BBC World News has Born to be a King special documentary today following the birth of the Prince of Cambridge yesterday.

BBC World News (DStv 400 / TopTV 400) has a special documentary, Born to be King, today, following the birth of the son yesterday of Prince William and Kate.

Born to be King with presenter Sophie Raworth is shown on BBC World News today at 15:30 and 21:30 (South African times).

Born to be King will look back on the history of Royal births, the rich tradition and endurance of Royal baby names and the challenges William and Kate could face bringing up the future heir to the throne amidst wide media attention.

Additionally BBC World News is continuing with Royal baby coverage and special reports on the historic news event.

BREAKING. Platco Digital's OpenView HD satellite TV service won't be engaging in licensable activities, says it is merely a platform.

Platco Digital, the new satellite TV operator seeking to launch the new OpenView HD service in South Africa by October with 15 TV channels but which isn't licensed by the South African broadcasting regulator says that it will not be engaging in any licensable activities on its own because it's only providing a platform for free TV channels.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) told TV with Thinus on Monday that Platco Digital's OpenView HD would need to get licensed before it starts broadcasting and that it's never heard of Platco or OpenView HD.

Platco Digital with its head office in Johannesburg is backed by e.tv's parent company Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI). HCI owns Sabido Investments, which holds a 67% interest in Platco Digital and a 63% stake in e.tv. Platco Digital is however a separate company housed in a separate building.

Platco Digital wants to start a free satellite TV service with approximately 15 free-to-air standard definition and high definition TV channels which only acquires a once-off installation cost of around R2 000.

"The authority is not aware of any launch of a new satellite television service," says Icasa. "The law is very clear that no broadcasting service can be provided without a valid broadcasting service licence issued by Icasa in terms of the Electronic Communication Act."

Platco Digital says that "in any territory where it operates, Platco Digital willwork with licensed broadcasters to provide viewers access to channels licensed to operate in those territories. Platco Digital will therefore always be in compliance with national broadcasting laws and regulations."

"Platco Digital's South African direct-to-home (DTH) platform, OpenView HD, will not be engaging in any licensable activities on its own behalf as it merely provides technical platform services to licensed free-to-air broadcasters on the basis of their existing licences," says Platco.

"Viewers wishing to access the OpenView HD offering will need to purchase and install a satellite dish and set-top box from retail outlets," says Platco. Approximately 15 TV channels will be available.

"We are excited about participating in the digital television space - there are vast opportunities to grow free television in Southern Africa and drive digital migration and we believe satellite, digital terrestrial television (DTT), mobile TV and other digital platforms can play an important role," says Maxwell Nonge, Platco Digital's managing director.

"Platco Digital has entered into partnerships with a range of companies including satellite providers, leading set-top box (STB) distributors, major retailers and broadcasters. The company is very keen to create a strong free TV platform that will benefit all."

A national roadshow is taking place this week for installers and distributors of OpenView HD to which press has not been invited.

Besides Platco Digital's OpenView HD initiative, e.tv is separately still committed to run a free-to-air digital terrestrial television (DTT) channel offering working in conjunction with the SABC to make available TV channel clusters broadcasting digitally when South Africa eventually switched from analogue to digital broadcasting, a long-delayed process known as digital migration.

BREAKING. ANN7 is coming to DStv channel 405, causing Russia Today to move to channel 407 and NDTV to move to channel 413 from August.

ANN7, the new 24-hour South African TV news channel is coming to MultiChoice's DStv channel 405, which means that Russia Today (RT) which is currently on channel 405 will be moving to channel 407 and that NDTV which is currently on channel 407 will be moving to channel 413 from August.

RT told TV with Thinus on Monday that the channel is relocating to channel 407 from August. 

MultiChoice responded to a media enquiry today about the channel number changes, saying "MultiChoice would like to advise its customers of a change in the channel number of two news channels on DStv".

"Russia Today (currently channel 405) will be moving to channel 407 and NDTV (currently channel 407) will be moving to channel 413 as from Thursday, 1 August 2013".

ANN7 starting on channel 405 necessitated the news channels' move.

The SABC's 24-hour news channel will likely get DStv channel 404, which means that all three local South African TV news channels will be in a linear grouping next to each other on channels 403, 404 and 405.

BREAKING. New South African satellite TV provider Platco Digital wants to start OpenView HD in October but isn't licensed.

A new South African satellite TV provider Platco Digital wants to start a new direct-to-home (DTH) TV offering to viewers in October but isn't licensed to do as it needs to be for such as service by South Africa's broadcasting regulator, Icasa.

Platco Digital with its head office in Johannesburg is backed by e.tv's parent company Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI). HCI owns Sabido Investments, which holds a 67% interest in Platco Digital and a 63% stake in e.tv. Platco Digital is however a separate company housed in a separate building.

Platco Digital has big plans to start a free satellite TV service with multiple free-to-air standard definition and high definition TV channels which only acquires a once-off installation cost of around R2 000.

The service would need to get licensed before it starts broadcasting with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), which makes an October starting date unlikely. Platco Digital doesn't currently have such a licence.

Starting today, Icasa is having public hearings for five possible new licences for new pay-TV broadcasting services with Kagiso TV, Siyaya Free to Air, Mindset Media Enterprises, Close-T Broadcasting Network and Mobile TV who've made the necessary applications in 2012 already.

These presentations are all for subscription television however and not for any free-to-air TV services. There isn't any free-to-air TV service licence hearing scheduled on the Icasa diary.

"The authority is not aware of any launch of a new satellite television service," Icasa tells TV with Thinus.

"Icasa will be having public hearings in respect of the applications received for individual commercial subscription broadcasting services this week.  This process follows the invitation to apply by the authority in 2012 whereby the authority received five applications."

"OpenView HD is not one of the applicants for this particular licensing process and the law is very clear that no broadcasting service can be provided without a valid broadcasting service licence issued by Icasa in terms of the Electronic Communication Act."

In a statement Platco says it wants to "provide carriage to licensed free TV broadcasts locally and the rest of Africa". The company has uplink fascilities in Cape Town and aims to acquire as many channels as possible "to ensure sustainability and will offer both standard and high definition".

Besides Platco Digital's OpenView HD initiative, e.tv is separately still committed to run a free-to-air digital terrestrial television (DTT) channel offering working in conjunction with the SABC to make available TV channel clusters broadcasting digitally when South Africa eventually switched from analogue to digital broadcasting, a long-delayed process known as digital migration.

Platco Digital spokesperson Zenzele Bam declined to answer specific questions around OpenView HD such as whether Platco Digital is licensed to start this service, what the service will cost, and how many channels and what type of channels are envisioned for the platform.

A national roadshow is taking place this week for installers and distributors of OpenView HD to which press has not been invited.

M-Net secures the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards; grabs new drama King & Maxwell for September.

M-Net has secured the broadcasting rights to The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards which the South African pay-TV broadcaster will be showing live and in high definition (HD) early in the morning of 23 September, and again in South African primetime on 23 September at 20:30.

M-Net once again leads as the South African broadcaster with the most Emmy nominated shows.

M-Net also picked up the broadcasting rights to the new drama series King & Maxwell which just started in America and which will start on M-Net (DStv 101) on 19 September at 19:30.

King & Maxwell follows Sean King (Jon Tenney) and Michelle Maxwell (Rebecca Romijn), former secret service agents who solve crimes as private detectives.

The Walking Dead season 4 will start in South Africa on DStv and TopTV on FOX within a week of 13 October when it starts in America.

The fourth season of the zombie drama The Walking Dead will start in South Africa on MultiChoice's DStv and on On Digital Media's TopTV on FOX (DStv 125 / TopTV 180) within days and less than a week after the new season kicks off on 13 October in the United States.

FOX International Channels (FIC) says its committed to rolling out the fourth season of The Walking Dead "across all FOX International Channels markets" since it remains committed to broadcast the series near the launch day and date globally of the AMC channel which shows it in the United States.

FIC says The 4th season of The Walking Dead will start internationally in 120 countries within the same week as the show returns in the United States.

"A 16 episode season of the series will air in two-parts with the first eight hours kicking off the week of 13 October and returning February 2014 with the final eight episodes," says FIC in a press release.

"Internationally season 3 consistently ranked as the number one show on pay-tv, beating out all other completion in major markets and out-performing all prior season averages."

"In the highly anticipated new season, we find Rick and the group fostering a thriving community in the safe haven of the prison. Sadly, in this brutal world, happiness is short-lived and walkers and outside threats are no match for danger brewing inside the fences. The group's home and new way of life will be thoroughly tested, and their struggle to survive has never been so perilous."

Al Jazeera America announces senior executive appointment ahead of the 20 August launch of the new American version of the news channel.

Al Jazeera's new American spin-off new channel Al Jazeera America which will start in the United States next month in the place of the discontinued CurrentTV which finally folded there as well has appointed Kate O'Brian as the president of the American version of the 24-hour news channel financed by Qatar.

Kate O'Brian will work alongside Ehab Al-Shihabi who has been named the interim CEO of Al Jazeera America.

It's not clear what programming of Al Jazeera America such as its planned flagship nightly news programme, America Tonight, would be syndicated and be shown on Al Jazeera English (DStv 406 / TopTV 401), if any.

Al Jazeera America also appointed David Ross as senior vice president of news programming, Marcy McGinnis as senior vice president of newsgathering and Shannon High-Bassalik as senior vice president of documentaries and programmes.

According to The Huffington Post MSNBC (TopTV 410) is losing the TV presenter David Schuster who will be joining Al Jazeera America.

"The groundbreaking American news channel is scheduled to launch on 20 August," says dr. Mostefa Souag, the acting director general of Al Jazeera Media Network in a press release.

"As president, Kate O'Brian will be based at Al Jazeera America's headquarters in New York City and will have full responsibility for defining and implementing the editorial strategy and operations across the network, including news, documentary and all other programming."

"Kate's arrival speaks volumes about what we intend to do and how we intend to do it. She is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist who fully understands what Americans want to see and hear when they watch the news. Kate has the vision, tenacity and integrity to ensure that Al Jazeera America will quickly become the success we expect it to be," says dr. Mostefa Souag.

"Al Jazeera America will demonstrate that quality journalism is alive and well in the United States," says Kate O'Brian in the statement. "As I bring everything I learned to this new role I’m looking forward to showing the Al Jazeera viewers that there is a strong demand for the type of in depth reporting for which Al Jazeera is so well known."

MultiChoice ended Afro Music Pop channel; says 'music channel is not popular and for this reason it was terminated on DStv'.

MultiChoice has ended the Afro Music Pop (DStv 326) TV channel on its DStv satellite pay-TV platform, citing its unpopularity under subscribers.

Afro Music was ended on DStv three years after it was added during which time it underwent a name and format change in 2012 from the Afro Music channel to Afro Music Pop.

"We conduct regular research on our channels' performance and we have found that this music channel is not popular and for this reason it was terminated on DStv," says MultiChoice in response to a media enquiry.

Afro Music Pop specialised in Nigerian, South Africa, and other African rhythms mixed with R&B, hip-hop and international pop music.

New minister of communications Yunis Carrim meets with SABC; says digital terrestrial migration, vacant exec positions to be addressed urgently.

The new minister of communications Yunis Carrim and the deputy minister of communications, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams met with the SABC management, SABC board, trade unions and SABC staff to talk about the public broadcaster's long-delayed digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration process, the SABC's turnaround strategy and critical issues preventing the SABC from moving forward.

"We looked at the need of the filling of critical positions at senior management level and some of the challenges around that," said Yunis Carrim.

"We will be back here in two weeks to take things further. We've set up a joint technical task team without interfering with the operational autonomy of the SABC. We want to help, as a shareholder to assist the SABC to be the fully functioning, effective, public broadcaster it needs to be, and this country so desperately needs," said Yunis Carrim.

"The SABC board and management agreed with us that we need to settle outstanding matters related to digital terrestrial broadcasting migration, including the set-top box issues, so that the project is expediously implemented in all our interests. It was also agreed that challenges in filling senior management posts will be addressed urgently."

"It's very clear that the things that have been delaying our progress he is taking very seriously and is taking them rapidly, in particular matters relating around digital terrestrial television (DTT and the roll-out of DTT and providing appropriate oversight on implementation," said Lulama Mokhobo, the SABC's CEO.

"[He's looking at] the matter of the SABC's chief operating officer (COO), we have had a litigant that position back for a long time; and also looking in general, how do we bring the SABC to where it should be. How do we lift it to where it should be? We are very excited," said Lulama Mokhobo. "It's going to be business unusual at the SABC under his tenure."

"We are determined to play our full role in turning the SABC around," said Ellen Tshabalala, the SABC board chairperson.

The department of communications will be back at the SABC in two weeks.