BREAKING. TopTV ends its own Top Explore channel, replaces it with Spark as a new factual entertainment channel from July.

On Digital Media (ODM) is dropping a third self-compiled "Top" channel from the South African pay-TV operator's channel line-up but is replacing it immediately with a new third-party channel, Spark, from 1 July, which won't be carrying the "TopTV" name.

Spark which was started in April 2011 will replace Top Explore on the same channel number 300 on TopTV, although it is in reality still being supplied by the same German-based supplier who packaged Top Explore for TopTV.

TopTV in April immediately discontinued its Top Junior and Top Movies +24 channels  and has so far not announced any replacements for those channels.

Top Explore was a self-compiled factual entertainment channel for TopTV and Spark, provided by Autentic, also covers a wide range of factual entertainment genres like science, technology, nature, biology, history, travel, archeology and adventure.

"Spark is the new brand for our existing documentary channel Top Explore," says Ian Woodrow, the vice president for channels at TopTV in a statement.

"Subscribers will still see many of the programmes which they have enjoyed on Top Explore in the past but will also be impressed with the new programming that has been secured for the channel."

The German-based supplier of the channel is keeping the already licenced content on Spark for TopTV and will be adding some additional documentary programming together with the name change.

BREAKING. TopTV: We're focused on getting some new content on Top Expore and Top History.

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TopTV, at the South African pay TV operator's first ever press preview for journalists and TV critics in Cape Town, said that its self-compiled "Top" channels which are criticised for too many repeats, is getting attention.

Heather Kennedy, the vice president for marketing, singled out Top Explore (TopTV 300) and Top Hisotry (TopTV 301) and told journalists that these channels' content are being looked at.

"For Top Explore and Top History we're focused on getting some new content there. We have been getting new content which viewers will start to see soon," she said.

She explained that even though these channels are self-compiled, meaning TopTV puts the channels together, that it's actually physically done for TopTV from Germany.

"Top Explore and Top History are actually packaged for us by a German provider. These channels will have some local South African content. Some of the shows are South African from time to time. We do try and take local content where we can. What happens is that the German provider buys from us [meaning broadly South Africa] and then puts it on the channel. So that's the roundabout way how South African content gets on it."