Cartoon Network still most-watched kids TV channel in South Africa; ratings of rebranded TNT surging past Studio Universal, says Turner Africa.

Cartoon Network (DStv 301) remains the most-watched kids TV channel in South Africa, while the rebrand of TCM to TNT (DStv 137) in September 2018 has seen a dramatic viewership upswing from DStv subscribers, says Turner Africa.

Turner Africa says its combined kids channels multiplex and the rebranded TNT in 2018 lifted Turner's Africa business to achieve greater reach and rating results than ever before.

"In November 2018, Turner Kids celebrated 51 consecutive months in the number 1 spot among pay-TV multiplexes in South Africa," says Turner Africa

Cartoon Network remains the favourite kids TV channel in South Africa with the channel that celebrated its highest-ever monthly share and remained the number 1 pay-TV Kids channel among kids aged 4 to 14.

Turner Africa says Cartoon Network's most popular shows vary between Ben 10, alongside new Cartoon Network original hits like Apple and Onion and Craig of the Creek. 

Original Cartoon Network productions and Warner Bros. content totalled 77% of the most viewed content on the channel.

Cartoon Network continued with its high-performance success in December 2018, with the Power Rangers: Clash of the Red Rangers movie viewed by 239 000 kids aged 4 to 14, and the sneak peek of the new Cartoon Network Original Summer Camp Island claiming the second spot.

Boomerang (DStv 302), Turner's other kids channel, is closing in on Cartoon Network's ratings, after moving up to the number 2 spot amongst the pay-TV kids channels for kids aged 4 to 14.

Meanwhile TNT Africa in October 2018 had its highest performance ever in ratings with an average of 36 000 viewers.

In November 2018 TNT Africa broke a new record with 40 700 viewers tuning in - a 13% month-on-month increase and achieved its second highest performance in share (1.14%) since December 2016.

TNT ranked number 5, ahead of NBCUniversal International Networks' Studio Universal (DStv 112) for a second month in a row.

"For the first time ever, not only did TNT dominate the top 50 competitive movies in November - with 7 movies on the top 10 list, but the channel also secured the top 3 spots for the month," says Turner Africa.

"For prime-time tune-ins, TNT remained on top of the podium, says Turner Africa, noting that TNT's  performance was driven by viewers tuning in on weekday afternoons, averaging 83 000 viewers between 15:00 and 18:00; and Saturday evenings during prime time, fuelled in November by The Schwarzenegger Fan Month programming stunt, gathering an average of 202 000 viewers.

TNT going HD, Ben 10 sold to SABC, Showmax getting content from [adult swim], as Turner holds its first-ever Turner Upfront Africa event.

At Turner's first-ever Turner Upfront Africa event held on Tuesday in Johannesburg, Turner made several announcements and a programming slate, as well as new local partnerships, a pop-up channel coming for 2019 and that TNT (DStv 137) will be upgraded to a high definition channel.

At the Turner Africa Upfront held at The Galleria in Sandton, Turner announced that the TNT channel carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform will soon be switched to high definition (HD).

It comes after MultiChoice and Turner replaced the outdated TCM that had little relevance to African audiences in mid-September with TNT. The channel's viewership since September to October jumped by 45%.

Content from Turner's Cartoon Network and Boomerang linear TV channels will also be available from today on an on-demand basis on Naspers' subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) video streaming service, Showmax run by MultiChoice.

In a new distribution deal with Showmax, Turner is also making content from its [adult swim] animation channel available to a millennial audience on Showmax from mid-November. 

[adult swim], one of Turner's TV channels overseas,offers a mix of animation, stop motion and live-action comedy that will be available on Showmax.

Plans are also underway to produce original digital productions to further localise Turner's online platforms. "We are currently in discussions to produce an exclusive local version of our YouTuber, Toony, for our African digital platforms," says Julien Borde, the head of Channels for Africa at Turner.

In a deal with the South African public broadcaster, the animation series Ben 10 will be broadcast on the SABC. It will also help Turner to bring its kids content to South African and African viewers in vernacular languages.

Following the first season Ben 10 premiere in July, Turner will rebroadcast the first season on SABC2 in Afrikaans and on SABC1 in SiSwati before the end of this year.

"Partnering with the SABC reflects our strategy to expand our brands' presence in South Africa," says Guillaume Coffin, the vice-president head of sales and business development at Turner for the Africa region.

"We are thrilled to bring Ben 10 to new fans and audiences across more screens and in new languages. Turner is dedicated to a localisation strategy that adapts to the cultural differences of its African markets," he says, adding that "this effort has helped Turner address the gap in locally-relevant content, drive programming that resonates with African audiences, and boost brand value across the continent".

Turner is also working on a Super Hero HQ animation pop-up channel that will run in MultiChoice's DStv in 2019.

Then Turner also plans to debut Mike and Rob on Cartoon Network in 2019, a new animation series about two witty microbes making jokes with local comedian Trevor Gumbi supplying a localised voice-over.

"As Turner, our audience needs are becoming more pertinent and we're constant challenging ourselves to be more innovative and creative in our offering to keep attracting and entertaining our loyal fan base on-air, online and for real," says Jaime Ondarza, the senior vice-president for Turner Southern Europe & Africa and CEO of Boing SpA.

"We are benefiting from high awareness and a great level of brand recognition with our brands in Africa."

"CNN International is widely known to be the most trusted source for news and information on the continent while our kids' channels, Cartoon Network and Boomerang, have been leading and gaining market share within the pay-TV kids industry for almost 4 years now."

ALSO READ: IN PHOTOS. Do everything turn, turn, turn: Turner's first-ever (and colourful) Turner Upfront Africa dazzles with a rotary, turntable stage.

'Holy Mother of Jesus!' As Turner dumps TCM and replaces it with TNT on DStv and Cell C black, it's 1-minute promo for the 'family' channel chooses to go profane.

While Turner Broadcasting does lip-service that it's new TNT channel for South Africa and Africa is for the family, the new movie channel immediately turned profane, with Turner bosses signing off of a deliberate decision to include a "Holy Mother of Jesus!" in the 1-minute promo video for TNT.

It's not clear why Turner decided to include the blasphemous epithet in its 70 seconds TNT promo that families watching TNT on MultiChoice's DStv or Cell C black, and who might consider tuning to the channel, might find offensive or off-putting.

Turner dumped and replaced TCM, switching it to the TNT channel from today, 21 September.

TCM has been available on MultiChoice for 23 years on DStv, as well as on Cell C's subscription video-on-demand streaming service, Cell C black, since late last year, with TCM that reached 6.7 million viewers across 49 English-speaking African countries.

In a statement Turner International issued on Thursday about TCM switched out for TNT, the company said that TNT is "a young, fresh and entertainment-filled offering for the entire family".

Turner was asked through its South African PR agency, Burson Cohn & Wolfe on Thursday afternoon why, if TNT is for the "entire family" it deliberately decided to include in the short promo the American actor Chris Tucker shouting "Holy Mother of Jesus!" from the film Rush Hour 3.

On Friday afternoon Turner in response to the media enquiry said: "Turner is aware of the concerns raised regarding the new slate for TNT. The channel takes great pride and care in ensuring that all of its programming is reflective and respectful of local cultures, and regulations."

"Therefore, the TNT programming team is carefully listening to its African fans and aims to ensure the channel keeps offering a diverse, fresh selection of movies combined with beloved American blockbuster references such as Rush Hour 3, which is one of the channel's best performing movies for the past 2 years."

"Most importantly, all our programming comes with appropriate age restrictions, prompts for viewer discretion and other appropriate precautionary measures."

The inclusion of specifically "Holy Mother of Jesus!" in the promo video is odd since Turner has only 70 seconds to bring across the look and feel of its TNT brand on DStv and Cell C black.

Turner decided to indicate through the promo that TNT is actually apparently not that family-friendly. The TNT promo has the potential to offend some of the possible audience Turner and TNT is trying to reach before they have even made a decision to possibly watch TNT or not.

It also raises questions as to how well or not Turner International is actually attuned or care about South African or African audiences, since including a blatantly blasphemous line in a generic channel promo is surely something that a company that knows South Africa and Africa's TV market should know is a no-no.

As an international company that wants to do business in Africa and South Africa and wants to gain traction with customers and viewers, Turner International with the TNT shows a shocking lack of sensitivity to who the audience actually is.

See Cartoon Network's Powerpuff Girls in South Africa - as you've really never seen them before.

From this evening South Africans can see Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls as you've never seen them before in a world-first event - reimagined by 10 South African artists and illustrators in a special local art exhibition.

Turner International's Cartoon Network (DStv 301) came up with the Powerpuff Art Factory - opening tonight and running until 2 May at 91 Loop Street in Cape Town, featuring an exhibition of 10 unique Powerpuff Girls screen-prints by 10 artists and illustrators.

Singer Tony Delazy sang and opened the Powerpuff Girls Art Factory media launch showing on Wednesday evening with her local version of the Powerpuff Girls theme song she produced last year for the relaunch of the new series, while guests munched on cupcakes and primary coloured drinks.

Cartoon Network decided to reimagine the Powerpuff Girls through the lens of contemporary African artists with the money from the initiative of localising the iconic pop-culture brand, going to Rock Girl South Africa, a girl-led non-governmental organisation (NGO) helping to reduce violence against women and girls.

The new Powerpuff Girls is currently on Cartoon Network on weekdays at 17:20, and Turner International in Africa decided to run the initiative with each of the 10 artworks on display that's hand-printed on archival paper and that's available for sale.

The 10 South African Powerpuff Girls paintings have been done by Thandiwe Tshabalala, Ello Xray Eyez, Qondile Dlamini, Jade Klara, Tyla Manson, Ndumiso Nyoni, Karabo Poppy Moletsane, Anja "Nanna" Venter, Jeanne Fourie and Saint Rose (Kgabo Mametja).

"We believe that not only is this the first event of its kind in Africa, we believe it's the first event of its kind in the world," said Colman Murray, Turner Broadcasting Africa's business development director.

"Cartoon Network is the dominant kids channel across Africa. But it's not only the number one kids channel, but it ranks number 7 for adults out of 102 channels that you can get on DStv."

"Locally Cartoon Network is an appealing boy-focused, inclusive channel driven by an exciting slate that includes shows like Ben 10 who's part of the cultural fabric of South Africa, The Amazing World of Gumball, Teen Titans Go!, The Regular Show and of course the adorably awesome The Powerpuff Girls."

He revealed fascinating local viewership statistics regarding the massive popularity of Turner's Cartoon Network on DStv in South Africa, and the enduring appeal of the Powerpuff Girls. 

"More than 10.2 million viewers have tuned in to Cartoon Network already this year in South Africa," said Colman Murray.

"Powerpuff Girls has reached an audience of more than 4.9 million viewers this year in South Africa. Powerpuff Girls has reached more than one in two kids in South Africa since its launch - it's a massive success for us."

Ben's 10 again: Turner Africa's Cartoon Network on DStv debuts the brand-new Ben 10 series in South Africa and across Africa 6 months before America.

There's only two animated, forever 10-year olds and while yellow Bart Simpson will arguably always be the funnier one, Ben Tennyson who is getting a reset in a whole new series of Ben 10 starting on Cartoon Network (DStv 301) from today at 17:05, will always be the one having the bigger adventures.

As a worldwide animation hit with kids and their parents, the rebooted Ben 10 will kick off today - on 10 10 2016 - exactly 10 years after the Emmy Award winning series started on Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network.

The show that went on to spawn not just various alien creatures from Ben Tennyson's Omnitrix, but 4 follow-up series as well as animation and live action series, grew a cult following with the term "Ben 10" in South Africa even coming to denote a romantic entanglement between a woman with a much younger man.

The moniker is indicative of how Ben 10 not just became an entrenched viewer phenomenon outside of America but of how deeply it infused itself over the past decade into the pop culture zeitgeist - especially in South Africa.

That viewer fevour is part of the reason that Cartoon Network decided to roll out the reset Ben 10 in specifically South Africa and other countries months before the new animated series will start in the United States in April 2017.

In the new Ben 10 produced by Cartoon Network Studios, Ben Tennyson - slightly updated but all the original fun intact - is back to the 10 year old boy who can transform into various alien creatures aided by his Omnitrix to not only save Earth but the universe.

"We have an unrivaled joy and passionate love for animation," says Colman Murray who was just appointed as Turner's business development director for Turner Africa - the first African-based appointment for Turner Africa where Turner Broadcasting runs channels like Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Boing among others.

"Ben 10 along with our other superstars, The Powerpuff Girls, are all superstars in their own right. And they're squeaky clean and they love Cartoon Network."

"Ben 10 is a global phenomenon," says Colman Murray. Since its launch in 2006, Ben 10 has been a top-grossing franchise for the Cartoon Network as viewers bought toys, DVDs and video games.

"Ben 10 is also the most downloaded Cartoon Network app, generating 283 million plays in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region alone and 400 million page views."

Ben 10 has been seen in 170 countries in 30 languages, reaching over 312 million homes worldwide.

"Such is Cartoon Network's commitment to South Africa, that we're launching Ben 10 on DStv six months ahead of the United States," says Colman Murray.

"The 10-year old Ben Tennyson discovers an amazing alien watch called the Omnitrix. He's on holiday with his grandfather Max when he gets this awesome device that gives Ben the ability to transform into any of 10 spectacular and powerful aliens."

"With this watch he can control time, he can control water, he can change his size, he can become extendable like chewing gum. This watch fundamentally changes Ben's life from being a normal 10-year old dealing with bad guys to a lot of opportunities," says Colman Murray.

"In the new Ben 10 starting on Monday on Cartoon Network at 17:05, the re-imagined Ben returns to the 10-year old where the story started, travelling the country with his grandpa Max and cousin Gwen."

"Ben finds the Omnitrix and a world of extra-terrestrial superpowers open up to him. And this mysterious watch transforms him into 10 different aliens."

"We are seriously excited at Cartoon Network about this new series," says Colman Murray.

"Kids will meet a more modern, relatable Ben 10. Ben 10 is relateable because everyone wants to be and can be a hero in their own right - but only if they believe in themselves".

"Ben's character is timeless, so we felt the time was right to bring him back. Our South African audience can now look forward to brand-new episodes with a brand-new look and feel. With this new series there's action and comedy content aimed at the core audience of 6 to 7-year olds."

"One young South African fan had the following comment about Ben 10: Other superheroes are born with powers. But Ben 10 is like us, he's like me. I really want to be his friend," says Colman Murray.

Turner Africa's Cartoon Network adds a series of localised shorts, Pop Up Party; says Cartoon Network will be producing more local-inspired shows.

Urban Brew Studios has produced new localised African TV content for Turner Broadcasting in Africa's Cartoon Network (DStv 301) on MultiChoice's DStv in the form of a shorts series, Pop Up Party.

Pop Up Party can be seen since July on the Cartoon Network, following a young crew of local dancers as they "pop up" in various locations to dance.

The aim of Pop Up Party is to "entertain and expose all Africans to Cartoon Network's amazing world of kids entertainment with this fresh localised series of shorts," says Pierre Branco, the vice president and managing director of Turner Africa.

"Turner is proud of our audience on the African continent and to show our commitment to Africa, Cartoon Network will be producing more local-inspired shows, using some of Africa's best and most inspiring talents," says Pierre Branco.

Avalanche of animation for the holidays as M-Net Movies Family goes with animation movies; DStv adds Turner's Hoolee as continent's first kids pop-up channel.

An avalanche of animation fun is coming to DStv subscribers with pay-TV broadcaster M-Net turning its M-Net Movies Family channel on DStv into an animation family movie channel from 4 December while the Hoolee channel kids channel starts on 1 December.

M-Net is turning the M-Net Movies Family (DStv 105) channel into an Animania channel from Friday, 4 December in a special animation movie festival that will continue until Friday 15 January 2016.

M-Net Movies Family will show animation movies all day long from Friday, including box office hits like Frozen, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, the Ice Age movies and Disney hits like Cars.

Although the M-Net Movies Family channel is only available to DStv Premium subscribers, some of the movies will be made available on MultiChoice's DStv Catch Up video-on-demand service which means that lower-tiered subscribers of the pay-TV service will also get access to it.

The Toy Story and Shrek films together with Despicable Me and James and the Giant Peach as well as many others will compete with Turner Broadcasting System's Hoolee channel starting on 1 December and running on DStv across Africa until the end of January 2016.

Hoolee (DStv 197) will be for DStv Premium, DStv Extra and DStv Compact subscribers and MultiChoice Africa and Turner Broadcasting call it "the continent's very first pop-up children's channel".

MultiChoice and Turner Africa didn't release any programming schedule or programming line-up to the press ahead of the channel's launch on Tuesday but Turner Africa said Hoolee's programming will be "truly amazing".

Hoolee will show animation movies and animation shows, ranging from shows like Sonic the Hedgehog, Zig & Sharko and The Adventures of Puss in Boots, to the third season of Dragons set before the events of the How to Train your Dragon movies.

Films include Beethoven's Christmas Adventure, Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Power, Babe: Pig in the City, The Borrowers and Balto II: Wolf Quest!

Hoolee content will include shows from Turner and Warner Brothers productions as well as exclusive acquisitions.

Pop-up kids channel, Hoolee, from Turner Broadcasting coming in December to DStv Premium subscribers for two months with movies, animated shows.

MultiChoice's next pop-up channel will be the kids channel HOOLEE from Turner Broadcasting System International that will run from the beginning of December 2015 to the end of January 2016 on DStv.

HOOLEE follows after M-Net and Disney's current Star Wars channel on channel 109 on DStv.

Turner already provides kids channels like Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and Boomerang (DStv 302) to DStv.

Turner Africa announced that HOOLEE will become Africa's first pop-up channel on DStv at the MultiChoice Content Showcase held this past week at the Outrigger Mauritius Resort & Spa in Mauritius.

MultiChoice announced that it will be doing 4 pop-up channels in 2016 for DStv subscribers and that the Star Wars pop-up channel from M-Net Movies is an experiment.

South African press and TV critics were not invited, nor told beforehand of the MultiChoice Content Showcase. Turner Africa didn't share the announcement and news of HOOLEE with South African press after it was made in Mauritius.

Turner Broadcasting says it and DStv will be making "African television history" when families all over the African continent, including South Africa, will be able to watch HOOLEE as "a first of its kind Africa pop-up children's channel".

HOOLEE will be for DStv Premium subscribers and the schedule will include "carefully chosen movies and animated shows" created from a selection of programming from Turner Broadcasting and Warner Brothers productions, as well as exclusive acquisitions.

HOOLEE will run on DStv for 8 weeks, from the beginning of December until  the end of January 2016.

"Imagine laughing, sharing surprising adventures and celebrating the summer holidays with your children every day, is the promise of the channel," says Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice Africa CEO.

"HOOLEE will offer to the whole family programmes that they have always enjoyed, as well as new and refreshing, exclusive shows and movies. The range of programming is truly amazing," says Pierre Branco, vice president and managing director of Turner Africa.