CANCELLED. All Access Mzansi on Mzansi Magic cancelled; Top Ten a gonner too as the TV channel 'moves towards a new period'.

Broadcasters simply loathe using that word but I can tell you that All Access Mzansi on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) has been cancelled and won't be back; My Top 10 on Mzansi Magic is a gonner too.

The Mzansi Magic channel's top brass feels that both shows have run their course.

All Access Mzansi, produced by Homebrew Films, used to be All Access on M-Net before that show was cancelled after just over two years on the air by the pay-TV broadcaster on the M-Net channel (DStv 101).

A derivative, repurposed show for a black urban audience under the banner of All Access Mzansi was then started for Mzansi Magic with new presenters. Now after another two years All Access Mzansi is also over.

"All Access Mzansi and My Top 10 have enjoyed a great run on the channel since launching two years ago and as Mzansi Magic moves towards a new period, we look forward to launching more exciting content," the TV channel tells me.

Vuzu grabs Million Dollar Listing New York; the new spin-off jumps from Universal Channel to Vuzu to start on 29 December.

You're reading it here first. 

Million Dollar Listing New York is coming to Vuzu (DStv 116) and I can reveal that the estate agent reality show spin-off with three new estate agents is set to start on Saturday, 29 December.

South African viewers of course saw the first three seasons of the original, Million Dollar Listing, now retitled Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles on The Universal Channel since 2010.

The fourth season of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, the first one with the longer name, has not started on The Universal Channel (yet), and whether that show might now also move house to a new chnnel such as Vuzu is not know.

Million Dollar Listing New York is the spin-off which was commissioned and filmed at the beginning of this year and which has been renewed for a second season. Similar to the original, it follows three real estate agents in the Big Apple, selling and buying expensive properties for clients.

The first season, which is incredibly funny and has several jaw-dropping must-see moments, follows the quirky yet cutthroat (well, at least two of them are) Ryan Serhant, Fredrik Eklund and Michael Lorber as they buy and sell properties for clients throughout New York.

Giuliana Rancic COULD have visited South Africa at the end of August, but cancelled in February because of the arrival of her baby boy.

You're reading it here first. 

Giuliana Rancic and her husband Bill Rancic could both have visited South Africa at the end of August - but cancelled.

The E! News presenter and managing editor of E! Entertainment (DStv 124) had the opportunity to visit South Africa but cancelled because of the arrival of their baby boy Edward Duke who was to arrive at that time.

In their reality show Giuliana and Bill on Style (DStv 173), cameras were present when Giuliana and Bill, in the back of a car, got a call from Giuliana Rancic's friend and manager Pam who told her that a South African trip - Giuliana's first - is now a possibility, and would include a five day stay and a safari if she agreed to two speeches.

Tonight's episode, halfway through the latest 5th season on Style, was filmed in mid-February in Chicago just after the Grammy Awards, which is when Giuliana Rancic cancelled on South Africa.

By that time the Rancic's haven't told anybody about their baby and the pregnancy which was in the first trimester. Since Pam is Giuliana's manager, Giuliana Rancic couldn't decline a South Africa visit without a very good reason and explanation. She and Bill decided to tell Pam over the phone about their baby news.

"Not only do I have to cancel South Africa, I have a baby shower to throw," said Pam.

Edward Duke was born at the end of August. George Kotsiopoulos from Fashion Police on E! Entertainment ended up visiting South Africa during the last week of August.

Studio Universal on DStv tripled its audience in South Africa in the past year; now second most watched movie channel in the country, says UNI.

Since launching a year ago in October 2011 on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform, the South African viewership of the Studio Universal (DStv 112) channel has more than tripled, making it the number two most watched movie channel in the country, says Universal Network International (UNI).

Studio Universal got upgraded to a high definition (HD) channel on DStv at the beginning of this month, as well as The Universal Channel (DStv 117) which is also run by UNI.

"The HD launches correlate to remarkable viewership growth for both channels across Africa and demonstrate UNI's ongoing committment to the African market," says UNI in a statement.

The Universal Channels' audience has grown consistently year-on-year for the past three years, increasing by 60% in January to September 2012, compared to 2010.

"The entire UNI portfolio - which includes Studio Universal, Universal Channel, the recently refreshed E! Entertainment (DStv 124) and Style (DStv 173) - has gone from strength to strengh, with strong year on year growth in audience share," says UNI.

"The [Studio Universal and Universal Channel in Africa] channels' high-quality international series and movies, tailored to the local market, have resonated with the African audience and we will continue our investment in the region to further enhance viewer experience," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at Universal Networks International.

Sony Max grabs the first season of Man v. Food Nation as well as two accompanying specials for South Africa and Africa.

Sony Max (DStv 128) in Africa and South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv has acquired the broadcasting rights to Man v. Food Nation in a deal with distributor Passion Distribution.

Adam Richman is the presenter of the show and Sony Max acquired the first season of Man v. Food Nation as well as two accompanying specials.

"Africa is becoming a hugely viable market for Passion and one we are seeing a lot of growth in," says Rebecca Thomas, sales manager for Passion Distribution in a press statement.

"We are continually doing business with countries across the continent by focusing on the individual territories as well as the larger pan broadcasters, in order to continue this growth into 2013 and beyond."

Programming note: US election campaign moves one episode each of Ellen, Revolution and Partners on M-Net Series and M-Net.

M-Net (DStv 101) and M-Net Series (DStv 114) just advised about the following short notice scheduling changes affecting a few American TV shows which broadcasting dates follow closely behind America.

Due to the election campaign running in the United States and some preemptions the following is going to happen:

Tomorrow, 26 October at 18:30 M-Net Series (DStv 114) will repeat an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show which has previously been shown on the channel.

Next week Thursday, 1 November at 20:30 M-Net Series (DStv 114) will not be showing a new episode of Revolution as scheduled. The new drama series will be replaced by episode 4 of Perez Hilton for the week.

Next week Friday 2 November at 18:00,M-Net (DStv 101) will not be showing a new episode of Partners as scheduled. The sitcom will be replaced for one week by On The Red Carpet.

BREAKING. Oprah's new talk show coming to South Africa on 26 Nov as Oprah's Next Chapter goes global with Justin Bieber special interview.

You're reading it here first. 

Oprah Winfrey's new and very successful weekly talk show in America, Oprah's Next Chapter, is coming to South Africa on 26 November as Oprah's Next Chapter is going global with an upcoming episode in which Oprah Winfrey is interviewing popstar Justin Bieber and which will be shown in 100 countries around the world on TLC (TopTV 453 / DStv 172).

South African TV viewers' first glimpse of Oprah Winfrey's new talk show will happen on 26 November.

It comes on the heels of last month's Oprah Winfrey special TV documentary going inside her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls which was broadcast on TLC in South Africa before it was shown on her OWN TV channel in the United States.

South African viewers will see the episode of Oprah's Next Chapter on Monday 26 November on TLC on DStv and TopTV, just one day after it is broadcast in America on Sunday 25 November. Europe will see it on 27 November.

While Oprah Winfrey's new talk show is doing incredibly well on OWN in America, neither SABC3, M-Net, Top One, TLC or any other broadcaster in South Africa so far tried to get and show it for viewers.

In June the Associated Press asked who is filling Oprah Winfrey's shoes and getting all the big must-see "gets'" now that she's ended her daytime talk show? The answer was .. Oprah.

From the Kasdashians, to 50 Cent, from Michael Jackson's daughter Paris to Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina, and a broad range of celebrities, it is still Oprah Winfrey who snags the biggest exclusives and sit-down interviews first in addition to running her TV channel.

Now South African viewers will be exposed to Oprah's Next Chapter, although just one hour long episode for now, which will be seen in 100 countries around the world.

Discovery as a co-owner in Oprah Winfrey's OWN, is going to show the 25 November American episode of Oprah's Next Chapter in 100 countries around the world with Discovery Networks International using its TLC channel to show the episode.

For the episode Oprah Winfrey attended Justin Bieber's concert at All-State Arena in Rosemont, Illinois last night before chatting to him at the RL Restaurant in Chicago.

Justin Bieber talks about the pitfalls of fame and living in the spotlight after they go shopping at the Ralph Lauren store in Chicago. Justin Bieber then surprises thousands of curious onlookers with an impromptu acoustic performance.

Bessie Tugwana is back as the permanent channel head of SABC2, following her stint as the acting head of television at the SABC.

You're reading it here first. 

Bessie Tugwana is back as the permanent channel head of SABC2, I can report.

Bessie Tugwana who used to be the SABC2 channel head, was elevated at the beginning of 2011 to the newly created position of head of television at the SABC (but in an acting capacity) when the SABC's top brass decided to reorganize the SABC's services from a public and commercial services separation, to a radio and TV division.

Previously there was the public TV channels SABC1 and SABC2 on one side with public radio stations, with the commercial TV channel SABC3 and the commercial radio stations of the public broadcaster on the other side.

At the beginning of 2011 as part of the SABC's turnaround strategy, all three TV stations were lumped together with a new head of television; and all the radio stations were grouped together with a head of radio.

When Bessie Tugwana was given the position in an acting capacity, Pulane Tshabalala took over in February 2011 as the new acting channel head of SABC2.

Bessie Tugwana is now back as the "real" channel head of SABC2, following the appointment of Veronah Duwarkah at the end of last week, and with immediate effect as the new permanent head of television at the SABC.

Al Jazeera cuts back on news staff across the globe as the Qatar based 24-hour news channel keeps paying big bucks for sports rights.

The TV news biz has been abuzz over Al Jazeera (TopTV 401 / DStv 406) slashing news staff across the globe as the Qatar headquarter based 24 hour news channel from the Middle East is forking out massive amounts of money to acquire sports rights.

The cost of sports rights has meant cuts in the news side of the business, with the authoritative Bloomberg BusinessWeek reporting that Al Jazeera English, the language channel feed which South African viewers can see on MultiChoice's DStv and On Digital Media's TopTV, has cut or relocated at least 200 staff members as part of budget cuts.

According to reports plans Al Jazeera to start that Swahili language news channel offshoot has also been dumped as Al Jazeera is centralizing its editorial control in Doha.

Al Jazeera is now paying big money for European soccer rights as the country prepares to host the World Cup in 2022, and grabbing exclusive broadcasting rights to popular soccer games in the United States and France. The channel has spend half a billion dollars on soccer rights in France so far.

About 80% of Al Jazeera staff in Kuala Lumpur are gone and half of Al Jazeera staff in Washington DC are gone.