Warner Bros. Discovery to keep discovery+ as a separately available streaming service as well as a folded-in tile on rebranded HBO Max.

by Thinus Ferreira

Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to keep its discovery+ video streaming service (which isn't available in South Africa or across Africa) as a separately available streaming service, although it will also be available as a folded-in tile destination on the larger HBO Max streaming service which is yet to be rebranded under a new name.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Warner Bros. Discovery execs have decided not to do away with discovery+ - as has been the plan - but to keep it available as a separate streaming service. 

The thought process behind the scenes is that Warner Bros. Discovery doesn't want to lose the subscribers who are and might be interested in paying for and subscribing to discovery+, which is cheaper and will cost less, but who might abandon or not be willing to pay for the much more expensive HBO Max just to get Discovery content.

Warner Bros. Discovery is realising that some subscribers just want the core content of a streaming service's offering and are willing to pay for just that - case in point discovery+ - but will cancel if they have to pay more to get access to that content when it's folded into a bigger service.

According to The Wall Street Journal report, "the decision to keep discovery+ is part of an effort to avoid risking losing a significant chunk of the app's 20 million subscribers who might not to want to pay the higher price to access that content".

Like discovery+, HBO Max has also been late out of the gate in reaching South African customers, and is also not available in South Africa or across Africa. 

It hasn't yet launched as either a stand-alone streaming service or in a partnership agreement with MultiChoice and hosted on devices like the DStv Explora, with no indication of a date as to when it might launch in South Africa.

Warner Bros. Discovery has also not given any launch date yet of the combined HBO Max and discovery+ streaming service, although it will be in 2023 and the name will very likely just be Max, dropping the HBO.

Is Warner Bros. Discovery's Boomerang TV channel on DStv going bust? Concerned parents say they will cancel MultiChoice if they lose the kids channel and get a price hike.

by Thinus Ferreira

Concerned DStv subscribers who are also parents are worried and not getting any answers about rumours swirling that Warner Bros. Discovery's Boomerang (DStv 302) TV channel is going to disappear at the end of March from DStv - saying if that happens and they get a DStv price hike instead, they will cancel their pay-TV subscriptions.

As yet there's no official confirmation or statement from either Warner Bros. Discovery or MultiChoice as to the fate of Boomerang and whether the Scooby Doo TV channel is safe and staying on DStv, or if it is set to become the first TV channel that will be taken away from DStv subscribers in 2023.

Warner Bros. Discovery, asked in a media query on Monday made to one of its two South Africa PR agencies used in South Africa and told about concerned DStv subscriber parents who are worried and wondering about the future of the LazyTown channel, didn't have any official comment.

MultiChoice, also asked by TVwithThinus on Wednesday about chatter that Boomerang is ending on DStv on 25 March, also didn't have any official comment on the future fate of Boomerang. A MultiChoice spokesperson did say there is going to be news around the Boomerang channel which will be shared with media soon.

Meanwhile, parents and DStv subscribers are talking about the likelihood of the loss of Boomerang, with some who are saying they will be done with DStv and say they will leave if the channel is removed and if they end up getting a DStv price increase instead.

Some parents say they have subscribed to MultiChoice's satellite pay-TV service specifically for the bouquet of kids channels, and for a channel like Boomerang, and that if a kids channel is taken away - like Boomerang for instance - they will seriously reevaluate whether they want to continue with their DStv subscription.

According to an online story by Insidus, Boomerang will go dark on DStv on 25 March and get replaced by Cartoonito. Cartoonito targets younger viewers than Boomerang.

Boomerang was relaunched in 2015 on DStv with a bigger focus on family viewing.

Veteran actor and director Louis van Niekerk dead at 87 after losing his battle against cancer.

by Thinus Ferreira

The prolific and veteran Afrikaans actor and director Louis van Niekerk has died after losing his battle again cancer. He was 87.

Louis van Niekerk died on Tuesday in the Netcare Milpark hospital in Johannesburg.

NvR Management in a statement says "It's with deep sorrow that we heard tonight about the passing of Louis van Niekerk. Sincere condolences to all his family, friends and colleagues. Our culture and arts are poorer. A big tree has fallen today". 

The talented actor appeared in multiple South African TV series on the SABC and kykNET like Egoli, Amalia, Die Vierde Kabinet, Fees van die Ongenooides, Agter Elke Man, Hartland, Zero Tolerance, Villa Rosa, 7de Laan,  Grondbaronne, The Fourth Reich and several films from Die Voortreflike Familie Smit to Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom over decades.

Most recently Louis van Niekerk appeared on kykNET (DStv 144) in the Getroud met Rugby Afrikaans soap as the character of Festus, and also gave his voice to numerous Afrikaans radio dramas.

At Franz Marx's long-running soap Egoli on M-Net Louis van Niekerk worked as supervising producer until August 2009.

He appeared on stage in plays ranging from King Lear, Skoene-Skoene, The Lion in Winter, The Road to Mecca, Siener in the Suburbs, Nag van Legio, All my Sons, Julius Ceasar, Don Gxubane Onner die Boere, The Duck Variations and Mattewis en Meraai to Othello and many more, and was the director of multiple plays like Die Rebellie van Lafras Verwey, Kanna Hy Kô Hystoe, Die Vader, Die Dagboek van Anne Frank, Die Swanesang van Majoor Sommer and Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. 

Louis van Niekerk who was born on 27 June 1935 started his acting career at 12 with his first role in Babs Laker's Ek onthou vir Mamma. 

Louis van Niekerk moved to Pretoria in 1955 where he initially worked as a freelance actor, doing plans for a number of years.

He joined PACT in 1964 where he not just appeared on stage in roles but eventually directed over 200 plays as PACT's head of drama since 1978.

He was married to Lettie Scheepers who died in 1983 and the couple had two sons, Gert and Drikus.

Reporters from eNCA, SABC News and Newzroom Africa embedded with Gift of the Givers and flown to Türkiye to profile organisation's relief work after earthquakes.

by Thinus Ferreira

The disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers has invited and flown a South African TV news reporter from each of the country's three TV news channels to Türkiye to profile and report on the organisation's humanitarian efforts there following the series of devastating earthquakes in that country this week.

The SABC News (DStv 404) senior reporter Chriselda Lewis, the eNCA (DStv 403) senior reporter Dasen Thathiah, and the Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) reporter Ahmed Kajee have all been invited by Gift of the Givers and are being flown to Türkiye to witness its support in that country's rescue and recovery efforts.

By Wednesday morning the death toll in Turkey has grown to over 11 000 people after massive earthquakes rocked parts of Southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday.

The three South African TV reporters are on the same Turkish Airlines plane from Johannesburg as Gift of the Givers staff and their equipment - 50 tons of medical and rescue equipment - all going to Turkey to offer assistance as part of a 30-person team from South Africa, with dr Ahmed Bham leading the urban search and rescue team.

The Johannesburg plane left at 20:00 on Tuesday night for a 9-hour flight, with Gift of the Givers staff from a Cape Town flight also joining them in Turkey.

All three reporters did live reports and interviews on Tuesday evening from OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg or from inside the plane with their respective TV news channels before the flight departed. 

Larry Madowo taking over as latest presenter of African Voices Changemakers on CNN International.

by Thinus Ferreira

CNN which is currently going through a global staff reorganisation process has announced that Africa correspondent Larry Madowo will be taking over as the presenter of its long-running weekly African Voices Changemakers magazine show on CNN International (DStv 401).

The Kenyan Larry Madowo based in Nairobi, replaces Nigeria's Arit Okpo who took over hosting duties of the show three and a half years ago in August 2019. 

While the show's format, content and focus have changed over the past 10 years, it continues to interview various trendsetters across Africa to tell inspiring stories.

Larry Madowo's first episode of African Voices Changemakers will be on 25 February in which he will be interviewing and profiling various people across Africa making positive change on the continent.

African Voices Changemakers profiles entertainers, creatives, athletes, and members of the public who are making a difference and impacting their communities through various initiatives and cultural contributions. 

"I’m looking forward to highlighting outstanding stories and incredible people from across the continent and showing the world these remarkable African changemakers. Having featured on the show before joining CNN, this is a full circle moment for me," says Larry Madowo.

Ellana Lee, CNN International senior vice president and global head of features content, says "Larry is a uniquely experienced journalist with enormous energy, expertise, and skill. He is also incredibly passionate about Africa, and I know is excited by the chance to bring its many varied experiences and stories to a global audience through one of CNN’s longest-running and most successful programmes".

"Larry also has a large and highly engaged social following, which presents a great opportunity for us to further interact with our African Voices Changemakers audience, as well as gain new fans for the show."

M-Net axes Idols after 19 seasons.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net has cancelled the long-running Idols with the upcoming 19th season on its Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel which will be the last for the [SIC] Entertainment-produced reality singing competition show following viewership fatigue and a massive plunge in ratings.

M-Net is calling the upcoming 19th season of Idols on Mzansi Magic - with Gavin Wratten as director and executive producer, along with Anneke de Ridder and host ProVerb (Tebogo Thekisho) as co-producers - its "farewell season", meaning that with South Africans will have one last chance to enter and audition for the show."

"After 18 successful seasons on air, Mzansi Magic and M-Net local entertainment channels confirm the decision to give Idols SA its final curtain call," says Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director for local entertainment channels, in a statement to TVwithThinus.

" The international format talent search competition has been a stage of opportunities where many careers were launched and we would like to thank the crew, on-air talent and sponsors for their contribution to its success over the years."

"We look forward to an epic final season and will continue to secure and produce the best content which Mzansi Magic viewers have come to enjoy."

Idols started 21 years ago in 2002 on the M-Net channel. 

It became a simulcast show on M-Net and Mzansi Magic in 2013 from the 9th season, and a Mzansi Magic only show in 2016 from season 12 onwards after M-Net decided to migrate the show to open it up to a bigger DStv audience on lower-tiered packages. 

The cancellation of the South African version of the Fremantle format follows after a dramatic ratings plunge for Idols in season 17 that coincided with a relationship scandal involving Idols judge Somizi Mhlongo after his ex Mohale Motaung made serious allegations of emotional and physical abuse.

While Idols started off its 17th season in South Africa in July 2021 with 1 018 607 viewers as the 4th most-watched show on all of DStv for the month, it suddenly plunged to 10th place on DStv's most-watched list with 693 760 viewers at most in August 2021, shedding 32% or a third of its viewers. 

In October 2021 Idols fell to a season-low of just 683 814 viewers, and finished the season in November 2021 with 753 367 viewers at most.

After the very large drop in viewers and in an effort to revitalise Idols, M-Net's general entertainment channels division and [SIC] Entertainment decided to retain Somizi Mhlongo for 2022's 18th season and axed judges Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi whose contracts were not renewed and were replaced by artists Thembi Seete and rapper-producer JR Bogopa.

About Idols' revamp attempt to lure DStv subscribers back, Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, told TVwithThinus ahead of the 18th season last year that "To have such longevity in such a fast-changing industry is no small feat, and we're proud to keep giving our viewers what they love. One of the key components in having staying power is evolution, and our new-look panel is part of that".

Asked whether the changes in judges for the 18th season were done to try and reverse the show's declining viewership, Nomsa Philiso said that "In part it is to get the ratings back and also to attract new audiences, right. So, you would know that from around 2017 we started seeing some level of fatigue - some level of viewer fatigue in terms of Idols".

"Part of us refreshing the judges is also us trying to say that we're going to give you guys a much bigger and better Idols".

When the 18th season started, Idols ratings on Sunday evenings fell further, far off from the over a million viewers it managed to pull in years past for season debuts, reaching a meagre 743 516 viewers during July last year. 

Last year's Idols season ended with 739 426 viewers at most during November. The winner's recording contract was also quietly reduced from an album to just an EP.

Following the conclusion of Idols' 18th season, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, said that "Idols is a brand that we believe in and is a brand that connects us to our youth in the country. It promotes nationalism and healthy competition while it gives young people a stage to showcase their talent".

ALSO READ: Judges juggling unable to stem Idols South Africa's ratings slide on Mzansi Magic.

ALSO READ: Recording contract of Mzansi Magic's Idols winner reduced from album to just an EP.

ALSO READ: As Mzansi Magic's ratings of Idols season 18 cratered in 2022 and its DStv viewership tanked so did MultiChoice's promises to improve media relations and communication around the show.

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Not supposed to Go Pro with 'season 19': M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel shocked after ProVerb announces a next season of Idols on DStv with nothing confirmed yet. 

SABC2's Muvhango cast and crew go on strike for second time in 3 months over non-payment after being told the SABC didn't pay and Word of Mouth Pictures fired CEO Mandla kaNozulu over alleged mismanagement.

by Thinus Ferreira

The cast and crew of Muvhango on SABC2 has gone on strike for the second time in three months after they have once again not been paid their salaries, with SABC legal busy with an investigation after the Word of Mouth Pictures show fired CEO Mandla kaNozulu over alleged mismanagement of millions of rand.

City Press on Sunday reported that the Muvhango cast and crew went on strike after they were called to a meeting on Tuesday this past week where the SABC were once again blamed for non-payment.

The ongoing non-payment to the show's talent and behind-the-scenes crew is highly embarrassing since it keeps happening regularly without whatever issues are causing it, being sorted out by the SABC and Word of Mouth Pictures.

Adding to the embarrassment is that the non-payment issue comes on the back of Word of Mouth's botched so-called "Silver Jubilee" 25-year anniversary celebration for Muvhango in 2022, the SABC constantly saying it is improving payment issues to Muvhango and other production companies supplying content, as well as Muvhango's plummeting viewership on SABC2 which TV ratings continue to fall.

The current Muvhango cast and crew strike comes within three months of the last Muvhango cast and crew stay-away in November 2022 when they were also not paid.

"We were told that our salaries will be paid later and there is a delay once again because the SABC has delayed paying the company and that affected our salaries," a Word of Mouth Pictures staffer who works at the Johannesburg office of the production company told the newspaper.

Meanwhile the SABC's legal department is busy investigating the alleged mismanagement of over R14 million of Word of Mouth Productions' money by former CEO Mandla kaNozulu who was fired in December 2022 after two years on the job.

Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson, told TVwithThinus that "The SABC can confirm that the payment to Word of Mouth Productions was effected as per the agreement between Word of Mouth and the SABC".

ALSO READ: SABC2's Muvhango cast and crew on another 'stay-away' at Word of Mouth Productions after they have again not been paid by the SABC.

Conditions on Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge reality show 'were absolutely inhumane' - report

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix's reality game show version, Squid Game: The Challenge, based on the Korean hit series Squid Game with 456 contests from all around the world, has been branded "absolutely inhuman" by contestants who are speaking out in a new report about the horrific treatment they've been subjected to by the producers.

Produced by Studio Lambert and The Garden and filmed in the United Kingdom, the British press last month revealed the horrific real-life treatment of contestants who were left in a massive aircraft hanger in Bedford as freezing temperatures plummeted, with some contestants collapsed while they were forced to stand still for hours.

Netflix put out a statement about how much the streamer "deeply" cares for the contestants on the show and admitted that while it was very cold "participants were prepared for that".

Studio Lambert and The Garden in a statement said "We care deeply about the health of our cast and crew, and the quality of this show. Any suggestion that the competition is rigged or claims of serious harm to players are simply untrue. We’ve taken all the appropriate safety precautions, including after care for contestants – and an independent adjudicator is overseeing each game to ensure it’s fair to everyone."

In a new deep-dive, Variety reports that contestants are pushing back on Netflix underplaying the horrible on-set treatment, saying what really happened in Squid Game: The Challenge is "definitely not as minimal as is being conveyed by Netflix".

The industry trade spoke to contestants who were part of Squid Game: The Challenge who revealed that while they were told the one game would take two hours to film at Bedford’s Cardington Studios, a large former aeroplane hangar north of London, it turned into a 7-hour ordeal which saw contestants collapse from the freezing cold.

A contestant told Variety that "The conditions were absolutely inhumane". 

About playing one of the Squid Game games where contestants had to stand in below-freezing temperatures holding poses, a contestant says one "just buckled, and you could hear her head actually hit the ground. But then someone came on the [microphone] and said to hold our positions because the game is not paused. After that, people were dropping like flies".

Another contestant said: "You can’t tell people they have to stand in below-freezing temperatures in just a tracksuit and two pairs of socks".

1Magic: M-Net confirms the Tshedza Pictures produced The River won't run through it after 6 seasons.

Thinus Ferreira

M-Net confirmed industry whispers that the Tshedza Pictures produced telenovela The River for its 1 Magic (DStv 103) channel will be ending with the upcoming 6th and final season that will start on 6 February.

The River starring Sindi Dlathu and Hlomla Dandala and that introduced various new on-screen talent to viewers over the past half a decade, launched in February 2018 as a prime-time drama vehicle to anchor M-Net's 1Magic channel.

1Magic made its debut on DStv at the same time as The River which was positioned as the channel's flagship show, with the channel which was created as a premium version of the existing Mzansi Magic channel for higher-tiered DStv subscribers. 

The loss of The River set in the fictitious Refilwe, leaves 1Magic without an announced replacement, which means that M-Net is set to announce a new telenovela for the channel later this year to revitalise the channel's programming line-up after the end of The River.

Created by Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon, re-versioned for adaptations in Nigeria and Angola and winning 26 Golden Horn statuettes at the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), show star Sindi Dlathu also transitioned to become series co-executive producer.

Tshedza Pictures is now producing Gqeberha: The Empire which recently started on Mzansi Magic as the first telenovela being filmed in South Africa's Eastern Cape province.

M-Net in a statement confirms that "1Magic's The River is coming to an end with its upcoming sixth season".

"At M-Net local entertainment channels we would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to the cast and crew of The River for a memorable five years," says Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director for local entertainment channels.

"Their hard work, dedication and brilliance have led to the telenovela's success. The final season is going to be the show's most epic one yet. The drama will be bigger and better, setting the stage for the ultimate finale".

Showrunner Phathu Makwarela says "When we created The River seven years ago, we knew that we wanted to tell a story that will have a definite ending".

"Now on its sixth season, we feel the time is right to bring the story of these beloved characters to an end, on our own terms and when viewers still treasure the show. As the saying goes, 'a good dancer always knows when to leave the stage', and now it's that time for The River."