BREAKING. SABC calls out South Africa's independent TV producers 'that we always have issues with' to donate to its Somalia campaign.

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In a ''morning show-turned-telethon'', the SABC2's morning show Morning Live suddenly called out independent television producers in South Africa today, asking them to pledge and give money to the SABC's ''Touching Lives in Somalia'' fund-raising campaign.

Neither the SABC nor the channel SABC2 which broadcasts Morning Live bothered to tell the press that cover television in advance about the sudden ''Touching Lives in Somalia'' telethon that took place this morning. Also unannounced was that Morning Live was suddenly extended by an hour.

The broadcaster's telethon came across as unprofessional compared to previous similar attempts by the SABC and Morning Live which previously raised funds for crises like after the Haiti earthquake. Morning Live co-presenter Leanne Manas was not on duty with Florence Metoaba sitting in.

The South African public broadcaster that has had a strained relationship with independent producers in the country the past few years, this morning suddenly wanted producers to donate money to the SABC's campaign. Meanwhile the independent TV production sector in South Africa has been decimated the past 3 years by the SABC's reluctance and inability to commission new local programming that cost the jobs of thousands of people working in this struggling industry.

''We have got a lot of people that we always have issued with, with our independent producers that we're giving all the work to,'' said the SABC's spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago when Morning Live presenter Vuyo Mbuli asked who should come forward to donate to the Touching Lives in Somalia campaign. ''Really, they must come up and contribute. The Desiree Markgraaffs of this world, they must come. We always meet when we are arguing. Today it's for a good cause. Let us come together,'' said Kaizer Kganyago.

''Desiree Markgraaff, independent producer, give us a call. We urge you,'' said Vuyo Mbuli.

In the cringe-inducing call-out in which Kaizer Kganyago said the PSL and Safa (both soccer bodies that the SABC is in the process of negotiating with and in a bidding process with) should pledge. The SABC also mentioned Sony by name ''who we buy some outside broadcast (OB) units from, they must come up. R300 000 is not much.''

Even ex SABC executives were called out by name. ''My former CEO of the SABC, Dali Mpofu, come up and contribute. Solly Mokoetle ... wherever you are. Really. All of those people must come up and contribute,'' said Kaizer Kganyago.

The SABC's Charlotte Mampane, group executive for editorial policy also appeared on the show to be interviewed by Vuyo Mbuli - which led to an akward live moment on Morning Live.

''As a public broadcaster it's important for us to provide a platform from time to time to mobilize support for not just South Africans only but for other countries as well. I'm told there's a target this time that we have to reach,'' she said.

''How much is the target?'' asked Vuyo Mbuli.

''Uhm... should we announce it now?'' said-questioned Charlotte Mampane.

''Yes,'' said Vuyo Mbuli.

''... or should we allow South Africans to continue to pledge and we'll announce the target at the end of the project?'' said Charlotte Mampane, her response more a statement than a question. The conversation ended with this exchange.

ALSO READ: South African television producer Desiree Markgraaff reacts after SABC calls her and producers out to give money to Somalia.

UPDATE 21:00 - On Thursday evening the SABC failed to either show on-screen or tell viewers audibly in the various TV news bulletins shown on SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 that SMSes to the ''Touching Lives in Somalia'' telethon SMS number actually cost R10 each.
The various news bulletins of the SABC told viewers they can still SMS. None of the bulletins however showed or told viewers about the crucial information that it cost a whopping R10 per SMS. Morning Live this morning on SABC2 did indicate during that broadcast for viewers who saw that, that a SMS to the number will cost R10 each.

BREAKING. Programming note: Sky News adds a special hour long live debate tonight at 21:00 on the London Riots 2011.

A breaking news, special programming note: Sky News (DStv 402) will have a special live TV debate tonight, Thursday 11 August at 21:00 (South African time), on the London Riots 2011 and will be asking: ''Why are they rioting?''

The Sky News Riots 2011 debate is a special, just-added hour long programme that will be presented and moderated by Sky News anchor Colin Brazier.

The Sky News rioting debate will be divided into three sections: Why are people rioting? Who is to blame? What can we do about it?

The debate will carry international and regional commentary from across England and Emma Hurd, Sky News' international correspondent will also deliver a special report on the riots that's rocked Britain since Saturday at the opening of this special debate. In a fascinating addition, Sky News will run a real-time, on-screen vote, so viewers will be able to see how the debate and different viewpoints are possibly influencing viewers' thinking during the course of the hour.

''We have seen an extraordinary outburst of violence in London and other cities across England,'' says John Ryley, head of Sky News.  ''This debate will look at getting to the bottom of what's caused the unrest and no doubt bring up the questions many people want answered.''

BREAKING. Kim Kasdashian's wedding to be broadcast on E! Entertainment in South Africa as a two part special in January 2012.

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The August 20 wedding of reality star Kim Kasdashian, as well as the events leading up to that as well as the (sure to be drama-filled wedding planning) will be broadcast as a two part special on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) in South Africa in January, while the new season of Keeping Up with the Kasdashians will start in South Africa in October.

I can break the news that the two part special, Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kasdashian Event will be shown in South Africa in January 2012 on Saturday 15 January and Saturday 22 January at 21:00.

Kim Kasdashian is set to marry her fiance Kris Humphries on August 20 in Montecito, California and the E! Entertainment cameras will be there, as well as during the days leading up to the event. The Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kasdashian Event is a separate TV special that will show the actual wedding and everything happening on the wedding day, as well as the wedding planning, the bachelor and bachelorette parties and the drama-filled days leading up to the big day.

BREAKING. The Food Network to do its first-ever South African local cooking show with South African chef Jenny Morris.

The Food Network (DStv 185) in Britain - which is the feed of the channel that's seen in South Africa through MultiChoice's pay platform - and which has just commissioned its first original TV show, Andy Bates' Street Feasts, is also going to do a first-ever local South African TV show with the chef Jenny Morris.

ALSO READ: The Food Network as seen in South Africa orders its first original TV series, Andy Bates' Street Feasts.

ALSO READ: The Food Network working on bringing viewers more original non-American programming.

In a Food Network press statement announcing the news about Jenny Morris getting a show on the channel, Nick Thorogood, managing director for the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region says the channel is ''delighted to have Jenny Morris on board''.

''It's great to be collaborating with someone as knowledgeable and talented as Jenny Morris for our first SA commissioned show. She is well established and respected in the industry and we're really looking forward to developing a great show with her that will inspire foodies and non-foodies alike.''

Jenny Morris says she ''excited'' to be working with The Food Network to develop the channel's first South African show.

Programming note: Pick n Pay's Ramond Ackerman on CNBC Africa's A View from the Top on Friday at 18:00.

''We're a teenage country going through teenage problems. Politicians are young and are learning and are getting better.'' So says South African supermarket supremo and Pick n Pay pioneer Raymond Ackerman in an in-depth and fascinating interview that was recorded last week and will be broadcast tomorrow, Friday 12 August, on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) at 18:00 in A View from the Top with Eleni Giokos.

In the must-see interview (I attended the recording last week in Cape Town) Raymond Ackerman talks about Wal-Mart, mistakes he made at Pick n Pay, opportunities in South Africa within the retail sector and elsewhere, why he's optimistic about the country and what he think's of renewed political murmurs of ''nationalisation''.

In the interview Raymond Ackerman provides tantalizing glimpses out of the past where he was approached to be involved in price collusion (which is basically why he started Pick n Pay), what he thinks of Wal-Mart coming to South Africa, and some of Pick n Pay's plans for the future like expansion further into Africa.

''There isn't an industry in South Africa that's not opening up - there's sno much happening. There's opportunities everywhere,'' says Raymond Ackerman in the CNBC Africa interview that viewers will see tomorrow night. ''The opportunities are unquestionably there.''

He also talks about nationalisation, saying ''governments don't seem to be able to run businesses''. He's also critical of South Africa's labour legislation, imploring government to relax labour laws. ''On the labour front, labour legislation needs to be majorly relaxed to spur job growth. On the labour front we need far more freedom to employ more people. We could employ thousands more people if labour laws were more flexible,'' says Raymond Ackerman.

CONFIRMED. The popular reality show The X Factor US with Simon Cowell starting in September, coming to M-Net from October.

M-Net has just officially confirmed what TV with Thinus readers would have known for months now: That the broadcaster tried to get, and has just secured the broadcasting rights to the new American version of Simon Cowell's reality show, The X Factor US. It will start on M-Net in early October after its September debut in America.

ALSO READ: November 2010: M-Net confirms its trying to get The X Factor for M-Net in 2011.
ALSO READ: February 2011: A local South African version of The X Factor on M-Net ''a very strong possibility''.
ALSO READ: July 2011: M-Net definitely planning on showing The X Factor US shortly after it starts in America; doing MasterChef South Africa since The X Factor SA format rights too expensive for now.

Simon Cowell that left American Idol is back on television from September in America and he's producing and will be a judge in an American version of Britain's extremely popular reality show. M-Net has finally acquired the rights and will have The X Factor US on the schedule from early October. Last month Simon Cowell that he believes that The X Factor will be bigger than American Idol in the ratings – currently America's most watched TV show. He's reteamed with his slightly cooky former American Idol judge Paula Abdul who's also a judge on The X Factor US.

''The X Factor US will be joining the list of M-Net super-weight titles on the magic mantle,'' M-Net confirms in a press release. ''Bringing The X Factor US to M-Net viewers once again proves that the channel has become the home of blockbuster reality shows,'' says Pierre Cloete, M-Net and M-Net HD channel head in the statement. ''Following the success of American Idol we can't wait to see the entertainment that The X Factor US has in store.''

''The X Factor US is an exclusive for M-Net in South Africa,'' says Tracey Gilchrist, head of acquisitions at M-Net. ''The X Factor US will follow a similar broadcast pattern to the American broadcasting dates, reducing the turnaround time between programming in America and here in South Africa.''

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. Falling Skies on Fox Entertainment is going to take your breath away with what's coming.

I was drinking some Lemon Twist and some just went into my nose. There is simply no better drama show on South African television right now that Steven Spielberg's Falling Skies on Mondays on Fox Entertainment (TopTV 180) at 20:15.

Skitters? Mechs? Oh please. How about ... gasp! Another third type of alien? The real extra-terrestrial puppet masters ... revealed!

Of course I'm watching ahead with Falling Skies, so I can warn you: keep watching or start watching this fantastic show! I'm not going to spoil any upcoming surprises but boy, will you're eyes go big look like Noah Wyle's (who plays Tom) when you get to the upcoming episode where a true close encounter of the third kind awaits.

''They don't ... understand.'' ''They didn't expect ... resistance ... on this level ... They want to talk.''

AfricaCast 2011 summit and two day conference in Cape Town in November to look at TV, telecoms, IT and broadcasting market across Africa.

The AfricaCast 2011 two day summit and conference event is set to take place on 9 and 10 November in Cape Town, South Africa at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) and will bring together broadcasters, satellite providers, telecommunications companies, pay TV operators, regulators, content providers, producers and production fascilities and from across the African continent for this massive event.

Sub-Saharan Africa had 34,5 million TV households last year which is expected to grow to 42,1 million by 2015. Of these, 3,5 million are already pay TV subscribers - 11% of the total. AfricaCast is a new event organised by Informa's Com World Series and IP&TV World Series to address, discuss and look at the challenges and opportunities in Africa's broadcasting and television market.

More than 150 speakers are set to attend AfricaCast 2011, among them A level executives from South Africa's MultiChoice, SouthTel and the SABC, as well as MTN, Vodacom, the BBC, Facebook, Google and a range of business leaders from telecom, television and IT companies across the African continent. A range of exhibitors, companies and attendees will all talk television, technology, telecommunication and the summit will look at the role of new players in the market, network capacities, local content, new business models and regulation.

''Satellite television still dominates the market, but new technologies like digital terrestrial television (DTT), online television and mobile TV, coupled with the imminent switch to all digital, mean that the broadcasting market across Africa is due to experience great changes and increased competition in the years to come,'' says AfricaCast. ''AfricaCast is a new event organised to address the unique challenges.''

Fascinating keynote speakers and breakaway panel discussions are planned for AfricaCast 2011 ranging from a British perspective and lessons learnt from DTT and the introduction there of DVB-T2 as digital television standard, overviews of the TV market in Africa, local content, local news, 3D content in Africa, new telecoms services and their impact, IPTV, broadcasting strategies in a competitive environment, a changing ICT market and a plethora more than includes an AfriCom Awards ceremony on Wednesday 9 November.

People can register online at http://www.africacast-event.com/ or email itmevents@informa.com for more information about the AfricaCast 2011 summit.

Megyn Kelly back on the Fox News Channel with a new hair do after the birth of her baby daughter, Yardley.

Megyn Kelly is back on the Fox News Channel (TopTV 405) after she left the channel at the beginning of April for maternity leave and the birth of her daughter.

Megyn Kelly is back since Monday on the news channel and America Live with Megyn Kelly weekdays at 19:30 and has a shorter hairstyle than her longer locks of before. Her new daughter is named Yardley Evans Brunt.and she already has a son named Yates.

''I want to thank all the viewers for their wishes of support and everyone here at Fox News for the same,'' she said.