Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT ripped from StarTimes Media's StarSat without warning or any explanation.

by Thinus Ferreira

Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT channel has been ripped from subscribers of StarTimes Media's StarSat satellite pay-TV service without any prior warning, in the middle of a month, without any explanation.

TNT - one of the Warner Bros. Discovery TV channels available in South Africa to pay-TV subscribers of MultiChoice's DStv and StarTimes Media SA's StarSat - was abruptly taken down on StarSat last week on Thursday without any prior warning to subscribers who had already paid for it for the month, and without any explanation from Warner Bros. Discovery Africa, or StarSat.

Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA, through the BCW PR company representing WBD in Africa, was asked repeatedly since last week why its TNT channel was removed from StarTimes and StarSat in South Africa, but hasn't responded with any answer or explanation at the time of publication of this report on Tuesday morning.

StarSat was also asked why WBD's TNT channel went dark and why StarSat subscribers who had paid for the channel for September, got no warning that the channel was going to be removed. 

StarSat publicist Luyanda Cele didn't answer any of the questions but sent an image which StarSat posted to its Facebook social media page and said "please see the attached for your referral".

The image simply says "Unfortunately due to a sudden change in broadcasting rights, TNT is now exclusive to a competitor. StarSat may no longer broadcast the TNT channel to its viewers."

"StarSat would like to apologise to its customers for the inconvenience and regrets to inform them that the situation is beyond our control. StarSat is assessing options to replace the channel as soon as possible."

StarSat failed to respond to the question as to why paying StarSat subscribers were not given any prior warning or notification, since, if the reason is true, StarSat itself would have received prior notification from Warner Bros. Discovery that TNT was getting removed.

Pay-TV channels are hardly ever scrapped mid-month with channel distributors and pay-TV operators removing axed TV channels at the end of the month. 

Warner Bros. Discovery's silence and inability to answer a basic question about something that its executives looking after Africa knew was going to happen is also disgusting and shows a completely lack of respect and disdain to paying pay-TV customers. 

It would also be extremely weird if TNT did become an "exclusive" TV channel to MultiChoice's DStv platform since TNT isn't a premium category TV channel - it's an average general entertainment and movie channel with a lot of non-premium and repeat content and those types of TV channels on pay-TV line-ups are hardly ever exclusive.

WarnerMedia gives its TNT Africa a channel refresh and adds American wrestling content from All Elite Wrestling to its new weekly schedule.

by Thinus Ferreira

WarnerMedia's TNT channel has refreshed the on-air look of its TNT Africa (DStv 137 / StarSat 186) TV channel on 1 February and is also adding American wrestling content from All Elite Wrestling that will compete with WWE on SuperSport.

TNT's channel refresh to bring the African version of the channel more in line with the brand's international look, with TNT Original Movies that will premiere on the channel on the first Thursday of every month.

WarnerMedia says that the TNT channel refresh and wrestling programming is geared towards delivering relevant and exciting programming to African viewers.

As part of the refresh, TNT Africa will debut AEW DYNAMITE, the weekly flagship show from All Elite Wrestling that is a new professional wrestling league.

This launch will kick off on Friday, 5 February, at 13:20 (CAT) with the first 5 episodes of the new season.

Then, every Friday night, during prime time at 20:00 (CAT), TNT will premiere the recent high-octane matches, 2 days after the premiere in the United States, and after that repeated twice throughout the week.

AEW offers an alternative to mainstream wrestling like the WWE, with a roster of talent that will provide TNT Africa viewers with a different, yet spectacularly action-packed weekly wrestling programme.

WarnerMedia says that "TNT Africa's exciting content line up and brand-new, refreshed look are a perfect fit for the channel’s move towards being more powerful and modern. This is aligned with the global look of the channel - that people from all over the globe can recognise".

TNT Africa will continue to launch its exclusive and brand-new, TNT Original Movies on the channel on the first Thursday of every month. 

These films include a wide range of mainstream entertainment genres, featuring renowned, and rising international stars. In February 2021 TNT will broadcast Straight Up, a romantic movie from writer, director and star James Sweeney.

TNT's line-up includes action films, romance movies and comedies including titles like Splash and the Best Man Holiday, Crank High Voltage and Point Break in February’s Adrenaline Rush stunt.

Malcolm X and Just Cause is scheduled for Human Rights Day in 2021; and in April TNT viewers will be able to watch Academy Award-winning titles such as E.T and Gladiator.

"TNT is excited to usher in a new era in entertainment that is attuned to our audience needs and appetite," says Guillermo Farré, head of WarnerMedia general entertainment channels across France, Iberia and Africa

"Despite how far we’ve come, we remain steadfastly dedicated to giving our African audience premium content, and the launch of AEW DYNAMITE and the channel refresh bear testament of this."

WarnerMedia sent over a press drop to the media to announce the channel refresh and the addition of the All Elite Wrestling content to the channel's schedule.

WarnerMedia and StarTimes sign channel carriage deal for TNT coming to sub-Saharan Africa and StarSat in South Africa.

by Thinus Ferreira

WarnerMedia and China's StarTimes pay-TV operator has signed a channel carriage agreement to add its TNT film channel to its StarTimes service in sub-Saharan Africa branded as StarSat in South Africa.

TNT is already carried on the DStv platform of the South African based MultiChoice on channel 137 along with some other WarnerMedia channels like Cartoon Network, Boomerang and CNN International.

Several WarnerMedia channels are also already carried on StarTimes elsewhere in Africa like Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Boing, WarnerTV, CNN International and TCM Cinéma.

WarnerMedia is already distributing Toonami on StarTimes in English-speaking Africa, including StarSat in South Africa.

TNT will go live on StarTimes and StarSat on Tuesday 15 September in 10 African countries, including Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa.

TNT will be available on StarTimes' Smart Bouquet on channel 186.

TNT on DStv celebrates 80 years of Batman with a September film festival.

The TNT channel (DStv 137) is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the creation of Batman with a film festival in September of all of the Batman movies starting today.

"With TNT’s programming being built on an action-driven, pulse-raising slate, we are proud to be part of this emblematic occasion where our African fans can immerse themselves in the epic Batman blockbusters as they celebrate the 80th anniversary of the greatest superhero of all time," says Guillermo Farré, the head of general entertainment channels at WarnerMedia Africa.

TNT will show two Batman films per Saturday, starting today, and ending with a marathon Bat-weekend.

Tim Burton’s iconic Batman film from 1989 with Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader is up first on Saturday 7 September at 17:55 on TNT, featuring Jack Nicholson as the feared Joker.

Critics at the time praised the film although they said it might be too dark and that Nicholson might be overshadowing the lead character but viewers absolutely loved it.

The sequel, Batman Returns from 1992 will be shown on after it on Saturday 7 September at 20:00, again with Michael Keaton this time pitted against the disfigured Penguin (Danny DeVito) who wants to kills Gotham City’s firstborns and the city’s defender having a romance with Michelle Pfeiffer who dabbles as Catwoman.

On Saturday 14 September at 18:00 on TNT DStv subscribers will be able to watch Batman Forever, the 1995-film with Joel Schumacher in the director’s chair and with Val Kilmer who took over from Michael Keaton in the Batsuit after a salary dispute.

This time Batman is up against new adversaries in the form of Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey) who discover his real identity through mind-control of Gotham’s inhabitants. 

Luckily Batman gets help in the form of his sidekick Robin (Chris O’Donnell). Nicole Kidman stars as well as the psychologist Dr Chase Meridian who Bruce reveals his darkest secrets to.

On Saturday 14 September at 20:00 on TNT it’s time to watch George Clooney and Chris O’Donnell in the body-hugging "nipple costumes" with 1997’s Batman & Robin, with Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl. George Clooney replaced Val Kilmer after another contract dispute and this time the threesome are pitted against Mr Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman).

On Saturday 21 September all four of these Batman films will be shown again starting with Batman (09:35), Batman Returns (11:40), Batman Forever (13:45) and Batman & Robin (15:45).

Thereafter will follow Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins (17:45), The Dark Knight (20:00) and The Dark Knight Rises (22:30) which together are known as "The Dark Knight Trilogy".

Christian Bale took over for The Dark Knight Trilogy donning the Batsuit as a reboot of the DC hero film franchise with Michael Caine as butler Alfred and Gary Oldmand and Morgan Freeman joining the trilogy-cast.

In Batman Begins from 2005 with Christoper Nolan as director, the Dark Knight battles Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson) and the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy).

In The Dark Knight (2008) he tries to outwit the Joker, now played by Heath Ledger, and in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Batman might have met his match in Bane (Tom Hardy) as his adversary plotting a nuclear explosion, with Anne Hathaway in the role of Catwoman.

Cartoon Network still most-watched kids TV channel in South Africa; ratings of rebranded TNT surging past Studio Universal, says Turner Africa.

Cartoon Network (DStv 301) remains the most-watched kids TV channel in South Africa, while the rebrand of TCM to TNT (DStv 137) in September 2018 has seen a dramatic viewership upswing from DStv subscribers, says Turner Africa.

Turner Africa says its combined kids channels multiplex and the rebranded TNT in 2018 lifted Turner's Africa business to achieve greater reach and rating results than ever before.

"In November 2018, Turner Kids celebrated 51 consecutive months in the number 1 spot among pay-TV multiplexes in South Africa," says Turner Africa

Cartoon Network remains the favourite kids TV channel in South Africa with the channel that celebrated its highest-ever monthly share and remained the number 1 pay-TV Kids channel among kids aged 4 to 14.

Turner Africa says Cartoon Network's most popular shows vary between Ben 10, alongside new Cartoon Network original hits like Apple and Onion and Craig of the Creek. 

Original Cartoon Network productions and Warner Bros. content totalled 77% of the most viewed content on the channel.

Cartoon Network continued with its high-performance success in December 2018, with the Power Rangers: Clash of the Red Rangers movie viewed by 239 000 kids aged 4 to 14, and the sneak peek of the new Cartoon Network Original Summer Camp Island claiming the second spot.

Boomerang (DStv 302), Turner's other kids channel, is closing in on Cartoon Network's ratings, after moving up to the number 2 spot amongst the pay-TV kids channels for kids aged 4 to 14.

Meanwhile TNT Africa in October 2018 had its highest performance ever in ratings with an average of 36 000 viewers.

In November 2018 TNT Africa broke a new record with 40 700 viewers tuning in - a 13% month-on-month increase and achieved its second highest performance in share (1.14%) since December 2016.

TNT ranked number 5, ahead of NBCUniversal International Networks' Studio Universal (DStv 112) for a second month in a row.

"For the first time ever, not only did TNT dominate the top 50 competitive movies in November - with 7 movies on the top 10 list, but the channel also secured the top 3 spots for the month," says Turner Africa.

"For prime-time tune-ins, TNT remained on top of the podium, says Turner Africa, noting that TNT's  performance was driven by viewers tuning in on weekday afternoons, averaging 83 000 viewers between 15:00 and 18:00; and Saturday evenings during prime time, fuelled in November by The Schwarzenegger Fan Month programming stunt, gathering an average of 202 000 viewers.

MultiChoice switches Turner's Cartoon Network and movie channel TNT to high definition from 18 December on DStv.

MultiChoice will switch Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and its recently-rebranded movie channel TNT (DStv 137) both to high definition (HD) from 18 December 2018 on DStv in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa.

MultiChoice says the upgrade of Cartoon Network and TNT to HD "is a direct response to the needs of African audiences, ensuring a truly immersive viewing experience".

Guillaume Coffin, vice-president and head of commercial and business development for Turner France and Africa, says "the addition of our new HD channels speaks to our commitment to provide our viewers with the best available content on the best available platform, highlighting our drive to continuously innovate".

"African fans remain our top priority and we look forward to seeing their response following the shift to HD."

TNT going HD, Ben 10 sold to SABC, Showmax getting content from [adult swim], as Turner holds its first-ever Turner Upfront Africa event.

At Turner's first-ever Turner Upfront Africa event held on Tuesday in Johannesburg, Turner made several announcements and a programming slate, as well as new local partnerships, a pop-up channel coming for 2019 and that TNT (DStv 137) will be upgraded to a high definition channel.

At the Turner Africa Upfront held at The Galleria in Sandton, Turner announced that the TNT channel carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform will soon be switched to high definition (HD).

It comes after MultiChoice and Turner replaced the outdated TCM that had little relevance to African audiences in mid-September with TNT. The channel's viewership since September to October jumped by 45%.

Content from Turner's Cartoon Network and Boomerang linear TV channels will also be available from today on an on-demand basis on Naspers' subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) video streaming service, Showmax run by MultiChoice.

In a new distribution deal with Showmax, Turner is also making content from its [adult swim] animation channel available to a millennial audience on Showmax from mid-November. 

[adult swim], one of Turner's TV channels overseas,offers a mix of animation, stop motion and live-action comedy that will be available on Showmax.

Plans are also underway to produce original digital productions to further localise Turner's online platforms. "We are currently in discussions to produce an exclusive local version of our YouTuber, Toony, for our African digital platforms," says Julien Borde, the head of Channels for Africa at Turner.

In a deal with the South African public broadcaster, the animation series Ben 10 will be broadcast on the SABC. It will also help Turner to bring its kids content to South African and African viewers in vernacular languages.

Following the first season Ben 10 premiere in July, Turner will rebroadcast the first season on SABC2 in Afrikaans and on SABC1 in SiSwati before the end of this year.

"Partnering with the SABC reflects our strategy to expand our brands' presence in South Africa," says Guillaume Coffin, the vice-president head of sales and business development at Turner for the Africa region.

"We are thrilled to bring Ben 10 to new fans and audiences across more screens and in new languages. Turner is dedicated to a localisation strategy that adapts to the cultural differences of its African markets," he says, adding that "this effort has helped Turner address the gap in locally-relevant content, drive programming that resonates with African audiences, and boost brand value across the continent".

Turner is also working on a Super Hero HQ animation pop-up channel that will run in MultiChoice's DStv in 2019.

Then Turner also plans to debut Mike and Rob on Cartoon Network in 2019, a new animation series about two witty microbes making jokes with local comedian Trevor Gumbi supplying a localised voice-over.

"As Turner, our audience needs are becoming more pertinent and we're constant challenging ourselves to be more innovative and creative in our offering to keep attracting and entertaining our loyal fan base on-air, online and for real," says Jaime Ondarza, the senior vice-president for Turner Southern Europe & Africa and CEO of Boing SpA.

"We are benefiting from high awareness and a great level of brand recognition with our brands in Africa."

"CNN International is widely known to be the most trusted source for news and information on the continent while our kids' channels, Cartoon Network and Boomerang, have been leading and gaining market share within the pay-TV kids industry for almost 4 years now."

ALSO READ: IN PHOTOS. Do everything turn, turn, turn: Turner's first-ever (and colourful) Turner Upfront Africa dazzles with a rotary, turntable stage.

IN PHOTOS. Do everything turn, turn, turn: Turner's first-ever (and colourful) Turner Upfront Africa dazzles with a rotary, turntable stage.

On Tuesday Turner held its first-ever Turner Upfront event for Africa, with the international content and channels distributor that showed, and talked about, its current and upcoming content and channel plans.

The media and TV critics, as well as TV, PR and marketing executives, advertisers and ad execs all filled The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg as Turner executives from France, responsible for South Africa and Africa, made content announcements and talked about Turner's multi-faceted portfolio and brand strategy for and in the African continent.

Turner distributes channels and content like CNN International, Cartoon Network, Toonami, Boing, Boomerang, [adult swim], Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, TNT and others worldwide and throughout 54 of Africa's English, French and Portuguese speaking countries.

Turner's content can be found on operators like satellite pay-TV platforms such as MultiChoice's DStv, Naspers' subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service Showmax, Cell C's SVOD service Cell C black, broadcasters like the SABC, and others.

Turner clever constructed and used a rotary, turntable stage to "turn" from the one to the next custom-made set for the late afternoon presentation.

ALSO READ: TNT going HD, Ben 10 sold to SABC, Showmax getting content from [adult swim], as Turner holds its first-ever Turner Upfront Africa event.