MultiChoice shuts offices and branches in Nigeria and Zambia after protests following xenophobic violence in South Africa; Tiwa Savage cancels on DStv Delicious Festival; Zambia cancels international football match.

South Africa's MultiChoice Group has shut down the pan-African pay-TV operator's offices and branches in Nigeria and Zambia indefinitely following public protest action, with the Nigeria singer Tiwa Savage who has dumped the DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival, while Zambia has cancelled an international friendly football match.

MultiChoice has indefinitely shuttered its offices in Lagos, Nigeria as well as in Lusaka, Zambia following public protests at its offices in these countries.

The protest action follows a horrific spate of xenophobic violence and looting in Alexandra in South Africa directed against mostly immigrant-owned shops across Johannesburg that started in Jeppestown on Sunday and by Tuesday had engulfed Alexandra, Tembisa, Germiston, Kempton Park, Coronation Park, Turffontein and Malvern. Five people have so far died.

Joe Heshu, MultiChoice's head of corporate affairs, says MultiChoice decided to shut its brances in Nigeria and Zambia "to safeguard customers and staff until further notices". These MultiChoice offices and brances will remain closed indefinitely "until the situation is under control".

MultiChoice in a statement on Wednesday said that it urges "all our customers, followers and stakeholders to shun violence".

"MultiChoice is committed to uniting Africans through our programming and cultural initiatives."

"We advocate equality and condemn all forms of discrimination. The ongoing violence in South Africa against foreign nationals, is against the spirit of Africa, and counter-productive to the decades of work done by African leaders and well-meaning organisations to unite the continent."

The company said that "We are a proudly African company and although our story began in South Africa, today we represent the African continent in all its diversity through our presence across the region."

"We embrace and celebrate the diversity of varied nationalities, traditions, cultures and religions from across the continent and beyond."

"This is demonstrated through our multinational staff complement, our multicultural supply chain, as well as the local and international content that we showcase on both our DStv and GOtv platforms."

"We believe Africa’s full potential can only be realised through dialogue, peace, and unity. This is a sombre period for every African on the continent and beyond, and we urge all our customers, followers, and stakeholders to shun violence."

Tiwa Savage, Zambian soccer cancel on South Africa Meanwhile the Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage on Wednesday said publicly that she's done with the upcoming DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival over the shocking xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

The 2019 DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival is set to take place at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Midrand on 21 and 22 September.

Tiwa Savage said "I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is sick. For this reason I will not be performing at the upcoming DStv Delicious Festival in Johannesburg".

Meanwhile AFP reports that Zambia has cancelled an international friendly football match which was set to take place in Lusaka next weekend against South Africa. The match was also cancelled over the shocking xenophobic attacks.

"This is because of the security concerns, you never know what can happen," the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) secretary general Adrian Kashala, told AFP. "We want to be sure of the security of (the) visiting team".

Right2Know slams SABC over its alleged 'blackout' on coverage of horrific xenophobia attacks in KwaZulu-Natal; says 'people have a right to be informed'.

The Right2Know public pressure group (R2K) has slammed the South African public broadcaster over its alleged "blackout" of coverage of shocking xenophobia attacks in the country's KwaZulu-Natal province.

"We strongly condemn the recent destructive and violent attacks on foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal," says R2K in a statement.

"The situation has reached a stage where we call on government and leaders to refrain from making utterances that can fuel anger and hate which as we see are resulting in widespread violence."

"We call on political leaders to refrain from a narrative that seeks to propose foreign nationals as the problem in this country which we view as an unfortunate attempt to divert attention from the real frustrations and genuine challenges faced by communities," says R2K.

"We cannot allow a situation where foreign nationals are used as a proxy for political battle".

R2K says "Currently, there are violent riots, stone throwing, trucks looted and burnt, cars set alight – a situation far from under control with no confirmed arrests. The time is now for the government to publicly show their concern for the events as unfolded in KZN."

"There is a large scale destruction and looting of foreign-owned shops and locally owned assets.  These xenophobic attacks are clearly not only an attack on foreigners but on South Africans too."

"The SABC blackout on this news is creating a false sense of security," says R2K.

"The reality in KwaZulu-Natal is being published via social media platforms and local radio stations. People have the right to be informed of occurrences that impact their lives."

"The public is walking into an ambush by not being informed of these spates of violence. As a national broadcaster, the SABC is mandated to broadcast our realities."

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 17 April 2015.

Contempt of court proceedings started against MultiChoice Nigeria's managing director John Ugbe.
MultiChoice Nigeria has allegedly refused to obey the urgent court interdict granted last week by Nigeria's Federal High Court in Lagos to not hike DStv fees with 20% from April.

MultiChoice Nigeria's PR manager, Caroline Oghuma is also in trouble and is also facing committal proceedings - the court was asked that both John Ugbe and Caroline Oghuma give written undertakings that they will obey the court interdict. The case has been adjourned to 5 May.
The Daily Independent in Nigeria reports that John Ugbe and Caroline Oghuma could be going to prison for disobeying the court's order.
The New Telegraph reports that MultiChoice Nigeria says it received the injunction after it already raised DStv subscriptions. MultiChoice Nigeria's lawyer also told The Nation DStv was not bound to obey the interdict court order.


Total TV trash: ESPN reporter Britt McHenry is a total b*tch to a towing lot attendant.
The disgusting Britt McHenry from ESPN is caught on camera, spouting filth like "I'm in the news sweetheart, I will f*cking sue this place", "Do you feel good about your job? So I could be a college dropout and do the same thing?", I'm on television and you're in a f*cking trailer, honey", "Lose some weight, baby girl".

Britt McHenry continues the insults: "That’s why I have a degree and you don't. I wouldn't work in a scumbag place like this" and "it makes my skin crawl even being here".


WikiLeaks publishes 30 287 documents and 173 132 emails from Sony Pictures.
More embarrassment is coming for Sony. WikiLeaks says the documents show "the inner workings of an influential multinational corporation". Sony Pictures is completely blindsided by the document dump. Sony says in a statement "we strongly condemn WikiLeaks for publishing leaked emails" and calls it a "malicious criminal act".


Tumisho Masha tells SABC News (DStv 404) xenophobia is our story and South African artists need to tell these stories.
Actor and artist is organising a 2 day conference for actors and presenters on 28 and 29 April to help artists in South Africa's film and television industry to get to grips with the local and international entertainment industry.

Globally, watching TV on a traditional TV set is ... actually declining.
Worldwide viewership is down by 13% - the rate of decline is surprising, and its mostly driven by younger people watching in new ways on new devices. Oh, and there's even more rapid changes happening in TV right now.

Netflix wants to destroy the TV Industrial Complex.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings says linear TV has had an amazing run but "internet TV is going to replace linear TV".