondary audience as well of women who love shows such as Takeshi's Castle which just transcends gender. Sony Max will have lots of shows that just great to watch, fun and entertaining.''

''How have we scheduled Sony Max? In a nice easy structure with a ''Man stuff'' slot from Tuesdays to Fridays starting at 21:00,'' explained Eddie Nelson.

Dramas on Sony Max include The District, Nash Bridges, Call me Fitz (double episodes) and The Shield. Reality includes CMLL Presents: Arena Mexico, Ninja Warrior, Unbeatable Banzaki and Takeshi's Castle. Comedies include Kenny vs Spenny, Kung Faux, Dudesons and Manswers. ''Regarding movies Sony Max will feature terrific movies from our own studios, plus we'll pad out the Sony Max schedule with other studios as well as independent's who have good nuggets,'' said Eddie Nelson.

ALSO READ: Sony Max mixes it up and maxes the fun at Sony Max's channel launch with cool cocktail menu's.
ALSO READ: ''We could immediately see Sony Max fitting in perfectly with the DStv platform,'' says MultiChoice content exec.
ALSO READ: Sony Max is the brand-new channel for the ''men of Africa'' that will be replacing Animax from 1 February on DStv.
ALSO READ: First look! The new orange and black logo of the new Sony Max channel on DStv.

FIRST LOOK! Sony Max mixes things up and maxes the fun at the new Sony Max channel's launch with cool cocktails menu's.

When they care, I care. And Sony Max (DStv 126) clearly cares a lot. No detail is ever too small to escape my beady eye when it comes to television and I'm just back from the cool official launch of the new Sony Max channel which was filled with very buff half naked men who paraded around as wrestlers with Mexican masks, a great buffet and an awesome cocktail menu - beautifully personalised with some clever cocktail choices infused from Sony Max's new TV shows.

I'm just back and will roll out some more stories, photos and first interviews in complete coverage of this new channel, what it will have and what Sony Max is about, but first the cool cocktail menus. Guests could sip on a whole range of drinks from Ninja's Passion (Ninja Warrior) and Fitz on the Beach (Call me Fitz), to I Survived a Japanese Sunrise (I Survived a Japanese Gameshow) and Takeshi's Blue (Takeshi's Castle).

I didn't have time to work my way through the whole Sony Max cocktail menu since I had to work and do interviews and gather everything I could, but I had a Tequila Slam Dunk and it was great. The channel rolled out real food and not the average and usual flim-flam that usually passes as nibbly bits at these events and had a great spread. Half naked wrestler dudes served platters with real meat which was awesome and followed it up later by chocolate delicatessen in big plates. Besides a buffet (and of course an open bar) with more delectible food choices guests could also take a photo booth insta-picture with Sony Max characters.

As the very first TV channel to launch in South Africa in 2011 Sony Max surely maxed the budget for this channel launch and did a great job. Bonus points for the mock wrestling show when two beefy dudes grabbed each other in a real wrestling ring on stage with a fake ref and did some Mexican wrestling (Sony Max will bring viewers CMLL Presents: Arena Mexico). Bonus points as well for Sony Max and MultiChoice for bringing in real Sony execs from overseas to talk to the press covering television and a great presentation of who and what Sony Max as a channel will be.

ALSO READ: ''Sony Max is a channel for guys; full of stuff you'll enjoy watching as a guy,'' says Sony Max channel exec about new channel.
ALSO READ: ''We could immediately see Sony Max fitting in perfectly with the DStv platform,'' says MultiChoice content exec.
ALSO READ: First look! The brand-new black and orange Sony Max channel logo.
ALSO READ: Sony Max is the brand-new DStv channel ''for the men of Africa'' that will be replacing Animax from 1 February.

TOLDJA! Sony Max is the brand-new DStv channel ''for the men of Africa'' that will be replacing Animax from 1 February.

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A brand-new 24 hour Sony Max action and reality TV channel is the male-skewing channel that will be replacing the defunct Animax on channel 126 on DStv from 1 February at 21:00.

''We are delighted to launch a new Sony-branded channel for the men of Africa, working closely again with such an established pay TV player as MultiChoice,'' says Eddie Nelson, senior vice president of the Europe Middle East and Africa region of Sony Pictures Television. ''With our great line up of movies, series and not-to-be-missed action and reality programming, Sony Max offers world class entertainment.''

Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice's general manager of content says the pay TV platform is ''excited about the launch of another Sony-branded channel''. ''Sony Max will provide more adrenaline-filled, action programming which our viewers love; with the welcome return of several viewer favourites such as Ninja Warriors and Takeshi's Castle.''

New for South African TV viewers on the Sony Max schedule is Mexican wrestling in CMLL Presents: Arena Mexico, and the comedy drama Call me Fitz starring Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Jason Priestly that starts on 8 February at 21:00. In March Sony Max has the 2nd season of the drama The District and I Dare You! The Ultimate Challenge. Sony Max also has the rights to the Video Game Awards 2010 which will be broadcast on Sunday, 13 March at 14:30 and Tuesday 29 March at 21:00.

ALSO READ: ''Sony Max is a channel for guys; full of stuff you'll enjoy watching as a guy,'' says Sony Max channel exec about new channel.
ALSO READ: ''We could immediately see Sony Max fitting in perfectly with the DStv platform,'' says MultiChoice content exec.
ALSO READ: A new Sony Max channel will be the channel replacing Animax on DStv from February 2011.
ALSO READ: Sony Max mixes it up and maxes the fun at the official channel launch with cool cocktail menu's.

FIRST LOOK! The new orange and black logo for DStv's new Sony Max channel revealed.

You're seeing it here first.

I can be first to show the logo for the brand-new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel that will be replacing Animax from 1 February and will be a brand-new Sony Max channel for South Africa and 39 other African countries on the continent.

ALSO READ: Sony Max to replace Animax as a new male-skewing TV channel on DStv from 1 February 2011.

BREAKING. Sony Max to replace Animax as the new male-skewing channel from 1 February 2011 on MultiChoice's DStv.

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I can exclusively break the news that a brand-new Sony Max channel targeting young males with a selection of action and reality shows will be replacing Animax on Tuesday, 1 February 2011 on channel 126 on DStv's Premium and DStv Compact.

In October I was first RIGHT HERE to break the news that MultiChoice will give Animax the axe, and now multiple reliable sources locally and abroad have confirmed to me that Animax will be replaced with the channel Sony Max. This new Sony Max general entertainment channel should however not be confused with the Sony Max channel that was launched in November 2008 by Sony Entertainment Television Asia (SET Asia) on channel 457 on DStv's Indian North bouquet as a Bollywood movie and special events channel. That Sony Max channel targets South Asian viewers while this new Sony Max will aim to have a much broader entertainment appeal.

Insider sources tell me this new Sony Max, which will replace Animax on channel 126, will be a newly compiled general entertainment channel although the line-up will still feature some shows like Takeshi's Castle and Kenny vs Spenny that used to be seen on Animax, as well as general entertainment dramas like Nash Bridges. Also on would be shows like Manswers, Scare Tactics and Knockout Sports World. Sony Max in terms of its programming content will further court young males as its target demographic. I'm also told the logo for Sony Max will differ from the red, yellow and black Sony Max logo on channel 457. The South African Advertising Research Foundation (Saarf) has also already updated their viewer questionnaire for late 2010 on which survey participants indicate what channels they watch and changed Animax to Sony Max.

Content provider Sony Pictures Television (SPT) who will be delivering Sony Max to MultiChoice didn't officially want to confirm Sony Max by name as the new channel replacing Animax, but were willing to tell me that ''SPT's new male-skewing, action reality-based channel will launch on MultiChoice's DStv Premium and Compact bouquets on 1 February 2011.''
SPT tells me that Sony Max will have ''an unbeatable line-up of movies, series and not-to-be-missed action reality programming'' and that ''the new channel will offer world class entertainment.''

ALSO READ: MultiChoice getting ready to give Animax the axe.
ALSO READ: MultiChoice confirms the axing of Animax on DStv.