Kagiso Media's loss-making Indian channel, Glow TV, abruptly shutting down on DStv, StarSat and OpenView HD on 30 June due to bad South African economy.

In a shocking move, Kagiso Media is abruptly shutting down its loss-making Glow TV channel for Indian viewers with Glow TV that will be snuffed out on midnight 30 June after failing to lure enough viewers and becoming a financially viable operation.

Glow TV says it is shutting down over the sharp fall of South Africa's rand and the negative impact it has on rising programming costs, as well as the bad South African economic climate that negatively impacted Glow TV.

Kagiso Media and Urban Brew Studios will not replace Glow TV with a new TV channel. 

Glow TV was Kagiso Media's first attempt at a free-to-air TV channel which it called "the logical next step for Kagiso Media". 

Glow TV that catered to Indian viewers and launched with big fanfare in 2013 will go dark on MultiChoice's DStv channel 167, Platco Digital's OpenView HD (OVHD) channel 108, and On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media SA's StarSat channel 570.

Some Glow TV programming was also made available on PCCW Global's streaming service ONTAPtv.com in the form of a Glow TV package.

The unexpected shuttering of Glow TV after two and a half years comes just a few months after Times Media's struggling VIDI video-on demand (VOD) streaming service was closed down, both failed ventures belonging to Tiso Blackstar.

Glow TV broadcasting eastern-inspired Indian soaps and dramas, was packaged and supplied by Urban Brew Studios, also responsible for the [ED], Dumisa and One Gospel channels on DStv.

Urban Brew Studios says Glow TV, a collaboration between Kagiso Media and Nolava Television, is shutting down because of the bad economic climate in South Africa and the higher cost of programming. 

The closure comes after a big schedule shake-up that was introduced in August 2015 but didn't yield a big enough bump in viewers, including offering different audio tracks, a prime time soap block, and children's programming on afternoons.

Last month Glow TV suddenly stopped broadcasting new episodes of its flagship soap Saras. Glow TV suddenly began rebroadcasting Saras from the first episode with no explanation to its viewers why, which is now obvious - it won't be wasting more money on new content for a channel closing down.

"Glow TV viewers have been supportive, loyal and dedicated," said Trish Taylor, Urban Brew Studios CEO, in a statement. "They are the ones most affected by our decision".

There's nothing from Naz Khan, who used to be Glow TV's channel manager. 

Also nothing about what will be happening to local content like the Pick n Pay sponsored, advertiser funded show Food for Living and whether that's getting repurposed to Urban Brew's other channels like [ED].

Glow TV says the channel "would like to thank its valued viewers, advertisers and the satellite platforms for their support since its inception".

Glow TV launched in October 2013, was added a a year later in October 2014 to MultiChoice's DStv and added to StarSat in January this year.

Mark Harris, Kagiso Media group CEO says shutting down the loss-making Glow TV is in the best interest of the group.

"We are in the business of making great television but we also have to make sure that the business models associated with channels and programming work for the broader group".

"We will continue to produce and supply our viewers and media partners with the best content and formats available," says Omar Essack, Kagiso Media deputy group CEO.

Editor's note: It's shocking and bad for Glow TV viewers losing their channel, and sad that Kagiso Media is dumping Glow TV.

It's content definitely had an audience, and a potentially even bigger audience.

Looking back, one thing I remember is that Glow TV was also one of those TV channels that never bothered to invite TV critics to its media launch event, or to even tell the relevant media beforehand, or even afterwards that it actually launched. 

After that, Glow TV never regularly bothered, or knew how, to properly keep media and TV critics informed of its programming. I never met anybody from Glow TV in over two and a half years of the channel's existence even once; never got a call once.

One has to wonder if Glow TV would have, could have, performed better or could have had a higher awareness under viewers if it actually made more effort and communicated better and more, and more regularly, about its actual programming.

If viewers and the media - for instance TV critics who write and talk and whose job it is to inform people about it - don't know about your channel and what's on it, where does a TV channel think its ratings and awareness and viewership is going to come from?

Everybody wants to launch a TV channel these days; few sustain it. And even fewer bother to actually involve the press, know the right relevant media, and use them to help create ongoing awareness.

You never bothered to get us to really care. Goodbye, Glow.

[ED] on DStv launches local weekly fashion show, Ayanda's Fashion House, with vibey fashionista, Ayanda Nhlapo as a new 'signature show'.

The edutainment channel [ED] (DStv 190) has launched a brand-new, locally produced weekly fashion show, Ayanda's Fashion House with Ayanda Nhlapo on Mondays at 18:55 as a brand new "signature show" designed to bring more edge and local relevance to the Urban Brew produced TV channel.

In Ayanda's Fashion House, with repeated on [ED] on Saturdays, fashionista Ayanda Nhlapo who previously presented Corner Talks on [ED] and who studied drama and fashion design, talks all things fashion.

ALSO READ: Interview: Ayanda Nhlapo on her new [ED] show on DStv: "I want Ayanda's Fashion House to be what I didn't what I didn't get growing up":

It's the first time since Nicky Greenwall's cancelled Style Report on eNCA (DStv 403) that South African television, in fact Africa - since [ED] is seen across Africa on MultiChoice's DStv and GO platforms in 49 countries - can tune in to a locally relevant weekly style programme with a dedicated focus on fashion.

Ayanda’s Fashion House is part of a new series of entrepreneurial concept shows rolled out by [ED] in line with the Kagiso Media TV channel's vision to be more engaging, more relevant, more local and to inspire young people.

[ED] is one of 6 TV channels that Urban Brew manages.

Each of the 13 episodes of Ayanda's Fashion House will focus on a different aspect of the industry, from the actual fashion design, to blogging, trend forecasting and fashion shows. Guests include a number of fashion industry personalities, ranging from Gert Johan Coetzee, Lucilla Booyzen, Dion Chang, Trevor Stuurman and Felipe Mazibuko to Joelle Kayembe.

"Viewers are invited to sit in on her conversations with industry experts, they're invited to boost their business savvy together with her and they're invited to share in all the insider tips that she gleans," says Trish Taylor, CEO of Urban Brew.

"Ayanda's Fashion House not only equips other aspirant designers, but will inspire them too," says Trish Taylor.

"It's all about fashion, but it's more than fashion and that's what I'm looking forward to. It's also about a very rich and compelling story so it's certainly not to be missed. Ayanda Nhlapo is a vibrant, determined and gutsy young lady who did not allow any circumstances to get in her way of fashion or success," says Trish Taylor.

"We're going to hear about her story and perseverance as well as interesting insider tips and all about the fashion industry woven into a beautiful tapestry of Ayanda's Fashion House. We're looking forward for the show going from strength to strength."

"Ayanda's Fashion House fits in perfectly with the vision of [ED]. The vision of [ED] is one of engaging and inspiring young people who are embarking on their particular career paths. So this particular signature programme speaks strongly to the positioning of [ED]," says Trish Taylor.

"I was born in Springs in the East Rand in 1991," says Ayanda Nhlapo who went to primary school in Brakpan and then to the National School of the Arts to study dramatic arts. After high school she went to study film, but wasn't really happy.

She took a gap year and joined an agency and started selling vintage clothing. "For me that's when I got into fashion and started realising my passion".

I took part in a series called Young Designers and won the third season. Those were all the signs that were leading me to where I am today. I decided to study fashion design and after that I got the opportunity to be the presenter of Ayanda's Fashion House".

"Ayanda's Fashion House is a show that gives insight about the different facets of the fashion industry. Being the anchor of the show, I'm so honoured because I get to learn so much - and I also get to teach people through interviewing guests like up and coming designers or fashion experts."

"I feel that if I grew up watching a show like this, I would have learnt so much - I would maybe have picked up on my love of fashion sooner, and I would have had advance fashion knowledge," says Ayanda Nhlapo.

"Ayanda's Fashion House is a show that is definitely, definitely needed. It's a platform for different voices - it's a platform for all kinds of voices from the fashion world".

Trish Taylor appointed as new CEO of Urban Brew Studios from 26 January 2015.

Kagiso Media is appointing Trish Taylor as the new CEO of Urban Brew Studios from 26 January 2015.

Trish Taylor has currently been the general manager of Kagiso Media's East Coast Radio radio station.

"Trish Taylor will bring new energy and a strong culture of innovation t Urban Brew," says Omar Essack, Kagiso Media deputy CEO.

"I am passionate about media and this move provides a further extension of my career in a space I really enjoy," says Trish Taylor. "I've loved my time at East Coast Radio and through my new role I look forward to accelerating TV and radio synergies," says Trish Taylor.