MultiChoice combines two M-Net channels divisions under new premium content team led by Waldimar Pelser as Jan du Plessis is set to retire.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net is combining two of its three South African TV channel groupings, with the M-Net channels and Afrikaans kykNET channels getting consolidated under a new so-called "premium channels" division under oversight of Waldimar Pelser, coming as the director for M-Net channels, Jan du Plessis, is retiring at the end of March after 28 years at the Randburg-based company.

Waldimar Pelser, one year in the seat since February 2022 as new M-Net director for kykNET channels, will now oversee both his existing portfolio, as well as the M-Net channels which have been under Jan du Plessis purview.  Shirley Adonisi remains as M-Net director of local entertainment channels.

Waldimar Pelser's title will change to director of premium channels as the two sets of management teams are getting combined.

"The new leadership structure supports our vision to give the best premium offering to our subscribers on the M-Net channels," says Georginah Machiridza, the MultiChoice Group's executive head of general entertainment channels, in a statement announcing the management change and consolidation.

"We have seen a complimentary nature in viewership for the kykNET and M-Net channels, and this new structure offers us the opportunity to better curate and promote our strong bouquet of channels."

"It is with great admiration and heartfelt respect that we bid farewell to Jan du Plessis while we welcome and support Waldimar in his new role. Since his appointment as director of kykNET channels, his collaborative management approach has showcased a strong drive to take our premium proposition into the future."

"Jan is someone whose guidance and perspective many of us have had the pleasure of experiencing over the years."

"I have deep admiration and respect for him, and he has achieved much more than we could fit into a few words. His passion for local productions has played a key role in game-changing strategic decisions he has taken during his tenure."

"We wish Waldimar the best in his new role, and we will support him as he embarks on this new journey. We look forward to his direction at M-Net."

As a highly respected and extremely knowledgeable veteran executive who is also widely liked across the TV and film industry, Jan du Plessis joined M-Net in 1994 where he grew and evolved the M-Net brand and channels in various capacities over the past 28 years. 

This included the launch of the kykNET channels as director in 1999. He was also part of the teams that secured the rights to produced localised versions of international formats, leading to shows like Big Brother and Idols in South Africa.

Jan du Plessis was appointed director of M-Net channels in 2016, where he was responsible for channels including M-Net, M-Net City and the various M-Net Movies offerings.

"This has been an incredible and unforgettable ride," Jan du Plessis says in the statement. "As someone deeply passionate about film and television, being part of the M-Net family has allowed me to work closely with many film and television makers over the years – a dream career for a film lover such as myself."

"I am grateful for everything I have been part of. When I started at M-Net in 1994, it was to secure and expose our local viewers to the best international content and titles."

"As my roles changed, we at M-Net were able to hone and develop the local industry leading to our bold co-productions where we are exposing the international market to our world-class local talent and stories. I couldn't have asked for anything better than working on one of the best local brands in South Africa, M-Net."

The Real Housewives of Gqeberha on the show's drama and tears: 'If you put 5 queens in one room there's going to be fireworks'.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Real Housewives of Gqeberha starting tonight on 1Magic (DStv 103) at 20:30 promises explosive fights between the women but also more humour than some of the other versions and tears flowing in the first episode - with one of the housewives underscoring the drama that's going to be dished up, saying "if you put five queens in one room, there's going to be fireworks".

The GOAT Original with Jemma Ford as showrunner, was largely filmed over the past year in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, and across the Eastern Cape province as the latest South African version of the NBCUniversal Formats franchise.

As to the decision to do a version also set in Gqeberha, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, who spoke at the show's media launch on Thursday night in the city, says "it was a no-brainer".

"We have so many other franchises of The Real Housewives, yet because we're so diverse as a country and a continent, there are many spaces that our audience don't get to see and each province has its own nuances, its own cultural differences, it's own unique flavour so to speak."

"So you can't compare The Real Housewives of Johannesburg to The Real Housewives of Durban - it's a totally different flavour."

"We really felt as M-Net we would love to explore this part of the world - it's beautiful the scenery, the culture. It's just been an amazing adventure to just find these ladies, find their stories. We really didn't want anything fake about it."

About criticism that there are now too many The Real Housewives versions in South Africa and across the continent, Shirley Adonisi says "I don't think too many are ever a bad thing. I think we've all been in a space where we didn't have choice. I think Covid had taught us that where we had no choice but to stay home".

"I think as MultiChoice, as a company that has productions all across Africa, our aim is actually to expose as many corners of our continent as possible to people. When we find a format that we believe works for this space, why not?"

"I think the beauty is that you have a choice as the viewer. You can choose which franchise is your favourite. From our end, our aim is to entertain and in a way educate. You see the glitz and the glamour but then you also see that they are real people."

"They are mothers, they are wives. They cry, they fight, they are honest with each other. And how brave you have to be to be authentic, but also the power of sisterhood."

Jemma Ford says the selection process to find and cast the women started in December 2021. She says viewers can expect "spice"."There's a lot of spice, coupled with humour".

Salon owner Unathi Faku, and wife of the city's former mayor, says "what happened between us I didn't expect. You have to watch and see. I was so surprised".

Socialite Liz Prins says "I have met a wonderful person on this show - an awesome, awesome friend that I think will be a friend for me for life. I didn't come into the show expecting to make friends. I know what the show is about, I know that the ladies don't really like each other. But I've met someone and she's classy and beautiful."

"And they deserve each other," quips businesswoman Buli G Ngomane. She adds: "Regardless of what happens in terms of action and drama, it is important that women are showcased in all of their fabulousness, at every turn, in every way - regardless of whether we get along or not".

Events planner at the Nelson Mandela stadium, Norma Nicol says "if you put five queens in one room, there's going to be fireworks. And then it always ends up with who's left standing". 

Tonight TLC debuts MILF Manor: A jaw-dropping American dating reality show with an unbelievable and uncomfortable twist.

by Thinus Ferreira

Another jarring new American dating reality show, MILF Manor, is starting tonight on TLC (DStv 135) at 22:00 with a shocking twist that needs to be seen to be believed.

Warner Bros. Discovery is bringing MILF Manor to Africa as an Express from the US title with South African viewers who will be three episodes behind the daring new reality show which started on 15 January with an unbelievable twist.

Although there is absolutely no connection between the two, the NBC comedy series 30 Rock once had a fictitious in-show reality series called "MILF Island" in which moms went looking for love like The Bachelorette franchise.

The setup of MILF Manor, somewhat similar to Netflix reality shows like Too Hot to Handle and Dated and Related and ITV's Love Island, eight single women between 40 and 60 are whisked away to a luxury villa in Mexico where they will be given the chance to date and kiss-and-tell before the cameras, as a group of hunky men vie for their attention and love.

The women are all older and have been moms for years, hence the not-safe-for-work acronym "MILF", and they will all be introduced to much younger men. 

Then various challenges follow like the women, blindfolded, feeling the shirtless men's torsos for the winner to get a night in a hot tub with a romantic partner. In the second episode, contestants have to guess each others' "deepest sex secrets".

MILF Manor however comes with a very big twist which is revealed in the first episode.

The moms include a personal trainer, a former ballerina who owns a gym, a surgical nurse, a paralegal, two event planners, a fitness coach, and a mom who works in the hospitality industry.

The guys include a college American football player, a musician, a bartender, a postman, a model and actor, a singer in a rock band, and one who works in the fitness industry. 

2023 to kick off with a Nguni TV news war as MultiChoice's DStv takes on the SABC with a Mzansi Wethu bulletin for Zulu and Xhosa viewers in the same timeslot as SABC1.

by Thinus Ferreira

A TV news war for Nguni viewers is coming to South African television at 19:00 with M-Net taking the SABC head-on by launching a daily isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletin from 27 February on DStv at the same time as SABC1's news bulletins in these languages which have surged to record ratings. 

The buzzword for early 2023 in South African television news is a renewed push for an increase in news content in vernacular languages, with Mzansi Wethu (DStv 163) which will add a daily isiZulu/ isiXhosa TV news bulletin from 27 February.

Meanwhile the SABC is forging ahead with plans to launch its second SABC News channel, SABC eKhaya, in April.

With the surging TV ratings of the isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletins on SABC1 rising to record levels in 2022 of over 2.4 million nightly viewers each - now by far the two most-watched TV newscasts in the country - M-Net asked the existing TV news channel Newzroom Afrika carried by MultiChoice on DStv, to produce a dual Nguni language TV news bulletin for its Mzansi Wethu channel.

Newzroom Afrika started advertising and staffing up in November 2022, when it looked for field reporters, bulletins editors and executive producers to do isiZulu and isiXhosa news content from 2023.

Izindaba Zethu/Iindaba Zethu will be carried on Mzansi Wethu from Monday 27 February at 19:00 taking SABC1 head-on in the news ratings race in the same extremely competitive timeslot, hoping to lure some of the highly-prized viewers to DStv with an alternative vernacular news option.

With Mzansi Wethu available for lower-tiered DStv subscribers and upwards, it means that the isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletin will be available to the vast majority of the pay-TV service's customers. 

The Nguni news supply deal is structured similarly to the long-running multiyear deal that M-Net has with eMedia's eNCA TV news channel to supply the daily half-hour eNuus TV news bulletin in Afrikaans for the various kykNET channels on DStv at 19:00. 

The former SABC News TV anchor Thabile Mbhele will be the isiZulu news anchor on Mzansi Wethu, while Dicksy Mdlalose who is also known to SABC viewers, is the weather presenter. Khethukuthula Makoatsane is the sign language interpreter. 

For the isiXhosa bulletin Lisakhanya Pepe who was on the SABC will be the anchor, with the SABC weather presenter Thabile Makapela who will appear on Mzansi Wethu. Pumza Sikumba is the sign language interpreter.

"We're proud to offer the news in IsiZulu and IsiXhosa as we take another step forward on our journey," says Thabile Ngwato, Newzroom Afrika CEO.

Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, says the addition of Nguni news to DStv will add a greater diversity of views.

"We are excited to provide a platform for Newzroom Afrika's Nguni news. This will offer our viewers access to a news offering in Nguni languages and add to the diversity of news on our platform."

SABC eKhaya in April

The SABC meanwhile plans to launch its SABC News spinoff channel, SABC eKhaya, meaning "SABC at home" in April, which will be done in South African languages besides English which is catered for on the main channel.

SABC eKhaya "is our response to the demand from millions of our viewers yearning for extensive news coverage and a dedicated channel in their own languages," says Moshoeshoe Monare, SABC news boss.

The SABC used to carry and repeat all its terrestrial TV news bulletins in vernacular languages shown on SABC1 and SABC2 on its existing SABC News channel but ended the practice in April 2015 when MultiChoice extended the footprint of the SABC News channel beyond South Africa's borders.

Unlike SABC News, SABC Ekhaya will not be available on DStv on StarSat despite the country's must-carry regulations from Icasa, with SABC eKhaya which will be available on its streaming service SABC+ and as a digital terrestrial television (DTT) channel.

"This public news channel is an added platform to serve mainly communities that are not necessarily reached by mainstream commercial media. These are millions of viewers who wait until the evening to watch less than half an hour bulletins in their own languages," Moshoeshoe Monare says.

"SABC News is well-positioned to rise to this challenge because of its decades of experience in public broadcasting in indigenous languages."

ALSO READ: SABC set to launch a second SABC News TV channel in South Africa's indigenous languages.

ALSO READ: Newzroom Afrika hiring field reporters, bulletin editors and executive producers to start isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletins in 2023.

7 cancellations and a renewal.

by Thinus Ferreira

While American TV is producing more scripted series than ever before, the cancellation bear keeps stalking 2023's television woods with shows that keep getting axed as companies are consolidating their linear and streaming businesses into one. 

Here's the latest batch of your American shows which will be no more - and one deserving renewal.

NCIS: Los Angeles

One of the longest-running American procedural shows, NCIS: Los Angeles with LL Cool J, Chris O'Donnell and Linda Hunt is ending after 322 episodes at the end of its current 14th season which will be its last.

NCIS: LA, seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and Universal TV (DStv 117) was produced by CBS Studios and seen in more than 200 countries.

"Our crew has grown to be a true family and their hard work and dedication has been fundamental to our success year after year," says Scott R Gemmill, NCIS: Los Angeles showrunner in a statement.

"My deepest gratitude to the cast members, who have brought our characters to life with their impassioned performances – thank you for your talent, professionalism and continuous enthusiasm. And to our loyal viewers who loved our characters and followed their journeys, thank you. We look forward to delivering an end to the series that is both satisfying and does justice to these beloved characters."

Gossip Girl

HBO Max's reboot of Gossip Girl got the axe after two seasons.

Seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and Showmax, the series is the victim of Warner Bros. Discovery's content cost-cutting for its streaming service.

"We are very grateful to showrunner and executive producer Joshua Safran, and executive producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz for bringing us back to the Upper East Side and all the scandals at Constance Billard," says HBO Max in a statement. 

"Although we are not moving forward with a third season of Gossip Girl, we thank them for the enticing love triangles, calculated backstabbing and impeccable fashion this series brought to a new audience."

Doom Patrol and Titans

HBO also pulled the plug on the offbeat superheroes series Doom Patrol seen on M-Net (DStv 101) after four seasons, as well as Titans after four seasons, for the same reason as Gossip Girl - cutting back on streamer content.

"While these will be the final seasons of Titans and Doom Patrol, we are very proud of these series and excited for fans to see their climactic endings," HBO Max says in a statement.

American Gigolo

The Showtime series set in Los Angeles' modern-day sex industry with Jon Bernthal as Julian Kaye and seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and Showmax has just been cancelled after one season.

The reason? Paramount Global is consolidating the content across its Paramount+ and Showtime streaming services.

"We can confirm that American Gigolo will not move forward with a second season on Showtime. We are grateful to our partners at Paramount Television Studios, the producing team, cast and crew for their tremendous efforts to bring this series to life," Showtime says in a statement.

Let the Right One In

The vampire series Let The Right One In which will be on Showmax from 27 Ferbuary and is inspired by John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel that has been previously adapted into two acclaimed films, also got the axe after just one season.

Showtime can confirm that Let the Right One In will not move forward with a second season. We are extremely proud of this series and of the outstanding work by Demián Bichir, Madison Taylor Baez, Anika Noni Rose, our showrunner Andrew Hinderaker and his fellow executive producers, and the entire cast and crew," Showtime says in a statement. 

"We would like to thank all of them and our partners at Tomorrow Studios, and we wish everyone the best going forward."

Reboot

Steve Levitan's first TV project after the hugely successful Modern Family was this comedy series available on Disney+ which has been cancelled after one season.

Acapulco

And lastly, a renewal: The hilarious comedy series set during the 1980s and available on AppleTV+ has been renewed for a 10-episode third season.

"We have always believed that the stories we tell about our communities and cultures can resonate with global audiences, so crank up the AC, it’s about to get a lot hotter at Las Colinas Resort," says executive producer Eugenio Derbez who also stars in the show, in a statement.

Eskom blackouts wipe 5 million viewers from South Africa's TV audience.

by Thinus Ferreira

Eskom's relentless and increasing electricity blackouts in South Africa wiped out close to 5 million South African viewers during prime time from the country's TV grid in December 2022, inflicting ongoing damage to broadcasters who are losing not just audience but the advertising revenue they depend on, and causing havoc with ad buyers' campaigns.

The TV staple of South African television - locally-produced prime time soaps - collectively shed over 4.77 million viewers from November to December 2022 as Eskom's electricity supply continued to sag into late-2022.

These rolling blackouts mean that millions of South African TV households are left in the dark and cut off from their TV sets at nighttime due to Eskom's erratic and constantly changing "loadshedding" practices.

Between SABC1's Uzalo, Generations: The Legacy and Skeem Saam; SABC2's Muvhango; and e.tv's Scandal!, House of Zwide, The Black Door, Imbewu and Durban Gen which collectively represent the most-watched shows in South Africa, the country's available TV audience dropped by a shocking 4 776 251 viewers in one month as they disappeared from the available TV universe measured by television data.

Audience losses on shows on smaller channels like SABC3 and pay-TV service DStv added to the number of lost viewers because of the country's crippling electricity blackouts. 

According to the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa's (BRCSA) TV ratings data for December, SABC3's maximum audience decreased from 588 151 to 519 8080, while a show like Uyajola 9/9 on Moja Love (DStv 157), which was the most-watched pay-TV series in November with 904 082 viewers, shed over a quarter (25.78%) of its audience in just one month to plunge to 670 983 DStv subscribers watching in December.

Looking at biggest audience size for South Africa's terrestrial TV channels, SABC1 plunged from 5.6 to 5.1 million viewers in December, SABC2 fell from 1.72 to 1.54 million viewers, SABC3's already low 588 151 viewers dropped to 519 8080, while e.tv's maximum audience in December lost over 700 000 viewers, dropping from 4.78 million to 4.01 million viewers in December.

A slight drop in TV ratings is expected and does happen during December - since some households measured for South Africa's television audience measurement system (TAMS) and included in the people meter panel go on holiday, don't switch on their TV set and mirror what happens to the audience size during this period.

A massive five million viewership drop in one month however is not normal and extremely damaging and debilitating for broadcasters who lost ad revenue and for advertisers who lost out on the eyeballs they paid for but didn't get and wanted to reach with Christmas sales campaigns.

Warner Bros.'s DC Studios unveils a new slate of 10 films and TV series for the next decade.

by Thinus Ferreira

Warner Bros. Discovery's DC Studios has unveiled a new slate of 10 film and TV projects, with series including a live-action Peacemaker spinoff with Viola Davis, as well as a Lanterns, Booster Gold and Paradise Lost, shows - and on the movies side films about Supergirl, The Authority, Swamp Thing, Batman and Robin and the reboot of Superman in a set of five movies.

DC Studios now run by James Gunn and Peter Safran, announced its planned slate of TV and film projects, which they are calling "Chapter One". The plan is to release two films per year and two TV series per year on HBO Max, over the next decade.

TV SERIES

Creature Commandos

An animated series with seven episodes written by James Gunn. The Creature Commandos consist out of military superhumans with a human leader, including a gorgon, Frankenstein's monster, a vampire and a werewolf. It will be an updated take on the band of misfits originally introduced in Weird War Tales where the team of classic monsters were assembled to fight Nazis.

Waller

Viola Davis will return as task force boss in this Peacemaker spinoff series.

Lanterns

This TV series will feature the Lantern heroes Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

Paradise Lost

A TV series described as a "Game of Thrones"-type series set on Themyscira, the island where Diana (Wonder Woman) was born. The series will be filled with political intrigue, drama and a lot of scheming behind the scenes from various powerful Amazon people and is set before the events depicted in the Wonder Woman films.

Booster Gold

A new TV series for HBO Max about a superhero from the future who ends up in the modern-day world. In the 25th century Mike Carter, a disgraced former American football star uses a time-machine in the Metropolis Space Museum to travel back in time.

FILMS

The Authority

A film based on a team of superheroes protecting Earth with extreme methods. The Authority was created after StormWatch, a planetary defence force against aliens, got destroyed. Jenny Sparks, a former member of that group, created The Authority with her StormWatch Black teammates Swift and Jack Hawksmoor. The team also includes The Engineer, Jeroen Thornedike, Apollo and Midnighter.

The Brave and the Bold

A Batman and Robin film.

The Batman Part II

Robert Pattinson will reprise his role as the Dark Knight in this film which will be released in October 2025 and is directed by Matt Reeves.

"Superman Legacy"

An already-announced new Superman film which will be released in July 2025. It won't be another Superman origin story but focus on how the superhero balances his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

A take on a different kind of Supergirl who saw everyone around her day for her first 14 years and who wasn't raised on Earth by loving parents. It will be based on Tom King's 2022 comic book series.

Swamp Thing

A horror film based on the origin story of the swamp creature.

Showmax tells an American publication 'exclusively' it's looking for South African and African first-time directors for 10 new films.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's streamer Showmax sent the American online publication Deadline a general announcement on Tuesday about South African content - a general announcement which Showmax PR deliberately chose not to share with South Africa's media on Tuesday - about looking for South African and African content.

Showmax further has the audacity to claim that it supports local content - it just doesn't actually support local media. 

Yolisa Phahle, now CEO of Showmax and Connected Video at MultiChoice, says that Showmax audiences prefer local content. 

It hasn't yet dawned on MultiChoice or Showmax that that same audience also reads local news and publications dedicated to South Africa and Africa. Claiming "MultiChoice and Showmax support local" rings hollow when running to American media about news and announcement about South Africa and Africa "exclusively".

Showmax is now looking for pitches for 10 live-action films but is telling American media that - not South Africa's media or Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria. The films can be made in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria and must be done by a first-time director attached.

The pitching period closes 1 April 2023.

"Showmax audience prefers local content, with 7 of the 10 most-streamed titles in South Africa, 8 of the top 10 titles in Kenya and Nigeria, and 9 of the top 10 in Ghana last year being African," says Yolisa Phahle in a statement in the general pitching announcement, sent "exclusively" to Deadline.

"Making your first film is a key turning point in any director's career. So this brief is another way we are trying to empower local filmmakers to tell their own stories for their own communities in their own languages."

"We're looking for authentic stories that will resonate with our local audiences. Popular genres like romcoms, family dramas, and thrillers are always welcome."

Dr. Phil to end after 21 seasons.

by Thinus Ferreira

America's Dr. Phil talk show is ending after 21 seasons with Dr. Phil McGraw who decided that he wanted to stop doing his daytime show at the end of the current season.

The Oprah spin-off talk show was seen on South African television - first SABC2 where it ran from its beginning for several seasons, after switching to pay-TV with M-Net picking it up for the Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel for a few further seasons.

Dr. Phil McGraw started out with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, also seen in South Africa, in the late 1990s, before he transitioned to his own tough-talking talk show in 2002.

"I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television. With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children," Phil McGraw (72) says in a statement announcing the end of the show.

"This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I'm moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do."

"I am compelled to engage with a broader audience because I have grave concerns for the American family, and I am determined to help restore a clarity of purpose as well as our core values."

Steve LoCascio, CBS Media Ventures president, says "Phil is a valued partner and member of the CBS/King World family, and while his show may be ending after 21 years, I'm happy to say our relationship is not".

"Phil changed the daytime landscape as the force behind one of the most popular talk shows ever on daytime TV."