Marianne – eExtra Se Nuwe Franse Misdaad-Drama Land In Maart

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eExtra, ’n algemene vermaakskanaal wat telenovelas en dramareekse uit Turkye, Indië en Asië aanbied, lanseer ’n nuwe reeks, Marianne. Dit is ’n Franse misdaad-drama wat op die kanaal vanaf 1 Maart om 19:00 uitgesaai word.

Opsomming vir Marianne

Bekend as Marianne, One of a Kind! of Judge Marianne, volg die reeks Marianne Vauban, ’n hoogs onkonvensionele en uitgesproke ondersoekregter wat in Toulon gebaseer is. Marianne los komplekse, dikwels bisarre misdade op saam met Kaptein Raphaël Pastor en haar lojale hofklerk, Yves Marguet.

’n Dekade-oue koue saak rondom die moord op ’n prostituut staan sentraal in die intrige. Marianne het die slagoffer se seun, Zacharie, belowe dat sy die moordenaar sal vind. In Seisoen 1 neem sy die begaafde tiener onder haar vlerk terwyl sy werk om die amptelik geslote ondersoek te heropen.

Die reeks het vir die eerste keer in Augustus 2022 in Switserland uitgesaai, gevolg deur België en op France 2 in September 2022. Dit speel Marilou Berry as Marianne Vauban, Alexandre Steiger as Raphaël Pastor, Stéphane Pezerat as Yves en Alka Balbir as Selma.

Die eerste seisoen bestaan uit 6 episodes, elk met ’n duur van 52 minute. ’n Tweede seisoen is ook vervaardig, met verfilming wat na Marseille verskuif het.

In ander ontwikkelinge het eMedia Investments aangekondig dat hulle Kelders Van Geheime ná 2 seisoene sal kanselleer, met die reeks wat in Augustus 2026 sal afsluit. Ander programme wat binnekort eindig, sluit in House Of Zwide, Smoke & Mirrors en Scandal!.

SABC 2 Stepping Into A New Era With Refreshed Lineup

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SABC 2 kicked off the new year with a new schedule and lineup that focuses on South African experiences, storytelling, and accessibility.

From 4.30 pm on 9 February, programming kicks off with a new hour-long afternoon talk show, Eintlek: Let’s Connect, which will air live on weekdays.

Hosted by Penny Lebyane and Fran-Rico Eintlek, the show invites everyday voices to join the conversation.

This is followed by the Afrikaans Nuus (6.30 pm), Ouma Sarie (7 pm), and Deal or No Deal SA (7.30 pm).

A new telenovela, Pimville, replaces long-standing soapie Muvhango at 9 pm.  

The drama series set in the heart of Soweto explores themes of ambition, resilience, love, and consequences through authentic township storytelling.

The cast includes Gail Mabalane, Thapelo Mokoena and Mondo Makhoba.

On Sundays, a vibrant cooking competition, Colour Your Plate with KOO, will air at 7 pm.  

“We really want SABC 2 to be the heart of the nation. A channel that reflects South Africa to itself with honesty, with warmth, with culture, rhythm, and heritage,” said SABC head of content Lala Tuku.

A Look Into The Life Of Former Child Star Tara Tara Correa-McMullen

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Tara Correa-McMullen was born on May 24, 1989, in Westminster in Windham County, Vermont, to Thomas Raymond McMullen and Mary Devra Correa née Brown.

While growing up, Correa-McMullen became interested in acting, dance, and music. When she was just 4 years old, she showcased a penchant for playing the piano.

Ten years later, Tara was cast in a recurring small-screen role on Judging Amy. In the beloved series, which starred Amy Brenneman, Tara portrayed Maritaz Cruz, a former gang member who over a series of episodes season is encouraged by Amy to change her ways. But sadly, by the season's close, Cruz is killed in prison.

In real life, on October 21, 2005, Correa-McMullen was with her friends in front of an apartment complex in Inglewood, CA when she was shot and killed.

Law enforcement described her as the innocent victim of a gang-related shooting.

In the End

Like too many former child stars, before, during, or after her lifetime, Tara Correa-McMullen met a tragic end, leaving this world much too soon, and long before her time.

Lost Footage Of Aaliyah's Role In The Matrix (RIP)

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eMedia Holdings Acquires 30% Stake In Pristine World Holdings

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South African media company eMedia Investments, owner of e.tv, has announced the acquisition of a 30% equity stake in Pristine World Holdings, a specialist provider of high-end visual effects (VFX) services to the global film and television industry. The deal, valued at R119 million, marks a strategic move by eMedia to diversify its content creation capabilities and tap into international production markets.

The transaction will be executed through eMedia Investments, with payment directed to Convergence IT Services FZCO, the sole owner of Pristine World Holdings. Convergence is incorporated in the United Arab Emirates, underscoring the international scope of the deal.

In a statement released to investors on Thursday, eMedia highlighted that the investment aligns with its broader strategy to strengthen and diversify revenue streams within its existing media ecosystem. By acquiring a stake in Pristine World Holdings, and by extension, gaining access to its subsidiary MR Factory, a cutting-edge VFX studio, eMedia aims to integrate advanced visual effects technologies into its own production pipeline.

Pristine World’s service offerings include:

• Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

• Motion capture

• Digital compositing

• Animation

These capabilities will enable eMedia to enhance the quality of its content across platforms such as e.tv and eVOD, its video-on-demand service. The investment also positions the company to collaborate on international projects and offer high-end VFX services to external clients.

The timing of the acquisition coincides with eMedia’s ongoing development of its own VFX infrastructure at its Hyde Park studios in Johannesburg. This facility is being built to support real-time visual effects integration, allowing both in-house and third-party productions to benefit from advanced post-production technologies.

eMedia stated:

This investment forms part of eMedia’s strategy to diversify and strengthen its revenue streams within its existing ecosystem. By acquiring a stake in Pristine World (and, in effect, in MR Factory), eMedia gains access to the technology and innovation of MR Factory. It aims to incorporate high-quality visual effects capabilities into its content production pipeline, thus enhancing the quality of its offerings and positioning the eMedia group for international project collaboration.

The transaction is set to become effective on 1 October, pending regulatory approval from the South African Reserve Bank and the finalization of a shareholder agreement between eMedia and Pristine World Holdings.

Catfish: The TV Show Currently Seen On MTV And eReality Has Been Cancelled After 9 Seasons

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“Catfish: The TV Show” is dead in the water.

The reality show that investigated deceptive online relationships has been canceled at MTV after nine seasons. The network is allowing the producers to shop the series elsewhere.

Hosted by Nev Schulman, “Catfish” helped people discover the truth about their suspicious digital romances — and sometimes come to terms with the person on the other side of the computer screen. The series is based on Schulman’s 2010 documentary of the same name, which coined the term “catfish” for someone who uses a false identity or stolen photos to deceive others on the internet.

Developed by Schulman, Ariel Schulman and Max Joseph, “Catfish: The TV Show” debuted in 2012 on MTV and ended with Season 9 in July 2024. Nev Schulman and Joseph co-hosted the show for its first seven seasons. In 2018, Joseph was replaced by a rotating list of presenters, including Elle King, Nick Young and Machine Gun Kelly. Eventually, Kamie Crawford joined as a permanent host, joining Schulman for 96 episodes.

“Catfish” not only gave a name to the phenomenon of digital deception. The series also spawned international spinoffs in Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Its legacy continues on-screen: a recent episode of “The Paper” centered on an employee being catfished by someone impersonating a celebrity, and the current No. 1 documentary on Netflix is titled “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish.”

Since the end of Season 9, the status of “Catfish: The TV Show” was up in the air, as it had not received a renewal or cancellation from MTV amid the restructuring of the Paramount merger. Last month, Schulman announced he had earned his real estate broker’s license and would be helping people buy and sell homes in New York.

SuperSport And SABC Agree On Sub-Licensing Terms Of PSL Broadcast Rights

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SuperSport and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have reached an agreement regarding the sub-licensing of Premier Soccer League (PSL) broadcast rights ahead of the start of the new Betway Premiership season.

 

The move comes after strong relations between the two South African broadcasters following the agreement of sub-licence agreements for the MTN8 tournament as well as the Currie Cup semi-final match which was contested this past weekend and upcoming final match.

 

The PSL saw the dawn of the new Betway Premiership last Saturday, 14 September 2024, with millions of fans seeing their favourite team content the biggest prize in South African football.

 

SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha said “The latest sub-licence agreement with the SABC is another step towards a strong relationship with the public broadcaster, for the benefit of the millions of football lovers across the country and the African continent. The PSL has proven itself time and again to be the most coveted football product among South Africans and we look forward to delivering another outstanding season of football action on Your World of Champions, SuperSport.”

SABC Group CEO Nomsa Chabeli said: “We are pleased with this acquisition, and it is another demonstration of our commitment to delivering exceptional sport content to our diverse audiences. Our rights package includes a total of 51 matches comprising of 23 Betway Premiership matches, 10 Carling Black Label Cup matches, 12 Nedbank Cup matches, and 6 National First Division matches. We will broadcast league matches every Saturday on SABC 1 during the league season, ensuring our audience has access to exciting live local football”.

 

 

 

Ms Chabeli further stated that “We will also be enhancing our coverage by strengthening the analysis team. This move will ensure that we provide insightful commentary and in-depth analysis for our viewers. The added new members to the team are Itumeleng Khune, Jabu Mahlangu as well as Coach Thabo Senong who will be joining our resident analysts Doctor Khumalo, Simphiwe Dludlu and Hlompho Kekana in studio”.

Primedia, Parent Company For 947 And Eyewitness News Reportedly Up For Sale

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Private equity shareholders of Primedia are considering strategic options for their stakes in the South African broadcasting group, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The company, owned by EPE Capital Partners, FirstRand, Old Mutual and the Mineworkers Investment Trust, has turned around under CEO Jonathan Procter, helping boost its valuation, said the people who asked not to be identified because the talks are private.

A jump in operating cash flow at Primedia makes it easier for the private equity firms to begin discussions with local and international companies, they said.

Primedia attracts interest from international and local investors from time to time

Interest in broadcasting firms in Africa — home to the youngest and fastest growing population in the world — has been on the rise in tandem with the surging use of mobile phones and declining data prices.

France’s Canal+ is in the process of acquiring DStv parent MultiChoice Group in a deal that values the company at R55-billion.

Primedia, the owner of Eyewitness News and Radio 702, is targeting a 25% increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation to R1-billion in the near term, two of the people said. Improving finances at the broadcaster may value the firm at R6.4-billion to R9.2-billion, the people said.

Primedia “attracts interest from international and local investors from time to time”, the company said in an emailed response to queries. “These expressions of interest are considered by the board and shareholders, although no process has been announced by the board.”

Content

EPE Capital and Old Mutual Private Equity referred queries to Primedia. Rand Merchant Bank, a unit of FirstRand, and Mineworkers Investment didn’t respond to requests for comment. The process is still at an early stage and there’s no guarantee any deal will go ahead, the people said.

Primedia was founded in 1994 and operates in eight African countries including South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

The company recently established a studio production business that holds the licensing rights to local versions of shows including the Masked Singer and Deal or No Deal.

The company has also started selling content to streaming services such as Netflix and Apple+, and opened a sporting business for advertising and sponsorships as it increasingly pivots the company to becoming more digital focused. 

Former Hawaii Five-O And Magnum Pi Star Taylor Willy Has Died

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Wily’s death was confirmed by KITV 4 Island News in Hawaii. Musician Lina Girl Langi, who had been close friends of Wily and his loved ones, announced the news on her lifestyle show, “Island Life Live.”

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of a Hawaii celebrity who was also a family friend,” Langi shared on the broadcast on Thursday. “Taylor Wily, former wrestler, MMA fighter and actor passed away today in Hurricane, Utah.”

She added: “He would look physically menacing until you just folded right into a hug, and that was it. My heart is breaking.” 

Her co-host, Davey D, described Wily as one of the “kindest” and “gentlest souls.”

His cause of death has not been revealed.

Wily — whose real name was Teila Tuli — played Kamekona on the CBS drama for 171 episodes for 10 seasons between 2010 and 2020. He reprised his role for seven episodes in “Magnum P.I.”

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1968, Wily also appeared in the 2008 romantic comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which starred Jason Segel, Kristen Bell and Paul Rudd. Other credits included “Radical,” “MacGyver,” “North Shore” and “Marker.”

Off-screen, Wily was a sumo wrestler under the name “Takamishu.”

According to TV Insider, he won his first 14 matches before becoming the first foreign-born wrestler to win the championship in the third-highest makushita division. In 2000, he lost to fighter Gerard Gordeau in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

He is survived by his wife, Halona, and their two children.

OUTtv Rebrands UK Service And Expands In Nordics With Allente Deal

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The service, which will operate as OUTflix from 11 April, has also launched across the Nordics via a deal with a Allente that covers Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

OUTflix is also a commissioner of original UK content, recently greenlighting queer comedy series Stand Up Specials London (5 x 45-minute), featuring sets from emerging comedians including James Barr, Heleana Blackwell, David Ian, Kat Nip and Vix Leyton.

Other UK original content on the service includes Live At The Queer Comedy Club, and a series of short films from The Iris Prize festival selected titles.

In addition, two projects developed through the documentary film financing fund for emerging British LGBTQ+ filmmakers that OUTtv funds alongside The Iris Prize and Aberystwth University are hosted on OUTflix: Somina Fombo’s Some Girls Hate Dresses, which follows the lives of Black British tomboys from the 1990s, and the forthcoming Bender Defenders from director Ira Putilova, highlighting five queer, non-binary and transgender people at a queer Muay Thai club in East London.

Since launching in the UK in 2020 as a DTC offering, the service has also grown its partnerships to include OUTtv Proud, a FAST channel now available via Channelbox on Freeview, Plex and Netgem.

Brad Danks, CEO of OMG and OUTtv, said: “We are unifying the brand as we expand across Europe and beyond, so we’re thrilled to be launching OUTflix alongside our partnership with Allente across the Nordics – and look forward to many more viewers discovering the treasure trove of LGBTQI+ content we continue to grow.”

Development Alert: NBC Renews Law And Order: SVU For Season 26, Law And Order For Season 24, Chicago Fire For Season 13, Chicago PD For Season 12 And Chicago Med For Season 10

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Dick Wolf is in for another busy season at NBC. No surprise here, the Peacock network has renewed “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.,” “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: SVU” for the 2024-25 broadcast TV season. Among Dick Wolf scripted series, that leaves just “Law & Order: Organized Crime” on the bubble; a renewal for that show, which has experienced multiple showrunner changes in its short life, is still in discussion.

Among the shows, this will rep the 26th season of “Law & Order: SVU,” the 24th season of “Law & Order,” Season 13 for “Chicago Fire,” the 12th season for “Chicago PD” and the 10th season for “Chicago Med.” All of the renewed series are produced by Universal Studio Group’s Universal Television division, along with Wolf Entertainment, and all shows stream the following day on Peacock. (Wolf’s deal with Universal is currently through 2027.)

Per NBC, “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med” and “Chicago P.D.” (collectively known as “One Chicago“) are the top three Wednesday shows in total viewers and rank among the top 10 primetime entertainment shows this season. Also, Season 25 of “Law & Order: SVU” is Thursday’s top-rated entertainment show in the 18-49 demo.

Across all platforms, Chicago Fire” is averaging 12.6 million viewers (+86%) and is +236% in the adults 18-49 demo (live+35); “Chicago P.D.” is averaging 12.0 million viewers (+114%) and is +287% in the demo; “Chicago Med” is averaging 10.5 million viewers (+57%) and is +141% in the demo; “Law & Order: SVU” is averaging 11.2 million viewers (+111%) and is +325% in the demo; and “Law & Order” is averaging 7.7 million viewers (+56%) and is +122% in the demo.

Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer on “Law & Order: SVU”; David Graziano, Julie Martin, Mariska Hargitay, Norberto Barba, Kenneth Brown, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski also executive produce. Wolf is also creator and executive producer on “L&O,” with Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.

“Chicago Fire” executive producers are Dick Wolf, Derek Haas, Andrea Newman, Reza Tabrizi, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski; Dick Wolf, Diane Frolov, Andrew Schneider, Stephen Hootstein, Eli Talbert, Derek Haas, Arthur Forney, Matt Olmstead, Michael Brandt and Peter Jankowski are executive producers on “Chicago Med”; “Chicago P.D.” executive producers are Dick Wolf, Gwen Sigan, Chad Saxton, Rick Eid, Derek Haas, Gavin Harris, Jason Beghe, Arthur Forney, Peter Jankowski and Michael Brandt.

Afrikaans Voice Actors For Wie Laaste Lag

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Nadia Beuke as Esra

Johan Joobert as Ilan

Donovan Pietersen as Cinar

Claudia Jones as Çagla 

Eloise Cupido as Menekse

Rowlen Ethelbert von Gericke as Ekrem

Henrietta Gryffenberg as Zümrut

Mila Guy as Elif

Karin Retief as Reyhan

Kevin Smith as Yalçin

Sue Tyler as Feraye

Bernice Du Toit as Zeynep

Gustav Gerdener as Musa

Bertha La Roux as Neriman

Source: Die Afrikaans Voice Page and Insidus Plus

News Shorts: Saturdays Cancelled After One Season On Disney Channel, Telemundo Temporarily Suspends Production Of Original Programming, Redemption Makes It's Freemium Debut On e.tv

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Saturdays are about to be retired

 

Earlier this year, Disney launched a brand new single-cam, coming-of-age comedy series called “Saturdays” on the Disney Channel and Disney+. The show takes place on the best day of the week...Saturday! The series revolves around 14-year-old Paris Johnson and her best friends Simone and Ari, who hone their roller-skating skills on the cool parquet floor of Saturdays, a local skating rink in Chicago. Together they form the We-B-Girlz skate crew and are determined to show and prove they have the hottest skate routines on the planet!

Unfortunately, according to TVLine, the show has been cancelled because while, Disney Branded Television was high on the show, it is now focusing on building out its multicam strategy. Disney is also focusing more on shows that are based on Disney-owned IP, and will be focused on creating global tentpole programming.

Telemundo is going on autopilot

Based in the United States, Telemundo is a Spanish language television channel distributed internationally by NBCUniversal. It is home to number of original productions including My Heart Beats For Lola, Betty In New York, Fearless Heart and Aurora.

Due to declining number of TV households, Telemundo joins the lineup of premium TV channels to have lost their viewers on year end for platforms like Netflix and Disney+ and this included NBC, HBO, The CW, TNT, ABC, National Geographic, Freeform and Disney Channel.

This has resulted in the shortage of original productions as Telemundo delays production on an untitled Danilo Carrera series. Prior to that one of their current actors William Levy (Vuelve A Mí) had mentioned having numerous projects from the network taken away from him.

Internationally, the channel had to licence content from numerous studios including Colombian dramas The Chosen Granddaughter and Ana's Revenge from RCN and Caracol Television and Turkish series Cennet: The Power Of Destiny from ATV.

Redemption is coming to e.tv

Prior to the series debut on BET, it was very much announced that Redemption would be made available to e.tv. Following the cancellation of the family drama during the year, we got word that the series will air on weeknights at 20:00 from 19 November.

Set in a mega church, centres on the Zikode family. After the disappearance of Pastor Simon Zikhode (Themba Ndaba), his daughter Faith (Kwanele Mthethwa), who is on the cusp of an international music career, drops everything to come to her family's rescue.

The cast includes Tina Jaxa, Sthandiwe Kgoroge, Seputla Sebogodi, Yonda Thomas, Pearl Modiadie, Sparky Xulu, Nkone Mamejta and Toka Mtabane.

Dr. Phil To Launch Primetime TV Channel In The US By Early 2024

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Following the end of his long-running daytime syndicated talk show, Dr. Phil McGraw is launching Merit Street Media, a new news and entertainment cable TV network. It will be anchored by Dr. Phil Primetime, which will premiere Feb. 26, 2024 and will air nightly at 8 PM ET.

No details have been revealed yet about the new network’s distribution. It is expected to have nationwide carriage, which would be no small feat in the current challenging business environment of declining linear ratings and cord-cutting.

Merit Street will be based in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where a new state-of-the-art broadcast center, spanning over 5 acres, is completing construction. Dozens of longtime Dr. Phil staffers have relocated their families to Texas to continue working alongside McGraw.

In the coming months, Merit Street will announce its full primetime lineup; the network is expected to initially offer multiple hours of original daily programming, including live news broadcasts.

Dr. Phil Primetime will stay close to the format of McGraw’s daytime show, with him continuing to offer no-nonsense advice in addition to conducting interviews with headline makers.

“I absolutely love talking to real people about real problems. People who aren’t just complaining but are actively looking for real solutions to better their lives,” McGraw said. “It all begins and ends with real people dealing with these issues for real, using common sense, fact-based information, and action plans to create results.

In the months since Dr. Phil ended its run after 21 seasons, McGraw has continued to receive requests from viewers seeking advice.

“As always, the audience will dictate our content because they are our content, and I want my viewer’s help in building Merit Street,” McGraw said. “I continue my pledge to help individuals, couples, and families have the tough conversations, face the hard realities, and get real answers for the most positive and effective outcome.”

The new show also is expected to feature some of McGraw’s conservative views on family values, immigration and education curriculum which he shared in the final years of his daytime talker. He hinted at that in his official comments about the launch Merit Street.

In the coming months, Merit Street will announce its full primetime lineup; the network is expected to initially offer multiple hours of original daily programming, including live news broadcasts.

Dr. Phil Primetime will stay close to the format of McGraw’s daytime show, with him continuing to offer no-nonsense advice in addition to conducting interviews with headline makers.

“I absolutely love talking to real people about real problems. People who aren’t just complaining but are actively looking for real solutions to better their lives,” McGraw said. “It all begins and ends with real people dealing with these issues for real, using common sense, fact-based information, and action plans to create results.

In the months since Dr. Phil ended its run after 21 seasons, McGraw has continued to receive requests from viewers seeking advice.

“As always, the audience will dictate our content because they are our content, and I want my viewer’s help in building Merit Street,” McGraw said. “I continue my pledge to help individuals, couples, and families have the tough conversations, face the hard realities, and get real answers for the most positive and effective outcome.”

The new show also is expected to feature some of McGraw’s conservative views on family values, immigration and education curriculum which he shared in the final years of his daytime talker. He hinted at that in his official comments about the launch Merit Street.

“American families and our core values are under attack,” he said. “I love this country, and I believe family is the backbone of our society. Together we are going to stand strong and fight for the very soul and sanity of America and get things that matter back on track.”

Additionally, the name of the new network, Merit Street Media, refers to McGraw’s publicly stated respect for the meritocracy on which the U.S. was built.

Veteran news and programming executive, Joel Cheatwood, known for his work at WCBS, CNN, and Fox News, will serve as Chief Operating Officer for MSM. Other staffing announcements will be made in the next few months.

'Friends' Star Matthew Perry Dead At 54...After Apparent Drowning

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More details are surfacing about the circumstances surrounding Matthew Perry's death...as sources tell us he actually died at his own house after some physical activity this morning.

We're told Matthew came home sometime in the AM after a 2-hour round of pickleball, and that he sent his assistant out on errand shortly thereafter. We're told when the assistant returned about 2 hours later, he discovered Matthew unresponsive...and called 911.

Unclear if what Matthew was doing before his passing played any role in his death at this point -- the investigation into his death is underway.

Law enforcement sources tell us the actor was found Saturday at an L.A.-area home ... where we're told he appears to have drowned. Our sources say first-responders rushed over on a call for cardiac arrest. It's unclear where exactly on the grounds this happened.

Our sources say he was found in a jacuzzi at the home ... and we're told there were no drugs found at the scene. We're also told there is no foul play involved.

Perry is most famous for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit '90s sitcom, which ran for 10 seasons ... and with him in all 234 episodes. His character was a fan fave, as was performance -- mannerisms and lines of which have gone on to be recreated and spoofed by fans all over the world. One comes to mind, in particular ... "Could (blank) BE more .."

While 'Friends' was his biggest claim to fame ... MP had starred/guest starred in countless other TV shows over the years -- such as 'Boys Will Be Boys,' 'Growing Pains,' 'Silver Spoons,' 'Charles in Charge,' 'Sydney,' 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' 'Home Free,' 'Ally McBeal,' 'The West Wing,' 'Scrubs,' 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,' 'Go On,' 'The Odd Couple' and more.

He had also acted in a handful of memorable films (mostly comedy) ... like 'Fools Rush In,' 'The Whole Nine Yards,' 'Three to Tango,' 'The Kid,' '17 Again,' 'Getting In,' and many others. He's been off the scene more recently ... not having acted since a TV mini series in 2017.

While his onscreen persona was affable and upbeat, Matthew suffered mightily behind the scenes -- notably, from his addiction to drugs and alcohol ... pain killers, specifically. He was hooked on Vicodin for years -- even while on 'Friends' -- and had been in and out of rehab.

Matthew opened up about this painful chapter of his life in a memoir he put out last year -- where he detailed the struggles he had ... including his clear weight-loss/gain on the show.

During his press run for his book ... Matthew did a number of interviews where he got incredibly emotional -- including one with Diane Sawyer, where he detailed his story.

While Perry appeared to be clean and sober a year ago, the year prior -- when he and the other cast members were plugging the 'Friends' reunion show -- drew concern from fans ... as they felt he appeared unwell, at times slurring his words and looking a bit out of it.

On top of his substance use ... Matthew also dealt with health issues, some of which were serious and required hospitalizations. One such incident stemmed from a gastrointestinal perforation -- which forced him to undergo emergency surgery ... but he luckily recovered.

Matthew never married, but he was briefly engaged to Molly Hurwitz a couple years ago...which came to an end after only 6 months. Before that, he'd been linked to Lizzy Caplan.

How SABC Could Save 7de Laan From Complete Extinction

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During the year, it was reported that the public broadcaster had axed 7de Laan after 24 years with the last episode set to be broadcast on Day Of Goodwill (26 December). Since news of its cancellation surfaced the SABC has faced severe backlash from fans.

As a petition is being drawn up for SABC at change.org to reconsider, several fans are looking to strike at Campus Square Auckland Park in Johannesburg this coming Thursday which is where the show had been filmed.

The public broadcaster view their current financial state as one of the reasons 7de Laan is being booted and another having to deal with the fact that the viewership of the Afrikaans soap has dropped in the past years with etv's Afrikaans offering at 5pm able to double it's audience.

It's unlikely that 7de Laan's viewership will get better overnight with Sentech cancelling several analogue feeds for their channels and also Eskom's blackouts. Striking is probably the only way consumers will ever get across to the public broadcaster and if possible find an outcome.

Despite having more viewers than M-Net and Mzansi Magic, SABC has seen their ratings drop in recent years with SABC 3 taking the most punches following the cancellation/removals of Days Of Our Lives and Isidingo SABC 2 likely to suffer the same fate with 7de Laan.

7de Laan ranks as the most watched Afrikaans soap and second watched soap on SABC 2 behind Muvhango. Overall, most of the public broadcaster's local productions can't surpass the viewership of Uzalo, Generations: The Legacy, Skeem Saam and Muvhango.

The only way SABC 2's viewership would probably remain intact would be if the public broadcaster was looking to replace 7de Laan with a follow-up show similar to Generations: The Legacy or if some if not majority of the cast were to be seen on the replacement soap.

Magnum Pi Cancelled On NBC

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The Jay Hernandez-led reboot of the 1980s procedural will wrap its run with its upcoming 10 episodes on NBC. The news comes as the options on the cast were due to expire June 30, forcing NBC — whose studio sibling Universal TV co-produces the series alongside CBS Studios — to make a decision on either extending those deals or wrapping up the show. The network, which has recently passed on a number of pilots and canceled nearly all of its bubble shows, opted to let the show conclude with its remaining 10 episodes rather than to spend the money to extend the show’s stars as it’s unclear when production will resume amid the ongoing Writers Guild strike.

Magnum P.I. was canceled in May 2022 after four seasons on CBS. The series ranked as one of the highest shows on broadcast television at the time of its cancellation, prompting NBC to step in and save the show from cancellation with a two-season, 20-episode pickup less than two months later.

NBC is calling the 20-episode order a split season, a loophole that allows networks, studios and streamers to avoid giving cast, creators and crew annual salary increases in a practice that has been widely used by basic cable networks and streamers.

Eric Guggenheim serves as showrunner and exec produces alongside Justin Lin, John Davis and John Fox. Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, Stephen Hill, Tim Kang and Amy Hill round out the cast of the series, which streams in-season on Showmax and otherwise on Paramount+.

Canal+ To Acquire A 26% Stake In Hong Kong Based Streaming Platform VIU

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PCCW and Canal+ have announced a strategic partnership through which the French media giant will become a significant minority shareholder in PCCW’s Asian streaming service Viu.

Canal+ will make a staggered investment of $300M in Viu, including an initial investment of $200M, resulting in a 26.1% stake. It also has an option to make a further investment and turn that stake into a controlling 51%.

In a statement, Canal+ talked expansion opportunities and plans to collaborate with Viu on premium production:

During the year, the French company expanded their stake in MultiChoice beyond 30%. This move similar to VIU raises speculation of a possible takeover and should that be the case one has to wonder what would become of Showmax and VIU in South Africa if it's operated by Canal+.

"This new strategic partnership will enable the further growth of Viu, leveraging the global strength and expertise of Canal+ through various initiatives including collaboration on premium productions and content creation, expansion of global market reach for Viu, and continual user experience improvement. The partnership will allow Canal+ to take a major step in developing Asia as its next growth engine.”

Viu is one of Asia’s leading streamers with more than 66 million monthly active users (MAU) and 12 million paid subscribers across Asia, the Middle East and South Africa. The service, which operates a combined AVOD and SVOD model, consistently ranks as the top streamer in terms of MAUs across Southeast Asia and second in terms of subscribers.

It produces a wide range of local-language drama series and lifestyle programming, with a focus on Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, and was a first mover in the acquisition of Korean content. In 2022, Viu reported $250M in revenue, representing growth of 36% year over year.

Maxime Saada, Canal+ Group CEO, said: “Canal+ already has leading market positions in Europe and Africa. We are now looking forward to developing Asia as an additional growth engine for the group. Our investment in Viu is a major step towards achieving this goal. Viu is already a business with scale, with its hybrid AVOD and SVOD business model and focus on local content, it has all the ingredients to deliver superior growth and continue to be a leading service in the region and beyond.

Janice Lee, Viu CEO and PCCW Media Managing Director, said: “When we launched Viu, we had set our sights on creating and transforming our media business into an international play by tapping into larger addressable markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South Africa. Having created a robust streaming business, we are excited to have the addition of Canal+ as a strategic investor to further accelerate growth by drawing on Canal+’s global strength in premium productions, content creation and distribution expertise.”

Recap To The Decade: 10 TV Channels You Probably Forgot Existed On Openview

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Openview is a free-to-air platform operated by eMedia Investments that also manage brands such as e.tv, eReality and eExtra part of which are ranked the top 10 channels. For several years, they've been to be a worthy foe to pay-tv serving affordable entertainment.

It wasn't always like this initially the platform was more of an Easyview type platform and if we remember the DStv bouquet it was one of MultiChoice's crappiest products to exist and Openview at the time was basically that with the exception of eMovies and eToonz.

Now we look at 10 forgotten channels once seen on Openview.

1. English Club TV

English Club TV sets out to be one of the most least crappiest products on this list. If anything the channel was very promising as it featured documentaries, films, cartoons and music video all of which are illustrated for those who study English.

At the time this channel was around, eMedia Investments didn't have that much consumers. In some way, English Club TV was a victim of unfortunate circumstance which contributed to the cancellation.

2. Inspiration TV

Inspiration TV is a Christian themed channel operated by Inspiration Ministries that is home to the likes of Charles Stanley, TD Jakes and Joel Osteen. It was meant to form the initial offering of Openview when it launched in October 2013 but didn't unfortunately.

eMedia Investments had tried numerous times to get the channel onboard but due to some technologies those plans were halted.

3. BiCars

Bi-Cars TV was a reality street motorsport
lifestyle channel similar to Ignition TV on DStv. It showcased motorsport news, fashion, celebrity riders and real-life stories of street Moto-sport lifestyle, entertainment and music.

Some of the content featured on Bi-Cars TV included Mzansi Celebrities Bikers, Bi-Car Make Over, Battle Of Crews , BC League, Championships Of Speed and Sound, and Torque Talk.

Similar to most of the channels on the list, a vast majority weren't tuning in to the Ignition duplicate.

4. United Christian Broadcasting Network (UCBN)

United Christian Broadcasting Network (UCB Network TV) is a Christian based channel providing religious content. UCBN programming include shows such as Men of Honour, Women In Me, Pastor's Corner, Africa Talent Show, Nuggets of Wealth and Leadership, U Kids.

The channel was terminated due to low viewership.

5. Ekurhuleni TV

Ekurhuleni TV is a community TV station carrying local news, music, educational, health and religious programming.

The channel was terminated due to low viewership.

6. Relevant TV

Founded and run by Joshua McCauley, Relevant TV was intended to be a non-denominational Christian lifestyle TV channel that will look at the spiritual needs of Christians from all walks of life. The main target market of the channel is young adults, although it will cater for other groups as well.

The channel was removed due to unforeseen circumstances and without prior notice by eMedia Investments.

7. Alex TV (LXTV)

Alex TV, stylised as lx tv, was a community based channel with Lucky Siwela as chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder, revolves around covering and mirroring the life and issues of the vibrant, yet impoverished South African township and "suburb" of Alexandra.

The channel was yanked off Openview after its broadcasting licence had expired. Since then, rival company MultiChoice was able to fill the void with GauTV which caters to Sandton all the way to the Bekkersdal township.

8. ASTV (now MYtv)

ASTV was a lifestyle channel in which eMedia Investments had minority ownership broadcast a mix of actuality, outdoor, youth and teen content as well as Afrikaans music videos. Some of the content available on the channel included Vaskap, Eksieperfeksie, Kos Is Oppie Tafel, Ons Gesels Met... and Klankbaan.

Similar to OnseTV on StarSat, the channel wasn't watched by majority of the viewers and hasn't gained much traction as seen with kykNET's offering on DStv. Forming part of Openview's initial offering it went dark after 3 years of service (and 12 on StarSat).

9. Wild TV Africa

Wild TV Africa, developed by Dewald Visser, brought viewers outdoor and adventure programming focusing on camping, mountain-biking, fishing, 4X4 trails, scuba diving, conservation, mountain climbing, hunting, sport shooting, skydiving and big wave surfing.

Similar to most brands on the list, the channel was axed due to low viewership. Of course, similar content can be found on People's Weather and on DStv, WildEarth.

10. Shembe TV

Shembe Unyazi TV will show viewers programming around the African religion founded by Prophet Isaiah Mloyiswa Shembe, known as Bombela, in 1910 and which has 8 million followers in Southern Africa.

Basically a rival to the Nigerian based Emmanuel TV on DStv, it's currently unknown as to why the channel was removed but it was believed to be low viewership with the low rated channel currently seen on StarSat.

Zee And Sony Merger Expected To Be Completed By September

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The anticipated merger between Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) is expected to be completed by the first half of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, Sony Corp CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said during the company's annual corporate strategy meeting last week.

"By the end of the first half of this fiscal year, we are trying to complete the merger with ZEEL," Yoshida said, adding that the Indian media and entertainment (M&E) market is ripe for accelerated growth due to its large population and the creative talent that exists in the country.

"India has become the most populous country globally. There are so many growth opportunities in India, especially in entertainment. India is a creative country, and it has become the biggest producer of films since 2005," he said. Yoshida also noted that half of India's population is below the age of 30. This, he said, presents a huge opportunity in areas like anime and gaming. "There is great potential for growth in India in these areas," he added.

Apart from Yoshida, the meeting was also addressed by Sony president, COO, and CFO Hiroki Totoki; NP Singh, MD of SPNI, also gave a presentation on the opportunities in the Indian M&E market and the progress made by the company in its 2.5 decades of existence in the country.

Totoki noted that Sony began its journey in India with electronics and later expanded into entertainment. "Now, the proportion of entertainment is bigger than electronics in India. We feel that this is a compelling market," he said.