Cartoon Network Africa giving Africa's animation creators the chance to pitch short-form comedy projects for pilot development through its new Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab.

Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network in Africa is giving Africa's animation creators the chance to pitch short-form comedy projects to its brand-new Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab for possible development.

African animators older than 18 have until the end of August 2018 to submit a creative short comedy project that is between one and three minutes long.

The project needs to fit in with Cartoon Network's values of random, irreverent, smart and contemporary humour, with editorial guidelines that available on www.CartoonNetworkAfrica/com.CreativeLab and must be aimed at 6 to 12 year old with the core audience being boys between 7 and 10, and be in English or non-dialogue.

The Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab is a first-ever Cartoon Network creative venture run in Africa, designed to bring innovative, local short-form content to the Cartoon Network's TV channel as well as its digital platforms.

Cartoon Network Africa says with the move it is taking a bold step in addressing the gap in locally relevant content which offers a viewing experience that resonates with its African audience.

The plan is to encourage Africa's creators, writers, graphic artists, animation students and anyone who loves kids' content to explore their creative, animation and production talents.

"As sponsors of the DISCOP 2016 Animation Pitching Programme, we were exposed to some really inspiring local animation projects," says Ariane Suveg, head of programming and acquisition at Turner Kids Africa.

"We were so impressed by the Cape Town-based Punch Monkey Studio's amazing creative energy in the winning entry, Cloud Life, that the project has been travelling through the Turner group and is now in a development process with the Turner Asia Pacific production team."

"This just reinforces our need to invest in local content and our commitment to further mentoring talent in the African animation industry," says Ariane Suveg.

The Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab will shortlist 10 projects in September from the entries received, and the local creators will get the opportunity to pitch their work to Cartoon Network Africa's content programming team.

The winner and 2 runners-up announced at the end of the year will be given the opportunity to get their project produced as a pilot with Cartoon Network Africa, that will then premiere on Cartoon Network Africa and its digital platforms in 2019.

"We are honoured to be supporting local African animation talent through the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab," says Ariane Suveg. "We look forward to seeing the entries and hope to see the winners flourish in their career as content creators, following the footsteps of some of Cartoon Network's greatest talents."

REVEALED. The 4th Powerpuff Girl - voiced by Toya Delazy in South Africa and Africa - is blue, brown and purple and named Bliss.

The Cartoon Network (DStv 301) has unveiled how the 4th Powerpuff Girl named Bliss looks and who is voiced by Toya Delazy in Africa and South Africa and by 15 other regionalised stars in America and other parts of the world.

The blue hair, purple eyed and brown-skinned Bliss has made her appearance in the new 5-episode The Powerpuff Girls special, The Powerpuff Girls: The Power of Four that kicked off in America on Sunday, with Turner Broadcasting that will roll out the episodes in South Africa and Africa a month later on Saturday 21 October at 08:00.

For people who can't wait, The Power of Four will be pre-screened before its TV broadcast on 7 October in the Kids Zone in the Cartoon Network screening area at the DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival.

The Powerpuff Girls is produced by Cartoon Network Studios with Nick Jennings as executive producer and Bob Boyle as co-executive producer.

The teenage Bliss is the long-lost older sister of Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup. In the new 5-part series, Bliss returns to Townsville as she figures out her powers that includes flying (of course!), super strength, telekinesis and teleportation.

Bliss was created by Professor Utonium before he made the three other girls, but she mysteriously disappeared for reasons unknown, and hasn't been seen by anyone in a very long time.

Now she is back but there's a lot of unanswered questions. Where was she? What went wrong? Why is she suddenly back? Of course the reunited sisters can sit down and just ask questions since they have to work together and use their combined powers to save Townsville.

Besides Toya Delazy, female stars from around the world are lending their voices to Bliss, with every regional feed of The Cartoon Network broadcasting their own version. The Australian star Wengie is for instance the voice of Bliss for Australia and New Zealand.

On voicing Bliss for Africa and South Africa, Toya Delazy says that she's always wanted to be a voice-over artists for a cartoon character" and that "it is an honour to be associated with the campaign and to represent Cartoon Network on the African continent again".

Cartoon Network says it has "joined forces with 15 super-powered celebrities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australia who will each lend their voice to the newly revealed 4th Powerpuff Girl".

"This activation is the perfect way to continue building brand awareness and affinity, not only with girls and kids, but with millennial women and mums too," says Lesley Bailey, the vice president for channel marketing and brand management at Turner's kids division for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

In 2016 Turner Africa's Cartoon Network collaborated with Toya Delazy to do a localised South African version of The Powerpuff Girls theme song for the launch of the reimagined new series.

Toya Delazy will be the voice of the 4th Powerpuff Girl on Cartoon Network - but 'only' for South Africa and Africa and not the global voice of the character.

South African artist Toya Delazy will be the voice of the 4th Powerpuff Girl in Cartoon Network's reboot of the animation show - but only for South Africa and Africa and not the global voice of the character.

The "only" isn't a diss - it's still a big accomplishment for a South African and a South African artist, but it's not as big as Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network (DStv 301) wants people to believe.

Toya Delazy won't be the "global" voice of the character but one of a whopping 15 people who will voice the very same new character in various different and regionalised parts of the world.

Last week TVwithThinus scooped that Toya Delazy will be the voice of the new, 4th Powerpuff Girl in the new upcoming 5-episode story, The Powerpuff Girls: Power of Four.

Further examination however reveals that several countries across the Middle East, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and the Americas will all hear the 4th's puff in different voices.

What it means is that the United States, South American countries, and all the other Cartoon Network regionalised feeds in the world - except the channel feed for Africa - will not actually hear Toya Delazy's voice.

In response to a media enquiry asking whether Toya Delazy as the voice of the 4th Powerpuff Girl will be the voice of the new character globally or specifically for South Africa and Africa only, Cartoon Network said its correct that Toya will actually be starring as the voice for Africa only.

"Cartoon Network has joined forces with 15 super-powered celebrities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australia who will each lend their voice to the newly revealed 4th Powerpuff Girl," the kids channel says.

"The first local celebrities to be named as the voice of this mysterious fourth Powerpuff Girl are South Africa's hip-hop sensation Toya Delazy, who will star as the character across Africa, and Australian YouTuber Wengie, who has voiced the character for Australia and New Zealand."

"This activation is the perfect way to continue building brand awareness and affinity, not only with girls and kids, but with millennial women and mums too," says Lesley Bailey, the vice president for channel marketing and brand management at Turner's kids division for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

"We're excited to be revealing the first in a long list of amazing and inspiring women to be taking on this kick-ass new role".

In 2016 Turner Africa's Cartoon Network collaborated with Toya Delazy to do a localised South African version of The Powerpuff Girls theme song for the launch of the reimagined new series.

In the new The Powerpuff Girls: Power of Four, the Powerpuffs' lives as superheroes are turned upside down and all 4 have to band together and use their strengths and smarts to save their city of Townsville from forces of evil.

How the new character looks will be revealed in the first episode of the 5-part special that will be starting this coming Sunday, 17 September, in America. South African and African viewers will have to wait a bit longer.

This type of voice-over regionalisation for kids animation content for Africa isn't new.

In 2002 The Walt Disney Company stripped in Idols winner and singer Heinz Winckler's "Chasing Shadows" song as the theme song for the South African cinema release of the Disney film Treasure Planet.

Disney similarly used the voice of the Idols judge Unathi Msengana in June 2014 for an episode of Rita the Cheetah in the second season of Doc McStuffins on Disney Junior (DStv 309) for its South African and Africa broadcast.

Dumb-looking Nigerian singer Azadus damages Cartoon Network in Africa and MultiChoice's DStv by whipping up a frenzy over fake Teen Titans Go! toon

An idiotic-looking Nigerian singer called Azadus (real name Olalekan Fadeyi) inflicted damage on the reputation of Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network in Africa as well as MultiChoice Africa and DStv by taking to social media to condemn Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and DStv for an explicit toon image that's actually fake and has nothing to do with the TV channel or the pay-TV operator.

It's not clear whether the over-the-hill singer - who last had Nigerian prominence in the 90's and early 2000 - created the obscene image himself or if Olalekan Fadeyi is simply just to stupid and too much of a media-moron to realise that no kids show and no kids TV channel anywhere in the world would ever show or broadcast such filth.

Yet Olalekan Fadeyi, apparently trying to grasp for relevance, took to his Azadus Instagram page in the week to share a screenshot of the fake Teen Titans Go! image.

The trashy-looking singer ironically himself shared the fake toon uncensored and unpixelated.

Through "broadcasting" to his followers on social media the fake image, he did what Turner Broadcasting in Africa and MultiChoice Africa never did in the first place - making himself guilty of what he accused Cartoon Network and DStv of.

The single-frame image, not actually part of any real TeenTitans Go! episode, is altered trash that litters the internet and that is known as hentai manga pornography and depicts a Starfire with a Robin.

"Dear DStv, I hope you guys are not mad? Please, let's repost this until it gets to Oga Lai Mohammed," wrote the faded hip-hop star on his Instagram page together with the fake image.

Oga Lai Mohammed is Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture.

What is troubling is that Olalekan Fadeyi - who wanted to whip up a frenzy under equally uninformed and media-unsavvy African viewers - sought to get attention with the fake Cartoon Network image he either deliberately knew was fake, or didn't bother to be responsible and first do research over.

The fake Cartoon Network image did go viral and stirred up controversy in Nigeria and beyond in countries like Zambia.

It damaged the image of Cartoon Network, MultiChoice and DStv since even idiotic newspapers and trash-news sites whipped up outrage while stupid journalists failing their readers, didn't report that the image was fake and that it had never been shown on television.

MultiChoice Africa through country offices like MultiChoice Nigeria, MultiChoice Zambia, MultiChoice Kenya and MultiChoice Ghana were forced to issue a statement over the fake Cartoon Network image.

"We are aware of the justified concern of some of our African viewers regarding what purportedly shows inappropriate content on Cartoon Network," said Turner Broadcasting Africa's Cartoon Network in a statement that was channeled through MultiChoice Africa.

"We can confirm without hesitation that these images are not authentic and have never been broadcast or shared on any official Cartoon Network platforms in Africa in any capacity."

"The fake images on social media were never produced by Cartoon Network, and are in no way representative of our goal to provide suitable, age-appropriate entertainment for African children and families," said Cartoon Network.

MultiChoice, MultiChoice Africa and several international TV channel and content suppliers are already sitting with a growing censorship problem in conservative Africa.

Broadcasting regulating authorities and censorship boards from Nigeria to Kenya have ordered bans on innocuous content they've decided they don't want viewers have a choice to see or not see.

The irresponsible post by Olalekan Fadeyi has only served to add further fuel on the fire in a very sensitive issue.

A lot of African viewers and regulators are confused and don't understand how pay-TV and decoder parental blocks work, and are much more inclined - due to not bothering to be properly informed - to rather call for blanket bans on content instead of taking the time to understand what the actual content of shows are.

Kenya's censorship board recently banned several cartoons from Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney after admitting it's never seen a single one of the shows in question and acting on fake news regarding supposed content in it.

It's sad that the big problem around media literacy in Africa isn't those delivering the content to consumers but the danger posed by imbeciles like even singers who don't know better and don't care to educate themselves.

RIDICULOUS. The mind-boggling reasons Kenya's censor board gives for why it banned cartoons on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney XD on DStv.

The outright ridiculous reasons are now surfacing as to why Ezekiel Mutua, the censorship tsar of Kenya's censorship board, last week abruptly banned 7 cartoons on Nickelodeon (DStv 305), Disney XD (DStv 304) and Cartoon Network (DStv 301) for being "pro-gay".

The bisarre reasons provided by Kenya's Film Classification Board (KFCB) it seemingly took straight from the internet without having actually watched and screened the various kids cartoons, are mind-bogglingly insane and shockingly unbelievable.

Ezekiel Mutua, KFCB CEO, told MultiChoice Africa the 7 cartoons singled-out, must be off the air on the DStv and GOtv satellite pay-TV platforms over seemingly-insane reasons, ranging from one character "who has a dick for a head", to two characters who go on an (unseen) "implied romantic vacation".

While on a superficial level Kenya's censorship and banning of kids cartoons might seem silly, it has systemic and operational real-world consequences for South African and African TV viewers far beyond the borders of the East African country.

Since channel distributors often only has one TV channel broadcast feed for Africa, a ban of content on a channel in one country, like Kenya or Nigeria - that a channel distributor then must agree to - means one of two things.

Either the whole channel must be completely blocked and be made unavailable in the affected country, or the content deemed offensive on the TV channel must be removed from the linear broadcast schedule.

Since there's only one similar channel feed for more than one country, this means that the content is taken away not just from viewers in the country affected, but from millions of DStv subscribers right across several African countries, including South Africa.

I asked the KFCB when the censor board saw the actual shows to properly evaluate their content since the majority of the now-banned shows are not even being broadcast on the various channels across DStv at the moment anyway.

The KFCB failed to answer when the 7 cartoons were actually broadcast and watched by the board and responded to the question in a non-sensical fashion by saying, in part, that broadcasters must "ensure that Kenyan identity is developed and maintained in programmes" and that they "observe standards of good taste and decency".

The 7 cartoons are now abruptly banned, with the KFCB's shocking censorship that is creating problems for not just MultiChoice and DStv, but also the channel and content providers Walt Disney Africa, Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) and Turner Broadcasting EMEA that respectively run and programme the Disney XD, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network channels.

Some of the cartoons are not even airing anymore and ended years ago - for instance the now-banned The Legend of Korra that finished its run in 2014.

Yet it seems as if the KFCB, on an apparent gay hunt, did a basic desktop Google-search to find possible justification for a ban on the shows, and then decided to ban them based on what the internet sites it visited, said.

Responding to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus, the KFCB says the 7 cartoons -  Loud House, The Legend of Korra, Hey Arnold, Clarence, Steven Universe, Adventure Time and Star vs the Forces of Evil are TV children programmes "with homosexual themes".

The KFCB says it doesn't matter that the shows don't include or show any overt on-screen "gayness".

If a show's creator said a character is gay - in the way that JR Rowling after the conclusion of the Harry Potter series said that Prof Dumbledore is gay - that is enough for Kenya's censors to order a ban on a kids cartoon on MultiChoice's DStv platform.

The KFCB was specifically asked why content is banned that's not even being aired and isn't on-air currently.

The KFCB says its "investigations focused on both current and previous programmes that are not suitable for children. The fact that some of the programmes are 'no longer airing' does not negate the fact that they are unsuitable for children". 

The KFCB - that said it banned the cartoons because it believes that the Nickelodeon, Disney XD and Cartoon Network shows "are intended to introduce children to deviant behaviour" - was asked what this "deviant behaviour" is that it is referring to, and also how this children's programming is doing that.

The KFCB didn't offer up any explanation or clarity, and in response to the question says that it is "mandated to regulate film and broadcast content to protect children from exposure to inappropriate content. Promoting cultural and moral values through also constitutes our mandate."

The KFCB that said the cartoons are against its "understanding of the institution of family", was also asked what the KFCB's definition of family is and when this definition was decided upon.

The KFCB says Kenya's constitution "only recognizes marriage between people of the opposite sex. From these references to the Kenya Constitution 2010, it is clear that homosexuality is not part of the culture, national values and the concept of a family."

"Further, it is important to note that South Africa is the only African country that recognizes same sex marriages. Indeed, the Kenyan government has a responsibility to protect children against harmful exposure to negative media content and this is what the KFCB is doing as part of its mandate."

The KFCB provided the following reasons for why it banned each of the 7 cartoons on Nickelodeon, Disney XD and Cartoon Network: 

Provider	Channel	Programme	Description
DStv	Nickelodeon	Loud House	The animated TV show airs on weekdays between 11am and 3pm and features a married, inter-racial same-sex couple, Howard and Harold McBride parenting ten year old Clyde McBride. While the program does not make a big deal out of the fact that this couple is homosexual, we find that this is a veiled attempt by the creators of the show to pass off this kind of relationship as normal.  The homosexual couple debuted on the show in July 2016 in an episode dubbed “Overnight Success” in supporting roles but they have continued to constantly feature in the show that Nickelodeon has rated 7+.
GOtv	Nickelodeon	Loud House
DStv & GOtv	Disney XD	Star Vs the Forces of the Evil	A gay couple share a kiss in one of the episodes of the animated program in the children’s network. In yet another episode, two lesbian couples are seen cuddling.
Dstv	Nickelodeon	Legend of Korra	The creators of the program state that the star and her co-star both of who are female cartoons are a lesbian couple. In one scene they are seen walking through a portal into the spirit world for an implied romantic vacation.
DStv	Cartoon Network	Adventure time	The creator reveals that two main characters, Princess Bubblegum and vampire Marceline are in a gay relationship.
DStv	Cartoon Network	Steven Universe	The show depicts two lesbian couples Ruby and Sapphire and Pearl and Rose Quartz.  The creator of the show explains the reason as to why she put gay characters in the series is that you can’t wait for children to grow up to let them know that queer people exist.
DStv	Disney XD	Gravity falls	The jokes in the cartoons are adult oriented for example one cartoon calls the other ‘bitch’, porn watching and gay cops.
DStv	Nickelodeon	Hey Arnold	Arnold is taught the wonders of sexual stamina and given stories about sex. Arnolds grandpa had a dick for a head – head is in the shape of a penis and somewhere in the scene there is a poster written "try my sausage".

Loud House

The KFCB is so uninformed that it missed the announcement of self-censorship by VIMN Africa in mid-2016 when Viacom International "assured" DStv subscribers that it won't be broadcasting on television anywhere in Africa the "Overnight Success" episode on the Nickelodeon channel featuring the flash-appearance of two gay dads.
The KFCB has now banned the Loud House series over an episode that was never even broadcast in Kenya in the first place.

Star vs the Forces of Evil

It's strange that the KFCB would ban a cartoon it couldn't possibly have seen yet.
Disney XD just started showing the second season of the show on the channel across Africa and is now at episode 8. It will be quite a while before episode 20, "Just Friends", makes it to actual TV screens that does contain a fleeting kiss - if you know where to pause and look closely in the background.

Legend of Korra

The KFCB decided to ban The Legend of Korra since the creator, after the conclusion of the show in 2014, said that two characters are lesbian. Yet nothing romantic during the duration of the show was ever shown on-screen.

Legend of Korra is banned although it isn't even showing on Nickelodeon currently.

Adventure Time

The KFCB decided to ban Adventure Time on fake reasons and alleges that "the creator said the two main characters are in a gay relationship".
Not only are Princess Bubblegum and Marceline not the main characters as the KFCB alleges, but the creator, Pendleton Ward, has never said anything to that effect ever.

The closest is actress Olivia Olsen voicing the character of Marceline, at a book signing, who said that in her personal opinion Marceline is likely lesbian but that the show will never venture into that territory since "in some countries where the show airs, it's sort of illegal".

Steven Universe

The KFCB found a correct quote from an interview with the website Movie Pilot with the show's creator. Ruby and Sapphire are indeed lesbians, according to the show's creator, but viewers will have to watch the show with that specific subtext to see that.
The KFCB however seems to read a lot of fanfiction. Is Pearl and Rose gay? Nobody knows for certain and the show has never said that.

Gravity Falls

Explaining why it banned this cartoon, the KFCB again lies and says a character calls someone "bitch". Nobody says this to another character and the word is never spoken. 

What happens is that a character called Grunkle Stan once says "son of a ..." before the scene cuts away.

The KFCB also lies when it says the characters watch porn. It's never happened.

The show also finished in 2016 already. Like The Legend of Korra, the show's creator, after the conclusion of the series, said Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durand are gay, although its never ever mentioned or explored in the show.

Hey Arnold

The KFCB says "Arnold is taught the wonders of sexual stamina and given stories about sex". Nowhere in the series does that ever happen.

As proof of these and other simply not there things, the KFCB seems to have found a website that tries to find so-called "dirty jokes" in the cartoon.

The KFCB says Arnold's grandpa "had a dick for a head – head is in the shape of a penis and somewhere in the scene there is a poster written 'try my sausage".

To see a penis you have to take a pen and draw on grandpa's face in just the right way to create a penis, and you won't believe how a penis will then pop out. It's real, definitive proof according to the KFCB that Hey Arnold isn't meant for children.

Luckily Hey Arnold isn't even on Nickelodeon currently, so the KFCB didn't have to bother to watch actual episodes before banning the cartoon.

The KFCB didn't ban the evil Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, those anthropomorphic turtles who are luring unsuspecting kids to go live in the sewers, or The Powerpuff Girls where Donny the transgender pony who isn't horny believes that he's actually a unicorn - but it's probably just a matter of time.

BREAKING. Kenya abruptly bans 6 'pro-gay' kids cartoons on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network that are allegedly 'glorifying homosexual behaviour'.

Kenya's censors have abruptly banned 6 alleged "pro-gay" kids cartoons on Nickelodeon (DStv 305) and Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and ordered MultiChoice to immediately stop showing these cartoons on DStv that is "normalising, glamorising or even glorifying homosexual behaviour" and damaging "family".


ALSO READ: Here's the ridiculous reasons Kenya's censors gave for banning the 7 cartoons.


Kenya is following Nigeria's censorship move where TV-bans on content in that country on channels ranging from Nickelodeon and E! Entertainment to TLC Entertainment have seen content being removed from MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform for the entire African content and affecting all of the continent's viewers since the channels often only have one channel feed for Africa.

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) says the Nickelodeon cartoons from Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa), Loud House, The Legend of Korra and Hey Arnold, as well as the Cartoon Network shows Steven Universe, Adventure Time and Clarence from Turner Broadcasting have contravened classification guidelines.

The KFCB claims these 6 cartoons "are intended to introduce children to deviant behaviour".

The KFCB in a statement says these cartoons "are obnoxious and inappropriate material" and that it "targets children and seeks to impair their moral judgment on the institution of family".

"The board has written to MultiChoice, the owners of DStv, to cease with immediate effect the airing" of these shows.

Nickelodeon for instance previously showed a drag queen character in its series Bubble Guppies and a same-sex kiss in The Legend of Korra.

The KFCB in its statement says "the children's programmes are laced with retrogressive and bizarre messages intended to promote the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) agenda in the country."

The crux is that VIMN Africa, Turner Broadcasting and MultiChoice can't remove these shows from the channels for just Kenya, and that Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and DStv are in the content and entertainment providing business - not the censorship and taking content away business.

MultiChoice Africa in a quick response to a media enquiry on Thursday afternoon following the KFCB banning decision, told TVwithThinus that it can't yet comment on the details but that the pay-TV provider learnt of the existence of from the KFCB letter and that MultiChoice Africa is "currently investigating the matters raised in the letter".

VIMN Africa in response to a media enquiry says that it will pull the Nickelodeon shows in Kenya.

"We acknowledges the concerns expressed by the Kenyan Film Classification Board. While we explore a variety of options, we will suspend the shows in question in Kenya."

"Although Viacom International Media Networks Africa and Nickelodeon Africa are committed to diversity and inclusiveness, VIMN also respects the varied cultures and regulatory codes of the markets in which we operate. In markets where broadcasting codes allow, we will be making the content available on catch up services."

Turner Broadcasting EMEA responsible for the Cartoon Network channel in a statement in response to a media enquiry, tells TVwithThinus "inclusivity is core to our values and this is evident across many of our shows and characters".

"At the same time, in Africa, as in all markets, we always seek to be respectful of local cultures and sensitivities, whilst remaining true to our shows that we know fans all over the world love. We constantly review feedback from our audiences to ensure that this is the case and this is a responsibility that we take extremely seriously," says Turner Broadcasting.

So far the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) and the KFCB CEO Ezekiel Mutua have not responded to emailed media enquiries about the KFCB's decision to ban the 6 cartoons.

The KFCB and Ezekiel Mutua was asked how it derived at the cause for the ban of each of the 6 cartoons listed - especially given that some of the shows ended in 2014 already - and that some contain no on-screen offensive content.

The KFCB was also asked what the KFCB's definition of "family" is and when this definition was decided upon.

The KFCB was asked why the Kenya Film Classification Board outright bans content if it says its a "classification board", and at what period the KFCB saw the 6 cartoons, since some haven't been broadcast on the various DStv channels currently or recently.

In July 2016 VIMN Africa said it is censoring an episode of The Loud House on Nickelodeon and won't be broadcasting it on its channel on DStv in Africa since it featured animated gay dads.

In May 2016 NBCUniversal International Networks was forced to pull the second season of I Am Cait, a reality show about the transgendered Caitlyn Jenner – formerly known as Bruce Jenner - from E! Entertainment making it unavailable for the entire Africa, after complaints and a DStv TV-ban in Nigeria.

In October 2015 Discovery Networks International was forced to censor and remove the transgendered teen docu-series I Am Jazz from TLC Entertainment from the channel carried on DStv across the entire Africa just before it was to begin broadcast, following censorship in Nigeria.

M-Net that has regionalised channel feeds for South, East and West Africa has been altering and self-censoring its East and West channel feeds for M-Net (DStv 101), the now shuttered M-Net Edge, and its other M-Net packaged channels by keeping controversial shows like American Gods away from East and West Africa and not programming the transsexual model agency reality show, Strut on its version of the VUZU AMP channel outside of South Africa.

Cecilia Persson promoted at Turner Broadcasting to vice president of programming and content strategy of kids for the EMEA region.

Cecilia Persson has been promoted at Turner Broadcasting to vice president of programming and content strategy of kids for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, acquisitions and co-production international.

Cecilia Persson keeps her existing acquisitions and co-production international role.

She will now manage and lead programming strategy for digital platforms and kids' linear channels like Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and Boomerang (DStv 302) available on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, as well Toonami added last month to other operators.

Cecilia Persson, who joined Turner in 2004, will now work to combine Turner Broadcasting's programming and acquisition teams and will report directly to Patricia Hidalgo, chief content and creative officer of kids EMEA and kids' strategy international.

"Cecilia has been an integral component of our growth, with abilities to acquire the best programming to complement our homegrown slate across the portfolio," says Patricia Hidalgo. "This is natural progression for her and a testament to us strengthening and aligning our programming strategy globally".

MultiChoice's DStv Content Showcase in Mauritius 2015: A summary of the programming upfront and news so far: Day 3

So MultiChoice is having a MultiChoice Content Showcase at the Outrigger Mauritius Resort & Spa in Mauritius.

South African press and TV critics not welcome and not told about it beforehand. I'm covering it anyway since there's a lot of must-know television and channels news that pertains to South Africa and the broader TV industry, and that's noteworthy.

For day 1 and day 2 news and stories check here with links to further articles.


Thursday 3 September
The morning kicked off with a Zee World (DStv 166) presentation. Sadly and unprofessionally, no information was issued to press not actually at the event.

(It's honestly exactly what I expected and thought of first, and thought would happen when I first heard about it taking place - PR people off on a junket and care a bat's behind about what happens to actualy information dissemination).

Zee World Africa apparently says it will be bringing Bollywood to Africa and start to produce content in Africa for the channel. But I have literally nothing to share.

Besides perhaps that Zee World is working on bringing "classics" (whatever that is) like The Promise to the channel. There will also be older movies coming to Zee World. It sounds wonderful.

Zee World (that by the way dumped the PR agency two months ago that they've been using) also didn't respond to a direct media enquiry I made this afternoon. My guess is that Zee World marketing Linda Oliphant is herself in Mauritius.

Here is some of what Ratna Siriah, Zee World business head had to say.


Likewise nothing from Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) who played games with media on Wednesday night like slushing and lip synch battles and provide channels like MTV, MTV Base, BET and Comedy Central.

"Viacom will be premiering loads of fresh new content across all our channels on the DStv platform in the coming months and we can't wait for Africa to see," said Nickelodeon marketing manager Lindi Davids. Beyond that no programming specifics or information ... nothing.


Meanwhile MultiChoice Africa CEO Tim Jacobs started sitting for interviews (like this one explaining why MultiChoice hiked prices by another 15%) . He says DStv subscriptions wwill come down again after the just introduced 2nd price hike of 15% if the Kenya Shilling recovers against the US Dollar.

It follows yesterday's panel discussion and media conference in which Tim Jacobs said this and this about South Africa's ShowMax and this about piracy and the possibility of offering a sports DStv bouquet.

A+E Networks UK who had panelists like Sarah Williams-Robbins did a presentation on Thursday morning as well. Information in a well-timed press release was also issued to South African press.

Noteworthy announcements include the renewal of Pawn Stars South Africa on History (DStv 186) for a second season; a special episode of Fifth Gear which will form part of the new season also coming to History, Lifetime (DStv 131) lifting its ratings 50% quarter to quarter, and the two upcoming special O.J. Simpsons hidden tapes documentaries for October on Crime+Investigation (DStv 170).

Nothing from A+E Networks UK about apparently looking for local African stories to possible produce and put on History.


Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) did a Fun Factory presentation for channels like the Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and Boomerang (DStv 302) this afternoon.

An Evening with Disney - a lawn movie screening with picnic baskets - is set for Thursday evening.
[Here is a run-down of how that went.]

Disney will present on Friday morning.

TCM celebrates Lauren Bacall; TCM in USA has marathon with every single movie of her; TCM on DStv has 3.

TCM (DStv 137) is celebrating the life and film legacy of Lauren Bacall who died on Tuesday at the age of 89.

TCM in the United States is showing a full 24 hour movie marathon with every single movie Lauren Bacall ever made.

TCM on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is showing 3 movies - one every Saturday over the next three Saturdays.

TCM in America is actually celebrating what would have been Lauren Bacall's 90th birthday in September with the marathon taking place on 15 September.

TCM for South Africa and Africa is doing the same, and has been running a series of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart movie titles to commemorate their on-screen success.

The two were married from 1945 until his death in 1957.

TCM is showing Key Largo (Saturday 16 Augst, 15:00), The Treasure of Sierra Madre (Saturday, 23 August, 15:00) and Designing Women (30 August, 15:00).

"This week we saw the loss of a true great of the movie industry, whose passing leaves behind a legacy for which she will always be fondly remembered," says Guillermo Farre, the head of general entertainment for Turner Africa in a statement.

"As part of TCM's ongoing commemoration of her and husband Humphrey Bogart's greatest on-screen endeavours, we hope that our upcoming titles will give South African viewers the opportunity to once again experience her unique on-screen presence".

TCM turns 20 years old today - of course you wouldn't know it watching TCM on DStv in South Africa.

TCM (DStv 137) turns 20 today - of course you wouldn't know it if you're in South Africa where TCM is carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

There's been no press release, no programming note, no little reminder from Turner Broadcasting or even a self-congratulatory statement or email to mark the special anniversary milestone. Nothing.

TCM is America tonight will show TCM: Twenty Classic Moments as a retrospective TV special as well as fan favourite movies like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Maltese Falcon and Singin' in the Rain.

South African and African viewers are not good enough for that.

In South Africa TCM viewers are heaped a repeat-upon-repeat helping of Bells Are Ringing and Julie and zero recognition or celebration of TCM's 20th.

Clearly the 20th anniversary of the classic movie channel that Ted Turner launched on 14 April 1994, means little if anything, or is seen as having no relevance, or isn't regarded by Turner Broadcasting as even something to point out or make something of for South Africa viewers.

Turner shuts out TV critics in South Africa as international TBS executives jet in - and then wonders why its not getting the press it wants.

Today Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) had a programming upfront for Turner Africa, but, as it did a programming upfront presentation for new content coming to the Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM channels (with  international Turner executives who specially jetted in to South Africa), a lot of the country's notable TV critics in Durban and Cape Town and journalists writing about television nationally, were shut out.

While competitors like Disney and others hold multiple upfront presentations by repeating the same presentation in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town - or make sure that the relevant right group of longtime press and national publications covering TV are accomodated at their upfronts - the people responsible for Boomerang, Cartoon Network and TCM on MultiChoice's DStv platform couldn't seem to bother.

If they possibly, probably, wonder why they're not getting the press they want, or more of the press, coverage and exposure for their programming on these channels they (presumably) want, that's the very simple reason.

Let me be clear and say that I was invited to today's upfront event. Let me also add that the PR person appeared clueless that I was based in Cape Town although I - like several others who were not invited - write nationally on a daily basis about the TV industry.

I asked several people over the past weeks and I know that other longtime Cape Town based TV critics, writers and publications with their offices in Cape Town, were not invited and didn't know about the upfront presentation.

My guess would be that none of these people are going to be writing about Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM as much during the course of 2014 as they could have or would like to do. That is Turner's fault for not being willing, cognisant or able to do an upfront and do it correctly for all of South Africa's TV covering press (and how really difficult can this be?).

Turner Broadcasting flew in from overseas executives like Tal Hewitt (vice president and general manager for TBS, Turkey, Middle East and Africa), Jemma Yates (director for TBS general entertainment) and Cecilia Persson (vice president acquisitions and co-productions for the EMEA region).

It defies belief and strikes an odd tone that Turner Broadcasting would have its own executives come so very, very far and spend so much money to try and promote its new upcoming programming, but that TBS and its South African public relations company Burson-Marsteller can't then make the final link successfully and actually get all the relevant right press covering its TV channels there.

Or at least do the same programming upfront in Durban and, or in Cape Town like other TV content providers do.

While several other international content and channel distributors who have TV channels in South Africa - from Discovery to BBC Worldwide, from Sony to Universal Networks International and several more - have made the connection and make some effort at actually engaging with relevant press, TV critics and getting them to upfront events, Turner appears asleep at the wheel and behind the times.

Lament the gone-with-the-wind lack of TCM coverage and stories, and the lack of enthusiastic coverage over the next big Scooby-Doo mysteries all you want. 

Its probably because the ordinary South African TV critic and journalist who has so many other TV channels and programming to try and cover and keep track of, can't even be bothered to try and care if the people behind TCM, Boomerang and Cartoon Network seemingly don't.

Patricia Hidalgo Turner Broadcasting System's new chief content and creative officer for kids for the EMEA region.

Patricia Hidalgo has taken over as senior vice president and chief content and creative officer for kids for Turner Broadcasting System for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

Turner Broadcasting System EMEA runs channels such as CNN International, Cartoon Network, Boomerang (and its Cartoonito block) and TCM on pay-TV platforms such as MultiChoice's DStv service in South Africa and Africa.

Patricia Hidalgo worked for The Walt Disney Company EMEA as vice president for content and programming strategy and will now head up Turner Broadcasting System's portfolio of kids content and channel brands in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Patricia Hidalgo will oversee all centrally-funded programming such as acquisitions, co-productions, originals, channel branding and editorial compliance across multiple platforms and formats.

"We are delighted that Patricia is joining us and look forward to the leadership and wealth of creative experience she will bring to a role that sits at the very heart of our kids business," says Peter Flamman, the senior vice president and chief operating officer for the EMEA region and the managing director for the kids division for the EMEA region at Turner in a statement.

"We are particularly impressed by her superb track record of collaborating with diverse local market teams within a global, franchise-led content-centric organisation. That fits in perfectly with Turner's philosophy going forward and will allow us to capitalise upon our strong original content slate including new seasons of Adventure Time and Regular Show from our United States studios and Gumball and LazyTown from EMEA."

TopTV says pay-TV operator is 'doing everything we can' to find replacement channels after Turner pulls Star, Showtime and Silver channels.

TopTV says the struggling South African pay-TV operator is doing everything it can to find replacement channels in the place of Silver, Star and Showtime which was yanked from the operator's line-up at the start of 2013.

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) which also runs channels such as TCM, Boomerang, Cartoon Network and CNN International on MultiChoice's DStv, pulled Silver, Showtime and Star on 31 December 2012 from On Digital Media's TopTV and refused to give the South African TV industry or TopTV subscribers a reason or any explanation.

TopTV CEO Eddie Mbalo tells me that "TopTV is doing everything we can to replace the channels and yes, we are talking to other possible suppliers".

Turner Broadcasting System International to cut its staff for Africa, Europe and the Middle East by 30% or roughly 250 people.

Turner Broadcasting System International (TBS International) will cut 30% or roughly 250 people of its staff at its business unit looking after Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The majority of TBS International's EMEA staff is based in London.

The news of the job cuts follows TBS International yanking all of Turner's TV channels from On Digital Media's (ODM) TopTV pay-TV platform at the end of December 2012. No reason was given and Turner given an opportunity to talk about why, refused to give South African pay-TV subscriber any reasons or explanations.

Turner Broadcasting still runs TV channels such as TCM, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and CNN International on MultiChoice's DStv platform in South Africa and Africa and has a total of 17 branded TV channels in the EMEA region in 100 territories.

Rani Raad part of the senior management who looks specifically after Africa, the Middle East and Turkey as senior vice president and managing director, remains and he remains as senior vice president for CNN International as well.

The big downsizing follows a review process for Turner International's EMEA business which was started in September. "This review required us taking some tough decisions, but they are absolutely necessary to put Turner International in the best possible position for future growth," said Gerhard Zeiler who became the president of TBS International.

TURNER AINT TALKING: How terrible that Turner Broadcasting isn't willing to talk to TopTV subscribers and say why they're yanking their channels.

It's no longer Showtime, this cloud has no Silver lining and Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) which is immediately pulling all of its channels from struggling TopTV's pay-TV service is no longer a Star! to South African viewers who will be losing all the Turner channels on TopTV from midnight on 31 December 2012 - without any explanation as to why.

To add insult to injury is the appalling and disgusting attitude from Turner Broadcasting towards South Africa and South African viewers - the company isn't willing to say why it's removing Showtime (TopTV 111), Silver (TopTV 112) and Star! from TopTV.

Why exactly Turner Broadcasting System is suddenly ending its channels on TopTV is the most basic of questions a TopTV subscriber, or a viewer who've watched and liked and subscribed to On Digital Media's (ODM) pay-TV product to get access to one of these channels, would have.

Turner Broadcasting, itself a massive media company which is in the communications business, ironically doesn't feel the need or apparently doesn't feel at all compelled to talk or do any kind of explaining.

Think of any product on your local grocery store shelf. It that product disappears or is discontinued or is out of stock for whatever reason, the store, the company, the manufacturer and the supplier will say why. Maybe the model is discontinued, perhaps the flavour or product is phased out for a newer type or different design, or it wasn't selling and is not stocked anymore. They talk. They explain. They give a reason. They try and preserve brand loyalty and build brand trust.

But not Turner, which is also the channel supplier of Cartoon Network, TCM, Boomerang and CNN International to MultiChoice's DStv platform.

Now Turner Broadcasting is taking away channels from viewers and TopTV subscribers and there has been no statement, no press release or any explanation.

I asked Turner Broadcasting why Star!, Silver and Showtime is being discontinued on TopTV. The media monolith was only willing to say: "Turner Broadcasting System confirms that Showtime, Silver and Star! are coming off the TopTV platform from 1 January 2013. Turner is not making any further comment." Thanks for that, terrible Turner. Shocked TopTV subscribers already know that. What they deserve to know is why. 

Now there is also this, and I never would have mentioned this behind-the-scenes experience, although it now has contextual bearing on this issue.

Earlier this year I was invited by Turner Broadcasting System to fly a South African coastal city for literally a 5 star event promoting one of the channels which TBS is now pulling from TopTV. TBS wanted to talk about and promote their channel in South Africa (which is now, sadly, just a few months later, suddenly just gone). At least one of the TBS executives from London was to fly in to South Africa for the event.

Well, journalists and TV critics covering television from across South Africa took time out from their diaries and gave a day to fly and cover the story. We arrived only to be told that nobody from TBS is there and that nobody from TBS would be there. Embarrassing to say the least. The local South African PR company did stellar work to make the afternoon event at a 5 star hotel great and stood in and did the presentations on behalf of the no-show Turner Broadcasting executive(s).

Still it was a bit, and felt slightly embarrassing to be at a Turner Broadcasting event for one of its TV channels in South Africa where Turner didn't show up themselves at their own event after inviting the press and initially saying they would be there, which is part of the lure of a media invitation - the opportunity and access to TV executives to talk to them and to then relay that information again to viewers and readers.

It's not just South African TV viewers who sometimes get stood up by big TV companies and TV executives who don't feel answerable, journalists and TV critics are sometimes too.

I wish that Turner - even if it was just two or three sentences - would have been proactive and would have said what the situation is regarding the pulling of Silver, Star! and Showtime from this country and why it is happening.

I wish they did better PR, better communication; talked. If Showtime, Silver or Star! was your favourite channel on TopTV it won't be there anymore in a few days. And you don't know why. Neither do I. All you know is that Turner took it away and isn't willing to even explain why.

The South African TV viewer, the South African pay-TV subscriber, is a growing, more informed, evolving, and more demanding prosumer. Oh - and they're also paying. With real money, even though it is in rand.

The South African viewer and pay-TV subscriber deserves better, and more. More communication, more respect and more information than what they're getting from multinational media companies who still follow a seemingly colonial approach when it comes to this country.

They'll pipe their TV channels here and take the money for their product while they're here - thank you - but please dear South African viewer, just don't expect anything more. Like an actual relationship or brand trust. Especially not when the time comes to suddenly duck and run when Showtime is over.

BREAKING. TopTV loses 3 further TV channels as Turner Broadcasting immediately yanks the Showtime, Silver and Star! channels.

You're reading it here first. 

It does not look good for On Digital Media (ODM) and its TopTV platform: TopTV is losing another 3 TV channels within days as Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) is yanking its Showtime, Silver and Star! channels from the struggling South African pay-TV service.

The triple whammy loss of content from its bouquet is the latest barrage of bad news to hit TopTV which has faced a constant uphill struggle with losing channels during the whole of 2012 and even before.

TopTV is not saying why Turner Broadcasting System is immediately removing Showtime (TopTV 111), Silver (TopTV 112) and Star! (TopTV 179) other than that it's happening for "operational reasons" - the vague non-descript reason airlines give to passengers for a litany of problems they do know the reason to, but don't want to be specific about.

With no reason given, it's all but certain that South Africa's TV industry will speculate that the channels are being removed because Turner - which is definitely knowledgeable about TopTV's problems and a company in business rescue since October - no longer has faith in the platform with the resultant implications which arise once a company is placed in business rescue.

TopTV might not be able to pay its debt or money owed to Turner in exchange for getting the channels. Turner might possibly be afraid that it won't be paid and now wants out of carriage agreements to try and cut potential financial losses should TopTV not be able to exit business rescue in the way in which the 1time airline which recently folded and which also entered business rescue, was unable to recover.

TopTV says Turner Broadcasting System (which also runs Boomerang, CNN International, Cartoon Network and TCM on rival MultiChoice's DStv) "recently informed" TopTV that the 3 TV channels will suddenly be discontinued from 31 December.

Showtime was a movie channel. Star! was a general entertainment and entertainment news channel with a strong emphasis on Hollywood and Hollywood news and the only way South African viewers could see the daily entertainment news show Showbiz Tonight (produced by CNN). Silver was South Africa's only real cinema nouveau TV channel with some art house independent movies from a library catalogue of titles from mostly the 80's and 90's.

Turner has been piping all three of these TV channels into South African from Scandinavia through the Scandinavian television broadcaster NonStop Television which is part of the Turner Broadcasting System.

TopTV is now again telling subscribers that the ailing South African pay-TV operator - which is urgently looking for local investment and backers with deep pockets - will once again begin the process of looking to find replacement channels - a process TopTV has had to do several times just this year.

"The supplier of the three affected channels, Showtime, Silver and Star! has taken the decision to terminate the African distribution of its channels for operational reasons, and this decision is thus beyond the control of TopTV," says the Woodmead based pay-TV operator in a statement issued late on Wednesday.

Last month TopTV lost the 1KZN TV channel after the community TV station jumped from TopTV to DStv, quickly followed by Manchester United TV (MUTV) which suddenly disappeared without warning and terminated its contract with TopTV with immediate effect because it no longer wanted to be on the platform.

TopTV lost Hi Nolly and One Music in November 2011 and 2012 started with TopTV losing Current TV in March.

The ongoing loss of channels means that TopTV's product and channel offering to subscribers are not expanding like MultiChoice's DStv offering, since TopTV's newly added channels - which happens after a lag period - only serve to replace channels which had been lost. TopTV added no new big commercial TV channels in either 2011 or 2012.

"TopTV is grateful for the continued support of its loyal subscribers during this period, and would like to reassure them that the company is working hard on a renewed product plan for the New Year," says TopTV about the latest channel loss crisis facing the company.

Ian Woodrow, TopTV's vice president for channels says in the statement that "although this comes at a challenging time in the company's development, with a business rescue process currently underway, TopTV is confident that it will be able to secure alternative channels early in 2013."

"In the interim, and until these replacements are found, we will endeavour to secure additional channels and programming that will be of interest to our subscribers," says Ian Woodrow.

With Discovery Networks International which started the Discovery Science, TLC and Investigation Discovery on TopTV but suddenly made TLC and Investigation Discovery also available on DStv a year ago thereby diluting TopTV's exclusive product value offering (the great Discovery Science is still only available on TopTV only), TopTV has only one remaining strong and unique channel distributor left on its ailing platform: Fox.

Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) supplies the Fox Entertainment, FX and Fox Retro channels to ODM which can only be seen on TopTV.

FIC Africa, through Fox Entertainment and FX has brought and continue to bring South African pay-TV viewers who are subscribed to TopTV great series and exclusive TV properties like The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels, Falling Skies, Copper as well as other shows very close to the American broadcasting dates.

This excellent programming and international distribution strategy adds big value to TopTV's platform since these remaining unique channels have exclusive content which are rolled out quickly and can only be seen on TopTV in South Africa.


ALSO READ: Turner aint talking: How terrible that Turner isn't willing to talk to TopTV subscribers and say why they're suddenly yanking all their channels.

INTERVIEW. Alan Musa talks about the Turner-run TV channels in South Africa like Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and TCM.

Last week I asked Alan Musa, the vice president and general manager for the Pan Middle East and Africa (MEA) region of Turner Broadcasting Systems International, a few questions about the Cartoon Network, Boomerang and the new Cartoonito pre-school block and TCM's movie rejuventation.

Alan Musa was visiting South Africa and I touched base regarding the various Turner-run channels seen in South Africa and the latest on certain issues regarding these channels. Here is what he answered.

The childrens market in South Africa has grown very much over the past year with new channel additions, new shows, new programming blocks. How does Turner Broadcasting regard South Africa and Africa and the presence of its own kid's channels here - and compete effectively?
Alan Musa: Cartoon Network and Boomerang have been broadcast in South Africa, and Africa, for nearly 10 years, so our brands and content are well established and incredibly popular with kids of all ages. The longevity of our brands in these markets is a clear indication of how strategically important these counties are for the visibility and distribution of our channels and key content franchises.

How has Cartoon Network grown over the past year, in any level?
Cartoon Network has always hovered around the top spot in terms of popularity and viewing amongst kids. This remains so even though the kids market is getting a little busy. The launched of new series of established franchises such as Ben 10 and the launch of brand new shows like The Amazing World of Gumball has played a major part in this success.

Cartoonito has just launched as a block on Boomerang. Why is the preschool market market important to Turner, and especially in Africa now?
Turner has had a strategic ambition to expand our portfolio of brands and content into the pre-school area for quite a while.
The first part of this strategy was to identify the chief content officer who had the experience within the pre-school genre, and could lead our development into this content area – that person was Michael Carrington.

Over the last 2 years, Turner has been identifying shows within our existing portfolio, and content that we could acquire, produce, or own, that would deliver on our brand promise within the pre-school genre. Boomerang was the obvious place to launch the Cartoonito branded block as it has historically appealed to both parents and younger children.

The Cartoon Network had some live action shows in US market but that has not been scheduled for here on Cartoon Network, although we're seeing those shows like Tower Prep and Unnatural History on other channels here in South Africa. Can you explain a bit regarding the Cartoon Network programming strategy for the Africa territory? Also, will there ever be live shows on Cartoon Network, or will it remain strictly animation?

Cartoon Network in America has a more bespoke and localised approach to programming - hence the movement towards live action. There have been live action shows in the Europe, Midde East and Africa (EMEA) region and we will continue to identify great content in this area, but they will be the exception rather than the rule – however all have been highly successful.

In South Africa we produced our first live action/animation mix in 2010, and produced series 2 in 2011 – all filmed in Johannesburg, and theme around music and dance. Our programming strategy for Cartoon Network is to continually deliver on our brand promise – to make sure our content is funny, energetic, adventurous and clever – all qualities reflected and delivered upon by our great content.

ALSO READ: Tower Prep coming to Vuzu from 24 October at 20:30.
ALSO READ: Unnatural History to start on M-Net Series on 21 December at 19:30.

For 2012 are there any developments programming or otherwise that you can talk about for Boomerang and Cartoon Network for South Africa?
We have great returning series in 2012, including a couple of specials around Ben 10 for Cartoon Network, and the focus of Boomerang is making sure that Cartoonito will continue to be a success.

Is TCM rebranding or somewhat changing the type of movies the channel will be showing in future?
The look and style of TCM has always been about celebrating classic movies, but it is equally important to have an identity that reflects the brand promise of TCM – hence the graphically consistent look of the channel that emphasizes that classic movies can be drawn form either the golden age of cinema, or the more contemporary classics that we are now showing.

ALSO READ: Great Scott! The Back to the Future trilogy coming to TCM in December with a triple play on 24 December as well.