M-Net management shake-up: Theo Erasmus shifts to help AfricaMagic; Pierre Cloete moves to oversight of M-Net, M-Net Series from 2013.

You're reading it here first. 

I can exclusively break the news that major top executive changes are coming to M-Net as the Randburg-based pay-TV operator will make Theo Erasmus the new channel director in South Africa for the AfricaMagic channels and Pierre Cloete will take over overseeing both the M-Net (DStv 101) and M-Net Series (DStv 114) channels in addition to his current work load from January 2013.

The top executive changes, not yet publicly announced, are part of a internal management restructuring under M-Net CEO Patricia van Rooyen.

The executive changes at M-Net, according to insiders, include Biola Alabi in Nigeria who is currently M-Net Africa's managing director who will remain the managing director of M-Net Africa but getting assistance from Theo Erasmus.

Theo Erasmus, currently M-Net's director for general entertainment, is becoming the channel director based in South Africa for the rebranded AfricaMagic channels since the packaging and the operations of that division happens from this country. He will be overseeing the day-to-day operations for the AfricaMagic channels for a 2 year period.

During this time Theo Erasmus and Biola Alabi will have to work together to find and groom a new chief operating officer (COO) for this expanding operational division. Theo Erasmus will move to this position and new title from 1 January 2013 and will be reporting directly to Patricia van Rooyen.

Meanwhile Pierre Cloete, currently the director of the M-Net Movies channels since this year after he was the M-Net channel head, is being moved into a bigger management role, expanding to oversight over the M-Net and M-Net Series channels, also from 1 January. He will also be reporting directly to Patricia van Rooyen I'm told about the M-Net Movies channels, as well as these two M-Net channels - now placing all M-Net branded TV channels under his control.

According to sources the changes are part of M-Net's focus on increasing local content across Africa whilst containing costs and relooking at all sistems regarding the licensing and acquisition processes and channel packaging as part of M-Net's plan to launch more channels across the continent.

BREAKING. SABC2's 7de Laan back IN!; kykNET's Binneland and Villa Rosa OUT! of the 7th Saftas; e.tv returns, M-Net will broadcast.

You're reading it here first. 

I can break the news that the popular SABC2 soap 7de Laan is back in the race as South Africa's most popular soap on TV in the 7th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) which will take place in March 2013 and which will be screened on one of M-Net's TV channels for the first time.

I can also reveal that both of e.tv's soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! are legitimately back (although no official word from e.tv about having entering their soaps), after e.tv withdrew all of its nominees and shows just before the 6th Saftas took place earlier this year. 

I can also exclusively break the news that kykNET's Binneland and Villa Rosa won't be votable for the 7th Saftas as Best Soap (although it's a viewers' vote category only) - neither show entered for the 7th Saftas, similar to 7de Laan last year.

Controversy swirled around organisers, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), at the beginning of this year when the Danie Odendaal Production was blatantly excluded from the Best Soap Award during the 6th Saftas – a category in which only viewers' vote determine the winner.

7de Laan won as Best Soap at the Saftas in 2009, again in 2010 and 2011 before suddenly being excluded in 2012. 

The NFVF dumped 7de Laan, the 3rd biggest South African soap according to viewership figures, since the soap failed to enter other categories. The NFVF said soaps are only eligible to be voted for if they've entered other categories; the production said they were not aware of that.

Now 7de Laan is back in the Saftas after having entered into other categories, although South African TV viewers will again not have a true complete soap set to truly choose from and which will still be impacting on the true legitimacy of the Best Soap category winner.

iNkaba in, Binneland and Villa Rosa out

I can reveal that while SABC1's Generations, SABC2's Muvhango and 7de Laan, SABC3's Isidingo, e.tv's Scandal! and Rhythm City, M-Net's The Wild and even Mzansi Magic's telenovela iNkaba (for the first time) all entered into categories and therefore will be listed in the Best Soap category, kykNET on DStv's Binneland and Villa Rosa are absent because they did not enter anything.

Fans of Binneland and Villa Rosa won't be able to vote for these shows, although they are legitimate and longrunning soaps.

"Eight soaps that submitted entries will go to judging and also qualify for Best Soap as a viewer voting category," the NFVF tells me.

This year the 7th Saftas saw 354 entries qualify to proceed to the so-called "filtration process" which will be followed by final judging. While South Africa's TV industry plays nice, there is still simmering tension behind the scenes, with the Saftas abjudication process still accused of sistemic and judges' bias. Once again, previous winners and nominees of the Saftas serve as judges which is perceived to be a conflict of interest.

"The Saftas judges are professionals with integrity, also if a judge has been nominated in a category they are not permitted to sit on the judging of their own project. The judging process is audited," the NFVF tells TV with Thinus.

"I’m proud to say that not only is the Saftas growing but the whole industry as we continue to witness a considerable increase in the levels of international and local investments in the film and TV industry," says Zama Mkosi the NFVF CEO and Saftas chairperson.

Tension

"This year all the role players in the industry fully support the Saftas," says Mkosi. And while public criticism surrounding the upcoming 7th Saftas has not yet bubbled to the surface as in previous years, behind the scenes broadcasters and industry players are keeping a close eye on the process. Industry insiders remain concerned about the true independence of the awards.

"e.tv remains committed to working together with the NFVF and the Saftas committee to address concerns around the independence of the awards," says Monde Twala, e.tv's group head of channels. Just before the awards ceremony of the 6th Saftas e.tv in a big fight with the awards ceremony, withdrew all e.tv nominees and shows, although the broadcaster did enter again this year.

"Our efforts aim to bolster industry competence and transparency," says Monde Twala. "It is important that we work towards ensuring genuine reward for the country's diverse film and television talent pool."

Back on TV

Another swirling backstage drama in the past was the bad organising and the NFVF's inability to find a broadcaster in time to televise the awards show done over two consecutive nights, or to institute a so-called "carousel wheel" similar to American award shows where TV channels play nice and equally share in taking turns to televise shows such as the Emmys on a turn-by-turn basis to fascilitate buy-in and continued support.

Now M-Net agreed to show an edited version of the 7th Saftas in 2013. "M-Net is fully behind the awards, and has committed to screening an edited version on one of its channels," says Theo Erasmus, M-Net's director for general entertainment channels who is an M-Net representative on the Saftas committee.

"The Saftas have come a long way and it is encouraging to see all the role players, including industry peers, government and broadcasters holding hands in ensuring the awards evolve," says Nodi Murphy, the new overall chairperson of the judges of the Saftas.

TOLDJA! M-Net confirms that a second season of MasterChef South Africa is in production and auditions will be taking place soon.

Line up the Robertsons, the pots and pans sponsor, the wine sponsor, the Woolies tie-in marketing campaign, Huisgenoot as media partner as well as a recipe book deal and a whole new biggest prize for a reality show on television ever, because MasterChef South Africa is back for a second season on M-Net.

Back in August TV with Thinus of course exclusively broke the news that a second season of MasterChef South Africa is coming, and now the rest of the mostly sit-back and wait for press releases press will finally write it too, with the issuing of the press release confirming what TV with Thinus reader have known since August already.

M-Net now confirms that it has started production of the second season of MasterChef South Africa and auditions will be taking place countrywide again for the second season of the reality show. Longtime insider sources told me in August that a second season for the show was "a done deal".

"Season two of MasterChef South Africa promises to serve up even more top quality entertainment than its predecessor," says Theo Erasmus, M-Net director for general entertainment.

Auditions for the second season of MasterChef South Africa will be taking place in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
Johannesburg: Saturday 27 Oct at Montecasino, Fourways
Durban: Sunday 4 Nov at Suncoast
Cape Town: Saturday 10 Nov at Southern Sun Cullinan

Contestants will, similar to the first season, have to prepare any cold dish ready-to-eat for the judges on the day of auditions for the second season of MasterChef South Africa.

BREAKING. M-Net adapting the game show format Million Rand Money Drop for South Africa; Endemol producing.

Following the announcement to the rest of Africa a few weeks ago of a Nigerian version of the game show format Million Dollar Money Drop on the AfricaMagic Entertainment channel run by M-Net, the pay TV provider just announced that a South African version entitled Million Rand Money Drop will be produced as well.

Endemol South Africa is the producer for both Million Dollar Money Drop Nigeria as well as Million Rand Money Drop for South Africa.

''The American version of this nail-biting game show, which was screened on M-Net earlier this year struck a cord with our audiences and we're excited to introduce the local version of this unique, high-stakes game show to our M-Net schedule," says Theo Erasmus, the channel director for general entertainment at M-Net in a press statement.

Contestants start with R1 million in notes and have to place the cash on any of three different answers to a trivia questions, after which trap doors below the "answers" open under the incorrect options and contestants losing the money they perhaps have placed on those answers.

Endemol South Africa will be holding auditions in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth from the end of the month and in November for contestants who want to enter Million Rand Money Drop.

The audition dates for Million Rand Money Drop are:
Johannesburg, Thursday 25 October and Friday 26 October
Durba, Thursday 1 November and Friday 2 November
Cape Town, Thursday 8 November and Friday 9 November
Port Elizabeth Friday 16 November and Saturday 17 November

TOLDJA! M-Net on fast-tracking the broadcasting dates of American TV shows to South Africa: 'A journey with interesting challenges'.

Weeks ago, on 13 September, I asked M-Net if the pay TV broadcaster possibly has any two sentences as comment on this story I decided to just publish today after waiting for weeks - M-Net doing well in fast-tracking American TV shows to South African TV screens and closing the window of time between TV shows being shown there and ending up here.

Not only did M-Net never respond with any comment for possible inclusion in the story, but how interesting that M-Net then issues a general press release to all media a mere two hours after the story on TV with Thinus this morning.

M-Net says exactly what I already told you, includes all the shows I've identified, and still erroneously includes the second season of Touch as starting soon which it won't because it's been postponed to January. Now watch the fake press copy and past the press release and not checking any facts.

After waiting weeks, and finally just deciding to write what I've been tracking, M-Net now finally suddenly has this to say, two hours after I ran with the story:

"In their continued effort to bring viewers nothing but the best and exclusive entertainment, M-Net (DStv 101) and sister channel M-Net Series (DStv 114) are proud to announce that they will be enhancing this experience by bringing viewers some brand new shows and familiar favourites within days of the US premiere."

"Now viewers will be brought that much closer to being part of the global conversation with some of the hottest series currently produced in the US. M-Net and M-Net Series have started with a select few, carefully selected titles, and will be adding even more hit shows to this new form of line-up as the months progress."

"We are very excited to be bringing series to the South African public so close to the US airdates, it's wonderful to not only bring fantastic content to our subscribers first but to also bring it to them as soon as possible," says Theo Erasmus, the channel director for general entertainment channels at M-Net in the press statement.

"We would love our subscribers to join us in this new part of the journey with all its interesting challenges, as we continually strive to make the television viewing experience more and more magical."

BREAKING. M-Net cancels The Wild as pay broadcaster's expensive but struggling soap gets the axe.

M-Net has cancelled the pay broadcaster's struggling soap The Wild which was too costly to produce and didn't get enough viewers. The Wild will end in March 2013 two years after it started with much fanfare as well as controversy.

M-Net has decided to dump the soap and use its money for other local TV productions, calling it a "difficult decision". The M-Net channel doesn't have a channel head since April, but Theo Erasmus, M-Net's director for general entertainment channels under which the M-Net channel falls, said that The Wild, which is a high-cost production, is getting cancelled so that it's massive production budget can be used to create other new shows.

It "could be spent on other productions that could possibly produce better ratings in a shorter period of time," Theo Erasmus said. The Wild's viewership was "not in line with the vast investment," the pay broadcaster said.

M-Net officially told The Wild's cast members and crew that the soap has been cancelled this morning and that the production won't be renewed for a third season.

M-Net tells me that the farm in the Northwest which M-Net bought and has been trying to rezone to turn it into a type of "backlot film studio in the bush" from which to produce The Wild will now be sold.

M-Net cancelled its longrunning soap Egoli three years ago - which alternated with Carte Blanche as the number one and number two shows on M-Net viewership wise - to replace it with The Wild. In contrast The Wild, filmed in high definition, set on a game farm and which lured big names like real-life soap couple Connie and Shona Ferguson, hardly cracked M-Net's Top 10 list of most watched programming from week to week.


The Wild also has the dubious distinction of being the first and only South Africa soap which ever got picketed following a public demonstration by the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA) during its launch from disgruntled actors and industry workers unhappy about the contracts.

M-Net moved The Wild around to several timeslots trying to find a bigger audience; the last timeslot change happened in January.

In April MultiChoice decided there was better content to use DStv hard drive space for and removed The Wild from its list of DStv On Demand shows on decoders.

M-Net twice tried to repurpose The Wild on the black sister channel Mzansi Magic (DStv 107) in a bid to lure a bigger audience and expose the show to more viewers. The Wild battled a wildfire which cause the production to shut down, faced ongoing rezoning challenges which could still take many years to resolve and saw tumultuous changes behind the scenes where writers, producers, heads of departments and the series producer left the show.

Bobby Heaney from Imani Media production company eventually stepped in as the new executive producer and M-Net's Magic Factory production arm took over full production.

M-Net says it plans to create "spin-offs" from The Wild, set in a more "settled, urban environment" bringing to an end after two years, M-Net's location-based filming experiment.

BREAKING. M-Net to pay for plastic surgery for Freddie 'Van Dango' Moss after his bar fight since the show's insurance doesn't cover drinking.

M-Net is going to pay for plastic surgery to fix the face of Idols contestant Freddie ''Van Dango'' Moss who got into a violent bar brawl on Friday night, because the show's insurance doesn't cover injuries sustained because of drinking.

M-Net that just offered to pay for Freddie ''Van Dango'' Moss' operation, is setting a new precedent, saying in a just-released statement that ''the future and image of our Idols are very important to us''. M-Net didn't want to disclose, if indeed it had a number, of how much the operation would cost. Asked what the cost of the operation would be and the hospitalisation bill would entail, M-Net responded by saying that ''it's against M-Net policy to reveal expenses such as these. The actual cost is irrelevant.''

Freddie ''Van Dango'' was drinking when he got into a bar brawl in Greenside, Johannesburg on Friday night that then turned violent. The Idols contestant suffered a broken cheekbone and disfigurement to his face and M-Net has now offered to pay for the operation because the production's medical insurance doesn't cover injuries sustained if a person has been drinking any amount of alcohol.

In the statement M-Net says Freddie ''Van Dango'' Moss will be admitted to hospital ''for the necessary surgical procedure in the near future'' but that he will be seen on Sunday night's episode. Sunday night's episode is recorded on Friday.

''To eradicate further or future damage to his face, Freddie's attending pastic surgeon has recommended surgery as soon as possible,'' says M-Net, adding that ''the nature of the operation only requires a short stay in hospital, which means that Freddie - who would like to continue following his Idols dream - should still be able to stay in the competition as long as he has the support of the voting public.''

M-Net is now prepared to pay for the injury that the contestant sustained during off-time and falls outside of the show's insurance policy. ''The well-being of our Idols contestants is extremely important to us and we would have done this for any of the contestants who are still part of the show,'' says Theo Erasmus, M-Net director for general entertainment. ''We believe that the surgery won't disrupt the show and trust that our viewers will understand why we made this decision.''

ALSO READ: Don't ''hate me for the way I behaved Friday night,'' asks Freddie ''Van Dango'' Moss after his violent bar fight.
ALSO READ: After Freddie's bar fight the Idols contestants get a psychologist for the ''unusual situation''. No extra security for now.
ALSO READ: OPINION - After his shocking behaviour Freddie ''Van Dango'' Moss no longer deserves to be a part of a show such as Idols on M-Net.