After launch of Zee Alem in Ethiopia Zee Africa says it's looking at further bespoke regional and language-specific channels for the continent in the future.

by Thinus Ferreira

Zee Africa, a division of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, says that it's growing collection of TV channels across Africa, is finding traction with the continent's viewers and that it's looking at possible expanding with further bespoke regional and language-specific offerings in the future.

Recently Zee Africa added Zee Alem as a new TV channel to its expanding offering on the Africa continent on 22 June 2020. Zee Alehm broadcasts in the Amharic language for Ethiopia.

"The uptake of Zee Amharic gives us the confidence to pursue more such regional opportunities.

We have tested waters in the regional space with programming in Swahili and Zulu languages and found a definite gap for Indian content," says Harish Goyal, CEO of Zee Africa & Asia Pacific.

"Zee Alem is the first channel launched in an African language and with the large amount of positive responses from our viewers, we are exploring new markets for similar launches in the future."

Zee already has two successful mainstream channels, Zee World in English and Zee Magic in French, which cater to Anglophone and Francophone viewers across the African continent.

"We have always strived to be innovative in our approach to new markets, which has opened up new opportunities to grow our local footprint on the continent," says Ratna Siriah, Zee Africa business head for Africa & Indian Ocean Islands.

Currently, there are 9 Zee channels across the continent with 6 bespoke feeds bring viewers a curated collection of the best of Indian content to Africa. 

Various Zee channels groupings are carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service in South Africa and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, as well as on StarTimes' in sub-Saharan Africa and its StarSat in South Africa; as well as on Canal+ Afrique in sub-Saharan Africa

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read - 3 August 2020.

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


■ The Ellen DeGeneres Show is rife with rampant sexual misconduct.
One executive producer "had a reputation for being handsy with women", other executive producer wanted oral sex at a work party, groped men.
- 36 former Ellen employees at the Warner Bros. talk show speak of horrific harassment, sexual misconduct, and assault.
■ Ellen tells execs at Telepictures and Warner Bros. she's ready to quit as staffers say "there's really no way to save the show from this PR nightmare", "had no idea that Ellen would implode during quarantine":
"Warner Bros. should cancel our show or swap her out. Viewers have been fed lies for years. The Ellen you see on TV is disingenuous and inauthentic. She's a horrible person".
- The backlash of Hollywood celebrities against Ellen starts as more come out for a pile-on against the talk show host.
- The eager James Corden is rumoured to take her place if Ellen DeGeneres is pushed out.


■ James Murdoch abruptly quits News Corp.'s board, upset with editorial issues and content at FOX News (StarSat 261).

■ 10 things we learned at the (virtual) 2020 Baftas.

■ Netflix is now letting people watch content faster or slower with new playback controls.

■ The latest TV reboot of the Muppets, Muppets Now on Disney+ (that you can't see in South Africa) has wit, warmth and charm.

■ Netflix content is a wasteland during Covid-19.
Netflix's most-watched content is part of the utter mediocrity of pandemic monoculture.

■ After her suicide attempt, Tamar Braxton is now done with the American TV channel that she alleges "betrayed, overworked and underpaid" her as she tried to do another reality show.


■ New Swahili series Karma starting on Maisha Magic Bongo channel in Tanzania.
Shockingly, MultiChoice Tanzania saw nothing and chose to hold a physical media launch for Karma, without any social distancing between MultiChoice Africa executives, the cast, or the Tanzania Basketball Federation - who all attended since Disney's ESPN channels on DStv also got announced.


■ New Nigerian reality TV series Love Come Back starting on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151).
Participants get the chance to get back into a relationship with an ex-lover.

■ Jacob Elordi of The Kissing Booth on Netflix who frequently appeared shirtless says it "really bothered him" that fans went crazy over his chiselled body.

■ In the new season of Grey's Anatomy seen on M-Net (DStv 101) the Covid-19 pandemic storyline "won't be all death and despair".

■ Why America's Emmy awards now loves video streaming services and their content over traditional broadcasters.

■ Disney's ESPN could lose millions as pay-TV subscribers get upset over having to pay for nothing.

■ Is ZEE Entertainment Enterprises considering shutting down some of its international linear TV channels?

■ From Sheldon and Penny to Chandler and Joey and many more - TV's unconventional friendships.


■ The secret diary of a TV news editor in India.
"My job is to be a seasoned showrunner for the reality show I put up for you every day. Twists, spins, speculation, conspiracy theories – whatever it takes to keep you engaged and entertained."

■ Global pay-TV market set for massive growth between 2020 and 2024.

■ In Mexico, telenovelas cut down on sex scenes because of Covid-19 .. the result? A surge in viewership as people seek out the familiar in uncertain times.

Zee Entertainment's general entertainment channel Zee World switches to HD on MultiChoice's DStv.

Zee Entertainment's general entertainment channel Zee World (DStv 166) is switching to a high definition (HD) broadcast on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform from Thursday, 15 November.

"We're extremely excited to bring our most popular shows in high definition to our viewers," says Harish Goyal, CEO of Asia Pacific and Africa at Zee International.

"The crisp viewing will undoubtedly add a level of enjoyment to the shows." 

Zee says its switch to HD reconfirms Zee World's growing popularity in the Southern African marketplace.

The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa's recent results of its brands and services survey (January to June 2018) listed Zee World amongst the "channels that are rapidly gaining traction".

Zee World programming include the drama series, Twist of Fate chronicling the life of Abhi whose accident has turned his life around, causing him and Pragya to be pulled apart. However, despite trials and tribulations standing in the way of their joy they stand firm in their pursuit of happiness.

Gangaa tells the story of a young girl, married off as a child bride. She suddenly becomes a widow and orphan when both her husband and father die on her wedding day. Sent to a home for widows, she finds herself fighting injustice as she is forced to life a mundane life with no future.

Young Dreams celebrates adolescence, depicting the lives of two teenage girls, Gunjan and Rachna.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 12 April 2018.

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

■ The BBC's rauchy drama Versailles cancelled after viewers quickly tired of the pornographic scenes in the United Kingdom and France.

■ Australia's TV industry is highly concerned about that country's broadcasters who want the Australian government to decrease the amount of local children's programming and local drama they're supposed to produce.

■ Should TV series like Little Britain and The Simpsons change with the times?

■ Russia's REN TV thrown out of the hospital where a former Russian spy is being treated after he was poisoned as the REN TV reporter and cameraman wandered through corridors at the Salisbury District Hospital.

■ Causing a splash: BBC presenter Mike Bushell ends up in the deep end during a live swimming pool TV interview.

■ Zimbabwe's censors ban all TV and radio adverts for prophets and "traditional healings".
Ironically Zimbabwean viewers will still be able to watch charlatan shows like Spirit on the FOX Life channel that is available on both Kwesé TV and DStv Zimbabwe.

■ ZEE Entertainment does a programming upfront in Nigeria about upcoming shows on Zee, Zee World, Zee Bollymovies and Zee's other TV channels.

■ TV viewers in Kenya furious over the broadcast of a Kiss condom commercial on television.
Kenya's belligerent censorship tsar Ezekiel Mutua says the country's censorship board will go to court to ban broadcasters from showing the condom advert.

■ Expensive free speech in Tanzania: Bloggers in Tanzania now have to register and pay $900 per year.

■ Shocking new TV show in Belgium breaks viewership records as a comedian tell jokes in the horrifically cruel show called Taboo, about paraplegics, amputees, and all kinds of minorities including gays, dwarfs, the poor, the fat, blind people, people with mental illness and even children without arms.

ZEE Media celebrates 25 years by changing circular logo to 'ZEE Amethyst' purple; adds 'Extraordinary Together' slogan.

At the end of October, ZEE Entertainment Enterprise Ltd. (ZEEL) changed the logo of Zee TV and also rolled out a new slogan of "Extraordinary Together".

The Zee logo change also affects South Africa and Africa where several TV channels from ZEE is carried on multiple pay-TV platforms across the continent, managed by Harish Goyal, CEO of Zee TV Africa.

The logo and slogan change has been timed for the 25 anniversary of ZEEL.

ZEE's new design has been done by designer Martin Lambie-Nairn, creative director at ML-N.

ZEE says the new slogan "Extraordinary Together", represents the company's mission of celebrating the world and unifying it with entertainment.

The circular form of the new brand logo symbolises continuity and inclusiveness with the colour called "ZEE Amethyst", representing creativity and transformation.

In terms of the design the colourful explosion of creative energy makes ZEE the "fountainhead" that unleases "extraordinary potential".

"Zee's aim is to continue to provide extraordinary entertainment content across genres, languages and geograhies; delighting consumers across screens, platforms and devices," says Harish Goyal.

NOLLY LOVES BOLLY. Nigeria's obsession with Bollywood and the Zee World channel on DStv sparks a film series, Zee World Madness.

Nigerian viewers are so enthralled by Bollywood and specifically the Zee World channel on DStv that a Nigerian filmmaker produced a 6-episode film series, Zee World Madness, hilariously chronicling Nigerians' new Bollywood and Zee World obsession.

Zee World recently marked its second anniversary in February since it was launched on 3 February 2015 on channel 166 on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and the rest of Africa and added to GOtv.

Recently Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) added further channels, Zee Bollymovies and Zee Bollynova, for African viewers with English-dubbed Bollywood content including films and series.

Zee World Madness, produced by Diamond Movies International Ltd and directed by Mac Collins Chidebe, shows how Nigerians are obsessed with the colours, fashions and drama that Zee World bring to viewers - with tragic, but also humorous and funny effect, even including some Bolly-Africa dance numbers.

Although not authorised by ZEEL, Zee is basking in the glow of the fan appreciation, and has only good things to say about the Bolly-crazy Zee World Madness that has 6 "episodes" of about 50 minutes each that is now available on YouTube.

Zee says that since the launch of a bespoke feed, Zee has become the number one destination for Bollywood on the African continent.

According to ZEEL, the launch of the made-for-Africa feed has seen Zee World become very successful in South Africa and Nigeria.

"We are excited to see that Zee World has been rocking Nigerian audiences and how the channel is influencing their day to day lives," says Harish Goyal, CEO of Zee TV Africa.

"The fascination and love with Zee World and the Bollywood culture itself only serves to re-emphasise that at the heart of it all, we are all the same. Culture, colour and the triumps and lows of our relationships are a unifying force that certainly bring us all together."

Here's a trailer of Zee World Madness:

Ahead of its first year anniversary, Zee TV splits its Indian channel, Zee World, into two separate channel feeds for South Africa and for the rest of Africa.

The Indian channel operator Zee World (DStv 166) yesterday on 11 January marked its first anniversary on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and the GO digital terrestrial television platform by splitting Zee World into different feeds - one for South Africa and one for the rest of Africa.

Zee World, from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) was launched on 3 February 2015 and is now available in South Africa and 43 other African countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Zee TV has now split Zee World on DStv to offer two separate channel feeds of the same channel.

With different programming and more importantly broadcasting to different regions - Southern Africa and the rest of Africa - it enables Zee TV to sell more specialised advertising and sponsorships to advertisers and ad buyers that's geared to these different regions.

The programming schedule for Zee World can also be tailored better with different prime time schedules, given the different African time zones that exist.

The Zee World South Africa channel feed is now received by DStv subscribers in South Africa and DStv and GO subscribers in the rest of the Southern African countries.

The Zee World Rest of Africa channel feed is now received by DStv and GO subscribers across East, West and Central Africa.

"It is imperative for Zee TV South Africa to make this change to better meet the needs of our viewers," says Harish Goyal, CEO of Zee TV South Africa.

"We are aware that all of Africa cannot be painted with the same brush. We promise to continue to deliver exceptional content, great quality and unforgettable entertainment".