ONTAPtv.com is now looking for South African films and series to showcase on the video-on-demand (VOD) service.

The South African video-on-demand (VOD) service ONTAPtv.com is looking for South African films and South African producers who want to showcase their films and TV series on the service.

ONTAPtv.com currently competes with Naspers' ShowMax, Netflix and the relaunched MTN VU.

ONTAPtv.com says its giving South African producers an opportunity to showcase their films on its platform that can include feature films, film shorts, documentaries or series.

Producers can now submit their film to ONTAPtv.com on a USB drive as an MP4 or .MOV file.

If material is accepted, ONTAPtv.com will contact people. For enquiries producers can contact Kelly-Anne at 011 797 3386 or email kamorgan@pccwglobal.co.za. People need to provide full contact details including full name, cell phone number and email address.

If material is not accepted, which is at the sole discretion of ONTAPtv.com, people can collect the USB drive from their office at PCCW Global, Building 12, Woodmead Estate, 1 Woodmead Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg.

If not collected within 14 days of email notification by ONTAPtv.com it will be deemed abandoned and ONTAPtv.com will dispose of it.

After 8 months kykNET expands its Suidooster soap to 4 episodes per week from 7 July; adds Thursday episode after demand from viewers.

kykNET's (SDtv 144) Afrikaans soap Suidooster will expand to 4 episodes from 7 July.

The Cape Town set and filmed soap started in November 2015.

"Since the first episode of Suidooster in November last year viewers immediately said they want more of this soap that immediately blew very strongly through kykNET's channels," says Karen Meiring, director of M-Net's Afrikaans channels.

From 7 July Suidooster will also have an episode on Thursdays at 18:00 on kykNET and kykNET & kie.

Suidooster repeats in an omnibus on Sundays at 14:00.

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson heading to South Africa in mid-July for first studio audience recording for new car show, The Grand Tour.

The former Top Gear trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are heading to South Africa in mid-July where they will film the first studio section of their new show, The Grand Tour, for Amazon.

After a lackluster debut of the BBC's new Top Gear that recently visited South Africa to film a challenging race from Durban to the highest bar in Lesotho, Jeremy Clarkson announced that the team which jumped to Amazon after an ugly behind-the-scenes fight, will be heading to South Africa first to film for The Grand Tour.

The Grand Tour will launch as a video-on-demand (VOD) streaming show on Amazon and might well be picked up by another South African broadcaster like M-Net that's already showing Amazon shows like Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle.

The Grand Tour will record in Johannesburg on 17 July and is looking for studio audience members. This will be the first studio segment recorded for the show.

"The pre-recorded studio section of the programme will be filmed in front of a live audience, all housed within a giant tent," The Grand Tour team said on Amazon's British website.

"To celebrate, Amazon is giving fans the opportunity to win one of three pairs of tickets, travel and accommodation to be part of the recording in Johannesburg".

People can enter from now until 8 June through Twitter by using the hashtag #TheGrandTour and must attach a photo or video of the strangest place they've ever put up a tent with the trio of presenters who will choose the final three winners out of a shortlisted top 10.

SABC1 adds new sports talk show, Full Coverage, with presenter Mpho Maboi, on Saturdays from 4 June at 1:30pm.

SABC1 is adding a new sports talk show, Full Coverage, that will be presented by SABC Sports reporter Mpho Maboi from Saturday 4 June at 13:30 to talk about controversial sporting issues.

Mpho Maboi, often in the news for her dress sense, has been a presenter for SABC Sports for a number of years and a presenter on SAFA TV.

"On the field of play, sports not only has the ability to unite us as South Africans and break boundaries, but to also have us behind our sporting greats," says Mpho Maboi in a promo video for Full Coverage.

"But off the field of play issues such as transformation, development and finances make it difficult for those very sporting greats to reach their full potential."

The full version of 'Thank You, SABC' tribute song to Hlaudi Motsoeneng's 90% local music decision is spectacular - all 6 minutes 43 seconds of it.

The full version and accompanying local music video of the special tribute song in praise of SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng and his decision for 90% local music needletime on SABC radio stations has finally been released - and its eye-poppingly spectacular.



The song, produced by poet Mzwakhe Mbuli, will get airplay on all 18 of the SABC's radio stations and the public broadcaster's TV channels.

"Thank You SABC" is a spectacular 6 minutes and 43 seconds long.

While the praise song and music video to Hlaudi Motsoeneng and the SABC doesn't brim with creativity, local artists didn't have a lot of time to record and do the best they can in front of the stark black backdrop.

Mzwakhe Mbuli, also the lead singer in the song, wrote the song to lavish praise on the public broadcaster for Hlaudi Motsoeneng's decision last month that all music on SABC radio stations must immediately adhere to a 90% local quota.

The kwela type song with very cheap music video production values is infused with a chorus of "Hla-udi, Hlau-di, Hlau-di, Hlau-di".

Various singers shuffle to words like "We applaud the monumental decision, 90% of South African content, 90% of better life, 90% of poverty alleviation, 90... 90 … 90%. Bravo Hlaudi Motsoeneng  and your progressive team. Bravo," he says.

"You all deserve gold medals! Baie dankie, baie dankie, dankie baie, baie dankie."

According to the song there is "no need to cry no more" because of the SABC upping local content as various artists and musicians' names keep scrolling by.

kykNET adds its own 'clash of the choirs' show; Varsity Sing from 14 July; 12 university choirs will compete over 13 weeks ending with live finale.

kykNET (DStv 144), taking a page from M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel, is adding its own "clash of the choirs" show with Varsity Sing that will see see university choirs battle each other on stage in a competition about vocal adrenalin.

Varsity Sing will start on 14 July on kykNET, M-Net's Afrikaans language TV channel supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform after South Africa's established university choirs have for years refused to directly compete against each other.

Twelve university choirs will compete over 13 weeks in Varsity Sing to choose the winner.

"TV audiences will be inspired and entertained by the best choirs in the country. Expect a combination of traditional, contemporary and original choir music during impressive performances," says the show in a statement.

Shows are recorded in front of a live audience with the Varsity Sing finale that will be broadcast live on kykNET. Christo Burger is the head judge together with two alternating celebrities per episode.

'Choir music is one of the most popular forms of performance art in the world and we have excellent university choirs in South Africa," says Karen Meiring, M-Net's director of Afrikaans channels.

"Getting them to perform on national television will take choir performances to the next level of popularity".

The 12 choirs competing include:
University of Cape Town
University of the Western Cape
University of Stellenbosch
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
University of Rhodes
Tshwane University of Technology
University of Pretoria
University of Johannesburg
University of Limpopo
University of the Free State
Central University of Technology
Vaal University of Technology

eMedia says possible new contract with MultiChoice for eNCA to remain on DStv will likely not be significantly better.

This story and the headline above has been updated at 02:35pm from an earlier version. The earlier version started and stated that "eNCA might go dark within months on DStv". I'm assured that's not the case and won't happen.


It's unlikely that the eNCA (DStv 403) news channel will disappear from DStv but eMedia Investments cautions that a new long term deal to keep eNCA on MultiChoice's satellite pay-TV platform will make the financial performance of owner eMedia Holdings to not be as profitable.

eNCA is by far the most watched TV news channel and most viewed local TV news channel on the entire DStv bouquet with a total news channel share of over 50%.

The long term carriage agreement between MultiChoice and eMedia Holdings, the owners of eSat.tv that supplies eNCA to MultiChoice's DStv, changed on Wednesday at the end of May.

Although the existing long term contract didn't expire at the end of May it is now "terminable", with either side that can now end eNCA's existence on DStv by giving 3 months' notice. Both sides however continue to negotiate about a new possible long term contract.

eNCA launched as the eNews Channel on DStv 8 years ago on 1 June 2008 and has been available exclusively on DStv even though eMedia Investments started its own free-to-air satellite platform OpenView HD through Platco Digital.

A year ago eNCA started to cut its operational costs, downsizing its programming and actuality shows offering, cuting staff and largely did away with its Africa coverage. Despite the changes the channel remains the most watched of all TV news channels on DStv.

eMedia Holdings in its just released annual report says a new carriage agreement with MultiChoice will likely not mean a lot more money than the current contract.

"All indications are that DStv would like to enter into a new agreement to keep the news channel on its platform. It should however be noted that a new deal with DStv will not see the current performance of eSat.tv be sustainable going forward".

In response to a media enquiry, spokesperson Vasili Vass tells TVwithThinus that "the parties continue to negotiate in good faith on a basis for eNCA to continue to air on DStv".

"eMedia Holdings is of the view that a new deal will not be significantly better than our current agreement. However, given that eNCA is the most-watched 24-hour news channel in South Africa with a share of over 50% of viewers who watch news, the company has strong plans in place to ensure the continued success of the channel".

MultiChoice, asked how it feels about eNCA's performance, said "we do not comment on negotiations with channel suppliers".

While eNCA doesn't stream its linear channel online like ANN7, it has started to make its weeknight Moneyline show available online where it can be streamed with the commercial breaks removed. eNCA also started to expand its audio offering in May by offering downloadable radio bulletins and an audio version of the Judge for Yourself legal show.

Greg Melvill-Smith, actor and founding member of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), has died from liver cancer, age 55.

The South African actor Greg Melvill-Smith has died. He was 55.

Greg Melvill-Smith, who was a founding member of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), died at home in Johannesburg on Tuesday night surrounded by family and friends after he was diagnosed with liver and kidney cancer in October 2015.

He leaves behind his wife Kenda and two daughters, Kaila and Natasha.

A Memorial service for Greg Melvill-Smith will be held on Saturday in Johannesburg.

SAGA in a statement says Greg Melvill-Smith "a SAGA stalwart and true gentleman of the profession, left us in the late hours of 31 May 2016, succumbing to an illness borne with great dignity. At this difficult time our thoughts go out to Greg's family as they face the loss of a loving husband and father".

The actor appeared on television in soaps like 7de Laan, Isidingo and Binnelanders as well as drama series like Die Vierde Kabinet and One Way.and was the writer and director of the science TV show Walking Tall about paleontology.

He was also on stage in numerous productions locally and overseas over the years.

Greg Melvill-Smith received his diploma in drama from the Pretoria Technicon in 1984 and moved to Johannesburg in 1988.

SABC ready to bulldoze SABC3 schedule in local content makeover although its the international shows that keep luring viewers and advertisers.

The SABC is set to bulldoze the schedule of SABC3 in boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng's new decree to banish all international shows and films - but with less than a month to go until July the public broadcaster isn't telling viewers or advertisers what hit shows will be culled.

The SABC's controversial chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng announced at the SABC's headquarters in Auckland Park on Tuesday a a new edict of 90% local content for the SABC's TV channels – that will come into effect from July starting with a dramatic reshaping of SABC3 with 80% local content.

The SABC didn't provide a new SABC3 schedule or explained exactly how expensive new local content will be paid for and was silent on what new local programming will be added and what it will replace.

It's also not clear why the SABC is starting its local content gamble with SABC3 – the broadcaster's only commercial TV channel that's supposed to be an ad and sponsorship revenue driver for the broadcaster.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said he now helps to approve shows himself to help cut through SABC backlog. 

"When you come to me I will respond now. If you impress me it's 'yes'. If not, it's 'no' and you should know not to come back," Hlaudi Motsoeneng said.

‘They should walk like me and talk like me’

"The team that I work with, they should walk like me and talk like me – that is what I am expecting from them," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"That is how I run the organisation, because we need to sing one song at the SABC and that song should be sung by everybody within the organisation. And we're not apologetic about it."

Hlaudi Motsoeneng told producers that "I'm also aware some of people are taking chance. You need to give us quality content.You need to give us content that we able to attract an audience. And if we don't attract audience there's no reason why we should keep such content on our platform."

"Make sure when you do business with us, you give us quality. But it's also important that you have Venda dramas, soapies and so on and so on. Afrikaans also. And other different languages."

"When we think, we think about English. When we talk we talk English. I don't understand why most people will write dramas and soapies in English. But I think we have to be proud about our own African languages."

‘Getting rid of what’s no longer working for SABC3’

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "We have given instructions. The how is not my business. From July 1 we should see a different SABC. I think it's achievable. We are going to get rid of content that is no longer working for SABC3. There is no way that it can't happen, it's happening".

The international content on SABC3 is ironically what is working for the channel – dominating in the viewership ratings race while local shows, although in better primetime slots, struggle to get more viewers.

Viewers have no idea whether they're losing their soaps – The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives that's part of the most watched content on the channel – or popular international shows ranging from Survivor to The Mentalist.

Advertisers and ad agencies who book slots and ad buys and who do so at least a month in advance are likewise in the dark about SABC3's July schedule, not knowing what will be shown during what timeslot. 

Because advertisers buy specific audiences, it's impossible to place ads not knowing what will show and what audience segment it will reach.

Looking at the top 20 most watched shows on SABC3 during April (May has not yet been released), soaps like Bold and Days are the most popular and most watched shows, with local soap Isidingo in second place.

Interestingly, 14 out of the top 20 most watched pieces of content on SABC3 in April were international content.

If the SABC3 cans Bold and Days, Isidingo that's already in a better primetime spot will move to the number one place – but it won't show a ratings increase. It will become number one with less viewers than what Bold pulls and the viewership figure and share is what determines advertising rates.

Put differently: international content like Bold, Days, Survivor, The Mentalist and foreign films on the SABC3 schedule actually "over-deliver" in terms of audiences given where's its slotted and shown, while existing local content like High Rollers and Top Billing , already in plum timeslots, in a sense under-deliver.

Adding more – and unknown – local content from emerging TV producers will not suddenly lift SABC3’s ratings in terms of the existing local content and the new local content. And it’s ratings that matters most for the SABC’s commercial TV channel, much more so than SABC1 and SABC2.

1. The Bold and the Beautiful           1.57 million

2 .Isidingo                                             1.42 million

3. Days of Our Lives                            1.05 million

4. News                                                  1.02 million

5. Show White and the Huntsman     998 997

6. SABC3 wows Polokwane              994 608

7. Gourmet                                           930 451

8. Cricket: ENG vs West Indies        927 077

9. SABC3 filler                                   920 865

10. Contraband                                    823 741

11. Horton Foote's Trip to Bountiful  795 165

12. High Rollers                                 696 020

13. Take It All                                     658 684

14. Pastor Brown                                658 884

15. Heaven's Fall                                632 176

16. The Man with the Iron Fist         609 306

17. Survivor                                        581 469

18. The Mentalist                                580 210

19. A Day Late and a Dollar Short   578 845

20. Top Billing                                    577 272