South African television slammed in parliament for its ongoing shabby treatment of deaf and hearing-impaired people.

South African viewers with disabilities are tired of ongoing empty promises by the government and broadcasters to do more and what they're expected to do, like in other countries, to make TV programming more accessible, and on Tuesday broadcasters were slammed in parliament for its ongoing shabby treatment of the deaf and other people with disabilities.

While the rest of the world's TV industry is much further advanced than South Africa with things like instant subtitling, closed captioning (CC) and sign language interpreters for important TV programming, the country is still struggling to meet the very basic needs and mandated requirements for people with disabilities watching television.

While even YouTube now provides automatically provides a toggle for subtitles and closed captioning on videos, South African television lags far behind its now decade-old and hugely hyped promises of digital terrestrial television (DTT) that would offer similar kinds of services for hearing-impaired viewers.

On Tuesday, Wilma Newhoudt-Drunchen, ANC MP and South Africa's first deaf female member of parliament has had enough, and made her frustration known about the ongoing lack of consideration from the government and South African broadcasters when it comes to deaf viewers.

Ironically her speech - available on YouTube - comes with closed captioning in a way that it wasn't provided by the SABC and the Parliamentary TV channel and should be done on South African television according to regulations set out long ago by the broadcasting regulator.

"The deaf people have been watching what's been happening over the past two years. And when the previous president [Jacob Zuma] announced on TV that he would resign, the national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa got a lot of messages on his phone because there was no interpreter provided," said Wilma Newhoudt-Drunchen. "What's happening? We don't understand what's going on. We also want to know what's going on in the country".

"Unfortunately - fortunately for some people - and unfortunately for a majority of the people. You know, I can go to Sky News (DStv 402) - it's not our channel, it's not South African. It's fully sub-titled."

"Why the president [Jacob Zuma] is talking, and the reason he is resigning - I had an opportunity to film it and put it on Facebook. To send it to other deaf people so that they can have a look and read why their president was leaving."

"e.tv had nothing. SABC - our channel - had nothing. And I'm asking you to speak to the SABC. Important national news - people with disabilities need to be included, including deaf people with what is happening in the news."

"I have to applaud DStv. Deafsa has been lobbying with them to make their programmes more accessible through subtitles. And I strongly believe that subtitles is the answer for literacy for children and adults. Literacy is very important."

"Now DStv has added - it's not just Sky News - but they've added a children's channel, Nickelodeon, a channel for children, which is now subtitled. Not all of it, not all programmes, but some."

"Department of communications, you need to lobby with the SABC. I have been on this committee for a very long time and I have lobbied and lobbied for access to information through subtitles. The best part where we can get access to information is on television. So please encourage the SABC to get more things subtitled. More is needed,especially in regard to current news and current events," said Wilma Newhoudt-Drunchen.

Wilma Newhoudt-Drunchen also took the department of communications and the minister of communications, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, to task for saying "the department will publish digital radio directives to address issues of the deaf. Me as a deaf person cannot hear the radio. Deaf people do not hear the radio."

"If it's digital radio that becomes print, oh wonderful, I'm going to be very happy if whatever is said on radio is printed so that I can read it."

M-Net working on a Xhosa king period drama set in the Eastern Cape and a Deon Meyer crime novel adaptation for 2018.

M-Net is adding two new local productions, Trackers, a 6-episode Deon Meyer crime novel adaptation; as well as House of Phalo, a period drama focused on the rise of Xhosa in the Eastern Cape and the rise of King Phalo produced by Mfundi Vundla's Morula Pictures.

M-Net says the pay-TV broadcaster remains committed to local storytelling and that the slate of new productions will provide compelling viewing for DStv subscribers and help to feed the growing global appetite for television drama series.

"This is the golden age of television series – an era marked by a year-on-year increase in scripted content that is eagerly consumed by audiences, both live and through binge viewing," says Yolisa Phahle, CEO of General Entertainment for MultiChoice,

"Audiences are also increasingly receptive to authentic, universal stories and this provides an opportunity for us to take African stories to the world."

Trackers is an adaptation of the acclaimed South African crime writer Deon Meyer’s international best-selling novel.

The 6-part series is co-produced with SCENE23, a new production hub created by Deon Meyer, Cobus van den Berg and Tim Theron, together with Three River Fiction, a London-based, independent production company.

"It is a real pleasure and privilege to co-produce an international TV series based on my novel, Trackers – with South African talent, textures and accents,” says Deon Meyer.

"Thanks to M-Net and Three River Fiction’s involvement, we are also delighted to have Robert Thorogood, best known for the Death In Paradise TV series, on board as the showrunner, leading our writing team".

"Deon Meyer has been responsible for introducing millions of people across the globe to South Africa, so it made absolute sense to adapt one of his books for SCENE23’s first outing into the great unknown of the international industry," says Cobus van den Berg.

"The global and critical success of Trackers made it the perfect choice to go with. As producers we’re really excited to join the current push to show the world that we’re not just a great place to come and shoot their films and series, but that our own stories deserve to be seen and enjoyed by the global audience. But we can’t do it alone, and SCENE23 is extremely proud to be partnering with M-Net and Three River Fiction to make this project a reality."

"Three River Fiction is delighted to be working with SCENE23 and M-Net on Trackers,” says Jonathan Drake, CEO and co-creative director at Three River Fiction.

"Deon has written a thrilling book, and working with Deon and Robert Thorogood to adapt the story for television is a really exciting opportunity. M-Net is the ideal home for Trackers – a story rooted in Africa but with strong international appeal. It is already generating strong interest from other networks around the world."

A Xhosa Game of Thrones

A uniquely South African historical drama series is also currently in production - House of Phalo, a telling of the first modern history of the Xhosa and the rise of King Phalo.

Mfundi Vundla’s Morula Pictures is behind House of Phalo. Vundla is renowned for his game-changing television, having created South Africa’s first soapie Generations in 1994 on SABC1. House of Phalo will appeal to fans of series like Vikings and Game of Thrones that's on M-Net.

"This story is about shattering the popular narrative that the history of our people began in 1652 with the arrival of Jan Van Riebeek," says Mfundi Vundla. "There is indisputable evidence that Xhosa people have lived in the Eastern Cape since the 15th century."

"It’s only through systematic erasure by colonialists and apartheid that we have lost part of this history. It was crucial for us then to treat this drama with the care and reverence it deserves. We hope we have managed to evoke a sense of pride in our history, a better understanding of the people we are, and a clearer vision of our present and future."

M-Net acting CEO since 1 February, Nkateko Mabaso says "co-productions are on the rise globally and they are certainly playing a huge role in the opportunity to build global audiences for local stories. These days it is common to see productions that are a collaboration between broadcasters operating in different markets."

"This is good for the industry as it has the potential to increase audiences," says Nkateko Mabaso.

"We are thrilled to be working with some of the finest talent, both locally and abroad, to bring an increased focus to the incredible talent in South Africa."

SuperSport kicks off coverage of 23rd Vodacom Super Rugby edition with an updated on-screen graphics package.

SuperSport has kicked off its Vodacom Super Rugby coverage with all 127 matches of the 23rd edition that will be broadcast live.

SuperSport's coverage includes include an on-screen graphics refresh in line with the South Africa vs India cricket series look and is implemented both in studio and in match coverage.  

Each Super Rugby team will play 16 matches - 8 home and 8 away - and have to 2 byes. The tournament will conclude on 4 August.

"Super Rugby is still the most vibrant rugby you can watch week after week," says Gideon Khobane, SuperSport CEO.

"There’s nothing to match live sport. In Super Rugby, the action is never less than full-blooded and new stars are to be found everywhere. Our staff have honed their skills on what remains enthralling content and we look forward to reminding people what a great tournament it is."

SuperSport says it will make use of analysts like Nick Mallett, Ashwin Willemse, Gcobani Bobo and Jean de Villiers, along with a commentary team. All afternoon and evening matches will enjoy studio build-ups with select games being presented from game venues.

Travel Channel renews Expedition Unknown with Josh Gates for another 14 episodes.

The Travel Channel (DStv 179 / Cell C black 255) has renewed its Expedition Unknown with the archaeologist and explorer Josh Gates for a further 14 new hour-long episodes.

Production on the new season of Expedition Unknown will start in a few months.

The series follows adventure-laden expeditions, giving viewers insight into the world’s biggest legends and stories.

"Expedition Unknown continues to grow and take on a life of its own and Josh’s passion for adventure is a big part of that," says Courtney White, senior vice president of programming for the Travel, Food Network and Cooking Channel in America in a statement.

"He’s the consummate storyteller whose knowledge of history and culture enhances each expedition and heightens the viewing experience, which is why fans can’t get enough."

Despite trash reporting from Nigeria's press, MultiChoice Nigeria's DStv and GOtv in the West African country WON'T be shutting down in 2019 and forced to close.

MultiChoice Nigeria and other pay-TV operators in Nigeria won't be shutting down in 2019 and won't be closing or forced to end their services like DStv and GOtv in the West African country next year, despite hugely erroneous and factually wrong trash reports by Nigeria's pathetic press.

Last week one once again one idiot in Nigeria ran a factually wrong story that was quickly copy-and-pasted by the lame duck Nigerian press, clueless about proper background regarding their own country's TV and pay-TV industry, and breathlessly reporting that the Nigerian government is going to force MultiChoice Nigeria, StarTimes Nigeria and others to close down since their pay-TV licences won't be renewed.

Utter sh*t.

But is no longer unexpected from MultiChoice's second largest pay-TV market in Africa where irrational Nigerian resentment and hate against MultiChoice has been steadily building the past 3 years along with a litany of fake news reporting.

Firstly, the Nigerian government needs all the local and foreign investment it can get and hold on to with the tanking Nigerian economy. It's not going to shut out companies and ironically will have to come up with a plan to keep multi-national companies who have been leaving Nigeria one after the other.

Secondly, MultiChoice Nigeria is one of the biggest corporate tax payers and corporate investors in Nigeria. The Nigerian government isn't going to close off this income tap.

Thirdly, MultiChoice Nigeria is a massive source of employment for local Nigerians through the entire pay-TV value chain - think direct employees to installer agents. Take away MultiChoice and you increase joblessness directly.

Fourthly, while Nigerians have made trashing MultiChoice and DStv a national pass time, DStv is the best of the available pay-TV providers since it launched DStv there in 1995 and GOtv in 2011.

On a mere consumer leve, imagine the massive outcry when millions of ordinary Nigerian pay-TV viewers and even government fat cats lose their DStv and GOtv and EPL and other international soccer and telenovelas - there is no way the Nigerian government would risk that.

Trash reporting had it that MultiChoice Nigeria will be forced to shut down DStv and GOtv since the pay-TV provider was notified by Nigeria's federal government that its operation in Nigeria will end in 2019 because its licence is expiring.

Apparently its licence issued in 2014 won't be renewed because it was not in line with Nigeria's Digital Switch Over (DSO) White Paper.

The so-called "DSO White Paper" is a policy. It's a regulatory framework and a broadcasting model for Nigeria'a migration process from analogue TV broadcasting to digital terrestrial television (DTT) - a mess that's only slightly better managed than South Africa's DTT disaster.

MultiChoice Nigeria in a statement says "GOtv is provided under a fully licensed and registered entity in Nigeria, and this license comes up for renewal in March 2019".

"As a law-abiding and committed Nigerian operator which has fulfilled and continues to comply with all regulatory requirements and applicable laws, it is not clear how or why this license would not be renewed, and as such the company will investigate further in the best interests of the many customers it serves in the market."

"MultiChoice remains committed to providing its customers with a wide variety of quality entertainment through the usual best standards".

The SABC launches the SABC Education Virtual Academy as a self-help, e-learning system to help matric learners.

The SABC's SABC Education division has launched the SABC Education Virtual Academy (SEVA) as a self-help, e-learning system.

The SEVA at www.seva.co.za, has been designed to help matric learners with their studies and equip them with skills to work independently.

The SABC says SEVA will provide access to video lessons, flash cards, notes and online assignments on five critical learning areas:  Mathematics, Accounting, English, Physical and Life Sciences for free.

"It was important to create a platform like SEVA because we wanted learners to have easier access to our educational content," says Danie Swart, the head of SABC Education.

Learners will be required to register on www.seva.co.za, using a smartphone, tablet or computer in order to access the learner support material.

OOH, AWESOME. Ridley Scott's new epic-looking British navy period drama, The Terror, coming to AMC and SundanceTV on DStv and Kwesé TV from 27 March as an Express from the US title.

The amazing looking new premium TV period drama, The Terror, produced by Ridley Scott, will be coming to South African and African viewers simulcast on both AMC (Kwese TV 130) and Sundance TV (DStv 108) from 27 March at 21:00, and as an Express from the US title.

South African viewers will see the big-budget series a whole month before the United Kingdom, where The Terror only starts on 24 April, as the first of 2018's most anticipated new premium TV series of the year.

The terrific new limited-series period drama from Scott Free Productions, Emjag Productions and Entertainment 360 in association with AMC Studios, is based on Dan Simmons's 2007 book by the same name.

The Terror will start on 26 March in America, and literally at the same time in South Africa and Africa where pay-TV subscribers will be able to see the 10 episodes it in high definition thanks to AMC Networks International that in 2016 snapped up the drama series for an exclusive premiere playout next month on AMC Global's channels in territories across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America.

The Terror will have with new episodes every Tuesday until 29 May, with a cast including Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies, Ciaran Hinds, Matthew McNaulty and Nive Nielsen as the enigmatic Lady Silence.

The Terror's teaser trailer looks incredible and tells the tale of the British Royal Navy's perilous voyage in 1847 into unchartered territory and the various crews' desperate attempt discover the Northwest Passage sea route in the frigid Arctic Ocean through the Canadian Arctic archipelago.

The Terror, playing out as a bit of a horror story since it's done by Alien director Ridley Scott, is inspired by a true story with the drama series that will have viewers really at the edge of their seats with treacherous conditions, dwindling and limited resources, dwindling hope, fear of death, somewhat of a supernatural mystery and several secrets and shocking revelations as crews are pushed to the brink of extinction.

While everything starts out fine, soon the ships are trapped in the ice and people start dying. Frozen, isolated and stuck at the end of the world, The Terror shows all that can go wrong when a group of men, desperate to survive, struggle not only with the harsh elements, but with each other.

While desperately searching for a way through, the crews are attacked by a mysterious predator that stalks the ships and their crew in a suspenseful and desperate game of survival.

Meanwhile various in-fighting and political, naval intrigue are playing out aboard as each of the top-ranking naval officers are scheming for various reasons, while Lady Silence is trying to protect her land and her people.

The real expedition to discovery the Northwest Passage led to more than 120 crew members inexplicably disappearing. That of course has led to a lot of speculation over the year of just what exactly happened on board.

After almost 175 years of searching, the ships were discovered by arctic research groups in 2014 and 2016.

The Terror was filmed in Budapest and is named for one of the two British ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror that undertook the perilous journey.

"The Terror captures a rare combination of fascinating history, complex and flawed characters, the inextinguishable human spirit and the horror and promise of an uncharted world,"says executive producers and co-showrunners David Kajganich and Soo Hugh in a statement.

"We are looking forward to bringing viewers into this world."

Here is the teaser trailer for The Terror:



Here is a fascinating, must-watch, pre-season behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Terror:

TV CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: Such a yawn 3 episodes in, I can literally not give a proper review of the 8th season of Clover's Tropika Island of Treasure Maldives on SABC3 due to the show's slow start.

Three episodes in, the lethargic and white-washed, over-exposed 8th season of Clover's Tropika Island of Treasure on SABC3 is such a yawn to watch (nobody has even been eliminated yet. Don't ask.) that I haven't even been able to do a review about this weird slow-burn, no-burn advertiser-funded production (AFP) yet.

What I've already noticed - and remarked on - is how Clover and Tropika's communication around the show to the press has been worse than the previous season in my opinion, and how it hasn't done Tropika Island of Treasure any favours with the media in creating a good impression.

In fact it's created somewhat of a bad impression with this TV critic, and I think also with others covering the medium of television who I've spoken to since and who shared their thoughts with me.

As I've said, we're now 3 episodes into this "Survivor-lite" type product placement show from Cardova productions. I wanted to specifically wait (which I usually don't do) to sample more of the show before I give an honest impression in terms of a review of the new Tropika Island of Treasure season).

Of course Clover and Tropika didn't bother to do anything to try and show or preview Tropika Island of Treasure to TV critics and media who it didn't invite to Sun City or even told either beforehand or afterwards about the media event held there in January.

This lack of help to even show the show - part of the list of why I said the communication is way worse than before - of course meant that there was no way to actually see the show before it started airing. It signaled to me and others covering television, that it didn't matter to Tropika to actually get the show in front of the eyes of TV critics - something programmes actually do do when they believe in their shows and want to let viewers know through letting those covering television know.

Also note that because it's an AFP, SABC3 publicity isn't responsible for communicating about the show, but Clover and Tropika's marketing and publicity are and the people they designate to do so.

I decided to watch Tropika Island of Treasure Maldives old school - as a linear broadcast, but 3 episodes in, I'm flummoxed by how uneventful and borderline boring it is.

Nothing much has been happening in Tropika Island of Treasure, and that says a lot in this modern TV era where viewers need a pay-off per episode or a hook to lure them to watch the next one.

I truly thought that after 3 episodes TVwithThinus would be able to post a review. But no. So little of substance has been happening - nobody has been voted out, there's been no big challenges, (there's has been a lot of Tropika bottle shots), that it's all been pretty "blah" with apparently more lower grade "celebs" than in the much better 7th season.

Of course nobody has explained the change of more initial "set-up" type episodes, and the change in approach.

Of the Sun City press briefing and what was said there - as I've remarked before - there's been nothing. If there have been stories about the quotes and answers that originated from there - if actually anything of substance was asked and answered there - it passed me by.

Where is the game master introduced in the previous season? Why has this role suddenly been eliminated?

Why is the season set in the Maldives - a place that tourists are warned about and that nobody wants to travel to at the moment while it is in the grip of political unrest?

How is the bad political situation in the Maldives impacting on the show that is, one would suppose, once again being done in conjunction with Maldives Tourism that presumably wanted Tropika Island of Treasure to make it look good and is now somewhat wasted effort?

It also feels as if there's more D-listers on the show than before, except for Melinda Bam. How exactly were these people chosen? None of these questions and others that I would have loved to ask at a media briefing, there's been any opportunity to ask.

It's striking how different and badly Clover's Tropika of Island of Treasure compare with M-Net's Survivor South Africa Philippines currently filming in the East Pacific. Months before its May broadcast, as a TV critic I've already had a huge amount of access, did interviews, was invited for an actual set visit and met the crew and producers and banked stories for Survivor SA. The same happened for other media.

Last year Tropika Island of Treasure was way better in my personal opinion (for the first time!) in how it actually handled the media, communicated and was in tune with what was needed after many years of just not getting it and not knowing how and what to do properly.

And it's not just this TV critic who the show created a bad impression with.

Two weeks ago at M-Net's Dancing with the Stars SA cocktail party a member of the media came to me and without me even asking, started to dish about the Tropika Island of Treasure Sun City media day and media briefing. I just listened and shook my head as I took another sip of my wine.

The person told me: "I did a lot of coverage and did a lot of tweets until I discovered other media are VIP and I'm not VIP. The moment I discovered some media are even staying over at Sun City but I have to go back, I decided I'm stopping the tweeting. I decided no more coverage and I haven't since".

The person told me: "We had to wait in a shuttle for other media to arrive and it was so warm. Not even like a cooler box with drinks." And then made big eyes: "And you know ... It's Tropika!"

Here's is someone who actually was at Clover's Tropika Island of Treasure media day and who was still left with a very negative impression at the end of the day because of how the person was made to feel about the brand.

It's anecdotes like these - and there's others but one is example enough - that just made me wonder why Tropika Island of Treasure didn't keep to what it did last year and how much better everything was.

It's the second year that the show is on SABC3 after jumping from SABC1 to SABC3 for the first time last year. Yet, somehow Clover isn't fitting in with SABC3's way of doing professional programming publicity at all.

I was even told that Clover and Tropika didn't invite me to the Tropika Island of Treasure Sun City media event because Tropika Island of Treasure would be at SABC3's recent programming media event and would be highlighted there. Awkwardly and badly it didn't happen.

Tropika Island of Treasure wasn't discussed, the show wasn't highlighted, and there was nobody appearing in the show or who produced the show there. There was nobody from Clover or Tropika even there as far as I could see.

There was nobody to meet, and nobody appeared on stage like the other shows' talent. Absolutely nothing - and I mean nothing - from Tropika Island of Treasure came out of the SABC3 event - and that after I was told there would be an opportunity to ask questions there and which is why I wasn't told about the Sun City media event.

How is a TV critic supposed to cover a "no-show"?

Well, I will give my time and watch a 4th episode of Tropika: Islands of Treasure - Maldives next week on SABC3 and then share thoughts. But more time and attention than that I'm definitely not going to give a show and brands that in my opinion failed to bother and should have done much more and better, much earlier in the game.

Yet another new SABC News blooper as SABC2's Venda news tells the nation: Nkandla saddened by the resignation of 'Jacob Ramaphosa'.

The SABC's SABC TV News division keeps slipping up with amateur and embarrassing mistakes, with the anchor of its Venda TV news bulletin on Monday on SABC2 suddenly referring to "Jacob Ramaphosa" during a story about former president Jacob Zuma and Nkandla.

The on-air slip-up came just after Peter Ndoro was sent on indefinite leave "to rest" after botching the English news on SABC3 and SABC News saying "Cyril Ramaphosa has passed away" instead of Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai who died earlier last week.

The SABC is working hard to try and restore credibility and viewers' trust in its news offering following Hlaudi Motsoeneng's infamous censorship decree and undue editorial interference into the SABC’s newsroom but the public broadcaster keeps having to apologise for mistakes.

In the latest SABC News on-air blooper, the Venda news anchor said told the nation that "After the resignation of president Jacob Ramaphosa, the residence of Nkandla was saddened".

In August 2017 the SABC in its lower third banner referred to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as "mini-Zuma".

Just last week the SABC said in a statement that it would “like to ensure all its audiences that it remains fully committed to delivering news that is fair, balanced and accurate".

AWKWARD. The SABC's on-air SABC News errors continue, despite the SABC having said 3 times prior now that it is taking steps to prevent re-occurences.
On Monday a SABC News anchor (on the @SABC_2 Venda news) speaks of 'Jacob Ramaphosa' while referring to Jacob Zuma. pic.twitter.com/5yHoblwzmk

— TVwithThinus (@TVwithThinus) February 20, 2018