Disney+ launches although streaming service glitch out as consumers complain that they can't log in.

The Walt Disney Company on Tuesday started its new Disney+ video-on-demand service in some countries as part of its global launch although Disney was quickly inundated by irate customers who couldn't log in after the new video streaming glitched out.

Disney+ that won't be available in South Africa for quite a while and that carries a large collection of film and TV titles from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, National Geographic and Disney’s own content stable, launched in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands on 12 November.

Disney+ will become available a week later on 19 November in Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico, while the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany and Italy will get Disney+ by the end of March 2020.

While South African consumers and viewers in sub-Saharan Africa are missing out with no definite launch date, a Disney+ boss has now been appointed for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, which bodes well for a potential future launch.

On Tuesday Downdetector.com showed 7 600 consumers in the United States, Canada as well as the Netherlands who complained after they tried to access Disney+ but were unable to, while many vented their frustration on social media about an array of problems and errors.

Disney+ on various platforms would show unavailability screens using Disney characters like  Wreck-It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet and Mickey Mouse and Pluto as astronauts adrift in space. "We are having a problem. Please exit the app and try again," Disney told users.

Disney+ users complained that they couldn't log in, couldn't set up profiles, or that content was missing and disappeared after they logged in. Other complaints ranged from episodes not playing to long waiting times and bad call centre customer service.

Disney said in a statement on Twitter that "The consumer demand for Disney+ has exceeded our highest expectations. While we are pleased by this incredible response, we are aware of the current user issues and are working to swiftly resolve them. We appreciate your patience."

Disney+ launched with 500 films and 7 500 episodes of various TV series, including new original Disney+ content like the well-received new first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian.

The technical problems of Disney+ is similar to when HBO's streaming service buckled earlier this year during the 8th and final season of Game of Thrones, and MultiChoice's DStv Now streaming service that also struggled to cope with Game of Thrones episodes as well as during several matches in which South Africa played in the 2019 Rugby World Cup tournament.

Entire cast of Days of Our Lives dropped from their contracts - is this the end of Days?

In a shocking development the entire cast of Days of Our Lives has been released from their contracts - an ominous move that could herald the end of the longrunning American weekday soap broadcast on e.tv.

Even if the 55-year old series were to be renewed for another year - it's currently the lowest-rated of the last four remaining American daytime soaps on the air - it's doubtful that all or most of the actors would be back since they might very well move on to new jobs and roles.

Corday Productions didn't respond to media enquiries seeking comment about the cast being released from their contracts, with TVLine that first reported the news. 

Days of Our Lives is produced for America's NBC network, with Sony Pictures Television that distributes it internationally and with e.tv in South Africa that is broadcasting it from Mondays to Thursdays at 16:45.

According to reports, Days of Our Lives has not yet been renewed for another season in the United States, but finished filming most of the current contracted season with enough episodes to last until the end of the season with no reason for Corday Productions to keep the actors for the time being with no further contract in place.

Days of Our Lives was last renewed in January 2019 for the 2019/2020 season and will go on an indefinite production break at the end of November.

kykNET to celebrate 20 years on DStv with a star-studded, 2-hour live broadcast TV special, kykNET 20 Jaar.

kykNET will be celebrating its 20th anniversary on Friday, 15 November at 20:00 with a live TV special entertainment broadcast entitled kykNET 20 Jaar, done from MultiChoice's Studio 6 in Randburg to look back at the 2 decades legacy of M-Net's Afrikaans TV channels division.

kykNET's 20th anniversary live TV special on 15 November is timed to the exact date 20 years ago when kykNET first officially went on the air on 15 November 1999 on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service when M-Net offered the first Afrikaans television content besides the SABC.

Friday night's kykNET special will include a retrospective look back at kykNET's video entertainment journey over the past two decades, filled with musical performances and some interviews, as well as comical highlights.

kykNET presenters from then to now - ranging from Tracey Lange, Henré Pretorius, Hannes van Wyk, Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, Janine Oberholzer, Leah and Kim Cloete - will make appearances, including Emo Adams, Nadia Beukes, Willem Botha, Rian van Heerden and Terence Bridgett and the show will include a song about kykNET’s shows and presenters over the years.

Pedro Kruger, Rocco de Villiers, Coenie de Villiers and Clint Brink will be singing while Schalk Bezuidenhout will provide some laughter, and Hamilton Wessels, Lieb Bester, Toks van der Linde, Breyten Paulse and Pieter Koen will be doing dance moves.

kykNET's TV special will include Coenie de Villiers and Early B, as well as a Boer Soek ’n Vrou surprise, while Hannon, Cindy Swanepoel and Bennie Fourie will talk about the film industry.

Johnny Davids and Vivian Molauly who were the winning duo of kykNET's Zing! singing reality competition will be performing together for the first time in years, while Sandra Prinsloo and Amanda Strydom will also make an appearance.

kykNET's TV special will end with an "Afrikaners is Plesierig" item - perhaps a hint about Karen Zoid?

"We're going with the live broadcast - day and date 20 years after kykNET launched - from Studio 6 in Randburg. We're planning a wonderful, entertaining line-up the story of kykNET from beginning to now," Karen Meiring, M-Net's director of Afrikaans channels said on kykNET's weekly entertainment magazine show Kwêla on Sunday night's episode.

"For kykNET the challenge is renewal; new things; to keep in step with the viewer but also with what's happening in the world regarding TV content. There are so many new trends and to bring some of that to us and to kykNET is wonderful and exciting," she said.

M-Net scraps 2 of its award shows for 2019 - although one of them will make a comeback in 2020.

M-Net has quietly scrapped two of its televised award shows for 2019 with neither the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards on Africa Magic, nor the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards on Mzansi Magic, that will take place this year.

According to insiders the problem is finding sponsors to help carry some of the huge production costs associated with mounting the TV awards, the same issue that in 2016 led to the demise of both Viacom Africa's MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) and MultiChoice and CNN International's African Journalist Awards which took place the last time in that year.

M-Net West Africa started the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards in 2013 that was broadcast annually across sub-Saharan Africa on MultiChoice's DStv, mostly during March, to promote and recognise African TV and film productions from across West, East and Southern Africa.

The 6th Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards however only took place in September 2018 in Lagos, Nigeria  - several months later than previous years.

For the 6th edition of this award show, the viewers' votes which were steadily reduced every year, accounted for only 25% of the winners, with Africa's viewers who by that time only had a say about who wins in 7 out of the 27 categories.

M-Net in South Africa started the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards in August 2017 and held it for a second time in November 2018, to promote and recognise South Africa's entertainment industry.


One of them back in 2020
According to MultiChoice Africa, although the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards isn't taking place in 2019 this award show might return in future.

According to MultiChoice the AMVCAs requires huge funding to make happen, as well as an alignment between the production, competition and commercial teams, as well as staging it in Nigeria where there are limited venues capable of a production of this scale.

According to M-Net, although the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards isn't taking place in 2019, this awards show is not cancelled.

"We are still in deliberations at the moment and cannot say much without final approvals. Everything else regarding the awards will be communicated in due time," Mzansi Magic told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry.

M-Net said that the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards will be taking place sometime in 2020 for a third time, although a specific time-frame is unclear.

No further Confederation of African Football (CAF) coverage on SuperSport in South Africa or Africa after CAF scraps rights deal with Lagardère.

There will be no coverage of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) soccer championship on SuperSport in South Africa or across sub-Saharan Africa starting with the under-23 championship kicking off in Egypt this weekend after MultiChoice's SuperSport was unable to sign a contract for the broadcasting rights.

SuperSport previously acquired the CAF rights from Lagardère but CAF scrapped a $1 billion television and marketing rights deal with Lagardère Sports, meaning that SuperSport couldn't negotiate with Lagardère.

Neither this weekend's under-23 championship, nor the Afcon qualifier matches resuming on Wednesday 13 November will be broadcast on SuperSport.

It means that DStv subscribers won't be able to watch Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits with the teams who will start their CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup group stage assignments later in November.

SuperSport will also not be able broadcast Bafana Bafana’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations back to back qualifiers away to Ghana at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday and against Sudan on Sunday next week at the Orlando Stadium.

The tournament serves as the qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics men’s soccer tournament.

"We are in a difficult position where we cannot broadcast the CAF games when we don't have a firm contractual arrangement in place. SuperSport had previously acquired these broadcast rights from Lagardère," says Joe Heshu, MultiChoice Group's corporate affairs spokesperson.

It comes after CAF terminated its TV rights deal with Lagardère. CAF scrapped a $1 billion television and marketing rights deal with Lagardère Sports after court judgments that found that the deal breached competition rules.

CAF says that the Cairo court in Egypt in November 2018 ruled that the contract breached "Egyptian competition rules because Lagardère was appointed as CAF's exclusive agent for marketing and media rights for an uninterrupted 20-year period without any open tender".

The Economics Court of Cairo issued two judgements against former CAF president Issa Hayatou and former secretary-general Hicham El Amrani which found them guilty of anti-competitive and fraudulent conduct.

The court fined CAF with 100 million Egyptian pounds ($6.2 million).

In a another separate judgment, the Competition Commission of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (CCC) also found in 2017 that the agreement infringed competition regulations.

"Given the above developments, CAF had no choice but to terminate the agreement. Termination of the agreement is the legal consequence of the judgments of Egyptian courts and the recommendations and imminent decision of the CCC," says CAF.

"CAF had no choice but to terminate the agreement. CAF has repeatedly made it clear to Lagardère‚ including at a meeting this week‚ that its termination of the agreement was not a 'unilateral decision' as was wrongly presented in Lagardère’s recent press release‚" says CAF.

Lagardère says it will fight to enforce the contract and has slammed CAF's right's deal termination that was supposed to run from 2017 to 2028 as "unlawful, unreasonable and unjustified".

Arnaud Lagardère, managing partner at Lagardère, says "We have here a very, very strong case and we'll do whatever it takes either to maintain the contract, deal with more changes or get a significant amount of cash".

Rapper and former YO.TV child star Luther 'Crazy Lu' Cohen dead after asthma attack.

The rapper and former YO.TV child star on SABC1, Luther "Crazy Lu" Yakanawa Cohen has died after an asthma attack in Cambodia.

Luther Cohen was one of the presenters of X-Attitude in the YO.TV block on SABC1 and later became a member of Jozi together with Lesley Mampe known as Da Les, Bongani Fassie and Ishmael.

His genre of music was hip-hop and his style involved mainly crunk, thug-rap and gangsta and was once accused of stealing 2 laptops and Burberry shoes from Da Les' car whilst performing at the MetroFM Heat Wave in Durban.

His brother Marvin Cohen, who is a former producer on the magazine show Live AMP on SABC1, said that the family was told about his death at 03:00 on Friday morning and that he apparently died from an asthma attack.

Luther Cohen fell into a coma a year ago also due to his chronic struggle with asthma.

The Cohen family will be travelling to Cambodia on Sunday where Luther Cohen had been loving for the past 3 years.

Lesley Mampe told 702 that "I think what drew everybody to him was his infectious smile and his ability to make everybody entertained and keep everybody happy".

"I think he transcended that attitude through his music, and we were able to build a career and great moments with him. He will be greatly missed."

R. I. P CRAZY LU

REMEMBER WATCHING HIM EVERYDAY ON X ATTITUDE ON SABC. HE WAS LEGIT APART OF MY YOUTH. THEN OFCOURSE THERE'S JOZI.
💔💔💔💔💔#RIPCRAZYLU pic.twitter.com/oiUdgB06NR

— Love & Other Stuff (@Rouge_Rapper) November 8, 2019

R.I.P to our brother and SA hip hop pioneer CRAZY LU. Thank you for all the memories and condolences to the family. We will miss you.🙏🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/aBA6TyQH0F

— MR MAKHADO™️ (@rikyrickworld) November 8, 2019

REST IN PEACE BROTHER. Very big condolence goes out to the COHEN family. Terribly sorry we couldn’t connect when you were alive. Life’s short 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/1c4b74KESb

— Da L.E.S (@2freshLES) November 8, 2019

South Africa's e.tv adds NBA coverage in new multi-year deal after implosion of Econet's Kwesé Free Sports.

e.tv has signed a new multi-year deal to add sports coverage of America's National Basketball Association (NBA) to its channel as well as on its Openview free-to-air satellite service.

The new NBA coverage deal comes after the implosion of Econet pay-TV division, Kwesé and its Kwesé Free Sports channel that abruptly went dark in July 2019 and was subsequently removed from Openview.

Through Kwesé and Kwesé Free Sports South African saw some NBA coverage on South African community TV stations like SowetoTV thanks to sub-licensing deals which ended because of the debt-riddled Econet's financial problems.

NBA coverage on e.tv will start this Saturday and Sunday 9 and 10 November on e.tv and Openview with the broadcast of the game between San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics that will be broadcast live on e.tv at midnight, with a repeat on Sunday at 17:00 on Openview's News & Sport channel.

Two NBA games will be broadcast per week on News & Sport (Openview 120), including one live game and one shown on a delayed basis.

"South Africa has an insatiable sporting appetite, and our partnership with the NBA will most certainly appeal to that," says Marlon Davids, e.tv managing director.

"Over the past few years, we have been implementing strategic growth plans that will ensure that our sports content offering across our platforms is worthwhile for our viewers.  We are ecstatic about this announcement and we greatly look forward to a fruitful run with the NBA."

Amadou Gallo Fall, NBA Africa managing director and Basketball Africa league president, says "We have always strived to make the game of basketball more accessible to our fans through participation in our sport and exposure, and we are thrilled to partner with e.tv in South Africa".

"We have seen growing interest and look forward to reaching more fans in South Africa through live games and additional programming."

BH90210 reboot will remain a single season limited series.

Fox has cancelled BH90210 as a show-within-a-show rboot of Beverly Hills, 90210 which will remain a one-season limited series.

M-Net (DStv 101) will broadcast the 6-episode BH90210, that has concluded its first season in the United States, on Saturday nights in South Africa.

The original cast - who reunited to play heightened, fictional versions of themselves as they try to get a reboot of their show back on the air - said that they would like to see the limited series run for several seasons.

"We have so many stories to tell that this could keep going on season after season," said Tori Spelling.

Fox said in a statement on Thursday announcing the BH90210 cancellation that "We are so proud to have reunited in a very special summer event one of the network’s legacy series and casts with 90210 fans".

"Profound thanks to and respect for Brian Austin Green], Gabrielle Carteris], Ian Ziering, Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty and Tori Spelling, who, along with the entire crew and everyone at Fox and CBS Television Studios, poured their hearts and souls into this truly inventive and nostalgic revival."

BH90210 was co-created by Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling who were also the executive producers alongside co-creators and showrunners Mike Chessler and Chris Alberghini, and was produced by CBS Television Studios and Fox Entertainment.

MultiChoice to post a significant increase in earnings for 6 months to end-September 2019.

MultiChoice says that the Randburg-based pay-TV operator expects to announce a significant increase in earnings for the 6-month period to 30 September 2019.

MultiChoice, that operates brands like DStv, GOtv and Showmax, is set to release its interim financial results for the period on Monday 11 November 2019.

In a trading statement released before the release of its interim financial results for the half-year until the end of September 2019, MultiChoice says that "Compared to the group’s results for the 6 months ended 30 September 2018, the group expects core headline earnings per share for the current period to be between 20% and 25% higher than the prior year´s 352 ZAR cents".

"The board considers core headline earnings per share and trading profit as the two most appropriate indicators of the operating performance of the group, as they adjust for non-recurring and non-operational items."

MultiChoice expects a 20% to 25% increase in trading profit for the same period despite tough economic conditions in South Africa, as well as across several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

It's in fact improvements in reducing losses in the rest of Africa outside of South Africa that will contribute the most to MultiChoice's increased earnings.

MultiChoice says that "The improved financial performance expected for the current period is despite continued macro-economic headwinds faced across the continent, which are impacting disposable income at a consumer level".

"Management has remained focused on tight cost controls to offset these challenges and continued to reduce losses in the Rest of Africa segment, which has been the largest contributor to the improvement in group performance."