MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic bring back the DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards in 2022 for a 4th edition after 2-year absence.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice is bringing back its DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards in 2022 for a fourth edition that will take place in June as a live broadcast on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) from the Sun Arena in Pretoria.

The return of the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards after two years - last held in early-2020 just as the Covid-19 pandemic started - follows the return after two years of the 8th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA's) that will once again be staged in Lagos, Nigeria this year as an in-person awards show, and kykNET's 10th Silwerskermfees film festival set as a hybrid in-person event for Camps Bay in Cape Town from 23 March.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced MultiChoice and M-Net to shutter the DStv Mzansi Magic Viewers Choice Awards, the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and the Silwerskermfees indefinitely, will all 3 events now back on 2022's pan-African entertainment calendar, in addition to the 2022 Cape Town Carnival that is also back after two years on 19 March as an in-person event.

To make up for the absence of the awards in 2021, the 4th DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards will honour South African achievers in various categories over the past two years in fields ranging from TV and radio to music, sports and comedy.

The 2022 DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards will feature 13 categories, including special awards, ranging from Song of the Year, Favourite Actress, Favourite Actor, Favourite Radio Personality, Favourite DJ, Favourite Comedian, Favourite Rising Star, Favourite Sports Personality, Favourite TV Presenter, Favourite Music Artist/ Group, Personality of the Year, a Lifetime Achiever chosen by the Mzansi Magic channel, and the Life Changer award that is a sponsored category.

"The return of the DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards is something that really excites us as DStv," says Thabisa Mkhwanazi, MultiChoice South Africa's executive head of marketing.

"Not only are the awards a celebration of our extraordinary local talent but they also put the fans who are our consumers, at centre of everything as they are the ones who will have voted for the different winners."

"As a business we remain committed to the growth of the local entertainment industry, we continue to invest significantly in South Africa's entertainment industry and are fully behind celebrating our local stars."

"This is also an opportunity for our loyal viewers to vote for their favourite stars and we can't wait to hear who their top choices are. Ultimately, we are excited to put on a great show for Mzansi."

MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic will announce more details about the awards and the voting process later in the year.

kykNET cancels Getroud met Rugby soap after 14 years.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has decided to cancel its Getroud met Rugby Afrikaans soap which will air the final episode that will air on 30 September 2022.

The Getroud met Rugby cancellation leaves kykNET with multiple other locally-produced soaps with M-Net's Afrikaans channels division that is actually over-delivering on soap opera programming with series like Binnelanders, Suidooster and multiple others series which remain in original production.

kykNET gave Overberg Productions a slight 6-month contract extension to wrap up characters and storylines for an additional 55 episodes, with filming of the last season that will start in July 2022, and the final episode that will be shown on 30 September on kykNET (DStv 144).

Getroud met Rugby, created by Deon Opperman and Hanli Rolfes that revolved around the fictional Stryders rugby team, ends after 6 seasons as a soap opera, after it made its debut on 7 April 2009 on kykNET as a more risque drama series that continued for 5 seasons before becoming a soap opera in 2016.

In total, Getroud met Rugby was on kykNET for 14 years.

"It is with a heavy heart that we and our viewers bid the tenacious Stryders farewell in September 2022," says Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director of kykNET channels.

"A dynamic television landscape necessitates schedule changes, but these changes also bring new opportunities and new stories. kykNET thanks Deon Opperman, Overberg Productions and every actor and member of the production team who contributed to the remarkable success of this truly original South African series."

"kykNET wishes to continue the good working relationships with the producers, talent and production team of Getroud met Rugby after the conclusion of this chapter – a chapter of which we believe the whole Getroud met Rugby team can be very proud of."

Producer Deon Opperman in a statement says "Getroud Met Rugby has been an enormous part of my life as writer and producer for the past 14 years, initially with the five seasons of Getroud Met Rugby as a drama series and afterwards with the soapie. I'm deeply thankful to kykNET for making everything possible".

SABC News to hire 500 in 2022 after the broadcaster fired 800 workers in 2021.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster that is not out of the woods financially despite another government bailout is looking to hire close to 500 workers this year, with the new hiring spree coming after the SABC let go of 800 workers in 2021.

The extremely bloated SABC that was forced to retrench workers, got rid of 877 permanent workers during its previous financial year that cost R177 million in a once-off payment in severance packages.

The SABC that got another R3.2 billion bailout from the South African government three years ago has not managed to significantly improve its financial position, with ominous clouds over its financial stability and future once again gathering.

Last week the South African parliament's standing committee on public accounts were told that the SABC is not generating enough revenue and that the broadcaster is still struggling to cover its costs despite the R3.2 billion - paid in tranches of R2.1 billion and R1.1 billion in its 2019/2020 financial year - that it received to keep the studio lights and broadcast signals on.

Now the SABC is once again staffing up and advertised for 484 freelance jobs this month, primarily for its SABC News division, ranging from SABC News journalists, editors and producers for TV and radio, to camera operators and video editors, vision controllers, line record operators and bulletin writers, to make-up artists.

After eMedia's eNCA and e.tv did away with weather presenters, SABC News is expanding its personalised weather forecast offering to give viewers a more in-depth, customised and personalised weather report service across SABC News and its TV channels and is looking for 27 weather presenters.

Gugu Ntuli, the SABC's group executive of corporate affairs and marketing, told TVwithThinus in response to a media query, "The SABC can confirm that the corporation is on a drive to attract and create a pool of suitably qualifying talent on a freelance basis".

"It must be noted that SABC News often complements its permanent employees with independent contractors for the success of the operating model."

"The advertised independent contractor roles are intended to attract diverse skills of individuals who are willing to be engaged for various assignments as and when they become available which is often within a short notice. The SABC has duly budgeted for this purpose."

Paramount+ video streamer launching in 2023 in South Africa.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Paramount+ video streaming service from ViacomCBS will launch in South Africa next year, very likely in conjunction with MultiChoice as a so-called "hard bundle" app, although pricing and details for the streamer's rollout in 2023 is still to be worked out.

The launch of Paramount+ - that bundles a massive library and new content ranging from Paramount Pictures films, Paramount+ Originals, Nickelodeon, MTV and CBS Studios - will follow after the launch of The Walt Disney Company's Disney+ streamer in South Africa within months, expected anytime from June 2022.

It means South African video consumers will get Disney+ next, followed by Paramount+, and then likely WarnerMedia's HBO Max (that will contain Discovery+), and possibly NBCUniversal's Peacock, although WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal are yet to say anything publicly about expanding into Africa.

Paramount+, Disney+ and HBO Max will join the existing streaming services already present in South Africa and all battling to grow their market share and to scale their subscriber bases like Netflix SA, Amazon Prime Video, MultiChoice's Showmax, Apple TV+, eMedia's eVOD, Vodacom's Video Play, VIU, Britbox SA and Acorn TV.

The South African launch of Paramount+ will be as a stand-alone app and through connected TV sets, but will very likely also be in partnership with the MultiChoice Group which has existing deals to carry Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as apps on its DStv Explora Ultra decoder.

ViacomCBS, which this week rebranded as Paramount, already has so-called "hard bundle" deals in place with pay-TV operators like Comcast's Sky in the United Kingdom carrying Paramount+, and SkyShowtime as a joint venture in Europe with Comcast, with Vivendi's Canal+ that will launch Paramount+ in France in December in a similar way as well.

Tom Ryan, president and CEO of streaming at Paramount, for the first time at the company's latest investors' presentation this week, confirmed that Paramount+ is definitely coming to Africa. 

With South Africa as the most sophisticated television market on the continent, it's a shoo-in that Paramount+ will be launching in South Africa next year, in the way that Disney+ will this year.

"We're leveraging our global footprint to bring Paramount+ to new markets with enormous potential," he said. "We're deploying hard bundles, where we work with a local provider to give their customers immediate access to Paramount+ as well as direct-to-consumer (DTC app), and a la carte distribution."

Paramount is also creating new and cheaper "mobile-only" plans for markets where mobile devices dominate streaming consumption - something else that will likely be a defining feature when Paramount+ comes to South Africa next year.

"Beginning in 2023, we'll turn out sights to Asia, Africa and the Middle East," Tom Ryan said during the investors' presentation, "building on our momentum to bring Paramount+ to every region of the world."

"Our global expansion underscores an important lesson in streaming: The stories we create are only as powerful as the audience they reach. So in addition to expanding Paramount+ to more people, we're also enhancing the service itself."

Raffaele Annecchino, Paramount president & CEO for international networks, studios and streaming, in a statement about the launch of Paramount+ in partnership with Canal+, said that Paramount is "strategically creating a streaming model for long-term growth".

"Our subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) premium services allow us to expand our streaming business in more than 60 markets, as we build our momentum toward expanding Paramount+ in all the markets across the world".

Wendy Williams says she doesn't have mental health issues after the bank takes her account away.

by Thinus Ferreira

The troubled talk show host Wendy Williams who hasn't been back and won't be for the remainder of the current American talk show season says she's not suffering from mental health problems - after Wells Fargo froze all of her bank accounts after her own financial advisor said Wendy is "not of sound mind" with Wendy now defaulting on payments.

After 2021's "Lifetime" movie and documentary of Wendy Williams, it seems the project was premature with the next tumultuous chapter of Wendy Williams' life playing out in 2022.

After numerous announcements of when the latest 13th season of The Wendy Williams Show - seen in South Africa and across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa on BET (DStv 129), would start - and multiple postponements citing Wendy's ongoing health issues and ill health, the producers and Lionsgate distributor Debmar-Mercury who have a responsibility to deliver a show and new episodes, eventually decided to keep Wendy sidelined and to schedule a revolving roster of guest hosts. 

With Wendy Williams battling ongoing health issues, including the autoimmune disorder Graves' disease, American trade publications revealed that Sherri Sheperd is likely to sign a contract to take over as the "permanent guest host" of The Wendy Williams Show. 

In September 2021 Wendy Williams was taken to a New York hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

The news that Sherri Sheperd is being lined up to replace Wendy barely broke when it was followed by a next wave: The American bank Wells Fargo freezing Wendy's bank accounts and demanding a New York court hearing to determine if Wendy should be placed under guardianship the way that Britney Spears was and if Wendy is an "incapacitated person".

Wendy Williams' publicist Shawn Zanotti in a statement on Monday said that "Wendy wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being", with her attorney claiming that Wendy is being exploited by those around her. 

"During this hiatus from the show, Wendy has employed holistic health professionals to help her reach optimal health during her treatment of Graves' disease and thyroid concerns."

Wendy told the court in a filed affidavit that "For more than two weeks, Wells Fargo has repeatedly denied my requests to access my financial assets, which total over several million dollars. I have submitted multiple written requests to Wells Fargo and I have visited various Wells Fargo branches in the South Florida area in an effort to resolve this matter outside of the courtroom."

"To date, I have submitted and made over a dozen requests, regarding the financial damages resulting from Wells Fargo’s decision to unlawfully deny me access to my accounts."

"As a result of my inability to access my financial assets, I have defaulted and I am at risk of defaulting on several billing and financial obligations, including, but not limited to, mortgage payments and employee payroll."

Wells Fargo in a statement to American media said that "Wells Fargo's priority is the financial well-being of Wendy Williams and the preservation of her privacy. As we have expressed to the court, Wells Fargo is open to working with Wendy Williams’ counsel to release funds directly to her creditors for bills historically and regularly paid from her accounts."

Wells Fargo froze Wendy Williams out of her own bank accounts, with the Daily Mail reporting that Wendy Williams' former financial advisor, Lori Schiller, claims that Wendy is "of unsound mind". That claim led Wells Fargo to freeze Wendy's bank accounts in mid-January.

The New York Post's Page Six that obtained the court documents, reports that Wells Fargo told the court that it is "concerned about Wendy Williams' situation. It is our hope that the Guardianship Part will imminently appoint a temporary guardian or evaluator to review the situation and ensure that Wendy Williams' affairs are being properly handled".

DreamWorks axed on StarTimes and StarSat across Africa.

by Thinus Ferreira

Pay-TV subscribers of China's StarTimes, operating as StarSat in South Africa, lost yet another TV channel on Thursday, this time DreamWorks that got axed today.

"The channel will be offline as at 17 February, due to production being ceased in all African countries," Luyanda Cele, StarSat spokesperson told TVwithThinus.

Dreamworks, from NBCUniversal International Networks, launched in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa on 3 August 2020 but is gone after a year and a half.

DreamWorks programming included series like Dragons: Race To The Edge, All Hail King Julien, The Adventures of Puss in Boots as well as Dinotrux and Noddy Toyland Detective.

NBCUniversal International Networks told TVwithThinus in response to a media query that "From 18 February, the DreamWorks Channel will no longer be available to StarTimes subscribers in Africa. The channel will be launching soon with DStv; we'll share more updates in the coming weeks".

ALSO READ: StarTimes adds NBCUniversal International Networks' DreamWorks animation kids channel for Africa and on StarSat in South Africa.

MultiChoice and M-Net bring Somizi Mhlongo back as Idols judge on Mzansi Magic despite abuse allegations: 'My private life is my private life'.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net and production company [SIC] Entertainment confirmed that they are bringing back the controversial socialite and choreographer Somizi Mhlongo as a judge to Idols on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic channel despite unresolved serious allegations of physical abuse.

After Idols viewership plunged with the show that shed over a third of its ratings in season 17 last year with Somizi Mhlongo that abruptly departed, Somizi Mhlongo is returning for the 18th season despite the unresolved allegations.

Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi who didn't see their contracts as Idols judges renewed, have now been replaced by artist Thembi Seete and rapper-producer JR Bogopa.

The South African version of the Fremantle format show has Gavin Wratten as director and executive producer, along with Anneke de Ridder and ProVerb (Tebogo Thekisho) as co-producers, with ProVerb also being the host.

Somizi Mhlongo stands accused of alleged shocking physical violence and emotional abuse - charges he has not been cleared of - including allegedly chasing his former lover Mohale Motaung with a knife. 

TVwithThinus asked Somizi Mhlongo if he thinks that the drama from his personal life will overshadow season 18 of Idols.

"If you have noticed, I've never spoken about anything and I believe my private life is my private life and my work life is my work life, so I'm still staying there," he says.

"I feel like I can't say anything at the moment and I don't want to say anything at the moment with regard to that. All I can tell you is it was one of the toughest times of my life and my career but we move forward and like we say: 'Innocent until proven guilty".

Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice's head of programming for general entertainment, says "We're excited to have Idols return for an incredible 18th season".

"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."

"Idols is an important part of our creative industry. Not only do we unearth hidden talent, but we also nurture our contestants and equip them with the necessary tools to start or grow their careers. It's a privilege to be able to do that for another season."

ALSO READ: M-Net's Mzansi Magic and Idols bringing back controversial Somizi Mhlongo as judge for season 18, Thembi Seete and rapper JR added as judges.

ALSO READ: Mzansi Magic and [SIC] Entertainment dump Idols judges Randall Abrahams and Unathy Nkayi before season 18 auditions start on Sunday.

ALSO READ: M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel and [SIC] Entertainment plan to bring back controversial Somizi Mhlongo as judge for Idols season 18 and to drop Unathi Nkayi - report

ALSO READ: Mzansi Magic abruptly axes Idols winner media briefing for season 17 after 19 years as ratings plunge.

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Why lazy M-Net's lackadaisical decision to drop the Idols winner Mzansi Magic media briefing damages DStv, Idols and South Africa's entertainment press. 

FOX News International starts streaming in South Africa and 6 other African countries.

by Thinus Ferreira

The right-wing American channel FOX News will start streaming in South Africa and 6 other African countries from today with the FOX News International streaming service that is launching with live streams and on-demand content in countries ranging from Nigeria and Zambia, to Egypt, Ivory Coast, Rwanda and Kenya.

FOX News as a traditional pay-TV channel has been available on China's StarTimes pay-TV service in Africa, operating under the StarSat brand in South Africa, on channel 261.

FOX News Media has been rolling out its FOX News International streamer it launched in August 2020, globally, with South Africa getting access on 17 February to the FOX News (FNC) and FOX Business (FBN) live linear TV channels as digital streams, accessible in South Africa, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria and Zambia. 

"The service's expansion into Africa will increase FOX News Media's international reach to 44 countries and allow more fans around the globe to access their favourite live and on-demand FOX News Media programmes at their fingertips," the company says in an investors' statement.

Priced at $6.99 (R105) per month, FOX News International is accessible in the 7 new African countries for download on iOS, tvOS, Android and Fire TV, bringing the total countries where FOX News International is now available to 44.

M-Net's Mzansi Magic and Idols bringing back controversial Somizi Mhlongo as judge for season 18, Thembi Seete and rapper JR added as judges.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel is bringing back the controversial socialite Somizi Mhlongo as a judge for season 18 of Idols, and is adding Thembi Seete and rapper JR to replace Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkanyi.

City Press on Tuesday evening reported that MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic channel and [SIC] Entertainment is bringing back Somizi Mhlongo as a judge after his absence in season 17 of Idols, and is adding Thembi Seete and rapper JR as new judged to replace the axed Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkanyi.

The South African version of Idols has Gavin Wratten as director and executive producer, along with Anneke de Ridder and ProVerb (Tebogo Thekisho) as co-producers with ProVerb also being the host.

The departure of Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi follow after the exit of the controversial Somizi Mhlongo in 2021 following serious allegations of physical abuse against the socialite, after which Idols immediately lost a third of its Sunday evening ratings on Mzansi Magic as viewers tuned out.

Somizi Mhlongo stands accused of alleged shocking physical violence and emotional abuse - charges he has not been cleared of - including allegedly chasing his former lover Mohale Motaung with a knife. 

Mzansi Magic and [SIC] Entertainment have reportedly been discussing the possible return of Somizi Mhlongo for the 18th season since late-2021 to try and reverse Idols' ratings collapse during season 17.

Thembi Seete who was a member of the kwaito group Boom Shaka, is a South African actress, singer, model and TV presenter, and is known for her role as Gladys in Mzansi Magic's Gomora telenovela.

During season 17, Thembi Seete was a guest judge in one episode of Idols. 

Professionally known as the rapper JR, whose real name is Tabure Thabo Bogopa Junior, is a South African businessman, entrepreneur and musician who has released 5 albums so far and is known for performing Motswako rap in Setswana and English.

He released the first music distribution app in Africa called FYVE. 

ALSO READ: Mzansi Magic and [SIC] Entertainment dump Idols judges Randall Abrahams and Unathy Nkayi before season 18 auditions start on Sunday.

ALSO READ: M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel and [SIC] Entertainment plan to bring back controversial Somizi Mhlongo as judge for Idols season 18 and to drop Unathi Nkayi - report

ALSO READ: Mzansi Magic abruptly axes Idols winner media briefing for season 17 after 19 years as ratings plunge.

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Why lazy M-Net's lackadaisical decision to drop the Idols winner Mzansi Magic media briefing damages DStv, Idols and South Africa's entertainment press.