'Holy Mother of Jesus!' As Turner dumps TCM and replaces it with TNT on DStv and Cell C black, it's 1-minute promo for the 'family' channel chooses to go profane.

While Turner Broadcasting does lip-service that it's new TNT channel for South Africa and Africa is for the family, the new movie channel immediately turned profane, with Turner bosses signing off of a deliberate decision to include a "Holy Mother of Jesus!" in the 1-minute promo video for TNT.

It's not clear why Turner decided to include the blasphemous epithet in its 70 seconds TNT promo that families watching TNT on MultiChoice's DStv or Cell C black, and who might consider tuning to the channel, might find offensive or off-putting.

Turner dumped and replaced TCM, switching it to the TNT channel from today, 21 September.

TCM has been available on MultiChoice for 23 years on DStv, as well as on Cell C's subscription video-on-demand streaming service, Cell C black, since late last year, with TCM that reached 6.7 million viewers across 49 English-speaking African countries.

In a statement Turner International issued on Thursday about TCM switched out for TNT, the company said that TNT is "a young, fresh and entertainment-filled offering for the entire family".

Turner was asked through its South African PR agency, Burson Cohn & Wolfe on Thursday afternoon why, if TNT is for the "entire family" it deliberately decided to include in the short promo the American actor Chris Tucker shouting "Holy Mother of Jesus!" from the film Rush Hour 3.

On Friday afternoon Turner in response to the media enquiry said: "Turner is aware of the concerns raised regarding the new slate for TNT. The channel takes great pride and care in ensuring that all of its programming is reflective and respectful of local cultures, and regulations."

"Therefore, the TNT programming team is carefully listening to its African fans and aims to ensure the channel keeps offering a diverse, fresh selection of movies combined with beloved American blockbuster references such as Rush Hour 3, which is one of the channel's best performing movies for the past 2 years."

"Most importantly, all our programming comes with appropriate age restrictions, prompts for viewer discretion and other appropriate precautionary measures."

The inclusion of specifically "Holy Mother of Jesus!" in the promo video is odd since Turner has only 70 seconds to bring across the look and feel of its TNT brand on DStv and Cell C black.

Turner decided to indicate through the promo that TNT is actually apparently not that family-friendly. The TNT promo has the potential to offend some of the possible audience Turner and TNT is trying to reach before they have even made a decision to possibly watch TNT or not.

It also raises questions as to how well or not Turner International is actually attuned or care about South African or African audiences, since including a blatantly blasphemous line in a generic channel promo is surely something that a company that knows South Africa and Africa's TV market should know is a no-no.

As an international company that wants to do business in Africa and South Africa and wants to gain traction with customers and viewers, Turner International with the TNT shows a shocking lack of sensitivity to who the audience actually is.

After 23 years on MultiChoice's DStv Turner Broadcasting switches the old TCM for the action-film channel TNT in South Africa and Africa.

Turner is dumping and replacing one of the last remaining original channels that DStv started with, with the old American films channel TCM from Turner Broadcasting that is being switched to the TNT channel from tomorrow, 21 September.

TCM has been available on MultiChoice for 23 years on DStv channel 137, as well as on Cell C's subscription video-on-demand streaming service, Cell C black, since late last year.

Tomorrow TCM, on DStv and Cell C black, that reaches 6.7 million monthly viewers across 49 English-speaking African countries, will switch to the blue-circled TNT.

TNT's programming is built on an action-driven, pulse-raising slate, mixed with some romantic films and comedies.

Despite a TCM brand fresh earlier this year and the addition of more recent films the past two years on the channel, DStv subscribers still saw TCM as old and outdated, prompting the final switch-out of the channel.

TCM - short for Turner Classic Movies - was one of the few original channels in 1995 that MultiChoice launched DStv with 23 years ago.

TNT that in the United States also carries drama and reality series, will be a film channel for South Africa and Africa and be a more contemporary film channel from Turner to be competition for channels like Studio Universal, SundanceTV, and M-Net's set of self-packed M-Net Movies channels.

"The TCM brand has had a strong classic association which doesn’t reflect the actual brand proposition, or deliver the right message, to our African audiences," says Guillermo Farré, head of general entertainment for Turner in Southern Europe & Africa, about TCM's demise and replacement with TNT.

"Even though we have listened to our viewers and worked hard towards modernizing the image of the channel, there was still a strong association of the TMC brand to 'classic Hollywood silver screen productions'. We therefore decided to switch TCM to TNT to fully reflect the new brand identity and perspective in line with our American blockbuster programming strategy," says Guillermo Farré.

Turner says TNT will offer a "young, fresh and entertainment-filled offering for the entire family" with "creative and relevant programming specially tailored for African fans".

TCM up until now was slightly male skewed with a growing number of viewers in the 25 to 49 age demo, particularly amongst black African viewers.

TNT will show films ranging from The Illusionist, The Green Mile, Crank, Robin Hood and Hellboy 2 to Doom, Tango and Cash and Gladiator.

Turner issued no September schedule for the mid-month TNT replacement.


Below is Turner's first teaser trailer promo for TNT.

While Turner says that TNT will be an "entertainment-filled offering for the entire family" Turner chose to deliberately include profanity like "Holy mother of Jesus!" in its official promo, something that will definitely be off-putting and be seen as blasphemous by certain families who are DStv or Cell C black subscribers who might choose to rather steer clear of TNT.

While TNT Africa is or African audiences, it doesn't seem as if Turner's marketing team for TNT knows Africa or audience sensitivities.

TCM on Sunday showing the hour long special, George Lucas & the World of Fantasy Cinema, looking at the fantasy film genre including a George Lucas interview.

This Sunday 20 December at 11:25 TCM (DStv 137) will show George Lucas & the World of Fantasy Cinema, an hour long documentary special looking at the fantasy film genre that includes an interview with Star Wars creator George Lucas.

With the cinema release of The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm's release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens that started on Wednesday 16 December in South Africa, the documentary - part of TCM's Night at the Movies series, the documentary examines the ways that writers and directors bring the fantasy genre to life in film.

In George Lucas & the World of Fantasy Cinema director Laurent Bouzereau examines the limitless world of the imagination as portrayed in fantasy films.

George Lucas discusses the origins and evolution of fantasy cinema, the influence of certain films on his own career and the differences between genres such as fantasy and science fiction. 

He also offers his personal insight into what the future holds for the fantasy genre in film.

George Lucas also examines a variety of influential films including King Kong (1933), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Dr. Strangelove (1964), Planet of the Apes (1968), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Back to the Future (1985), Labyrinth (1986) as well as an in-depth discussion of his own iconic Star Wars series.

TCM channel's viewership on MultiChoice's DStv up by 85% since its on-screen refresh; has exclusive Star Wars documentary for December.

TCM's (DStv 137) viewership is up by 85% in South Africa between April and June this year compared to the period between January and March, horror movies will be screened on Saturdays in October on TCM, and an exclusive Star Wars documentary about George Lucas is on the schedule for December for the channel.

Turner Broadcasting Africa didn't release the TCM channel information and press release to South Africa's media when it was handed out at the MultiChoice Content Showcase in Mauritius earlier this month and that South African press and TV critics were not invited to.

However the information is highly relevant and applicable for the TCM channel as seen on DStv in South Africa as well, and I now finally got it and can now share it.

Since introducing its new on-screen look earlier this year, TCM at the MultiChoice Content Showcase touted its South African viewership on DStv: up 85% according to AGB Nielsen's South African ratings data for April to June 2015, compared to January to March this year.

According to AGB Nielsen's ratings data, TCM now has a total monthly viewership of 2.3 million viewers in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv.

The channel from Turner Broadcasting Systems (TBS) also climbed 4 places in the movie channels ranking on DStv in June compared to January 2015.

TBS says TCM is now "poised to be the go-to channel for entertaining American cinema" following Turner Broadcasting's overhauled TCM offering with a refreshed look and feel as well as an updated programming slate.

"By introducing this major change in the channel's tone, brand image and programming strategy, the TCM experience has initiated a whole new level of quality entertainment," says Guillermo Farre, the head of general entertainment channels for Africa at Turner Broadcasting.

"We are delighted with the growing success of the TCM brand as it delivers new and exciting programming to existing and new viewers."

"Prime time and weekend specials have also been rejuvenated to include explosive action-blocks, chilling thriller specials and frontier-pushing sci-fi events."

Turner Broadcasting in Africa will do more on social media in 2016 to try and further create awareness for the refreshed TCM brand.

In October DStv subscribers can look forward to the seasonal event of Halloween being celebrated on TCM when the channel will screen "some of the most terrifying movies of all time".

Horror will be served every Saturday at 21:00 and on the last Saturday, 31 October, viewers will  be able to enjoy a whole day horror marathon," says Guillermo Farre.

In December TCM will also be scheduling an exclusive in-house documentary about George Lucas to celebrate the release of Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens at cinemas.

American movie channel TCM on DStv rebranding with new on-screen look, more recent movies; changing to 'fast-paced' channel for movie lovers.

Like everything Hollywood, TCM (DStv 137) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is youngerating with a facelift and a programming update to start changing the brand and brand perception of the classic movie channel and to make it more attractive for viewers with more modern movies.

Long the face of Gone with the Wind and Casablanca, as part of the makeover TCM is now starting to position itself as a "fast-paced" channel for movie lovers, filled with "modern programming" - words not associated with the channel from Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) since it first became available on DStv.

As part of the rebranded TCM, the stodgy channel will stick with American movies but is introducing a major change in the channel's tone, brand image and programming strategy for African viewers.

The TCM changes range from a new on-screen look, documentaries about movies, and frankly my dear, the most pivotal change about which DStv subscribers give a damn: more original and recent movies spanning romantic comedies and dramas to action thrillers, blockbusters and science fiction films not starring Robbie the Robot.

TCM says the channel is changing to "a strong focus on contemporary productions". While Scarlett O'Hara might still pop up from time to time, the evolving TCM programming schedule is starting to look unrecognisable with titles like The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and The Big Lebowski.

TCM says it remains a channel "committed to American movie fans in Africa".

TCM isn't saying why the channel is changing its channel proposition, but with the rapid growth in the number of TV channels on DStv's platform all vying for the eyes and attention of the same DStv subscribers, TCM has come under increased pressure to justify its existence.

With a flurry of competitors ranging from Universal Networks International's Studio Universal (DStv 112) to MGM which changed to AMC (DStv 140 / StarSat 115) and M-Net's set of expansive M-Net Movies channels, TCM has to adapt or go the way of the wind.

"We are thrilled about the TCM relaunch as we're confident that viewers will benefit from the changes and the new and exciting programming that we will have on offer for them," says Guillermo Farre, the head of general entertainment channels for Africa at Turner Broadcasting.

"This new look and feel builds on our success to date with new titles to keep our audience entertained and improve their viewing experience," says Guillermo Farre.

TCM now wants to bring DStv subscribers "up-to-date qualitative American blockbusters that trigger viewers' emotions" and will include celebrity interviews in additional new programming.

"Change is a crucial part of any breakthrough," says TCM. "Turner Broadcasting is on the case and investing in its brand with powerful new films and a fresh new look and feel".

TCM celebrates Lauren Bacall; TCM in USA has marathon with every single movie of her; TCM on DStv has 3.

TCM (DStv 137) is celebrating the life and film legacy of Lauren Bacall who died on Tuesday at the age of 89.

TCM in the United States is showing a full 24 hour movie marathon with every single movie Lauren Bacall ever made.

TCM on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is showing 3 movies - one every Saturday over the next three Saturdays.

TCM in America is actually celebrating what would have been Lauren Bacall's 90th birthday in September with the marathon taking place on 15 September.

TCM for South Africa and Africa is doing the same, and has been running a series of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart movie titles to commemorate their on-screen success.

The two were married from 1945 until his death in 1957.

TCM is showing Key Largo (Saturday 16 Augst, 15:00), The Treasure of Sierra Madre (Saturday, 23 August, 15:00) and Designing Women (30 August, 15:00).

"This week we saw the loss of a true great of the movie industry, whose passing leaves behind a legacy for which she will always be fondly remembered," says Guillermo Farre, the head of general entertainment for Turner Africa in a statement.

"As part of TCM's ongoing commemoration of her and husband Humphrey Bogart's greatest on-screen endeavours, we hope that our upcoming titles will give South African viewers the opportunity to once again experience her unique on-screen presence".

TCM turns 20 years old today - of course you wouldn't know it watching TCM on DStv in South Africa.

TCM (DStv 137) turns 20 today - of course you wouldn't know it if you're in South Africa where TCM is carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

There's been no press release, no programming note, no little reminder from Turner Broadcasting or even a self-congratulatory statement or email to mark the special anniversary milestone. Nothing.

TCM is America tonight will show TCM: Twenty Classic Moments as a retrospective TV special as well as fan favourite movies like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Maltese Falcon and Singin' in the Rain.

South African and African viewers are not good enough for that.

In South Africa TCM viewers are heaped a repeat-upon-repeat helping of Bells Are Ringing and Julie and zero recognition or celebration of TCM's 20th.

Clearly the 20th anniversary of the classic movie channel that Ted Turner launched on 14 April 1994, means little if anything, or is seen as having no relevance, or isn't regarded by Turner Broadcasting as even something to point out or make something of for South Africa viewers.

Turner shuts out TV critics in South Africa as international TBS executives jet in - and then wonders why its not getting the press it wants.

Today Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) had a programming upfront for Turner Africa, but, as it did a programming upfront presentation for new content coming to the Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM channels (with  international Turner executives who specially jetted in to South Africa), a lot of the country's notable TV critics in Durban and Cape Town and journalists writing about television nationally, were shut out.

While competitors like Disney and others hold multiple upfront presentations by repeating the same presentation in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town - or make sure that the relevant right group of longtime press and national publications covering TV are accomodated at their upfronts - the people responsible for Boomerang, Cartoon Network and TCM on MultiChoice's DStv platform couldn't seem to bother.

If they possibly, probably, wonder why they're not getting the press they want, or more of the press, coverage and exposure for their programming on these channels they (presumably) want, that's the very simple reason.

Let me be clear and say that I was invited to today's upfront event. Let me also add that the PR person appeared clueless that I was based in Cape Town although I - like several others who were not invited - write nationally on a daily basis about the TV industry.

I asked several people over the past weeks and I know that other longtime Cape Town based TV critics, writers and publications with their offices in Cape Town, were not invited and didn't know about the upfront presentation.

My guess would be that none of these people are going to be writing about Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM as much during the course of 2014 as they could have or would like to do. That is Turner's fault for not being willing, cognisant or able to do an upfront and do it correctly for all of South Africa's TV covering press (and how really difficult can this be?).

Turner Broadcasting flew in from overseas executives like Tal Hewitt (vice president and general manager for TBS, Turkey, Middle East and Africa), Jemma Yates (director for TBS general entertainment) and Cecilia Persson (vice president acquisitions and co-productions for the EMEA region).

It defies belief and strikes an odd tone that Turner Broadcasting would have its own executives come so very, very far and spend so much money to try and promote its new upcoming programming, but that TBS and its South African public relations company Burson-Marsteller can't then make the final link successfully and actually get all the relevant right press covering its TV channels there.

Or at least do the same programming upfront in Durban and, or in Cape Town like other TV content providers do.

While several other international content and channel distributors who have TV channels in South Africa - from Discovery to BBC Worldwide, from Sony to Universal Networks International and several more - have made the connection and make some effort at actually engaging with relevant press, TV critics and getting them to upfront events, Turner appears asleep at the wheel and behind the times.

Lament the gone-with-the-wind lack of TCM coverage and stories, and the lack of enthusiastic coverage over the next big Scooby-Doo mysteries all you want. 

Its probably because the ordinary South African TV critic and journalist who has so many other TV channels and programming to try and cover and keep track of, can't even be bothered to try and care if the people behind TCM, Boomerang and Cartoon Network seemingly don't.

TCM turning 20 years old next year not interested in chasing for viewers through programming; can't show every classic movie ever made.

TCM (DStv 137) which will be turning 20 years old next year is actually not interested in getting and chasing viewership for the channel and is not trying to get a broad audience to tune in to the niche channel, Turner Classic Movies revealed at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles.

In a TCM panel discussion, channel executives revealed that the classic movies channel is not trying to change the formulae to attract bigger audiences as it nears its 20th anniversary in April 2014.

"We don't get ratings. We're not even allowed to get ratings," said Charlie Tabesh, the vice president of programming for TCM in America who've been with the channel for 16 years. "We're not trying to reach a broad audience. We're not trying to maximize the demo. We're not trying to get the 18-34, whatever it is. There's none of that that's considered at all."

TCM also explained why it can't show every classic movie ever made. TCM only has the (pre-1986) MGM library, the pre-1950 Warner Bros. library, the entire RKO library and some United Artists and a few MGM films (since the two merged for a while). TCM however doesn't have ownership but has to license the movies along with all other films shown on the channel.

"We can't license every classic movie ever made; financially, it's impossible to do that," said Charlie Tabesh.

TCM, Channel 137 on DStv, sends 2012 Christmas wishes for a joyous season and a happy new year.

TCM starts 50 new channel idents for the classic movie channel, all based on iconic American movie locations.

TCM (DStv 137) has launched a new on-air ident look at the beginning of this month which since 5 November will include 50 new channel idents for the classic movie channel as it is seen in South Africa on DStv.

The 50 new idents are based on iconic American movie locations.

When I asked about the new idents today when I found out about it, I was sent this quotable attributed to Simon Goodrick, the creative director at Turner Broadcasting: "This captivating new on-air look is based on an original in-house concept that showcases TCM as an undisputed destination for iconic, contemporary, movie classics. The refresh captures the spirit of great American drama."

The idents include a Los Angeles mansion, a concrete water canal in Los Angeles, the New York skyline at night, Route 66, Monument Valley and the Western look as symbolised by the Arizona landscape.

BREAKING. The headline you thought you'd never see: TCM is going ... back to the future!

You're reading it here first.

Great Scott! Whether it's a once-off stunt or the shape of things to come - I can exclusively reveal that the mostly stodgy-odgy classics channel TCM (DStv 109) is getting a massive, quality dose of the future for Christmas, majorly revamping it's schedule by adding recent quality classics like ... gasp! ... the Back to the Future trilogy!

DStv decoders and flux capacitors everywhere won't know quite what hit them when all three of the Back to the Future films will unspool on consecutive nights for the first time on TCM - movies made in the late 80s!

TCM tells me Back to the Future I hits on Friday 9 December at 21:00; Back to the Future II is on on Saturday 10 December at 21:00; and Back to the Future III shows on Sunday 11 December at 21:00. Besides several repeats later during the month, the Back to the Future trilogy is also perfectly scheduled on 24 December when all 3 movies will be shown back-to-back.

Back to the Future I will start at 15:15 on TCM on 24 December, followed by Back to the Future II at 18:20, and Back to the Future III at 20:05.

Last week I asked Alan Musa, the vice president and general manager for the Pan Middle East and Africa (MEA) region of Turner Broadcasting Systems International that runs TCM, about the addition of the Back to the Future movies and films like Jaws to the December schedule. I wanted to know whether this is a December holiday stunt or part of a bigger programming drive adaptation to the TCM schedule.

''It has always been our strategy to introduce more contemporary classics to TCM,'' says Alan Musa. "'This is a vision that I introduced a few years back – the idea being that classic movies are not dictated by the age of the movie, but more by the age of the viewer. A classic movie to today's 40 year old viewer would be Back to the Future, when the said same viewer would have been 15. A great contemporary classic like Jaws will speak volumes to a 53 year viewer today, who would have been a terrified 18 year old in a 1975 movie theatre,'' he says.

BREAKING. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel rebranding; will be changing its look with its focus on younger viewers.

The movie channel Turner Classic Movies (DStv 109) is rebranding which means changes in the look of the channel for South African viewers.

The British version of TCM will be rebranded to reflect the channel's new focus on younger and ''female-inclusive'' audiences. Since MultiChoice gets the UK/Ireland feed of TCM for South Africa and the rest of Africa on DStv, it means that TCM will soon be changing.

TCM didn't immediately respond to enquiries I've made about the coming changes, what it will entail and exactly when it will be happening.

UPDATE Tuesday 12 July 10:15 - TCM says ''TCM South Africa had a rebrand two years ago so nothing is planned at the moment.''

BREAKING. TCM changing the schedule for South Africa and Africa for a 24 hour Elizabeth Taylor Tribute of films on 30 March.

You're reading it here first.

I asked TCM late yesterday and now I can exclusively break the news that TCM (DStv 109) for South Africa and Africa will be running a 24 hour Elizabeth Taylor Tribute marathon in remembrance of the passing of the biggest and last remaining mega movie star of the 20th century.

TCM is scrambling to change their schedule and TV with Thinus can reveal that a full 24 hour Elizabeth Taylor marathon entitled ''Elizabeth Taylor Tribute'' is coming on Wednesday, 30 March from 06:00 to 06:00, packed with all the movies that made Elizabeth Taylor a star and solidified her position as an enduring movie icon from Hollywood's golden age.

I have the complete schedule of the Elizabeth Taylor Tribute that TCM is planning for South Africa (TCM for America has other plans on another day):

Wednesday, 30 March:
06:00 Father's Little Dividend (1951)
07:25 Beau Brummell (1954)
09:20 Lassie Come Home (1943)
10:55 Little Women (1949)
13:00 Conspirator (1949)
14:30 The V.I.P's (1963)
16:30 The Sandpiper (1965)
18:30 The Comedians (1967)
21:00 Cat on A Hot Tin Roof (1958)
22:55 Butterfield 8 (1960)
00:45 Raintree County (1957)
03:35 The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954)

BREAKING. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate 10 years with a big ''old world style'' gala evening and top classic films in September.

You're reading it here first.

I can be first to tell you that Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (DStv 109) will be celebrating its 10 years in South Africa as a niche classic movie channel on MultiChoice's DStv with an elegant and glamorous ''old world style'' gala evening that viewers will be able to attend.

TCM's 10th anniversary in South Africa will take the form of a massive birthday gala evening on Tuesday, September 28 at the Turbine Hall in Johannesburg and viewers will get the chance to attend. Viewers who want to win one of the ten double ticket to what is set to be the most glamorous birthday party of the year, can now enter HERE before August 30.

''We hope that many of the TCM fans join us on the evening of September 28 to celebrate real excellence in cinema'' says Alan Musa, vice president and general manager for the Middle East and Africa for Turner Broadcasting Systems.

As part of TCM's 10th anniversary in South Africa TCM will broadcast some of the world's greatest classical movies and has launched a new website at http://www.tcmafrica.com/. During September viewers will be able to tune in for epic cinema classics at 21:00 like Casablanca (September 4), North by Northwest (September 5), Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Donnie Brasco and Man in the Moon amongst others.