India investigating Netflix for visa violations and racial discrimination

by Aditya Kalra and Krishn Kaushik, Reuters

India is investigating the business practices of streaming giant Netflix's local operations, including allegations of visa violations and racial discrimination, according to a government email sent to a former executive. 

The details of India's investigation were included in a 20 July email, reviewed by Reuters, which was written by a home ministry official to Netflix's former director of business and legal affairs for India, Nandini Mehta, who left the company in 2020.

"This is regarding visa and tax violations concerns regarding the business practices of Netflix in India," wrote Indian official Deepak Yadav from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) of the home ministry in New Delhi.

"We have received certain details in this regard with respect to the stated company's conduct, visa violation, illegal structures, tax evasion and other malpractices including incidents of racial discrimination that company has been engaged in while conducting its business in India," he added.

In an emailed statement, Mehta said she is pursuing a lawsuit in the United States against Netflix for alleged wrongful termination as well as racial and gender discrimination - charges the company denies. 

Mehta said she welcomed the Indian investigation and hopes the authorities make their findings public, but did not elaborate on the allegations made by the government. Yadav declined to comment, saying he was not authorized to speak to media.

The FRRO and India's home ministry did not respond to Reuters queries.

A Netflix spokesperson said the company was "unaware of an investigation by the Indian government".

The Indian official's email shows growing scrutiny of Netflix in India, where it has roughly 10 million users and which it considers a growth market where companies target affluent people in the nation of 1.4 billion people.

Over the years, the streaming giant has developed more local content featuring Bollywood actors.

It has also often faced heat in India over its content deemed insensitive by some users. This month, it was forced to add new disclaimers to an Indian series about a plane hijack after social media outrage and government anger over what they said was Muslim hijackers being shown as Hindus.

Seeking documents, US lawsuit

While it is known that Netflix has since 2023 faced an Indian tax demand - which it is challenging - the existence of a broader investigation into allegations including visa compliance and racial discrimination has not been previously reported.

The Indian government's email did not elaborate which agencies are looking at issues concerning Netflix. 

The FRRO works closely with home ministry's Intelligence Bureau, the domestic intelligence agency, and is the main agency looking into foreigners' visa compliance and permissions to visit so-called "sensitive" regions.

Mehta worked at the company's Los Angeles and Mumbai offices from April 2018 to April 2020, her LinkedIn profile shows. The Indian government email asked her to provide "details/documents" as she was a former legal executive of the company.

In 2021, Mehta sued Netflix in Los Angeles County Superior Court in California for alleged wrongful termination and racial and gender discrimination, among other things, U.S. court filings show.

Netflix has in U.S. court denied "each and every allegation" and said in its statement that Mehta was fired for repeatedly using her corporate credit card for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses.

Mehta said she will "continue to fight for justice." Her case is set for a status hearing on Monday in Los Angeles.

eMedia extends channel carriage agreement for a further 5 years with MultiChoice for eNCA on DStv until mid-2028 but accepts carriage fee cut.

by Thinus Ferreira

eMedia's eNCA (DStv 403) will remain available on MultiChoice's DStv platform for another five years until at least mid-2028, although in a tough-bargaining channel agreement, eMedia accepted a decrease in the channel carriage fees MultiChoice is paying to have the South African TV news channel on its platform.

eMedia Holdings published its annual financial results for the year ending 31 March 2023 on Thursday, noting that the group's revenue of R3.1 billion was R20 million less than the previous year due to lower TV advertising income and a reduction in the eNCA licence fee paid by MultiChoice for the news channel.

eNCA, which will turn 15 in June and launched as the eNews Channel in 2008, used to be the most-watched TV news channel in South Africa but has since slipped to second place behind the South African public broadcaster's SABC News which is available on more DStv bouquets and has access to a larger potential pay-TV audience.

eNCA is still the most-watched TV news channel on DStv under higher-income earners within the LSM 8 to 10 consumer segment, and is second overall after SABC News (DStv 404) and still ahead of Thanbile Ngawto and Thokozani Nkosi's Newzroom Africa (DStv 405).

eMedia says as part of the extended channel carriage agreement eNCA as a TV news channel will remain exclusive to the DStv service.

eMedia Holdings notes that it has cut operational costs at eNCA through decreasing employee costs, with a "significant portion of the decrease which can be attributed to the closing of the News & Sports channel on Openview as well as retrenchments due to efficiencies at eNCA".

Disney: More Frozen, Zootopia and Toy Story as Disney+ loses 2.4 million subscribers - here are 5 takeaways from the Mouse House's latest quarterly report.

by Thinus Ferreira

In the first quarterly earnings report since he's back as Disney CEO, Bob Iger made several announcements and spoke and gave clarity about several issues - including that Disney+ lost 2.4 million subscribers and is also making more Frozen, Zootopia and Toy Story movies.

Here are 5 takeaways from Disney's latest earnings report:

1. Disney+ lost subscribers

Disney lost 2.4 million subscribers worldwide during the last three months of 2022 and now has 161.8 million subscribers globally. 

This is noteworthy since this is the first decline in Disney+ subscriber numbers since Disney+, which is available in South Africa since last year, launched in the United States in late-2020. Like the majority of streamers, Disney+ isn't profitable but Bob Iger believes Disney+ will turn profitable sometime in 2024.

2. Maybe less, but better content

In the arms race known as the "streaming wars", companies just threw money to produce a lot of content to try and catch up with Netflix, and to attract subscribers and scale up their service offerings - Disney+ included. That period is now fast coming to an end.

"We are going to take a really hard look at everything we make across television and film because things in a more competitive world have just simply gotten more expensive," Bob Iger said on the earnings call and noted that "we were as a company in a global arms race for subscribers".

He also said "We want the quality on the screen, but we have to look at what that costs us".

"In our zeal to go after subscribers, I think we might have gotten a bit too aggressive in terms of our promotion. We took our pricing up substantially on Disney+ and we only suffered a de minimis loss of subs. That tells us something. It may also tell us that the promotion to chase subs that we've been fairly aggressive at, wasn't absolutely necessary."

3. Streaming makes less money but is the future

Bob Iger said that streaming services like Disney+ are not as profitable as linear pay-TV channels but that video streaming is the future and that is what Disney is focused on growing.

"The streaming business, which I believe is the future and has been growing, is not delivering the kind of profitability or bottom-line results that the linear business delivered for us over a few decades. And so we're in a very interesting transition period, but one I think, which is inevitably heading towards streaming."

4. More Frozen, Zootopia and Toy Story

More Elsa! More Buzz Lightyear! More Gazelle! Bob Iger confirmed that Disney will be making further instalments of the hugely popular films Frozen, Zootopia and Toy Story. 

"I'm so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animation studios to some of our most popular franchises, Toy Story, Frozen and Zootopia," Bog Iger said. "We'll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we're leaning into our unrivalled brands and franchises."

5. Eliminating 7000 jobs

On Disney's earnings call, Bob Iger confirmed that The Walt Disney Company is cutting 7 000 jobs which will represent a reduction of 3.2% of its global workforce of 220 000 people. Bob Iger says the retrenchment are done to cut costs.

MultiChoice adds NBCUniversal's on-demand service Universal+ to DStv Catch Up from 14 October.

by Thinus Ferreira

Universal+ will be added to MultiChoice's DStv Catch Up service from 14 October as an on-demand video streaming service not requiring additional payment and will be accessible through the DStv app or DStv Explora decoders which are connected to the internet.

Universal+ or "Universal Plus" is not Peacock - NBCUniversal's over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service taking its name from the logo of the American TV network NBC - which isn't yet available in South Africa but is run as a streamer in the United States and countries like the United Kingdom through Sky's pay-TV service.

Universal+ which is not accessible on its own and must be accessed through DStv's pay-TV platform will contain series and films from NBCUniversal International Networks' set of available TV channels on DStv in South Africa like Universal TV, E!, DreamWorks, Studio Universal and Telemundo.

Universal+ is already available through pay-TV services in Latin American countries like Brazil, Spain and India and will now make binge-watching possible for DStv subscribers across sub-Saharan Africa. NBCUniversal says the on-demand service will have "thousands of hours of compelling entertainment", including a "huge selection of full boxsets to binge, new shows and movies".

"We're thrilled to launch Universal+ with our long-standing partners DStv, giving their customers a brand-new way to enjoy a vastly expanded catalogue of our best content," says Lee Raftery, managing director for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region for NBCUniversal International Networks & direct-to-consumer, in a statement.

"From 14 October, the incredible line-up of entertainment available to DStv customers ranges from award-winning original production Celebrity Game Night – which shortly goes back into production for a fourth season – to gripping dramas and Hollywood blockbusters. And, it's all at no extra cost to a subscription."

Simon Camerer, MultiChoice South Africa chief operating officer, on the addition of Universal+ says "We are excited to bring the best of international content and the widest possible choice of great shows to satisfy all our viewers".

It's not clear why NBCUniversal is adding Universal+ for Africa now, with the company late to the video streaming party in the continent where MultiChoice's streamer Showmax, Netflix Africa, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Disney+ are making inroads in the video streaming market segment.

South Africa's public broadcaster is still to launch its SABC+ streaming service in the third quarter of 2022, with Paramount planning to roll out its Paramount+ video streaming service sometime in 2023 and with Warner Bros. Discovery which hasn't yet confirmed any launch for South Africa of its combined and to-be-renamed HBO Max and discovery+ streamers.

Smaller existing streamers like VIU, Britbox and TelkomONE are also battling for a piece of the pie in the ramping up streaming wars, with eMedia's eVOD service that launched in August 2011 which has now passed the mark of 500 000 registered users with its content carousel of movies, series, Afrikaans telenovelas and documentaries.

22 TV things coming in 2022.

by Thinus Ferreira

The year of 2022 in South African television is gearing up with promises of new content, new corporate moves, new video streamers, dragons, elves, jedi, idols, survivors, Kardashians, returning award shows and festivals; even blood psalms and big brothers - as well as Muvhango and the Teletubbies turning 25. 

Here are 22 things coming and happening in television in 2022:

1. Disney+

From around June this year, The Walt Disney Company plans to launch its Disney+ video streaming service in South Africa as the first country on the African continent to get access to this streamer that started in November 2019. What will it cost? So far we can only guess but it will bundle TV content and films from across Disney, National Geographic, Marvel, Pixar and ABC under the Star tile.

2. SABC streaming

The South African public broadcaster that has been very late out of the blocks said it will launch its own video streaming service in 2022. 

The SABC streaming service - SABC+, SABC Plus, SABSee? - will function a lot like the BBC iPlayer and eMedia's eVOD service, It will bundle current and library content from the public broadcaster, as well as streaming versions of its TV channels, together on one digital streaming service.

3. Lord of the Rings

Get ready to watch the most expensive TV show yet when the 8-episode first season of the as-yet-untitled The Lord of the Rings TV series will debut in September on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. Filmed in New Zealand, the TV show is set during the so-called Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events depicted in the films.

4. Halo

What's up Master Chief? Where South African viewers will be able to watch it or whether they will have to become pirate viewers is still unclear but the first season of 10-episodes of the science fiction TV series based on the hugely popular video game Halo will make its debut in early-2022 on the Paramount+ video streaming service. 

Pablo Schreiber is the supersoldier Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 under the helmet with the series "following an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant".

5. Idols season 18

More noteworthy than the return of the reality singing competition to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) in the winter of 2022, with nationwide auditions starting on 23 January, are the numerous questions swirling around the veteran series. 

Is [SIC] Entertainment really contemplating bringing back Somizi Mhlongo as a judge after serious allegations of physical abuse levelled against him last year and which have not yet been resolved? Is Unathi Nkayi out as a judge after her image damage of 2021? Will the Idols' ratings continue to slide in 2022 after thousands of DStv subscribers tuned out following the Somizi-scandal?

6. Survivor South Africa season 9

By the time you're reading this, filming is about to start or has started on the 9th season of Survivor South Africa, subtitled "Return of the Outcasts" scheduled for a winter debut on M-Net (DStv 101). Which outcasts from previous seasons will be back and how will they use what they've learnt from their first go-round to try and outwit, outplay and outlast their rivals?

7. 10th Silwerskermfees

Known as "Cannes in Cape Town", kykNET is bringing back its film festival with an in-person event with the 10th Silwerskermfees set to take place in Camps Bay during March 2022. 

The film festival last took place as an in-person event in March 2019 and in 2022 will take the form of a "vibrant hybrid format" according to the organisers. 

According to kykNET the 10th Silwerskermfees "will maintain the festival's signature glitz, glam and prestige while allowing a much broader audience to enjoy the films and festivities".

8. 8th African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards

Last held in March 2020, MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa is bringing back the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCAs) for an 8th edition this year that will again be taking place in Lagos, Nigeria. 

With a total of 33 categories (viewers get to vote for 12) the awards is adding "Best Online Social Content Creator" as a new category this year.

9. Digital terrestrial television

After more than a decade and a half, South Africa is expected to complete its long-delayed switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT), although the process could once again end up being delayed even further because of court cases. 

Another big question is what the impact will be on South Africa's TV ratings system when television households who have not switched to digital set-top boxes (STBs) when their analogue TV signals are cut, are wiped from the TAMS viewership? 

While the SABC doesn't want to comment, eMedia that runs e.tv warned last year that there will be disastrous consequences and implored the government to extend the suddenly-rushed deadline of 2022 for switch-off.

10. Love Island Naija

Following the disastrous Love Island SA version, producers Chudor House Productions and ITV Studios Global Entertainment announced at a glittering media event in June that the world's first all-black Love Island edition would start in October 2021 in Nigeria and be shown on MTV Base. 

The date - and year - came and went. 

Is 2022 the year that the 20 Nigerian singles "come together to share the true essence of love, romance, friendship and relationships in 7 exhilarating weeks in the Love Island villa"? 

11. Big Brother Mzansi

A new season of the revived Big Brother Mzansi is set to debut on 23 January on MultiChoice's DStv channel 198 as a 24-hour pop-up channel, together with daily shows and weekly highlights on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161). 

Lawrence Maleka is the host and whether it's the Shower Hour, diary room confessions or late-night hanky-panky, the South African version is set to bring some early-2022 reality show buzz. There will be a 7th season of Big Brother Naija in June 2022, also shown across sub-Saharan Africa again on MultiChoice's DStv.

12. Blood Psalms

After a drawn-out process as the most expensive TV series yet produced in South Africa, Blood Psalms, is supposed to debut in February on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service after its October 2021 debut was postponed because of the department of trade, industry and competition's failure to pay Yellowbone Entertainment the millions of rand the producers are due in the country's broken film rebate scheme.

13. Real housewives

2022 will deliver an avalanche of Real Housewives from Africa in the sprawling reality franchise. The Real Housewives of Lagos as a new spin-off series will debut in the first half of 2022 on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service. The third season of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg will be shown in April 2022 that will consist out of 14 episodes.

Meanwhile, the second season of The Real Housewives of Durban will also be on Showmax in the second half of 2022, with some new cast members. 

Then there is The Real Housewives of Dubai also coming in 2022 as a new spinoff, and there are rumours that South Africa is also getting The Real Housewives of Cape Town as yet another spinoff series.

14. Obi-Wan Kenobi

This is the show you're looking for. Billed as a "limited series", meaning it's a miniseries telling a complete story, Ewan McGregor will be back in this new 6-episode Star Wars drama series in 2022 to reprise his role as Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. Hayden Christensen will also show up to reprise his role as Darth Vader.

15. SA rugby and football documentaries

SuperSport is prepping two sports documentaries for 2022. Two Sides is another Springbok documentary, similar to Chasing the Sun, with cameras that once again got unprecedented access inside the Springbok rugby team camp. 

Then there is also the 4-episode Pulse of a Nation: A South African Football Story that will take DStv subscribers inside the world of professional South African football.

16. House of the Dragon

M-Net (DStv 101) has picked up the 10-episode Game of Thrones prequel drama series, House of the Dragon that will debut on an as-yet-unannounced date this year. 

Filmed mostly in the United Kingdom, the prequel series chronicle the fall of the House of Targaryen when dragons still roamed Westeros in bigger numbers before their virtual extinction during the time of Game of Thrones. 

The fantasy series will revolve around the family politics and drama - basically a family civil war - that became known as the legendary "Dance of the Dragons". 

And talking about spinoffs, we'll throw in here as a bonus Vikings: Valhalla, a spinoff from Vikings that will debut on 25 February on Netflix. The new series is set 100 years after the original, following the adventures of some of the most iconic Vikings, like Leif Erikson.

17. The Kardashians

Done and dusted on E! in 2021, the ending of Keeping Up with the Kardashians means that the Kardashian clan is moving to a renamed reality endeavour on Hulu in 2022, with no word yet on where South African viewers will be able to watch their new show - very likely under the Star tile on Disney+ when that streamer launched in South Africa later this year. 

The coterie of Kardashian and Jenner family members will be in The Kardashians, plus Scott Disick. Kylie's baby will presumably make its TV debut, along with all the presumed drama around the Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker engagement and planned wedding.

18. Anatomy of a Scandal

David E. Kelly is behind this upcoming anthology series coming to Netflix this year starring Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery and Naomi Scott. 

Based on the novel by Sarah Vaughan, viewers can get ready for a depiction of various scandals within Britain's elite class - imagine a Gossip Girl for adults set in the United Kingdom.

19. Muvhango turns 25

It will be a silver celebration for Muvhango in April when the long-running Venda drama series, produced by Word of Mouth Pictures and created by Duma Ndlovu, will mark its 25th birthday on SABC2.

As another 25th TV anniversary, we'll make you feel old Gen Z by telling you that the Teletubbies will turn 25 on 31 March. Happy quarter-life crisis Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po!

20. Law & Order

"Dum-Dum". No word yet on where South African viewers will see the revival and reboot of the iconic American procedural series but in 2022 the American criminal system "where the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: The police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders" are back for a 21st season.

Multiple former cast members will be back to reprise their roles like Sam Waterson, Anthony Anderson and S. Epetha Merkerson, with Camryn Manheim joining in a new role. The season will start on 24 February in America.

We'll throw in here as a bonus the return of the comedy series Frasier with Kelsey Grammer sometime this year as well. Coming to Paramount+, there's no word yet on where South African viewers will get to see Frasier, Niles and Daphne again.

21. New brooms

South African television enters 2022 with several new TV bosses, sitting in new seats with new titles. As much as their job is to preserve the status quo of the content collections they manage, they will also want to bring their own stamp to bear on the existing and upcoming content slates under their care.

At MultiChoice, Georginah Machiridza is the pay-TV operator's new head of content, in the position of executive head of content strategy and third-party channels.

MultiChoice promoted Nomsa Philiso as the pay-TV operator's new head of programming. Replacing Nkateko Mabaso, Nomsa Philiso's new title is MultiChoice's executive head: programming.

Meanwhile, MultiChoice appointed Shirley Adonisi as the new M-Net director for local entertainment channels replacing Nomsa Philiso in the role, with Waldimar Pelser who officially becomes the new kykNET boss from February as the M-Net director for Afrikaans channels. What new television will they collective commission in 2022 and what changes will they make?

22. (Another) SABC shake-out

At the struggling public broadcaster, a completely untenable David vs Goliath battle is playing out between the SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni against SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini, whom she both accused of allegedly being guilty of gross ANC political editorial interference.

With the ANC's next national elective conference very likely taking place by the end of this year is highly likely that either Phathiswa Magopeni, or Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini will have exited the SABC.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV reports and articles to read - 26 February 2021.

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

■ Netflix has renewed the Spanish youth series ELITE about the Lax Encinas high schoolers has been renewed for a 5th season before the start of season 4.

■ The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) that votes for the Golden Globes and that has no black members now says that it has an "action plan" to specifically recruit black members.

■ Original shows give Netflix a big edge in the video streaming wars.

■ The Walt Disney Company's new Star streaming service add-on - the "international Hulu" - is leaving international buyers,like for instance MultiChoice and M-Net - in the lurch.

Disney is creating massive confusion and big questions for its international partners making use of its content distribution system for shows ... that are and will dry up.

■ When is a plus actually a minus when it comes to naming your video streaming services?

An idea that seemed like a real plus when video streaming was newer, has now become a cliché.

■ Why Paramount+ is proof that we've hit peak video streaming.

In an era of way, way too much TV, things get lost.

■ The showrunner of Snowpiercer on Netflix talks about keeping trains running amid Covid-19 and dealing with superfans.

■ 10 things TV should stop doing right now.

From reboots and spinoffs to streaming services - enough already!

■ Traditional pay-TV subscribers are spending as much money on video streaming services as cord-cutters who have ended their satellite-TV subscriptions.

■ New video streaming services are breathing new life into old TV classics.

■ Netflix wants to start shifting from quantity to quality content as it lays out a vision where it no longer has all the content, but the best content.

■ The growing, big struggle to try and place ratings on streaming shows.

■ 60% of traditional pay-TV subscribers would love to watch a show on a video streaming service.

■ Will political documentary survive the age of Netflix?

The struggle to speak truth to power in the age of streaming.

MultiChoice renames its DStv Now streaming service to just DStv.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice has updated and renamed its "DStv Now" video streaming and DStv Catch Up service to just "DStv", with both the website and the app losing the "Now" as the pay-TV operator makes the pivot closer to the launch of its standalone so-called "DStv dishless" streaming service that won't require a satellite dish installation.

"We've changed the name from DStv - but kept all the features the same," says MultiChoice. "You can stream your favourite shows, live channels, and watch Catch Up, all on your smartphone, laptop, tablet, computer, smart TV, or gaming console."

"Who can stream DStv online? The DStv streaming service is available to all DStv subscribers, no matter which package you are on. There is no additional fee or charge to watch DStv channels and shows online," the company says.

DStv subscribers get access to the same channels and shows they watch on their DStv decoder at home, but on a device like a phone or a laptop, but must provide a DStv account holder’s ID number, DStv smartcard number, or DStv customer number. 

MultiChoice's rival, China's StarTimes operating as StarSat in South Africa, doesn't require an upfront registration or login for people to use and stream TV channels through its StarTimesON app that is available in South Africa and throughout sub-Saharan Africa, although some functions like shopping, and some TV channels are marked as "VIP" and can only be accessed after logging in.

In August at its 2020 MultiChoice Showcase media event gave the press more information about its upcoming DStv dishless service and shocked when it revealed that it will cost exactly the same as the existing service. 

While subscribers who want to make use of it when it launches won't need to pay for any installation costs, subscribers will have the additional expense of having to pay for broadband data charges in addition to the monthly DStv subscription fee. 

The expectation was that this DStv streaming version would be cheaper since no installation cost, physical dish, cabling, or DStv decoder is needed. MultiChoice hasn't yet announce when exactly this DStv dishless version will become available for sale and sign-up.

TelkomONE streamer to launch in November offering local content and TV channels, video streaming service now looking for local content proposals for a 'mobivela', comedy and lifestyle show.

 

by Thinus Ferreira

Telkom is once again trying to start its own video streaming service and plans to launch TelkomONE in November for which it's now looking for Quibi-like local content proposals including lifestyle shows and even a mini-telenovela that it calls a "mobivela".

Following the failure of telecom Cell C's hyped but failed Cell C black subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service as well as several others before that so far, Telkom is again trying to establish its own streaming service that will include local content as well as a collection of streaming TV channels.

In November TelkomONE will re-enter the very small but fast-growing sector of digital streaming services on offer in South Africa where it will have to compete with the likes of MultiChoice's Showmax, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, VIU, Vodacom's Video Play and several smaller services who are battling for consumers' discretionary spending and time.

While Telkom isn't yet saying what the range of content on TelkomONE will be, it is trying to include local content, similar to how MultiChoice is pivoting away from the breadth of international content it used to offer with a bigger focus on local content to try and distinguish it from international streaming services.

TelkomONE will carry "a bouquet" of local content including music, education and series, the telecom says with TelkomONE that will be available to watch through the web, a TelkomONE app and a dedicated streaming box from Telkom.

TelkomONE will launch with daily, weekly and monthly subscription packages and will include a "freemium" model as well with a free promotional section that will be accessible wide range of TV channels.

"TelkomONE is a proudly local and South African service and naturally, we want to host and showcase outstanding content by content producers from our very own shores, including filmmakers, videographers, writers and directors on the platform," says Wanda Mkhize, Telkom executive for its smart home and content division.

TelkomONE now wants content proposals that can be submitted until 30 November 2020 and will award three "prizes" of R100 000 each for the winners to produce those proposals - a mini-telenovela for mobile devices it calls a "mobivela", comedy and lifestyle.

Proposals must be submitted through www.create.telkomone.tv with video clips that must be between 1 and a maximum of 3 short-form clips of between 5 and 10 minutes in duration.

BREAKING. The Walt Disney Company announces dramatic restructuring with main focus on direct-to-consumer digital streaming as it creates single global media and distribution unit.

 by Thinus Ferreira

The Walt Disney Company late on Monday announced a massive global restructuring making a focus on creating streaming content for a digital world and its direct-to-consumer streaming business its main priority, as it announced that it is solidifying its content output under a single media and entertainment distribution unit.

Disney's main focus will now be to develop and produce original content for its video streaming services like Disney+ and its still to launch Star international streaming service. 

Creating content for Disney's digital streaming services will now be the Disney's main focus, taking over in importance from its legacy platforms like Disney's various pay-TV channels that it still runs around the world, including in Africa and South Africa through its FOX, Disney and National Geographic brands on pay-TV operators like MultiChoice and China's StarTimes.

Disney's massive reorganisation comes just under a year after the launch of its Disney+ video streaming service that has now passed 60 million subscribers globally and is just behind Netflix.

Disney has not rolled out Disney+ in South Africa or anywhere on the African continent, with no announcement when or if it plans to do so, leaving Africa as the only continent without access to Disney+ besides South Africa where Brazil is set to get Disney+ in November.

Under the major reorganisation, Disney's media distribution and commercial activity is being solidified into a single, global media and entertainment distribution unit that will be headed up by Kareem Daniel, previously president for consumer products, games and publishing at Disney.

Disney will now create content in three different silo's: studios, general entertainment and sports, like ESPN.

Under studios, Disney will focus on creating branded theatrical and episodic content based on Disney's franchises for theatrical exhibition, Disney+ and Disney's other streaming services. 

The group will include the content engines of The Walt Disney Studios, including Disney live-action and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures.

Under general entertainment, Disney will focus on creating general entertainment episodic and original long-form content for Disney's streaming platforms and its pay-TV channels, as well as broadcast networks in America. 

This group will include the content engines of 20th Television, ABC Signature and Touchstone Television; ABC News; Disney Channels; Freeform; FX; and National Geographic.

Under sports will fall ESPN’s live sports programming, as well as sports news and original and non-scripted sports-related content for Disney's pay-TV channels like ESPN, as well as ESPN+.

Rebecca Campbell will now serve as chairman of Disney's international operations and direct-to-consumer.

On 10 December 2020 The Walt Disney Company will present another Disney Investors' Day where the Mouse House will reveal more about its plans for 2021 and its corporate reorganisation as it continues to pivot to making digital video streaming its main global focus.

"Given the incredible success of Disney+ and our plans to accelerate our direct-to-consumer business, we are strategically positioning our company to more effectively support our growth strategy and increase shareholder value," says Bob Chapek, Disney CEO, in a statement on Monday.

"Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimble in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it."

"Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best - making world-class, franchise-based content -  while our newly centralised global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetizing that content in the most optimal way across all platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and the coming Star international streaming service."

Speaking about Kareem Daniel, Bob Chapek says he is "an exceptionally talented, innovative and forward-looking leader, with a strong track record for developing and implementing successful global content distribution and commercialisation strategies".

"As we now look to rapidly grow our direct-to-consumer business, a key focus will be delivering and monetizing our great content in the most optimal way possible, and I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort than Kareem."

"His wealth of experience will enable him to effectively bring together Disney's distribution, advertising, marketing and sales functions, thereby creating a distribution powerhouse that will serve all of Disney’s media and entertainment businesses."

Kareem Daniel in the statement says that "I'm honoured to be able to lead this new organisation during such a pivotal and exciting time for our company, and I’m grateful to Bob for giving me the opportunity".

"It’s a tremendous privilege to work with the talented and dedicated teams that will comprise this group, and I look forward to a close collaboration with the outstanding and incredibly successful team of creative content leaders at the company, as together we build on the success we’ve already achieved in our direct-to-consumer and legacy distribution business."

eMedia Investments to launch Openview Plus as streaming service, Openview Connect as a new broadband internet service.

by Thinus Ferreira

Seven years since it launched as a free-to-air service, e.tv now plans to extend its Openview satellite-TV service and to launch Openview Plus in October this year as a video streaming service in South Africa, as well Openview Connect within a few months as a new internet broadband service for consumers.

Openview Plus will carry eMedia's Openview channels and content as a direct-to-consumer offering funneled through the internet, and will very likely be available as a bundled-offer together with Openview Connect that eMedia plans to launch as a new broadband connection service.

No specific launch date for Openview Plus is known, nor pricing, but eMedia Investments wants to expand and augment its existing Openview satellite-TV footprint as soon as possible into the streaming service arena where it will compete with the likes of MultiChoice's Showmax, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Vodacom's Video Play and some smaller services like VIU that are all available in South Africa.

After launching Openview in 2013, eMedia and e.tv now want to get into and carve out a space in the still small but rapidly growing video streaming consumer market in South Africa, before the already overcrowded market becomes even more congested with offerings.

Several others international streamers like ViacomCBS Networks' Paramount+, Disney's Disney+, and WarnerMedia's HBO Max are not yet available in South Africa but are likely to launch and join the OTT fold in time.

While South Africa's public broadcaster hasn't launched an OTT service for the SABC but likely will in future similar to the BBC's iPlayer, MultiChoice just launched Showmax Pro as an upsell-offering that bundles Showmax with SuperSport content, and plans to offer streamers like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on its new DStv Explora Ultra decoder.

Khalik Sherrif, eMedia Investments CEO, says in his CEO report in the latest 2020 eMedia Holdings annual report that "by October 2020 the group will launch its own over-the-top (OTT) offering called Openview Plus".

According to Khalik Sherrif, "Work on this offering is happening in earnest as this report is published".

The Openview satellite-TV service that is now available in 2 million TV households across Southern Africa carries self-packaged channels besides e.tv like eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra, eToonz, eReality, eRewind and eAfrica with channel carriage agreements for some of channels that are also available on the platforms of pay-TV operators like DStv and StarSat as the South African branded affiliate of China's StarTimes.

Some e.tv content are also licensed to the VIU streaming service which will become a direct rival for Openview Plus, and it's not clear how launching Openview Plus might affect that content availability, with eMedia that might elect to keep its premium locally-produced soaps and series for itself.

It's also not clear whether Openview Plus will be a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) model where users will have to pay to watch, or if it will go the advertiser-funded "freemium" route of NBCUniversal's just-launched Peacock streaming service in America where consumers have to watch a number of adverts per hour.

About its plans to launch Openview Connect as a new broadband internet service - a utility service that will help to carry and funnel its Openview Plus as a content service - Khalik Sherrif says it will expand eMedia's technology offering and target South African households that don't have internet fibre connections yet.

"Openview Connect will be an advancement in the technology-based offerings of the group. Openview Connect is set to launch in the next few months," says Khalik Sherrif. "The target market
for this offering is homes in South Africa that have no access to fibre as yet."

On Monday TVwithThinus asked eMedia in a media enquiry to please shed some more light on Openview Plus, what it is and will entail, confirmation of the October launch date, whether it will duplicate and mirror the existing satellite-TV Openview, and what it might offer additionally.

eMedia's marketing and publicity executives didn't respond with any answers.

MultiChoice to add Netflix and Amazon Video Prime as video streamers, now reaches 19.5 million subscribers.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice will soon add both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as global video streamers to its DStv platform, with the pay-TV operator that continues to show pay-TV growth in South Africa and across the rest of Africa in sub-Saharan Africa, adding roughly another 900 000 DStv and GOtv subscribers over its last financial year.

MultiChoice's subscriber tally according to its latest 2019/2020 financial results released on Wednesday, is now 19.5 million, with MultiChoice that revealed that it will soon be adding two "major" international streaming services for subscribers - Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

MultiChoice already runs its own Showmax subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service.

By adding international streaming services to it's existing DStv platform MultiChoice has now clearly decided that it will go the "super aggregator" way, similar to what pay-TV services ranging from the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand have done over the past year.

In this way, existing subscribers get access to further streaming services through DStv, paying their monthly bill in local currency for the add-ons, lessening payment friction and providing one place for subscribers to find and watch the content they like.

"We have long been a content aggregator, and this is proof of our aggregator model at work
– providing simplicity, choice and convenience for our customers," says Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice CEO.

"As our industry evolves, we believe that we are well-positioned to benefit from both worlds – a
large, growing pay-TV market in Africa, as well as an emerging over-the-top (OTT)
opportunity, where our own OTT services and aggregation capabilities can drive success."

MultiChoice has shown a 5% increase in subscriber growth in its 2019/2020 financial year, taking it's total pay-TV subscriber base to 19.5 million households.

South Africa still represents MultiChoice biggest and most powerful market with 8.4 million pay-TV households, while the rest of Africa combined represents 11.1 million households.

Besides adding two global streaming services, MultiChoice is also getting ready to roll-out and launch its as-yet-unnamed "DStv dishless", stand-alone DStv streaming service that will mimic its existing direct-to-Home (DTH) service but without the need for any installation.


Covid-19 makes MultiChoice grow
Despite a tough consumer environment, MultiChoice says that its South African business "held up well" - it grew 6% year-on-year in its 2019/2020 financial year, or roughly 500 000 subscribers over a 90-day active basis.

"The impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in South Africa and associated lockdown saw an uplift in subscribers towards the end of March 2020," the pay-TV operator says.

MultiChoice says it saw "strong, ongoing growth in Connected Video users on both the DStv Now and Showmax platforms as online consumption increases" with Showmax that now has more than 50% local content.

"The aftermath of the virus and low oil price, although uncertain in quantum, will likely have a negative impact on the economies of many of the MultiChoice Group’s markets, with weaker
currencies and higher levels of unemployment expected," says Calvo Mawela.

"While macro-economic implications are largely uncontrollable, we are taking steps wherever we can to counter potential future headwinds. These include implementing further cost savings initiatives across the organization and continuing to do what we do best – provide our customers with great entertainment."

MultiChoice says that over the last financial year it has produced 3 850 additional hours of local content, with its local content library that now exceeds 56 800 hours. Local content now accounts for 40% of the total content spend.

MultiChoice is doing two new co-productions, Blood Psalms and Rogue, plans to launch 4 further new local content TV channels including a new action movie channel, and plans to further ramp up local content production in 2021.


DStv Premium base continues to shrink
MultiChoice's base of DStv Premium subscribers - it's most valuable top-tier subscribers continues to shrink in South Africa.

MultiChoice that combined DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers into a single category, has shown a 4% decline year-on-year, or 100 000 subscribers, in terms of the subscriber mix. MultiChoice says that DStv Premium pricing impacted growth.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice wants to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for TV content, next DStv Explora will provide access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video OTT streamers.
ALSO READ: EXPLAINER. How and why MultiChoice by adding video streamers to its DStv offering is finally pivoting into becoming a pay-TV Sweets from Heaven.  
ALSO READ: This is how MultiChoice changed its 2019/2020 financial results presentation in which it first revealed that it is adding Netflix and Amazon Prime Video ... and then deleted and altered its presentation.

The theatre and performing arts video streamer Marquee TV launches in South Africa as Covid-19 prompts the State Theatre in Pretoria to move to an online programme.

by Thinus Ferreira

The video streaming service Marquee TV has launched in South Africa and is now making recorded performances of world-class dance, music and theatre productions available to online subscribers, while Covid-19 has promoted the State Theatre in Pretoria to launch an online streaming programme that it will run for the rest of the year showing "unforgettable past productions" and hopefully also some new ones.

Marquee TV at www.marquee.tv that launched in 2018 as a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) has now become available in South Africa, streaming high-quality theatre content from the likes of the Royal Opera House, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Glyndebourne as well as many more.

Marquee TV costs R99.99 per month, or R999.99 for an annual subscription. Both options offer unlimited HD streaming and content can also be downloaded on mobile devices to watch later. The streamer also offers digital gift cards.

As part of an aggressive sampling and sign-up strategy, new subscribers get the first 14 days free and the streamer is also offering a 30% discount on new annual subscriptions, meaning that technically an annual Marquee TV subscription costs R699.99 for a year.

Marquee TV will compete with the likes of Netflix South Africa, MultiChoice's Showmax, Vodacom Video Play, VIU, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and other smaller SVOD players but targets a specific niche market of performance arts lovers with its rich catalogue of contemporary and classic masterpieces, including dance, opera, music, theatre, and documentaries.

Marquee TV has been designed for a growing digital audience of culture lovers and the arts-curious, targeting screen audiences who wants to see theatre performances.

Marquee TV has thousands of hours of content, including exclusive titles, behind-the-scenes content, early releases, directors' cuts and shorts with a variety of curated, world-class contemporary and classic theatrical, dance, opera, and music performances from globally renowned artistic powerhouses.

Marquee TV can be streamed through the website as well as on phones on both iOS and Android, and is also available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV.

"Watching performances on-demand is a distinct experience from heading to the theatre and streaming is opening up cultural content to a new arts-curious generation," says Simon Walker, co-founder and CEO of Marquee TV.

"After successful launches in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and New Zealand, we're thrilled to bring Marquee TV to South Africa, giving customers access to premier multi-genre performing arts content that is not available anywhere else."

Simon Walker says that Marquee TV has been positioned as a complementary option to the range of live and cinematic performances that are already available to South Africans. 

"However, these are not regular times. With theatres, auditoriums and cinemas across the country closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, Marquee TV offers a convenient and exciting addition to South Africans’ in-home viewing options."

"An additional plus is that it’s available nationwide and not only in major centres – which is where most of the country’s live arts and culture performances tend to take place."

Programming line-up 

Marquee TV’s programming includes acclaimed productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty starring Svetlana Zakharova and David Hallberg and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Richard II starring David Tennant.

There is also The Royal Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; the Royal Opera House’s Madama Butterfly starring Ermonela Jaho; Glyndebourne’s The Barber of Seville starring Danielle de Niese and Alessandro Corbelli and the New York City Ballet in Paris; as well as Kidd Pivot/Electric Company Theatre’s Betroffenheit; and contemporary productions by Akram Khan, Robert Wilson and Mark Morris.

New releases premiere every Saturday on Marquee TV. Recent premieres have included La Traviata and Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci from The Royal Opera; Swan Lake from The Royal Ballet, Giselle from the English National Ballet and the Royal Shakespeare Company's Twelfth Night.

Shows coming to Marquee TV in May include Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Shakespeare Company that was just added, Glyndebourne’s Vanessa (16 May) and Coppelia performed by the Bolshoi Ballet (30 May).

State Theatre launches online programme for 2020

Meanwhile, The State Theatre in Pretoria is also moving to online streaming with a new online programme that will replace its physical theatre-going experience for the rest of the year between May and December because of the Covid-19 national lockdown period.

"The streaming will comprise of unforgettable past productions that were recorded live at the State Theatre, and once the lockdown restrictions allow; will also look to add new productions to the schedule," says the theatre.

"Since 2014, we have been experimenting with bringing theatre online and on television," says Aubrey Sekhabi, State Theatre artistic director.

"With the lockdown, we are presented with an opportunity to experiment on this format. We are ready to launch, whilst providing relief for our artists to earn income. We also intend to solidify the online platform as an alternative or secondary platform for our artistic offering."

"We will be launching Africa Month celebrations on 24 May 2020 with the streaming of a never-seen-before performance by the multi Grammy-Awards winning acapella group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo; alongside the Guinness Record holder, Percy Maimela, Mamelodi-born Ncamisa Nqana and rounded off with Luthando Arts Academy’s soul-stirring 'Amawethu'."

Aubrey Sekhabi says that as the State Theatre establishes and grows its digital platform, it will reach audiences across Africa and the rest of the world. "This presents our artists with significantly greater earning opportunities when our productions are watched by paying audiences."

"As we navigate the possibilities and opportunities of live recording without audiences, we cannot wait to share with you our envisioned live concerts anchored by seasoned South African artists as well as offerings from Mmapula Setlhako and Hanna Van Tonder."

"In the same breath, we hope to be able to cover the set works so that we partner with the learners and the Department of Basic Education to bring these to them, in order to mitigate the interrupted learning process."

The State Theatre says that a full schedule with broadcast dates and times will be released in the coming days. All content will be loaded on the South African State Theatre’s YouTube channel.

Yet another video streamer could come to South Africa and Africa as ViacomCBS announces that it will rebrand and expand its CBS All Access and roll it out internationally.

by Thinus Ferreira

Yet another subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service could possibly make its way to Africa and South Africa with ViacomCBS that announced on Thursday that it will be rebranding its CBS All Access streaming service in the United States within a year and start to expand it internationally.

If ViacomCBS makes a relaunched CBS All All Access available in South Africa, it will compete with the existing Netflix, MultiChoice's Showmax, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, VIU, Vodacom Video Play and some other smaller SVOD players.

Not yet launched in South Africa or Africa and with only silence from The Walt Disney Company about it and the continent, is its streaming service Disney+ that was rolled out in the United States, the United Kingdom, European countries, India and New Zealand.

WarnerMedia's HBO Max is launching on 25 May in the United States - also with silence from WarnerMedia as to possible future roll-out in South Africa or Africa.

CBS All Access Originals that are only on CBS All Access in the United States is currently sold through CBS Studios International, CBS Television Studios' international distribution arm, to pay-TV channels and streamers available in Africa and South Africa, for instance M-Net and Amazon Prime Video.

The Good Fight is on M-Net (DStv 101) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, with the latest Star Trek series, Star Trek Picard on Amazon Prime Video and the new The Twilight Zone on MultiChoice's own streamer Showmax.

Bob Bakish, ViacomCBS CEO, on Thursday told investors that CBS All Access will rebrand, expands its content offering, and expand internationally within the next year.

The rebranded service will add new and original as well as library content in the form of more shows and films from other ViacomCBS divisions like Paramount and starting with 100 films added from this week, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET and other ViacomCBS pay-TV channels.

"We believe audiences want their entertainment on demand and their news, sports and events live, and our expanded offering will be the service that gives them what they want, how they want it all in one place and then a great value," Bob Bakish said.

"Our experience makes clear that we can acquire new customers in a disciplined and economically efficient way while reducing churn and driving customer retention with a deep volume of entertainment news and sports."

Bob Bakish said ViacomCBS is interested in working with existing pay-TV operators in distributing its streaming platform.

"We are full speed ahead on streaming and seeing strong demand for our services today with a strategy to achieve accelerated growth domestically and internationally in the months and years to come."

In a separate press release about the addition of the 100 films from Paramount Pictures to All Access,Julie McNamara, CBS All Access programming boss, said "Expanding CBS All Access' library of films with these iconic titles from Paramount Pictures is just one of the many ways we're integrating the phenomenal catalog of IP available to us within the ViacomCBS family".

"The service is on a growth trajectory with two record-breaking months in March and April, and we look forward to bringing even more premium content and value to our subscribers in the coming months."