MultiChoice's Showmax expands the video streamer's East African content slate with 4 new originals in 2022 including first Kenyan Christmas film.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's video streaming service is expanding its East African programming slate with 4 new originals that will be released in 2022, including its first Kenyan Christmas feature film.

Showmax Kenya's other Showmax Originals include a crime drama series set in Kibera, a political thriller series set in a fictional Kenyan province, and a thriller series starring Serah Ndanu and Blessing Lung'aho.

Showmax's East African investment follows after Kenya's first Showmax Original Crime and Justice which is currently in its second season, Kenya's first Showmax Original film Baba Twins, and the drama series Single Kiasi.

Timothy Okwaro, MultiChoice channel director for East and Southern Africa, says "We have worked with new production houses to expand our genre offering to ensure that our viewers get to see the very best of Kenyan stories told in different facets of life, from thrillers to crime dramas to political thrillers".

"Showmax subscribers can look forward to compelling local stories that will definitely keep you tuned in. This slate speaks to our localisation strategy and the keen focus on working with local producers, both established and upcoming, to ensure we give our viewers what they want."

Here's a run-down of Showmax's East Africa production slate:

Igiza

Currently in production, Igiza is a 13-part thriller series that follows twin sisters, Linda and Nicole, at war after a betrayal that changes their lives forever.

Years later, one of the sisters breaks out of prison and takes over the seemingly wonderful life of her identical twin, with disastrous consequences. Serah Ndanu plays the double role of Linda and Nicole, with Blessing Lung'aho, Kevin Samuel, Emmanuel Mugo, Ainea Ojiambo, Sheila Ndanu and Torome Sision co-starring.

Igiza is helmed by Abdi Shuria, King Muriuki and Abu Melita under their company Yare Productions.

Pepeta

Slated to begin production in April 2022, Pepeta is a crime drama series that captures the dreams and realities of the youth in Kibera, known for churning out top football players in Kenya.

Pepeta follows three intertwining stories of Junior, a 17-year-old talented footballer torn between the thrills of crime and the promises of soccer; Musa, an unforgiving cop with a personal vendetta, determined to rid the streets of criminals; and Biki, an ambitious football coach determined to get Junior and his friends scouted before the barrel of the gun cuts short their dreams.

Loosely based on the real-life story of Harun "Rio" Wathari, Pepeta is being produced by CJ3 Entertainment's James "Draka" Kombo, Mwangi Rurengo and Wanja Mworia, with Damaris Irungu, Charles Ouda and Abigail Arunga as as writers.

County 49

Welcome to the political intrigues of the fictional Bwatele County, Kenya's 49th county and the nation's breadbasket, whose citizens are suffering from the high cost of living and scarce resources, despite the county’s wealth in resources.

Now against the backdrop of great civilian discontent, a disgraced security officer is compelled to save the governor, and her chief of staff, his estranged wife, from a local terrorist group, which has kidnapped them for money and revenge.

County 49 is being produced by Kibanda Pictures, with director Likarion Wainaina, director Brian Munene and producer Millicent Ogutu, and producer and actor Bruce Makau.

Brian Munene also doubles as the show's writer, alongside Voline Ogutu, Mercy Mutisya and Martin Kingondu, with John Sibi-Okumu coming on board as story consultant.

Kenya's first Christmas feature film

This as-yet-untitled project will be Kenya's first-ever Christmas feature film, and will be produced by Reuben Odanga.

Joining Reuben Odanga as the film's writer is Natasha Likimani.

MultiChoice and M-Net expand the set of Maisha Magic TV channels in East Africa with addition of Maisha Magic Movies launching on 26 July on DStv.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net East Africa are expanding its existing set of Maisha Magic channels in East Africa with the addition of the Maisha Magic Movies (DStv 141) channel that will be launching on Monday 26 July in countries East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Malawi. 

MultiChoice and M-Net already run channels like Maisha Magic East, Maisha Magic Plus and Maisha Magic Bongo in East Africa and did a media event launch on 19 July to announce the addition of the Maisha Magic Movies channel to the DStv bouquet. 

Maisha Magic Movies that will be available to DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus and DStv Compact subscribers will show films with an emphasis on content and feature films produced in East Africa, and will include titles at launch spanning various genres like 94 Terror, Damu Moja, Freedom Movie, Kizingo, Kutu, Mume Mzee, Sangita, The Torture and Worlds Tofauti.

Barbara Kambogi, Maisha Magic Movies channel head, says "We continuously study audience behaviour and tailor-make our offering to match the needs of the market at hand, hence the launch of Maisha Magic Movies".

"We are working alongside local producers in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and continuously grooming and mentoring the teams to produce world-class content that resonates with the cultural nuances of the market thus making the content not only exciting but relatable to the viewer. This channel is something our audiences can truly be proud of and call their own".

Timothy Okwaro, M-Net director for East and Southern Africa channels at the MultiChoice Group, says that M-Net continues to work with with both local talent and the world's best production studios to create new content.

"Through our Maisha Magic East and Maisha Magic Plus channels, MultiChoice has made extensive investments in the development of original programming sharing the best of African content across the continent. The introduction of Maisha Magic Movies further shows our commitment to continue to invest in the local film and TV industry."

MultiChoice Uganda and M-Net expand Pearl Magic with the new Pearl Magic Prime premium channel for DStv Uganda subscribers; adding weekday series, telenovela and other local productions.

 

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net are adding the Pearl Magic Prime channel on channel 148 to the channel line-up of MultiChoice Uganda from Monday 8 February 2021, two years after Pearl Magic was launched.

Pearl Magic Prime will be a more premium channel in the same way that M-Net created 1Magic (Dstv 103) for higher-tiered DStv subscribers than its Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel in South Africa.

MultiChoice and M-Net launched Pearl Magic in October 2018 to help promote local Uganda TV content creation. 

MultiChoice and M-Net say they are "amplifying" the Pearl Magic experience with the premium version of the channel that will only be accessible to DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus and DStv Compact subscribers in Uganda.

Pearl Magic Prime will have a sprinkling of new shows, blended with several of the existing programming and shows on Pearl Magic like Date My Family Uganda, My Wedding Day, Pablo Live, Ekibbitu, Between Us, Half London and The Honourablez.

The package of new and exclusive Pearl Magic Prime shows will eventually over time be seen on Pearl Magic as well by lower-tiered DStv subscribers.

MultiChoice was asked for help with the Pearl Magic Prime information in a media enquiry last week but a publicist told TVwithThinus that a media release is only scheduled to be issued this week. 

"Our mandate as a channel is to provide our viewers with thought-provoking and entertaining content which captures Ugandan cultural nuances, we cannot wait for audiences to experience this new addition to our stable," says Timothy Okwaro, M-Net's director for East and Southern Africa channels, on M-Net's corporate web page.

MultiChoice says that it will continue to work with established and upcoming local producers to deliver content on the Pearl Magic channels in the region.

Pearl Magic Prime will at launch feature a drama entitled Prestige; as well as Mama and Me, a TV series that falls within the dramedy category; Sanyu that is a telenovela, as well as Story Yange, a docu-series that explores the humble beginnings, meteoric rises, devastating falls and crippling vices of the most popular social influencers in Uganda.

Prestige (Mondays to Fridays at 20:30) revolves around the ad executives of a family and their lust for power that is fuelled by love, jealousy, grief and hatred, featuring Alvin Emitu, Cleopatra Kyoheirwe, Evelyn Namtovu Kironde as well as Nana Kagga and Simon Kalema who are also producing the show.

Mama and Me (Wednesday and Thursday at 19:30) tells the story of a middle-aged teacher whose husband steals her money to give to his concubines.

After his accidental death, she is accused of murder and must use her wits to stay out of jail and to fight off in-laws who want to take her property. Mama and Me will star Debbie Bakuseka, Nambozo Gloria Catherine, Suubi Nalwanga and Kaylar Kirabo Elizabeth.

Sanyu (Mondays to Fridays at 20:00) tells the story of an innocent, rural teenage girl that is forced to leave her family and her pursuit for education to do a domestic worker's job for a complex, wealthy urban family where she falls in love with the son of her employer in a story of love, emotion and drama between the privileged and underprivileged. 

Some of the cast members of Sanyu are Tracy Kababiito, Timothy Lwanga, Farida Nabagereka, Blessing Naturinda, Kyeyune Shalom, Kuddzu Isaac, Allan Katongole, Marion Asilo Dorothy, Abbey Mukiibi Nkaaga, Housen Mushema, Elenour Nabwiso, Sharon Nalukenge and Racheal Nduhukire.

Story Yange (Saturdays at 20:00) profiles Uganda's influencers and the rise, setbacks and personal struggles of people like Dr Martin Aliker, Alex Mukulu, Princess Evelyn Komuntale, Judith Heard, Hon Dr Miria Matembe, Captain Mike Mukula, Irene Namubiru and Moses Matovu.

Hassan Saleh, MultiChoice Uganda, managing director, gave a speech on Monday morning at a media launch event for the Pearl Magic Prime TV channel that was held in Kampala.

Hassan Saleh's speech wasn't made available but he said in a press statement with prepared quotes that the additional creation of Pearl Magic Prime will see further investment in overall local content in Uganda's TV and film indsutry.

"Pearl Magic Prime is set to live up to its tagline of delivering more value to the customer like never before. We are proud of the role we are playing in the entertainment sector in Uganda and look forward to connecting with our audiences."

"As per our ongoing commitment to our customers, we will continue to enhance our viewer experience by offering more value to our customers. We are confident that Pearl Magic Prime will connect with DStv audiences and reinforce our strategic vision to be the leading African storyteller."

Zambia censors TV show over 'gay tendencies' as banned reality series, Lusaka Hustle, is ordered off air on Zambezi Magic for DStv subscribers in the entire Southern Africa.

Africa's encroaching television censorship creep continues with the latest TV ban coming from Zambia's broadcasting regulator, censoring a show over alleged "gay tendencies" that it wants off television and that will see the locally-produced reality show, Lusaka Hustle, going dark on Zambezi Magic - not just for DStv subscribers in Zambia but across multiple countries for all viewers across Southern Africa.

Zambia's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has abruptly banned the Zambian produced reality show, Lusaka Hustle that started on 24 January on M-Net's Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel available in Southern Africa, for allegedly promoting "gay tendencies".

Zambia's broadcasting regulator hasn't watched the show but is "responding to public outcries", after Zambia's Godfridah Sumaili, the country's minister for religious affairs and national guidance, complained that Lusaka Hustle features a character with "gay tendencies" and wearing a dress.

Social media amplified the outrage about the programme that follows three local, flamboyant Zambian celebrities and their drama-filled daily lives - Thandi Vundamina, Cleo Ice Queen and the singer Kuni (Mukuni Godfrey Mulundika), with Kuni who appears in Lusaka Hustle's promotional poster art in a flowing white robe.

Some viewers were disturbed that Kuni wore a dress in a recent episode while doing a spa day in Lusaka.

It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.

In November 2017 the show Talk with Kwangu was censored and pulled off the air on Zambezi Magic, following Zambian government interference and pressure.

Zambezi Magic is aimed at helping producers in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini to get their original content from their countries on the air for local DStv audiences to enjoy.

Zambia's latest TV censorship is not just raising questions around the clampdown of freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the country, but is also worrying Zambian TV and film producers who don't feel that their local work is valued in their own country, with more and more producers looking across borders and outside of Zambia to pitch their projects.

The biggest concern around the ban on Lusaka Hustle however revolves around how draconian censorship of TV content in just one African country will once again that the censored show will become unavailable to millions of viewers and DStv subscribers in multiple other countries.

Similar to a growing and ongoing trend of recent TV censorship in Nigeria and Kenya ranging from lifestyle and reality shows to even kids animation programming on the Disney Channel and Viacom Africa's Nickelodeon, shows on channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform ordered blocked there by local regulators in one country, means that when these shows are removed, they are censored for everyone.

MultiChoice carries only one channel feed for Africa - in some cases two - from a channel distributor, meaning that content on a channel - for instance E! Entertainment (DStv 124) or Disney Channel (DStv 303)  - ordered to be censored and dumped in for instance Kenya, makes it unavailable in South Africa and a range of other African countries outside of where the censorship takes place.

When Lusaka Hustle is removed on Zambezi Magic for Zambia's DStv subscribers, it becomes unavailable for viewers in every other country where Zambezi Magic is carried since it's the same single channel feed viewed in all the countries.

Josephine Mapona, IBA director-general in Zambia, in a statement, said it is ordering MultiChoice Zambia to "suspend the Lusaka Hustle reality show on the Zambezi Magic channel on DStv".

"This follows public outcries that the Lusaka Hustle reality show promotes a lifestyle contrary to our Zambian values and culture." The IBA says it urges Zambian producers of local content "to produce content that reflect the Zambian culture".

Zambia's IBA in media enquiries was asked what specifically is wrong with Lusaka Hustle and why the IBA censor and removes TV shows as opposed to classifying and issuing advisories, what the IBA's message is to TV and film producers in Zambia and whether they should rather pitch local content for audiences outside of Zambia.

The regulator was also asked how the IBA sees freedom of speech and expression in terms of TV content and to what degree the IBA feels that that exists for Zambian television.

The IBA didn't respond to these media enquiries this week from TVwithThinus.


DStv: Show prejudged on social media, cast deeply distressed
Both MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel responded to media enquiries seeking comment.

MultiChoice Zambia told TVwithThinus that "MultiChoice Zambia has noted the public commentary about Lusaka Hustle on the Zambezi Magic channel. We are concerned that the programme has been misrepresented on social media and to address these misrepresentations, we will be facilitating a viewing session with our key stakeholders to allow for an assessment of the programme".

"MultiChoice remains committed to the promotion of local content and respect for the law".

Timothy Okwaro, head of Zambezi Magic tells TVwithThinus that Lusaka Hustle "is a locally-produced reality show which follows the lives of three Zambian celebrities who regularly appear on television".

"The show has been prejudged in social media without an informed assessment of the content or a clear indication of which aspects of the show are unlawful. The cast and crew of Lusaka Hustle have been deeply distressed by the misleading representation of the content".

Zambezi Magic says M-Net and the channel are "respectful of Zambian values and culture. We are working with MultiChoice Zambia to resolve this matter in a constructive way and will join key stakeholders for a viewing session of upcoming episodes".