TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read - 11 August 2020.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:


■ BBC News finally apologises over its use of the "N"-word racial slur in a report - after 18600 complaints - and after a black BBC radio presenter had to quit.....
- After first defending the decision, outgoing BBC director-general now admits: "We should have taken a different approach". "We are very sorry for that".


■ South Africa's parliament again asks the SABC to stop its retrenchment plan at the South African public broadcaster.

■ Netflix is killing Christianity.
Instead of being out and about missionaries are sitting home binge-watching.

■ SABC foreign editor Sophie Mokoena accused of bribery and taking American money to tarnish Zimbabwe's image.

■ Meet the fund manager who doesn't like Netflix and won't touch it with investments.
"While Netflix can continue to add paying subscribers, they will never be able to deliver a high level of return on investment capital because a lot of that money is going to buy up new content."


■ Nigeria's disastrous and destructive National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) does propaganda for its controversial changes to the country's broadcasting code and banning pay-TV operators from acquiring exclusive content.
- Incompetence will destroy pay-TV in Nigeria.
- Confused director-general Armstrong Idachaba goes on a crazy rant against Iroko.
-  Armstrong Idachaba doesn't understand how English Premier League (EPL) rights work and are sold globally; gives non-sensical answer when confronted and told why pay-TV operators like MultiChoice and Supersport buy sports content in the first place.


■ There are 42 Easter eggs hidden in the second season of an Umbrella Academy on Netflix.
- Show creator responds over Umbrella Academy anti-Semitism claims.

■ Kenya DStv subscribers and GOtv subscribers furious at MultiChoice Kenya after shocking DStv price hike.

■ After both The Good Doctor and Grey's Anatomy will prominently address the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in storylines in their upcoming new seasons, New Amsterdam will now as well.
All three American medical drama series seen on M-Net (DStv 101) will now incorporate Covid-19. The New Amsterdam change comes after the series pulled an unaired flu pandemic episode from broadcast earlier this year.

■ Netflix subscribers complain that there's nothing really worth watching (subscription required).
Video streaming services like Netflix promised near-endless choice. So why are viewers complaining and finding that there's nothing left worth watching?

■ The reality real estate star Ryan Serhant of Million Dollar Listing New York on VUZU (DStv 116 / Lifetime 131) turns to New Zealand after New York's housing market tanks because of Covid-19.

■ "Here's a question you shouldn't be able to answer: Computer, what is the nature of the universe?"
Voice search becomes more conversational.

■ MultiChoice's problem isn't going away as angry DStv Premium subscribers say the offering continues to be diluted and continue to flee DStv in droves.
"I'll soon wave goodbye to DStv."

■ Is Uyajola 9/9 on Moja Love (DStv 157) perpetuating negative stereotypes around black love?

■ Christopher Eccleston returns as BBC's Doctor Who - in radio stories.

■ Pakistan TV is changing: Lesbian lovers and a boxer in a burqa.

■ Disney is making its first Southeast Asia launch of its Disney+ streaming service.
Disney+ will launch on 5 September 2020 in Indonesia as Disney+ Hotstar.
- And: How Netflix went from foe to friend in Indonesia (subscription required).

■ Sundance, sunset: Is it over for independent film festivals?

■ Americans who no longer pay their monthly bills because of Covid-19 say they no longer pay their pay-TV account.

■ Creative TV creators should use the Covid-19 lockdown period as their moment to reinvent.

■ Formula 1 CEO confirms there will be a third season of the F1 reality documentary series Drive to Survive on Netflix.

■ South Africa's disgraced minister of communications, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, responds to photo of barefoot man in Eastern Cape kneeling in front of her as she wears Nike.


■ Global media and video streaming giants are putting the squeeze on smaller local media's plans for their own streamers.
As international TV business companies start to keep their library content for themselves and put new content on their own video streaming services, localised country and territory streaming services will have to evolve fast if they want to continue to try and compete against the world’s most powerful technology and entertainment companies.

■ Dan Levy says that his work as a red carpet correspondent was soul-crushing (starts at minute 5:35).
"It takes a very particular person to not be soul-crushed by the experience of interviewing on the red carpet. You're inherently not the person that the person answering questions wants to talk to."

Moja Love stops Uyajola 9/9 after complaints, says controversial cheaters show will be back despite viewer complaints.

Moja Love (DStv 157) has stopped the controversial cheaters show, Uyajola 9/9, following viewers' complaints with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA).

Molemo Maarohanye known as Jub Jub is the presenter of the controversial new tabloid reality show Uyajola 9/9 that  started in late May 2019 and exposes people cheating on their partners but which has now been shelved with the programme that is on an indefinite production break.

Viewers constantly complained about the show and a week ago viewers complained with the BCCSA following an episode showing physical assault and gratuitous violence when a woman attacked her husband, followed by the female he has been allegedly having an affair with.

TVwithThinus asked Moja Love, run by Siyaya TV, why Uyajola 9/9 has been removed from the TV channel, when it will be back and what Moja Love has to say about the complaints lodged against the channel and the show with the BCCSA.

Lindiwe Mbonambi said in response that "Uyajola 9/9 is going on a production break as the series has ended. The channel will communicate in due course when the new series will start."

Moja Love had no comment about what the channel makes of the complaints from viewers with the complaints commission.

The BCCSA confirmed that it had received complaints about Moja Love's Uyajola 9/9 that pertains to the depiction of violence, gender violence and language use.

MultiChoice in response to a media enquiry told TVwithThinus that "MultiChoice can confirm that it has received a complaint from the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), with regards to a recent episode of Uyajola 9/9, which aired on independent channel Moja Love on Saturday, 28 September 2019".

"Whilst we do not exercise editorial control over third party channels, which have fully independent editorial and content policies, we are in discussions with the channel about this particular complaint and will respond accordingly to the BCCSA."

BLF group demands Moja Love on DStv and presenter Jub Jub of Uyajola 9/9 apologise by Friday for insulting Xhosas and saying 'I have never seen a nation as promiscuous as the Xhosas'.

The Black First Land First (BLF) group has given the Moja Love (DStv 157) channel on MultiChoice's DStv and the Uyajola 9/9 presenter Jub Jub an ultimatum to apologise to Xhosa people by Friday 14 June or be taken to South Africa's Equality Court.

Molemo Maarohanye known as Jub Jub is the presenter of the controversial new tabloid reality show Uyajola 9/9 that exposes people cheating on their partners and in a promo video on Instagram for an episode said "You've never witnessed what you're about to witness tonight, it is crazy, it is ridiculous. I have never seen a nation as promiscuous as the Xhosas".

Jub Jub then says he has also however never witnessed a group of people who are as loving, forgiving, full of attitude and as stubborn as Xhosas.

"I have never seen as well a loving nation like the Xhosas. I have never seen a nation that forgives like the Xhosas. I have never seen a nation with attitude like Xhosas and I have never seen a stubborn nation like the Xhosas. In a nutshell, the nation is just too much."

The Uyajola 9/9 video that sparked a public backlash also angered Andile Mngxitama, BLF leader, who claims that Jub Jub humiliated and impaired the dignity of Xhosa people.

"This defies the right to freedom of expression and amounts to hate speech," Andile Mngxitama wrote in a letter to Moja Love and its channel head Jacqui Setai.

"Correctly interpreted, Jub Jub's speech impairs the dignity and integrity of a whole group of people by attributing negative traits to it unjustifiably. BLF hereby asks that Jub Jub issues a public apology to the Xhosa speaking people, including the whole of South Africa."

"Secondly BLF asks that Jub Jub undertakes a basic introductory course to Black Consciousness (BC) so as to avoid such mishaps in the future and to understand why tribalism is a bad thing."

"BLF is willing to meet with both Moja Love and Jub Jub to clarify our objections if such is required."

"We ask that the apology be given within 5 working days after receiving this letter, failing which BLF shall lodge a complaint against Jub Jub and Moja Love at the Equality Court in Johannesburg," Andile Mngxitama wrote.

Meanwhile a petition was started by viewers on www.change.org after Uyajola 9/9 started broadcasting on Moja Love two weeks ago, saying the show is harmful and making "a mockery of black people".

"This show violates our privacy. It destroys families and lives in general. Sign this petition to have it taken down from our TV," Kholofelo Masha, the creator of the petition, wrote.

The petition has now been signed by 982 people so far.

Neither Lindiwe Mbonambi, Moja Love's head of marketing and PR nor Vincent Lubisi, Moja Love sales executive, have responded to a media enquiry asking Moja Love for comment about BLF demanding an apology and also what Moja Love's comment is regarding the petition and people asking for Uyajola 9/9 to be cancelled.

New Moja Love conflict reality show exposing cheating lovers, Uyajola 9/9, is 'not for the faint-hearted' warns presenter Jub Jub.

The new conflict reality show Uyajola 9/9 starting on Sunday 26 May at 21:00 on Moja Love (DStv 157) is "not for the faint-hearted" warns the convicted killer presenter Jub Jub.

Based on the format of the tabloid American TV series, Cheaters, Uyajola 9/9 hunts down people who are allegedly cheating on their lovers and expose them in the full glare of the cameras as fighting ensues when scorned lovers confront their cheating partners who often try to flee.

Jub Jub (real name: Molemo Maarohanye) who was previously the presenter of the first season of Uthando Noxolo will now be the presenter of Uyajola 9/9.

The disgraced musician was released from prison in 2017 after serving a 4-year sentence after killing four children while drag racing on a public road near a school under the influence of hard drugs.

"I am very proud to be pioneering a show that is a very first of its kind in South Africa. There is no doubt that cheating and infidelity are social ills that are wreaking havoc in South African communities, therefore my quest with this show is to shed light on the impact infidelity has on all affected individuals," says Jub Jub.

"As you can imagine doing a show like this takes a lot of courage as you are dealing with people's lives and their pain on a daily basis. I'm telling you it's not for the faint-hearted."

"I am a firm believer that once people have answers they are able to make informed decisions about themselves and their relationships moving forward."

ALSO READ: IN IMAGES. 24 photos of Moja Love's 2019 Content Showcase.
ALSO READ: The Moja Love 2019 Content showcase sizzle reel.
ALSO READ: With daring, boundary-pushing reality shows, the Moja Love channel on DStv says it's aspiring "to innovate, to change and challenge the South African TV landscape".
ALSO READ: Big revamp for second season of Show Me Love starting 3 June on Moja Love; local talk show to broadcast live, add politics, with new location, new studio, new panellists and more daring content.
ALSO READ: After delays, the reality show, Zodwa Wabantu Uncensored, is starting on Moja Love on Saturday 25 May as the Vosho Queen gives viewers a glimpse of her surreal life with a '16-ish' age restriction.
ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. So, the Moja Love channel on DStv held a content showcase event and it was basically perfect - with 2 things that were a pleasant surprise and positives for SA's TV biz.
ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. For a channel with 'love' in its name, Moja Love's content is built on a collection of conflict. For how long will its viewers thirst to watch the fight?