Amazon Prime Video working on adding linear TV channels to its video streaming service.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Prime Video is looking to expand its video streaming service into offering linear TV channels as well.

Amazon Prime Video has started to advertise positions for technical and marketing people who will have to work at integrating "24/7 linear broadcast TV content" into its existing over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service, similar to how MultiChoice is currently offering some linear TV news channels through its Showmax subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service.

"We are seeking an experienced product manager for the Prime Video linear TV team to redefine how customers watch 24/7 linear broadcast TV content," says Amazon in a job posting.

"Linear TV enables customers to watch 24/7 streams of their favourite TV stations airing programmes including sports, news, movies, award shows, special events and TV shows. You will be responsible for designing the end-to-end customer experience for how customers discover and watch linear TV content," the job posting description says.

In another similar job posting, Amazon Prime Video says it's looking for a "senior software development engineer" who will have to work on "Linear 24/7 television or broadcast programming" as "one of the key options for Prime Video customers".

Yet another job posting from Amazon Prime Video says "we in Prime Video Catalog are building next gen linear catalog systems to provide best-in-class linear TV experience to Prime Video customers. It is Day 1 for the linear TV experience on Prime Video".

Amazon Prime Video had no comment in response to a media enquiry.

Amazon Prime Video will likely add live sports coverage, TV news channels, movies and possibly even thematic TV show linear channels.

Earlier this month MultiChoice revealed in its 2019/2020 financial report presentation that it plans to add both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as OTT services to its new DStv Explora decoder that will be released before the end of 2020.

This is how MultiChoice changed its 2019/2020 financial results presentation in which it first revealed that it is adding Netflix and Amazon Prime Video ... and then deleted and altered its presentation.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice in its 2019/2020 financial results presentation first revealed that it will add Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in the year ahead, then deleted it - and then awkwardly lied about having revealed it. This is how it happened:

In its 2019/2020 financial results presentation that MultiChoice published earlier this month, the pay-TV operator first revealed that it will be adding both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as over-the-top (OTT) video streaming services besides launching DStv Streaming as its new internet stand-alone DStv look-alike service.

After this financial results presentation revelation, MultiChoice awkwardly deleted and altered its official presentation that it had already published on its website.

After that, in interviews, MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela when asked about it specifically, lied to the media about it and the fact that MultiChoice did make this information available itself, when he was questioned about the upcoming partnerships.

When MultiChoice announced its 2019/2020 financial results, TVwithThinus through its PR company Aprio that does corporate communication, requested an interview on 11 June with a MultiChoice executive like Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice's chief financial officer (CFO).

Aprio responded and said it "will get back to you soonest".

Aprio didn't.

On 16 June, after almost a week had gone by without any response, Aprio was again asked about the possibility of a 5-minute interview regarding the streaming services deals that were signed and how it works.

Aprio, without knowing what the questions would be, and after days had gone by, said that it's "unable to provide you with an interview right now". 

When MultiChoice published its 2019/2020 financial presentation it revealed that it had signed deals with two video streaming services and showed that it was Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, including their names and logos.

MultiChoice, possibly alarmed about the massive mistake it made, then rushed to altered its 2019/2020 financial presentation after publication.

MultiChoice deleted the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video references, and altered how its official financial presentation done for investors, looked but did so in a very rushed and bad way.

MultiChoice didn't add any advisory or notification for investors or the media that it had deleted and altered its original 2019/2020 financial presentation, although questions about and reporting about the video streaming deals completely overshadowed coverage of MultiChoice's annual financial report because of what the presentation originally contained.

While MultiChoice didn't want to make anyone available to talk to TVwithThinus, MultiChoice executives were made available for interviews elsewhere.

Business Day TV (DStv 412) in an interview with Calvo Mawela asked "you've signed a deal with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to bring their services using a high-end DStv Explora PVR".

Calvo Mawela responded: "Let me start by just qualifying it. We made a statement that there are 2 OTT players that we have signed agreements with".

On CNBC Africa (DStv 410) in an interview Calvo Mawela lied and said "we have not confirmed which are the two OTT players that we are bringing onto our platform. We have announced that there are 2 OTT that are coming onto our platform".

He said that "once we are ready we will announce who are those 2 players that are going to be on our platform".

In an interview with TechCentral, Tim Jacobs said that the included Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in the financial presentation "were there only as examples of international streaming companies".

In an interview with MyBroadband, Tim Jacobs used the excuse that MultiChoice is "in a pre-release embargo period with both of these international players" and therefore can't release brand names.

In an interview on The Money Show with Bruce Whitfield on CapeTalk and 702 radio, Tim Jacobs was also asked to "talk about Netflix and Amazon and integrating those into new DStv Explora decoders".

Tim Jacobs said that MultiChoice has signed agreements with 2 subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) providers "without naming who those providers are".


ALSO READ: MultiChoice to add Netflix and Amazon Video Prime as video streamers, now reaches 19.5 million subscribers.
ALSO READ: EXPLAINER. How and why MultiChoice by adding video streamers to its DStv offering is finally pivoting into becoming a pay-TV Sweets from Heaven.  
ALSO READ: MultiChoice wants to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for TV content, next DStv Explora will provide access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video OTT streamers.

Apple TV+ drops first teaser about Isaac Asimov's sprawling Foundation sci-fi series.

by Thinus Ferreira

Although the series will only be released in 2021 Apple TV+ has surprised viewers by releasing a first teaser of the upcoming science-fiction drama Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov's iconic book series.

Although production of the epic series filmed in Ireland by Skydance Television as that country's largest TV series ever, was shut down in mid-March because of the growing global Covid-19 pandemic, the series with showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer has clearly done a lot of filming and post-production work already.

The 10-episode first season of Foundation is based on Isaac Asimov's seminal science fiction series about a mathematician in the far-flung future, when mankind has spread through the entire galaxy, predicting the fall of the Galactic Empire and setting up a way to limit the duration of the destruction to preserve humanity.

There are 6 books in the series with Foundation that was first published in 1951.

The official logline from Apple about Foundation is that "the series will revolve around the thousand year saga of the Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it".

Mathematician Hari Seldon invents psychohistory which can broadly "predict" human behaviour and behavioural patterns on a massive scale, and he constructs a plan to shorten the predicted new "dark age" of the Galactic Empire by setting up the "Foundation".

With this "predictability power" Hari, of course, becomes a threat to the galactic government that doesn't understand what he's trying to do, setting of sprawling interplanetary intrigue with a lot of surprising twists and characters who often are not who they initially appear to be.

In the teaser for the Apple Original, David S. Goyer gives a glimpse into the making of the epic saga, that stars Jared Harris as Hari Seldon; Lee Pace as Brother Day; Lou Llobell as Gaal; Leah Harvey as Salvor; Laura Birn as Demerzel; Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk; and Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn.

"People have been trying to make Foundation for over fifty years," says David S. Goyer.

"Foundation was an enormous influence for Star Wars. It was the greatest science fiction work of all time. The story is sprawling, it unfolds over the course of a thousand years. If ever there were a company that was hoping to better people's lives through technology, through connectivity it's Apple. And that's something very much that Asimov was hoping to do."

South African actor Jòvan Muthray dead at 25.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African actor and comedian Jòvan Muthray has died on Sunday with his cause of death that is undisclosed. He was 25.

Jòvan Muthray who lived in Laudium, Pretoria was best known as one of the resident comedians of SABC2's variety game show Karektas and played the role of Nilesh in the second season of e.tv's telenovela Imbewu: The Seed.

Jòvan Muthray also appeared as Paresh on the VUZU AMP (DStv 116) drama series aYeYe in 2015, appeared in a Wonga TV advert, had a starring role as Zac in the kykNET (DStv 144) weekday soap Binnelanders in 2018, appeared in 2017's Madiba mini-series as well as the South African filmed season of the American Homeland drama series in 2014 that was also shot in Cape Town.

He had the role of Luis in the second season of the Penguin Films produced telenovela Ring of Lies on Mansi Magic (DStv 161) and played Kaidas in the BBC series Troy: Fall Fall of a City that was filmed in Cape Town.

He appeared on stage in theatre productions ranging from Takalani, Sex & Me; The Interview, Skroothonde and Government Inspector.

Jòvan Muthray was trained in acting, writing and film directing whilst studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts (BADA) between 2012 and 2014.

Manie le Roux from kykNET's Kwarantyn removed from reality series and rushed to hospital with unknown illness and fever.

by Thinus Ferreira

One of the Afrikaans family reality stars on Sunday night abruptly exited one of the two camera homes in kykNET's Kwarantyn series after 12 days after developing a fever and unexplained stomach ache.

According to kykNET no further information is available yet about Manie's medical condition, although some viewers wondered whether it could be related to the Covid-19 pandemic as cases of this coronavirus keep rising in South Africa.

Manie (19) - a member of the Le Roux family who like the Scheepers family in another house next door are under constant camera surveillance in kykNET's Kwarantyn Big Brother-like reality series - is in a stable condition in hospital after he was removed from the show on Sunday.

On Monday morning the Red Pepper Pictures production team was informed that Manie is in a stable condition in hospital. According to dad Braam "Manie is okay, he is laying in a ward and is being monitored. He has an intravenous drip and is on pain medication."

The family members of both the Le Roux and Scheepers families were informed that Manie is in hospital and is remaining there for the time being.

Braam said that the house without the removed Manie "isn't the same without him. The vibe just isn't the same". When we received the message this morning our mood immediately improved because we thought that Manie is on his way back, but it quickly fell when we heard that he hasn't undergone tests yet.

According to Braam Manie first had pain in his upper body which spread to the lower half of his body. He became nauseceous, super warm and his blood pressure was high. This prompted the decision to rush Manie to hospital and leave the show.

An emotional mother Jana explained that she made Manie's empty bed on Monday and folded his clothes. "It's not nice. We're waiting for him but it's not lekker."

"He's a strong laaitjie, he doesn't get ill easily but if he needs anything I'm always there for him and this is the first time that I can't be there. Not even the production team can go in to see Manie. It's difficult. He's strong and I'm sure he will get better soon and we're waiting for him".

Kwarantyn is broadcast as a kykNET pop-up channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service on channel 149 with weekday highlight shows broadcast on kykNET (DStv 144).

Coronavirus: eNCA anchor Shahan Ramkissoon tests Covid-19 positive shortly after other 2 other Johannesburg-building staffers; will self-isolate along with rest of affected shift workers for 14 days.

by Thinus Ferreira

The eNCA (DStv 403) anchor Shahan Ramkissoon who started to feel ill last week has now tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus, coming days after two staffers working mostly on the ground floor of eMedia Investments' Hyde Park building in Johannesburg had also tested positive.

Shahan Ramkissoon who will be off-air and self-isolating for 14 days is the latest high-profile South African TV news case diagnosed with Covid-19, following after the TV news operations of the SABC News (DStv 404), Newzroom Africa (DStv 405) and eNCA have been impacted by positive tests over the past few months.

At the SABC staffers in various provincial bureaus across South Africa tested positive after the SABC in late-March 2020 shuttered its office in the Northern Cape in April after reporter Ulrich Hendriks tested positive for Covid-19 who has since recovered.

In mid-May staffers at Newzroom Afrika's Cape Town bureau tested positive including reporter Athi Mtongana after the death of the eNCA and e.tv cameraman Lungile Thom in Cape Town who became South Africa's first journalist to die from Covid-19.

Earlier this month e.tv in an internal email told staffers that "two staff members, working mostly on the ground floor in the Johannesburg office have tested positive for Covid-19" and that the company "had as routine measure arranged from a deep-clean of the Johannesburg office". eMedia Investments didn't close down its Hyde Park building or headquarters.

Now anchor Shahan Ramkissoon has tested positive for Covid-19 and the studio on the ground floor has been shuttered.

In a statement eNCA says that the anchor started feeling ill last week and was advised to go for testing on Friday. "His results came back on Monday 22 June 2020. He will remain off-air and in self-isolation until the end of the stipulated 14-day period."

eNCA says that the anchor "is part of a team based in the channel's Johannesburg office isolation studio that was set up eight weeks ago as part of the broadcaster's disaster management plan. The studio was set up to help minimize risk and manage the number of staff members working in a single area, in accordance with Covid-19 protocols".

eNCA says that "the isolation studio is completely removed from the channel's main broadcast area, and its operations have not been impacted".

"All staff members on the affected shift, based in the isolation studio, have been sent home to self-isolate. The company is undertaking the necessary track and tracing process to identify potentially exposed staff members."

"In view of current developments, eNCA has initiated further measures to protect its employees, including the addition of separator screens inside the studios operating rooms."

On Monday evening in a live interview done through Skype on eNCA, Shahan Ramkissoon said that he has had flu-like symptoms for 11 days.

"I feel really bad because I feel like I might have infected people in the office and I feel a bit guilty for having done that. But then I think back - I went to the doctor when I showed signs of flu and the doctor ruled it out and I did the right thing in terms of approaching my sickness."

Shahan Ramkissoon said it's important not to stigmatise people with Covid-19 and that he is feeling anxious. "I don't know if things could take a turn for the worse in the next couple of days - that could happen. I do feel anxious - I'm not going to lie about that."

Showmax removes 9 Leon Schuster films with blackface characters that MultiChoice's video streaming service is reviewing over racially insensitive content.

by Thinus Ferreira

Showmax has quietly removed 9 of the films of filmmaker and South African comedian Leon Schuster with blackface characters that MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service is now investigating through a review over racially insensitive content.

Showmax that until now was fine with the Leon Schuster films, and with Mama Jack (2005) that was broadcast on South Africa's free-to-air broadcaster e.tv last weekend, has now followed the global streamer Netflix that started to remove content in the form of satirical series like Little Britain, Come Fly with Me and Australia's Angry Boys, Summer Heights High, We Can Be Heroes and Jonah from Tonga of Chris Lilley because of performances of some characters in blackface and brownface.

The removal of content by Netflix, the BBC, the film Gone with the Wind from WarnerMedia's streaming platform, HBO Max, and now MultiChoice's Showmax in South Africa is part of the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on the broader entertainment industry around the issue of racism that started in the United States and that has spread globally.

After quietly removing Mama Jack in which Leon Schuster makes extensive use of blackface, as well as Mr Bones (2001) and Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past (2008) in which he appears as a white sangoma, Showmax has now removed a further 6 of Leon Schuster's films.

These additional Showmax content removals include You Must Be Joking (1986), You Must Be Joking Too (1987), Oh Schucks…It’s Schuster (1989), Sweet ‘n Short (1991), Schuks! Pay Back the Money (1995) and Frank and Fearless (2018).

All of the films earned millions of rand at the South African box office over decades under all audiences and have had multiple broadcasts over the years on the SABC, e.tv, M-Net and the M-Net Movies channels, with e.tv that showed Mama Jack a week ago.

The locally South African produced films that have outearned overseas and American titles and with several having record-holding rankings in cinema attendance and earnings, have made Leon Schuster one of the most successful South African filmmakers in the country's history.

Netwerk24 first reported about Showmax's removal of Leon Schuster's films on Friday.

TVwithThinus asked Showmax about the content removal late on Friday, who reviews and removes it and why, and will add the response here when received.

Richard Boorman, Showmax spokesperson, told Netwerk24 that the latest 6 Leon Schuster films have been removed this past week because MultiChoice's streaming service is reviewing them as they are deemed to be possibly racially insensitive and that it was done in line with steps taken by global streaming services.

Showmax referred Netwerk24's media enquiry to MultiChoice with Benedict Maaga, senior manager for corporate communications, who said that MultiChoice in the past had removed content with "unacceptable presentations of racial prejudice".

It's not yet clear who reviews content for Showmax and MultiChoice, how the films and content are reviewed or when the review process of the Leon Schuster films would be completed.

Leon Schuster told Netwerk24 that he is "shocked and "deeply upset" about MultiChoice's removal of his films and Showmax's review process.

He said that "in my entire career I've never heard a single word from a moviegoer asking why I'm doing blackface. My Indian character has been unbelievably popular and nobody has ever said to me I'm cratering my name or that I'm busy being racist."

"If I knew that this is something that is angering people I wouldn't have done it. If I've offended people I apologise to them. I'm really sorry".

SABC2's Muvhango the next South African primetime series to abruptly shutter because of possible Covid-19 contact.

by Thinus Ferreira

Muvhango has become South Africa's latest primetime TV series to abruptly halt production after a crew member was exposed to someone who has the Covid-19 coronavirus.

South Africa's film and TV industry has shed thousands of jobs and struggled to restart production under stringent on-set health protocols since the entire industry was shut down for 8 weeks since late March 2020 because of the country's Covid-19 national lockdown period.

Just after local TV productions resumed work, first M-Net's The River produced by Tshedza Pictures for 1Magic (DStv 103), and then Skeem Saam produced by SABC1 was forced to shut down the past few weeks because of Covid-19 cases.

Now the SABC's Venda-drama series on SABC2 produced by Word of Mouth shut down production on Wednesday until further notice.

Herbert Hadebe, Muvhango's series producer, says that similar to The River and Skeem Saam, both produced in Johannesburg, production was halted to reduce the risk of exposure to Covid-19 on set. 

"We are prioritizing the safety of all staff members. We will be constantly monitoring the evolving situation and adapting our efforts and responses. We will continue working together with the SABC as we comply to Covid-19 measures and regulations," says Herbert Hadebe.

The Muvhango cast and crew have been asked to self-isolate until further notice and a deep-clean with the help of the SABC is going to take place at the studio.

Muvhango will continue uninterrupted on SABC2 with enough pre-recorded episodes for the time being.


ALSO READ: SABC1's Skeem Saam shuts down because of Covid-19 infection fears, crew and cast go into self-isolation as studio and offices are disinfected.
ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Production on The River telenovela for M-Net's 1Magic on DStv shutters after colleague tests positive for Covid-19, Tshedza Pictures locks studio doors for decontamination and will not do interviews.

MultiChoice opening JOOX VIP music streaming to lower-tiered DStv subscribers for 3 months until 10 September 2020.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice is opening up the JOOX VIP music streaming service for free to all DStv subscribers for three months.

MultiChoice added JOOX VIP in October 2018 as a free value added service for all DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus and DStv Compact subscribers and will now open up JOOX VIP to the rest of the lower-tiered DStv packages until 10 September 2020.

JOOX, owned by Tencent, competes with services like Spotify, Apple and Google for listeners' ears.

MultiChoice's announcement of the widening of the JOOX VIP accessibility through its DStv platform comes a week after MultiChoice revealed that it will soon be adding and rolling out Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as video streamers to sit as over-the-top (OTT) services alongside its traditional pay-TV offering.

The JOOX VIP access includes local and international music selections as well as "Big LIVE" concerts.

Mark Rayner, MultiChoice South Africa CEO, says opening up JOOX VIP to further DStv subscribers "is just another way in which MultiChoice is working to ensure that our loyal and valued customers continue to enjoy the best entertainment during these difficult times, being in lockdown has given us the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our support as we continue to find innovative ways to entertain our customers".

Gerjo Hoffman, Tencent Africa’s chief sales and marketing officer, says "We're excited by the prospect of having more DStv subscribers using JOOX".

"The response we've had from the DStv community so far has been outstanding. We cater to a big range of music tastes and we're excited to see what a wider audience takes from JOOX, its karaoke mode, its LIVE appearances, as well as a few exciting new features we have in the pipeline."