BREAKING. ESPN has to continue to provide American sport to MultiChoice, some ESPN content will be shifted to SuperSport channels.

ESPN which is removing its ESPN channels - ESPN and ESPN Classic - from MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform at the end of the month, is going to have to continue to provide DStv with certain ESPN programming such as golf, the US Open Tennis tournaments, NCAA basketball, the X Games, motorsport, boxing and ESPN documentary films.

ESPN is pulling its channels from Africa, the Middle East and Europe which means the end of these channels on pay-TV operators' channel line-ups like DStv.

Yet ESPN has/had a standing contract with MultiChoice and other pay-TV operators - and were strongly reminded of that.

The past few weeks since ESPN made the announcement, there's been a to-and-fro regarding the issue behind-the-scenes and now a not so preferable, but workable plan B: shifting ESPN content to SuperSport channels on DStv.

TV with Thinus asked SuperSport last week whether it is in talks with ESPN to take over ESPN content or rights to programming which ESPN holds. SuperSport said MultiChoice is the party engaging with ESPN.

MultiChoice and ESPN is now announcing that ESPN will continue to provide DStv audiences across sub-Saharan Africa with some of the ESPN content which used to be on the ESPN channels, and making it available on certain SuperSport channels.

MultiChoice says the pay-TV operator will still communicate the relevant channel numbers and broadcast times of this continued ESPN programming.

Golf such as the US Open Golf and PGA Tour events, tennis such as the US Open Tennis tournaments, NCAA basketball (regular season, conferece and March madness), NCAA football (regular season and superbowl),motorsport (NASCAR and Indy Car), boxing, the X Games and ESPN documentary films will now move onto SuperSport channels.

"MultiChoice is also in discussion with the relevant rights holders to acquire other popular sport programmes previously broadcast on ESPN," says MultiChoice in a statement. "This includes basketball, baseball, American football and soccer."

Carte Blanche 25 Years - The Stories Behind the Stories commemorative book coming with Carte Blanche birthday episode on 1 September.

Kalahari.net is now taking pre-orders for the upcoming book Carte Blanche 25 Years - The Stories Behind the Stories, the special commemorative book which TV with Thinus first reported in February is coming later this year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the longrunning local weekly investigative magazine show on M-Net.

M-Net's Carte Blanche will be celebrating it's silver anniversary in August and TV with Thinus can be first to reveal that the longrunning Combined Artistic Productions show will have a special birthday episode for viewers on Sunday 1 September.

Carte Blanche 25 Years - The Stories Behind the Stories is a trade paperback (and a definite collector's item!) from Jonathan Ball Publishers and will be published to co-incide with the special birthday of Carte Blanche on 1 September.

The excellent Jessica Pitchford is the author of Carte Blanche 25 Years - The Stories Behind the Stories and readers can get ready for a very revealing and exceptionally insightful behind-the-scenes look through stories filled with perspective about the show.

The book reveals untold and little known facts and background about Carte Blanche and its existence the past two and a half decades through the eyes of the producers and presenters who have shaped and guided the show since it started in 1998 on M-Net.

Carte Blanche remains the pay-TV broadcaster's highest rated and most watched programme in its now iconic Sunday evening berth of 19:00 on M-Net which has since become not just live appointment television, but also the most valuable real estate in all of South African television broadcasting.

BREAKING. Platco Digital's OpenView HD satellite TV service could be shut down, fined if it starts in October without a licence.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator remains firm in repeating for a second time that the new Platco Digital's planned satellite TV service, OpenView HD, will be operating illegally and flouting South Africa's broadcasting regulations if it goes ahead with launching a commercial service in October without possible approval from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and a valid licence.

On Tuesday Platco Digital said in a press statement that it "won't engage in any licensable activities on its own behalf" and that the 15 to 20 TV channels - 5 of which it plans to broadcast in high definition (HD) will be legal as Platco Digital "merely provides technical platform services to licensed free-to-air broadcasters on the basis of their existing licences".

Icasa however, asked again on Tuesday about Platco Digital's plans, remains resolute and adamant that Platco Digital will need to apply for a license (although the regulator isn't currently issuing any and is busy with listening to applications and presentations for possible new pay-TV platforms in South Africa who applied months ago).

Icasa says it hasn't been aware of Platco Digital or of OpenView HD, nor any intended launch of any such free-to-air satellite service for the end of the year. 

Icasa says the law and the regulations governing broadcasting and the TV industry in South Africa are very clear: first obtain a licence and keep to the licensing conditions, or face shut down and fines.

"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," says the regulator.

Platco Digital with its head office in Johannesburg and Maxwell Nonge as managing director 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's national roadshow for OpenView HD is taking place today in Cape Town in a hotel in the city centre but journalists and the press covering television have not been invited.

Elsewhere on the continent Malawi's broadcasting regulator last month said that MultiChoice Malawi started and is operating its new GOtv digital terrestrial television (DTT) offering in that country illegally. 

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority said MultiChoice Malawi started its digital TV service without any authorisation and said in a statement that MultiChoice officials "acknowledged that they didn't follow both the law and procedures in launching GOtv".

The Royals A New Prince, a once-off special programme coming to CNN International on Wednesday at 22:30.

The Royals A New Prince is a brand-new TV special coming to CNN International (DStv 401) on Wednesday night at 22:30 (South African time) following the birth of Prince William and Kate's new baby boy.

Born to a life of palaces and privilege, the newest edition to the British royal family also faces challenges. Can he also enjoy something of a normal childhood?

CNN International's royal correspondent Max Foster on Wednesday will look at how the British monarchy has changed, and what the new baby can expect before becoming king.

M-Net looking for a new boss for the pay-TV broadcaster's in-house production arm, Magic Factory.

M-Net is looking for a new boss for the South African pay-TV broadcaster's in-house production arm, Magic Factory.

The head of Magic Factory, a position M-Net is now advertising for, will be in charge of producing compelling and relevant programming in high definition (HD) for M-Net's channels.

Sky News has an hour long special programme, A Royal Son, tonight with Anna Botting reporting from Buckingham Palace.

Sky News (DStv 402) has an hour long special programme tonight following the birth of Prince William and Kate's son yesterday.

Anna Botting will present A Royal Son tonight on Sky News at 20:00 (South African time) from Buckingham Palace.

GREAT TIMING. Royal Babies tonight on BBC Knowledge at 21:00 looks at royal pregnancies, births and babies.

BBC Worldwide Channels programmers can smile: BBC Knowledge (DStv 184) - and keep in mind these schedules were compiled months ago - tonight has Royal Babies at 21:00.

"With Kate and William expecting their first child, this programme takes a look at royal pregnancies, births and babies and insight into what lies ahead for the next royal baby," says BBC Knowledge.

Syfy Kids starts as a programming block on KidsCo at 17:00 on weekdays with a roll of the Rubik's Cubes.

Syfy Kids, the new programming block on KidsCo (DStv 308 / TopTV 255), has started and can now be seen daily at 17:00 since yesterday - to remind TV critics, editors and journalists covering television, KidsCo sent over two Rubik's Cubes in a box.

Syfy Kids is a partnership between KidsCo and NBCUniversal's Syfy channel.

In this block Syfy Kids will show the animated Back to the Future, Matt Hatter Chronicles, ZuZu & the Supernuffs, Z-Squad, The Future is Wild, Evolution: The Animated Series and Dino Squad.

"We are delighted to announce the launch of Syfy Kids in South Africa exclusively on KidsCo," says Herman McDermott, the managing director of KidsCo. "KidsCo has invested in a strong range of imagination-based content, including the acclaimed Matt Hatter Chronicles, which coupled with our new on-air graphics package, will bring Syfy Kids to life for our young viewers."

BREAKING. Get ready for a ... SHARKNADO! Sharknado coming to Studio Universal on 21 September for South African viewers.

You're reading it here first. 

Umbrellas aint gonna help when you're caught in a ... Sharknado! I can break the news and reveal that Sharknado, the unanimously so-terrible-it's-so-must-see-terrific movie is coming to South African viewers closely on the heels of record buzz in America.

South Africa viewers who will be able to drench themselves in bad acting and Sharknado on Studio Universal (DStv 112) on Saturday 21 September at 21:15. And this is MUST SEE folks.

Sharknado, a B-grade movie with Beverly Hills, 90210 actor and now Chippendales stripper Ian Ziering, and can't act tabloid star Tara Reid created a tsunami of buzz when it was shown in the United States on 11 July.

Tara Reid says she wants to be considered for further roles and Ian Ziering says he enjoyed running around with a chainsaw as his character jumped into a flying shark to cut it up from the inside to free another character.

In Sharknado a tornado - due to a storm - sucks up sharks which then rain down on Los Angeles, devouring their prey from the skies.

Critics simply love the terrible-yet-amazing Sharknado, viewers love the schmaltzy schlockfest, of Sharknado  and it was even the last Tweet of Glee star Cory Monteith before he died of a drug overdose. Now a shark sequel is planned.

Sharknado is actually part of a "Crazy Shark Attacks!" month in September on Studio Universal. Viewers can get ready for Swamp Shark on 7 September, Two Headed Shark Attack on 14 September and Ghost Shark on 28 September.