Tropika drops it like its hot: Tropika done as sponsor of the advertiser-funded production Tropika Island of Treasure on SABC1.

Clover's Tropika brand is done with the advertiser-funded production (AFP) and reality show Tropika Island of Treasure.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica is currently being broadcast with the dead Reeva Steenkamp as a contestant who was shot dead in the head by her boyfriend, the paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead and died a violent death three days before the advertiser-funded show was to start on South African television; SABC1 and the production company Stimulii decided to go ahead and show the programme.

On the day of the first episode of Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica on SABC1, Tropika gleefully tweeted about a "killer deal": 100 cases of Tropika today".

Tropika and the show received global exposure since February as news channels and news programmes across the world clamoured for clips from Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica as part of its reporting on the tragic Oscar Pistorius shooting death case.

The AFP jumped from e.tv to SABC1 for the current season. Tropika will no longer be a sponsor when the next season of the on-air marketing activation rolls around. The 6th season will take place in the Seychelles but Tropika's sponsorship is ending with the current season.

Neither Clover and Tropika, nor SABC1, nor the production company gave any reasons for the end of the sponsorship in a press statement, only saying that "the next season of Island of Treasure will see a new sponsor which will undoubtedly bring about a few exciting new changes to the format".

"Viewers should look forward to an even more entertaining season," says Vukile Madlala, SABC1 publicity manager in the statement.

Samantha Moon, Stimulii CEO says in the statement "Island of Treasure will continue to bring the hottest, quality entertainment to SA screens".

Reeva Steenkamp struggles blowing blue balls as a challenge on Tropika Island of Treasure 5 Jamaica.

Reeva Steenkamp and fellow contestants struggled to blow up big blue balls in the latest episode of Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica on SABC1 on Saturday evening.

In a Tropika beach ball immunity challenge in the advertiser-funded production's latest episode, the model partook in a challenge of trying to inflate big blue beach balls branded with the Tropika logo with fellow contestants within a certain number of minutes.

Jay Anstey made it but the others failed and are now up for eviction from the island.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed by her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius who is accused of premeditated murder, but she can still be seen in the reality show after SABC1 and producers Stimulii decided to continue with the show which started broadcasting on South African television three days after her death.

"I think everyone felt that blowing up the balls was going to be easy but I mean, we literally nearly passed out three or four times," Reeva Steenkamp said in the episode after the challenge.

ALSO READ: Reeva Steenkamp not included in the "In Memorian" tribute at the 7th South African Film and Television Awards; segment however done right for the first time ever.

Oscar Pistorius makes the main news again on the CBS Evening News with correspondent Emma Hurd reporting on the bail hearing.

Oscar Pistorius who shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp who's a contestant in Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica on SABC1 keeps making the main news and was a story again on America's main news bulletin, the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.

Emma Hurd, previously correspondent for Sky News (DStv 402) is now reporting for the CBS Evening News (which can be seen in South African on Sky News on weekdays) about the Oscar Pistorius bail application in Pretoria.

Tropika Island of Treasure and Oscar Pistorius remain news on E! News on E! Entertainment; reveals Reeva Steenkamp's 'chilling last words'.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica with the dead model shot in the head Reeva Steenkamp and the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius facing a charge of premeditated murder, again made the news on E! News on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) on Wednesday night.

Jason Kennedy reported on Oscar Pistorius bail hearing as E! News also featured Reeva Steenkamp's "chilling last words" on Tropika Island of Treasure 5.

E! News which showed Tropika Island of Treasure 5 footage again said Oscar Pistorius who shot his girlfriend repeatedly could get a life sentence if convicted of murdering Reeva Steenkamp.

"And chilling words from the reality star herself after Saturday's debut of Tropika Island of Treasure on SABC1," said Jason Kennedy.

"I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and make your exit is so important," says Reeva Steenkamp in the clip played on E! News. "And I'm going to miss you all so much."

No ratings spike for Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica viewership on SABC1 with the dead model Reeva Steenkamp as a contestant.

The first episode of the "in very bad taste" Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica on Saturday on SABC1 pulled 2,345 million viewers at 18:30 but didn't represent a viewership and ratings spike due to the inclusion of the dead model Reeva Steenkamp.

Reeva Steenkamp who was a contestant in Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica was shot in the head and killed by her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius just two days before. Oscar Pistorius is in jail awaiting the conclusion of his bail application and is then facing a premeditated murder charge.

On Monday I asked the South Africa Advertising Research Foundation (Saarf) who compiles and tabulates South Africa's TV viewership under the TAMS ratings system for Saturday's viewership figures which I received today.

Interestingly less than a 10th of the available South African TV audience watching television on Saturday night bothered to tune into Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica.

With a 7,7 AMR only 7,7% of the available viewers older than 15 (the demographic and target market most desired and of significance for advertisers) tuned to SABC1 to watch the first episode, according to figures released by Saarf. It doesn't represent a rating spike for the show - in fact it's quite average for the SABC1 timeslot.

Given the instant hype preceding the advertiser-funded production (AFP) which SABC1 and the production company Stimulii refused to pull, it was expected that the viewership for the first episode of the product placement filled Tropika Island of Treasure 5 would have been higher.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica did get a boost over the 4th season which was shown on e.tv, but SABC1's overall reach as a channel is bigger and therefore has a bigger potential viewership available since it's physical TV signal is being transmitted to, and can be received by, slightly more homes and TV households than e.tv.

Compared to the 2,345 million viewers who tuned in for the first episode of the 5th season, 1,75 million viewers with a 6 AMR (or 6% of the total audience watching television) watched the first episode of the 4th season of Tropika Island of Treasure on e.tv, according to figures supplied by Saarf.

The 5th season of Tropika Island of Treasure therefore only pulled a marginally better viewership on a new channel with a bigger signal footprint, and doesn't appear to have been affected by a "dead model effect".

'Very bad taste' Tropika Island of Treasure 5 Jamaica of SABC1 covered on CNN International; described as 'not helpful at all'.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica on SABC1 produced by Stimulii has now made it as a story onto CNN International (DStv 401) with the global 24-hour news channel saying that people are describing it as being "in very bad taste".

Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica features the dead model Reeva Steenkamp who was shot in the head and killed in the early hours of Thursday morning by the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius. A case of premeditated murder has been brought against Oscar Pistorius.

Hala Gorani talked with CNN International's South African correspondent Robyn Curnow about Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica on SABC1, noting that "some people are upset that it's airing at all".

"Reeva participated in this reality show and producers decided to air it after her death. What has been the reaction overall?" asked Hala Gorani.

"People are saying this is in very bad taste and really is not at all helpful," reported Robyn Curnow.

"On the other hand the producers and many South Africans tuned in. They wanted to see what she was like, what she sounded like. She's very pretty. A lot of people said it amplified even more how caring she seemed; what kind of a loss it was," said Robyn Curnow.

"It also depends on as we go on. She's going to be appearing every weekend until she is so-called evicted from this reality show. It is a bit strange for many people," said Robyn Curnow.

"Well you hear somebody speaking after their death; almost speaking from another world. It is strange I'll admit," said Hala Gorani.

ALSO READ: Killer runner Oscar Pistorius and reality star Reeva Steenkamp the main lead story on the NBC Nightly News on America on Sunday evening.
ALSO READ: "Eery", "shock to many" as Tropika Island of Treasure 5 makes the main news in America on NBC Nightly News and the CBS Evening News on Saturday.
ALSO READ: eNCA will try to do live coverage of the Oscar Pistorius court trial and judgement.
ALSO READ: Outside Eye on eNCA on Wednesday to look at Oscar Pistorius and how the international media is covering the murder case and South Africa.
ALSO READ: Charge of $3000 per foreign broadcaster to use clips of Reeva Steenkamp in Tropika Island of Treasure 5, reports The Independent.

Killer runner Oscar Pistorius and reality star Reeva Steenkamp the main lead story on NBC Nightly News in America on Sunday.

Hugely prominent, and growing in importance and coverage, the runner killer Oscar Pistorius and the dead model and Tropika Island of Treasure 5 reality star Reeva Steenkamp was the number one main news story leading the serious NBC Nightly News news bulletin on Sunday evening in America.

On Saturday Reeva Steenkamp, Oscar Pistorius and South Africans watching Tropika Island of Treasure 5 was the second lead story on both the NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News in America.

While it remained the second lead story on the CBS Evening News again on Sunday, NBC Nightly News upped it to number one.

The story gripping South Africa and the international media has now been elevated to the biggest news story of the day on Sunday evening and was broadcast to millions of Americans and viewers around the world.

Meanwhile massive numbers of media are jetting into Port Elizabeth for the cremation service on Tuesday of Reeva Steenkamp who died a violent death to the crematorium which can only seat 100 people with attendance of the memorial service on Tuesday which is by invitation only although it won't be stopping the barrage of journalists and reporters trying to get in.

On Sunday evening the CBS Evening News reported all the lurid details as more information is starting to emerge from the case of premeditated murder against Oscar Pistorius - even about the M-Net billboards coming down from M-Net's "28 Days of Oscar" marketing campaign on M-Net and DStv.

Charge of $3000 per broadcaster to use clips of Reeva Steenkamp in Tropika Island of Treasure 5, reports The Independent.

International broadcasters and TV news outlets have allegedly all been charged $3000 (R26 520) each for clips of TV footage of the dead model Reeva Steenkamp appearing in SABC1's Tropika Island of Treasure 5, Britain's Independent newspaper reported yesterday.

According to the newspaper, "at least a dozen networks" bought the rights, which means the footage which appeared on Sky News on Saturday as well as in the news bulletins of American TV networks were not made available for free.

Even E! News gave extensive coverage to Tropika Island of Treasure 5 and Reeva Steenkamp - a South African first on that daily American news show.

The clips were taken from what appeared to be Reeva Steenkamp's exit interview from Tropika Island of Treasure 5 when she leaves the show which was filmed in Jamaica. It was broadcast worldwide and could be seen in South Africa on Saturday during the day in heavy rotation before the first episode was broadcast the evening on SABC1.

Early on Thursday model Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead in the head by the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius.

SABC1 as well as the production company Stimulii both issued separate press statements saying Tropika Island of Treasure 5 which was set to start on Saturday with it's first episode, will go ahead as a tribute to Reeva Steenkamp despite her violent death.

Oscar Pistorius faces a case of premeditated murder and is set to appear in court again on Tuesday on the same day as a funeral will be held for Reeva Steenkamp in Port Elizabeth.

According to the Independent, women's rights groups in South Africa are now calling from the proceeds of Tropika Island of Treasure 5 to be donated to charity.

The Cape Town based group "RIP Reeva Steenkamp" told the Independent that it's also calling for a donation in Reeva Steenkamp's name to charity. "Let's be honest, the only reason the SABC and the producers are going ahead with the broadcast of this show is because of the increase in exposure and viewership they'll be getting."

I approached the SABC and SABC1 with questions about the profits made from Tropika Island of Treasure 5. The SABC refused to answer those questions and referred the media enquiry to the producers. The same media enquiry with the same questions was also made to the producers who have not (yet?) responded.

I wanted to know: Can someone please confirm whether international broadcasters were given the clips from Tropika Island of Treasure 5 with Reeva Steenkamp as a free courtesy or were they charged $3000 each to show clips? What will the SABC be doing with the money?

There have been requests made that money from this advertiser-funded production be donated in Reeva Steenkamp's name to a cause and charity. Would the SABC and production be doing that since the programme is being broadcast as a tribute to her?

BREAKING. 'Eery', 'shock to many', as Tropika Island of Treasure and Reeva Steenkamp makes the main news in America on NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5 which started on Saturday night on SABC1 with the now dead Reeva Steenkamp as a contestant made the main television news on America's big daily news bulletins on Saturday night there, the NBC Nightly News and the CBS Evening News.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead just two days prior, early on Thursday morning, in the home of the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, who is facing a charge of premeditated murder.

On Saturday night both the NBC Nightly News (seen in South Africa on CNBC Africa) and CBS Evening News (seen in South Africa on Sky News) featured Tropika Island of Treasure 5 and Reeva Steenkamp prominently in the serious news bulletins.

Both serious news bulletins covered how South Africans are watching Tropika Island of Treasure 5 after the producers decided to go ahead with showing the advertiser-funded production (AFP) featuring the dead model.

NBC Nightly News and the CBS Evening News called it "eery" and "a shock to many" to describe the news as South African viewers watched Reeva Steenkamp in Tropika Island of Treasure 5 on Saturday on SABC1.

The Oscar Pistorius story and Tropika Island of Treasure 5 was the second lead story Saturday night on the NBC Nightly News in America with Michelle Kosinski of NBC News who reported from South Africa and from in front of the police station and jail in Pretoria where Oscar Pistorius is being held.

"A production company decided to air the first segment of a television show his girlfriend starred in and was excited about. This is a first look at model Reeva Steenkamp's first television show" said Michelle Kosinski. "Yet now it seems eery to see and hear someone, now gone, who was only days ago savouring life."

"The way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and you make your exit is so important. You either made an impact in a negative or a positive way," said Reeva Steenkamp in another of the clips from Tropika Island of Treasure 5 seen on the news broadcast.

"She was our mommy. She was our mom and she was always making sure that everyone was okay," Katlego Molai, a Tropika Island of Treasure contestant, told NBC Nightly News on Saturday evening.

"It has been a shock to many - especially seeing Reeva in life on their television screens," said Michelle Kosinski.

The Oscar Pistorius murder charge and Tropika Island of Treasure 5 was the second main lead story on the CBS Evening News on Saturday night as well.

The CBS Evening News also showed South Africans watching "the reality TV show that aired tonight". "The producers decided to go ahead despite her death. The family agree, even as they plan her private memorial."

BREAKING. Tropika tweets: 'Check out this killer giveaway: 100 cases of Tropika today' as Reeva Steenkamp appears today in Tropika Island of Treasure 5 on SABC1.

Tropika tweets: "Check out this killer giveaway: 100 cases of Tropika today" - that on the day that the dead model Reeva Steenkamp appears on SABC1 in the advertiser-funded production Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica.

MyTropika, the fruit drink brand which is the sponsor of the show, drew followers' attention on Twitter today to its "killer giveaway".

Reeva Steenkamp was killed and died a violent death after being shot on Thursday in the home of the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius.

SABC1 and Stimulii which produced the commercial programme Tropika Island of Treasure 5 refused to cancel the advertiser-funded production (AFP) on South Africa's public broadcaster or at least postpone the show.

The funeral, cremation and memorial service of Reeva Steenkamp who was shot in the head is set to take place on Tuesday in Port Elizabeth.

A spokesperson for Tropika could not be reached on Saturday about the tweet and the decision to use words like "killer giveaway. The choice of words in Tropika's commercial marketing campaign - "killer giveaway" - comes across as highly insensitive and totally inappropriate given the events and circumstances of the past few days.

SABC1 and Stimulii say in statements Tropika Island of Treasure 5 is going ahead to honour Reeva Steenkamp and as a tribute to her legacy.

ALSO READ: SABC 1 flashes 3 tribute cards on-air to Reeva Steenkamp, the shot and killed model reality contestant in Tropika Island of Treasure 5.
ALSO READ: Reeva Steenkamp on Tropika Island of Treasure 5: "I don't have any regrets and I don't have any bitterness."
ALSO READ: Tropika Island of Treasure 5 on SABC1 becomes the first South African TV show ever to get extensive coverage on E! News.
ALSO READ: Analysis: Rest in Peace? Not for Reeva Steenkamp as SABC1 and Stimulii will show the dead model on TV as they decided to go ahead with broadcasting the reality show.

BREAKING. SABC1 flashes 3 tribute cards to Reeva Steenkamp, the shot and killed reality contestant in Tropika Island of Treasure 5.

SABC1 flashed three "tribute" cards on-air in close succession this evening to Reeva Steenkamp just before and in conjunction with the start of the advertiser-funded reality production Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica in which Reeva Steenkamp is a contestant.

The model was tragically shot dead in the home of the Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius just two days ago.

SABC1 and production company Stimulii refused to pull the commercial reality show from the schedule of the South African public broadcaster, deciding instead to go ahead with the airing of the reality show which started tonight.

SABC1 showed the first tribute card (above) as a short tribute at the end of RGB, the entertainment magazine programme preceding Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica.

In the break after the end of RGB, SABC1 flashed the second tribute card, adorned with a red rose, a black background and a solitary candle burning on the right hand side:

The beginning of the first episode of Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica was clearly re-edited for the first few minutes and started with Reeva Steenkamp talking to camera in a clip which has also run the whole day on Sky News (DStv 402) and which seems to have been taken from her exit interview from the show, .

It was then followed by the third tribute card before the episode's original "real" start with DJ Fresh doing the cold open:

The tribute cards are notable in that both the first card flashed in RGB at the end, and the one inside the first episode of Tropika Island of Treasure 5 contains and makes use of the exact same font in light blue with white shadow lettering.

BREAKING. Reeva Steenkamp on Tropika Island of Treasure 5: 'I don't have any regrets and I don't have any bitterness.'

It doesn't appear that Reeva Steenkamp is the winner of Tropika Island of Treasure 5, the advertiser-funded reality show production from Stimulii which starts broadcasting tonight on SABC1 at 18:30.

Sky News (DStv 402) is broadcasting in heavy rotation a clip of the dead model from the show which appears to be part of her eventual exit interview from the reality production as she sits under a palm tree.

It's not clear why this specific clip and material was made available to Sky News, since the show is still to start in South Africa although South African viewers are now being shown this specific part featuring Reeva Steenkamp who was one of the contestants in the fifth series set in Jamaica.

Reality shows or broadcasters usually don't release or make available clips from crucial parts of their shows ahead of time that contain revealing information. It's strange that Sky News has this particular clip and is running it.

"I don't have any regrets and I don't have any bitterness," says Reeva Steenkamp, seen sitting under a palm tree with the sea in the background and a white beach house.

"I take home with me so many amazing memories and things that are in here [point to head] and in here [point to heart] that I'll treasure forever."

Reeva Steenkamp is also seen surfing across water, hugging a fellow contestant, and drifting with another contestant on a raft on a river in the clips shown on Saturday on Sky News of Tropika Island of Treasure 5.

SABC1 and Stimulii said Tropika Island of Treasure 5 is going ahead and won't be pulled from the schedule despite Reeva Steenkamp's violent death after she was shot in the head in the early hours of Thursday morning inside Oscar Pistorius' home.

SABC1 told the press on Friday that :following consultation with the Steenkamp family, Mrs Steenkamp, mother to the late Reeva Steenkamp, expressed her desire for the show to continue as scheduled."

On Saturday Associated Press reports that Reeva Steenkamp's cousin said that family had not been consulted by anyone from the show or the SABC, but that they were not against it being aired because Reeva Steenkamp was "proud of being in the show".

BREAKING. Tropika Island of Treasure 5 on SABC1 becomes the first South African TV show ever to get extensive coverage on E! News.

Tropika Island of Treasure 5 set to start tonight on SABC1 at 18:30 despite model and reality contestant Reeva Steenkamp who was shot in the head and killed by Oscar Pistorius two days ago, just became the first ever South African TV show to be featured extensively on E! News.

The daily entertainment news magazine show on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) which is broadcast globally had the Oscar Pistorius killing drama as its main lead story with extensive coverage of Tropika Island of Treasure 5 and the now dead Reeva Steenkamp.

SABC1 as well as production company Stimulii and executive producer Samantha Moon are pushing ahead with Tropika Island of Treasure 5 and didn't pull the show from the schedule although there's been no memorial or funeral service for Reeva Steenkamp yet who will be cremated.

Reeva Steenkamp's memorial service will only be taking place on Tuesday in Port Elizabeth as friends are flying in from all over the world.

Meanwhile Tropika Island of Treasure 5 Jamaica as an advertiser-funded production (AFP) now has the rather dubious distinction of becoming the first South African television production to feature on E! News which usually covers American TV shows which are making buzz and creating watercooler entertainment news moments.

E! News showed several clips with Reeva Steenkamp from Tropika Island of Treasure 5 on Friday night's edition and E! News said it would be covering the Oscar Pistorius case over the following months.

E! News also told viewers that it is "ironic" that Tropika Island of Treasure 5 set in Jamaica with Reeva Steenkamp is being shown from Saturday in South Africa.

ALSO READ: Rest in peace? Not for Reeva Steenkamp as SABC1 and Stimulii will show the dead model and reality TV contestant before there's even been a funeral service.

REST IN PEACE? Not for Reeva Steenkamp, as SABC1 and Stimulii will show the dead model on TV in Tropika Island of Treasure before she's even buried.

As a South African TV critic and journalist having covered this country's television industry for over 14 years now, it is in my opinion extremely sad, distressing, disappointing and actually scandalous-incredulous that the SABC's SABC1 TV channel and production company Stimulii is not pulling (or at the very least postponing) the reality show Tropika Island of Treasure 5 with the dead model Reeva Steenkamp who will appear on television tomorrow.

She's not even buried yet.

Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius, was allegedly shot in the head and killed. Now a case of murder is being investigated by the police with prosecutors pursuing a premeditated murder case against him.

The very least SABC1's channel head Leo Manne and Stimulii executive producer Samantha Moon and Tropika could have done - should do - is to postpone the advertiser-funded reality show until Reeva Steenkamp at least had a funeral or some kind of memorial service.

The nice words of sympathy from SABC1 and from Stimulii and Samantha Moon echo horribly hollow as they push for Tropika Island of Treasure 5 to go ahead, instead of immediately doing what in my opinion would be the sensitive, gracious, non-commercial and right thing to do by pulling it off the schedule. At least temporarily.

How much more mature does M-Net and DStv come across who immediately took off all on-air promos and ads and immediately removed billboards yesterday? Their actions publicly line up with their words of saying that its done out of "respect for the bereaved".

Tears and words of sympathy mean very little if you don't actually show you care. Yes. Television is a business. And the show must go on. I get that. But sometimes because it's television, because its media, you need to be adult about it and not put someone on television two days after she was shot dead in the head.

Do we as a TV industry really lack the moral leadership, insight, best practice and emotional intelligence as shown by overseas broadcasters who pull episodes, shows and commercials when people in those productions unexpectedly die due to killing, suicide or some form of tragedy like an accident?

Discovery, after the recent Sandy Hook primary school massacre, even pulled and cancelled a reality show about guns which doesn't even directly have anything to do with the Sandy Hook school shooting. Are we that much more insensitive, uncaring and confused in South African television about what the right thing is to do?

Ask yourself. If you're a TV executive what would be more difficult? Keeping a TV show on in which a person appearing in it died a violent death being shot in the head in real-life, or taking a TV show off? And: Are you able to make that call and do the more difficult decision which - yes - will disrupt a schedule, will cost money, will create logistical problems and require more effort than just letting everything be as it is?

I've asked the SABC and SABC1 some questions about the issue, questions which the SABC and SABC1 have so far not responded to and which I now actually suspect they won't bother to answer. It's difficult questions but it's questions as a journalist I have to ask of the TV channel.

What is SABC1, Stimulii and Tropika's rationale for keeping the show on and not pull it, at least temporarily? Why if someone dies a violent death with a gun in South Africa does the programming remain on-air if it hasn't started yet? Why can't the starting date of the show not be postponed until there's been at least some adequate time for the family to grieve?

Do you want to see your mom, sister, daughter or niece appearing on TV in a pre-recorded show two days after they've been killed and shot senselessly in the head?

Reeva Steenkamp will be seen by South African viewers on television on Saturday at 18:30 on Tropika Island of Treasure 5. And for me, that's not right. This is a sponsored show by Tropika. It's a sponsored advertiser-funded production (AFP) that's supposed to sell, and be about, happiness.

Now Tropika Island of Treasure 5 will just be terribly sad; at the very least extremely ironic in a post-modern television context, like a Marilyn Monroe or Che Guevara image which belies a sad, twisted and highly ironic truth behind the external veneer.

Every time Reeva Steenkamp says something, smiles or does something on the tranquil beaches of Jamaica, you won't want to reach for a Tropika to drink. You won't think the show is great. You won't wish you were at the beach. Every time you watch Tropika Island of Treasure 5 you will be thinking that Reeva Steenkamp is dead.

Why the people making television can't see that; can't sense that; is probably the most ironic thing of all.

BREAKING. SABC1 refuses to pull Tropika Island of Treasure 5 from the schedule following the violent death of contestant Reeva Steenkamp.

SABC1 refuses to pull the reality show Tropika Island of Treasure 5 from it schedule which is set to start on Saturday 16 February just two days after the violent death this morning of the model and reality contestant Reeva Steenkamp.

The SABC says the first episode of Tropika Island of Treasure 5 set in Jamaica will go ahead on Saturday as scheduled.

Reeva Steen-kamp was Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend and she was allegedly shot by him in the head at his home in Silwer Woods Estate during the early hours of this morning.

The police is investigating a case of murder and is also opposing the bail application of the Olympic and paralympic athlete.

Kaizer Kganyago, the SABC's corporate spokesperson tells me that Tropika Island of Treasure 5 produced by Stimulii as an advertiser-funded production for the channel will proceed and that the first episode will be shown on Saturday on SABC1.

That comes as M-Net and DStv has immediately pulled all  Oscar Pistorius TV ads and promos and will remove all billboards as soon as possible.

"As SABC1 we are deeply saddened by the tragic turn of events involving one of the players on our show, Tropika Island of Treasure 5," says Vukile Madlala, SABC1 publicity manager.

"Our thoughts and prayers during these trying times are with the family and friends of the dearly departed Reeva Steenkamp."

Broadcasters, advertisers and companies usually pull shows and adverts in the wake of real-life deaths of actors or people in productions out of sensitivity for the people involved, as well as viewers who might react negatively.

News channels worldwide including the eNCA in South Africa went into overdrive this morning reporting the news.

BREAKING. M-Net and DStv immediately yanking Oscar Pistorius ads and all promos off the air; removing billboards.

M-Net is immediately yanking all Oscar Pistorius ads and promo's off the air for its M-Net Movies TV channels across MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform and the pay-TV broadcaster will also be removing all Oscar Pistorius M-Net Movies billboards as soon as possible.

The Olympic and paralympic runner allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, set to appear in the SABC1 reality show Tropika Island of Treasure 5 as a reality television contestant when the show starts on Saturday.

Last month M-Net launched a "28 Days of Oscars" marketing campaign which the pay-TV broadcaster did using and incorporating Oscar Pistorius into ads and promos for the Oscars film ceremony and movies shown across M-Net Movies channels.

"Out of respect and sympathy to the breaved, M-Net is pulling its entire Oscar campaign featuring Oscar Pistorius with immediate effect," M-Net tells me. "The promos have already been taken off all schedules and we have given instructions for other elements, like billboards, to be removed."

The police is investigating a case of murder for killing his girlfriend and will be opposing Oscar Pistorius' bail application later this afternoon.

ALSO READ: With model and reality contestant Reeva Steenkamp allegedly shot in the head and killed by Oscar Pistorius, will SABC1 be pulling Tropika Island of Treasure 5 from the schedule?

ALSO READ: Oscar Pistorius allegedly killing girlfriend with 9mm pistol is immediately making main news on international news channels.

BREAKING. With reality celebrity contestant Reeva Steenkamp shot in the head and killed, is SABC1 pulling Tropika Island of Treasure 5?

With the reality celebrity contestant Reeva Steenkamp reportedly shot in the head and killed, allegedly by her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius the famous Olympic and paralympic runner early this morning, will SABC1 be pulling the fifth season of the Stimulii produced reality show Tropika Island of Treasure 5 in which Reeva Steenkamp appears and which is set to start on SABC1 in two days' time on Saturday 16 February?

UPDATE Thursday 14 February 2013 14:30 - SABC1 refuses to pull Tropika Island of Treasure 5 and is now responding and saying that the launch of the show on Saturday will go ahead with the broadcast of the first episode.

Reeva Steenkamp was a rising star on the celebrity scene - not yet A list - but a law graduate and a model who've appeared in FHM and moving up in the local celebrity circuit.

She's one of the contestants included in Samantha Moon's fifth season of the advertiser-funded production Tropika Island of Treasure 5 for SABC1. Reeva Steenkamp started dating Oscar Pistorius only a few months ago.

I have been on the phone this morning with the SABC, SABC1 as well as Stimullii - none knowing or willing to tell me whether Tropika Island of Treasure 5 will in fact be pulled from SABC1's schedule with immediate effect.

Insider sources however are telling me a decision will be made urgently on whether Tropika Island of Treasure 5 will remain on SABC1's schedule despite the killing of Reeva Steenkamp, and whether the premiere episode will be shown on Saturday or not.

According to the police a case of murder is being investigated. TV news channels immediately went into overdrive with the "Oscar Pistorius shooting and killing his girlfriend" story with breathless reporting. Oscar Pistorius in an interview last year with The Daily Mail told the British newspaper that he keeps a revolver by his bed and a machine gun by the window.

With the shocking and unexpected death of Reeva Steenkamp, the reality show and SABC1's plans have been thrown into turmoil. To continue with the show could be construed as highly insensitive; broadcasters and advertisers usually pull shows, episodes and adverts after characters or contestants die due to unexpected violent deaths in real-life out of sensitivity - such as that of Reeva Steenkamp.

It could be traumatising, embarrassing and inappropriate for many viewers to see Reeva Steenkamp on South African television screens on SABC1 in a tropical Jamaican reality show only two days after her shocking death this morning.

ALSO READ: M-Net and DStv immediately yanking all Oscar Pistorius ads and promos off the air; removing billboards as soon as possible.

"Everyone is very devastated and in a lot of shock right now," says Sarit Tomlinson, publicist for Reeva Steenkamp to Sky News. "We got to hear about it at 8 o clock this morning on the news."

She says Reeva Steenkamp "was the sweetest human being and an absolute angel on earth. She was the kindest most unbelievable girl." She said Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius have been a couple for a few months and called it a "happy, fabulous relationship". "At the moment it's shocking. No-one knows what happened."

"She was a rising star. There was so much in the pipeline for her. She was just about to explore into the media and very talented, a very bright young girl. It a huge loss for everyone and it's too shocking for words," Sarit Tomlinson said about Reeva Steenkamp.

"We are absolutely devastated at the tragic loss of Reeva Steenkamp, our friend and beloved member of the Tropika Island of Treasure 5 family," says Samantha Moon, the creator and executive producer of Tropika Island of Treasure in a just-issued statement.


"Reeva Steenkamp was a wonderful human being and an extremely talented and intelligent woman. Her kind and loving spirit was evident to all who knew her and her zest for life will be truly missed. We are blessed and privileged to have known her. Words cannot express how saddened we are by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Reeva's family and friends."