e.tv's Openview satellite-TV service dumps the Trace Sports Stars and KruisKyk channels; no explanation why.

e.tv's Openview free-to-air satellite service is dumping another two channels with Trace Sports Stars and the Afrikaans Christian TV channel KruisKyk both getting axed.

KruisKyk ran on channel 151 and being shut off on 2 May. Trace Sports Stars on channel 116 on Openview is getting dumped on 14 May.

TVwithThinus has been asking eMedia Investments since 28 April about the removal but e.tv didn't respond to multiple media enquiries made about it.

It's not known why e.tv is removing Trace Sports Stars and KruisKyk from the channel line-up.

Openview added Trace Sports Stars in June 2016. KruisKyk was part of the original channel line-up when Openview launched as OpenView HD in October 2013.


UPDATE Thursday 2 May 2019 13:45 - eMedia Investments in a statement confirms the channels' removal and says "Free-to-air satellite television broadcaster OpenView has taken the decision to terminate Afrikaans religious channel KruisKyk" and that "Later this month, Trace Sports Stars which currently airs on Channel 116 will also no longer be available on the satellite platform".

Openview says the termination of KruisKyk follows "lengthy discussions between OpenView and KruisKyk providers Clemens and Stephanie Mans".

"The decision to let go of both the KruisKyk and Trace Sports Stars channels from OpenView has been a challenging one. Ever since our inception into the South African market in 2013, OpenView has invested extensively into the satellite platform and the bouquet strategies have been adapted and reshaped in response to market dynamics," says Ziyanda Mngomezulu, general manager for group content services.

"We continue to place the needs of our viewers at the forefront of each decision that we implement and are committed to continuing to provide great entertainment value to our consumers."

Cell C's black has added 3 of the TRACE channels - TRACE Africa, Trace Gospel and TRACE Sports Stars - to its streaming platform.

Cell C's black streaming platform has added three of the TRACE channels to its subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform in South Africa: TRACE Africa (604), TRACE Gospel (603) and TRACE Sports Stars HD (410).

Cell C recently launched black in South Africa, offering several linear TV channels that are streamed, including through its blackBOX set-top box.

TRACE Sports Stars was carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform for 4 years before it was dumped, and was carried on StarSat from China's StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media (ODM) before it was dumped from there too.

Trace Sports Stars has since been picked up by eMedia Investments' free-to-air satellite service OpenView HD (OVHD) from Platco Digital and profiles international sports personalities with a lifestyle and entertainment angle.

TRACE Sports Stars is streamed as a high definition (HD) channel on Cell C black.

TRACE Africa (StarSat 334 /  DStv 326) is already carried on both DStv and StarSat.

Cell C black is the first platform to carry and make TRACE Gospel available in South Africa.

TRACE Gospel shows videos of Contemporary Gospel, Urban Gospel, Worship Gospel and Traditional Gospel, as well as interviews with upcoming and established artists and features and concerts.

TRACE Gospel shows urban African music with music videos from various genres ranging from Afro-pop and Coupé-décalé, to Kwaito-house, Afro-trap, Makossa and N’dombolo.

The channel focuses on African music and culture by showcasing concerts and features related to African artists and urban African lifestyle content.

"TRACE is dedicated to being ahead of the curve and making its content available on all
platforms that will make viewing more convenient for our audience," says Leo Manne, TRACE Southern Africa senior vice president.

"The partnership with Cell C was therefore, a natural and well-fitting one".

Surie Ramasary, Cell C's chief executive of content, says "South Africans love TRACE as a brand and as black we needed to ensure that the content we made available to our customers would be both relevant and enjoyable".