Discovery commissions quick-do documentary, Operation Thai Cave Rescue, about the saving of the 12 Thai boys from a flooded cave; no word yet on whether Discovery will show it in Africa.

Discovery has commissioned a quick-do TV documentary about the rescue of the 12 Thailand boys and their 25-year old soccer coach that has gripped audiences worldwide the past two weeks and came to a conclusion on Tuesday when all of them were finally saved from the flooded cave where they've been trapped for weeks.

Operation Thai Cave Rescue is being produced by ITN Productions in the United Kingdom and will reveal how the children entered the cave near the Myanmar border and became trapped, how they managed to survive without food or knowing how to swim, as well as the scientific and technical innovations that were used in their rescue.

Operation Thai Rescue will be an hour long special that will so far be shown on the Discovery Channel and Science in America with Jon Bardin and Andrew O’Connell as executive producers for Discovery, and Ian Russell is executive producer for ITN Productions.

The documentary will include interviews with those involved in the rescue effort, including medical experts and cave diving instructors, explore the living conditions faced by the children who are between the ages of 11 and 16, and how the cave's unique geology - and being flooded - presented so many challenges.

A media enquiry was made to Discovery Networks International seeking clarity on whether Operation Thai Rescue would also be broadcast on the Discovery Channel (DStv 121) and Discovery Science (320) seen in South Africa and across Africa, but there's not been a definitive answer either way yet.

If there's a response from Discovery it will be updated here.

UPDATE Monday 16 July 17:00  - Discovery Networks says Operation Thai Rescue will now be shown on South Africa as well on the Discovery Channel (DStv 121) on Wednesday 18 July at 19:00.

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 20 February 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:

■ The SABC didn't want to and couldn't bother to broadcast gospel icon Lundi Tyamara's funeral - eNCA (DStv 403) did.
"Pity those who still depend on the SABC for information as it is no longer a public broadcaster. It's a broadcaster for the few," says this newspaper reader.

■ BBC America's boss on why the BBC's new Top Gear flopped.
Sarah Barnett says new presenters Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reed and Chris Harris are still developing their chemistry. And that nothing can withstand the scrutiny a show like Top Gear faced last year.

■ Nigerian TV executive slams Nigerians as hypocrites for watching and complaining about Big Brother Naija.
Says Nigerian viewers keep complaining about the MultiChoice Africa reality show but keep watching the "indiscriminate romance, drinking and vulgar talks by contestants".

- Meanwhile Cocolce's nipple failed to save her. Despite their sexual TV escapades, their sexual indulgences failed to save the housemates.

■ Are America's TV news anchors playing into Donald Trump's hands?
Donald Trump possibly wants to be seen as being in conflict with the media.

■ Thailand television slowly resumes its normal schedule.
After months of censorship and banning as part of a "mourning period" for the dead King Bhumibol, TV schedules will start to show other programming besides videos and photos of King Bhumibol.


■ Nigeria still hysterical over Big Brother Naija being filmed in South Africa.
Now it's Ralph Nwadike, president if Nigeria's Association of Movie Producers (AMP), foaming at the mouth in yet another newspaper hit-piece filled with hilarious lies about MultiChoice and saying: "No matter the monies and equipment they think they have, South Africa, in terms of production qualities and values, can never match up to Nigeria's standard".  Sure.
And another bombastic filmmaker, Dr Don-Pedro Obaseki also lies about MultiChoice and says Nigeria is DStv's biggest market.
- Here is a FACT CHECK of the numerous fake claims - courtesy of TVwithThinus.


■ Europe's stagnating TV channels now making shows for young people on the go.
Targeting millennials with short form content meant to watch on mobile devices.

■ $100 000 found inside an old TV set
that was sent to a recycling centre in Canada.

■ Trashy Venezuela government says its CNN ban isn't censorship.
Venezuelan government has the hilarious audacity to say pulling CNN off the air is just "ad administrative procedure".

■ Public protest after Togo government shuts down TV station.
Togo government muzzles freedom of the press as it shuts down LCF TV station.

■ Disney CEO Bob Iger points out the problem Disney has with the current state of television.
Too many commercials.

■ OSN plans to bring 4K video to subscribers later in 2017 before MultiChoice.
Will the pay-TV broadcaster covering North Africa be the first one giving the African continent 4K resolution?

■ Ecuador TV reporter sent a mail bomb.
Janet Hinostroza sent a bomb package with a detonator.

■ Is Star Wars Rebels on Disney XD (DStv 304) ending after the third season?
Star Wars Rebels usually got renewed in November of the previous year - and nothing so far. And then Disney and Star Wars are working on a new animation series. Is that where all the effort is now going?

■ Helios returns to the BBC Television Centre.
Famous bronze statue symbolizing television returned after repairs.

■ Australia's free-to-air TV broadcasters struggling.
Advertising is down and TV channels are begging the government to cut the broadcasting licence fees - the world's most expensive - that channels in Australia have to pay the government.
- Meanwhile Channel Seven's sex scandal is intensifying as boss Kerry Stokes lashes out with a "How dare you?" to a journalist asking what should be asked.

■ The next consumer product testing scandal?
TV sets from Samsung, LG and others are using a lot more electricity than what they do in consumer tests.


■ "Jer-ry, Jer-ry ... "
The sad reason why people, 26 seasons later, continue to appear on The Jerry Springer Show.
And Jerry explains (watch!) in his own words in this 5 minute interview as part of a TV talk show look-back series.
Here's red-rimmed glasses Sally Jesse Raphael (watch!), Geraldo's interview (watch!) and Maury Povich (watch!) and Montel Williams (watch!).
Where's Oprah? Visiting New Zealand where she's filming with Reese Witherspoon.