Roundups #143: Zig & Sharko Renewed For A Fourth Season On Cartoonito, Young Rock To Make His Freemium Debut On e.tv And ITV Choice Has Been Relaunched On Samsung TV Plus

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Zig and Sharko are back for more gags

Xilam Animation, an independent company for the production and distribution of animated programmes, Academy Award-nominated, has secured its first wave of deals for the upcoming fourth season of its iconic non-dialogue slapstick comedy series Zig & Sharko (78 x 7’), as the company prepares to debut the first episode to buyers at MIPCOM.

Launching in September 2023, season four has been acquired by longstanding partner Gulli (France), which has also renewed its partnership across the previous three seasons. Additionally, Xilam has sold the new instalment to existing partners, VRT (Belgium), Discovery (Italy), DeA (Italy), Nickelodeon (India) and Nova (Israel).

Zig & Sharko continues to generate impressive ratings internationally, particularly in India where the series resulted in Nickelodeon becoming the leading children’s channel in its evening slot, across all demos. In Q2 2022, Zig & Sharko was also the fourth best performing series among children aged 2-14 years and outperformed its lead in and lead out shows in all demos in terms of ratings.

The series is currently seen on Boomerang (soon to be Cartoonito). Apparently, the channel wasn't mentioned when news came it meaning the show could have ended after 3 seasons on the channel or they're just taking long to pick it up in any case further episodes are on Boing.

Regular Nick:
- Wonder Pets revival might be in the works for Nickelodeon
- Peacock greenlights two new animated series
- Boomerang to go dark on the DStv platform next month

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson expresses his charm in new sitcom

e.tv, South Africa's most reliable and free source for English entertainment at the moment home to various local and international productions has acquired rights to NBC's Young Rock currently viewed on M-Net and sister channel, Me.

The sitcom is set in a frame story where Johnson is running as a candidate in the 2032 United States presidential election. Each episode involves Johnson participating in an interview or other conversation which leads him to flashback to a story from one of three periods of Johnson's life (with occasional episodes where all three periods are shown).

In the first season, Johnson is depicted as a ten-year-old in Hawaii; as a high school student in Pennsylvania; and as a college student and football player at the University of Miami.

The series stars Dwayne Johnson, Joseph Lee Anderson, Stacey Leilua, Ana Tuisila, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, Uli Latukefu and Matthew Willig. It is expected to air Saturdays at 19:30 replacing Superstore from March 4th - no update on Grown-ish yet.

Openview Plus:
- Reviewing major changes coming soon to the SABC: early 2023 edition
- Imbewu has been cancelled on e.tv after 5 seasons
- A look at former NBC soap, Passions

ITV Studios and Samsung TV Plus collaborate to launch a number of projects across Europe

ITV Studios had announced a raft of sales and pre-sales deals across its catalogue of scripted and non-scripted content. One of which, Samsung TV Plus launched ITV Choice showcasing the best of ITV Studios including Hell’s Kitchen, Four Weddings and Come Dine With Me.

During the week, ITV Studios expanded their partnership to include a bouquet of channels.

One of the channels is a ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ channel, which will air episodes round-the-clock from the popular U.S. Gordon Ramsay show. The other channel – Storylands – will “become the home for the best European drama” according to ITV Studios. Shows on the channel will be produced by labels which are part of ITV Studios and include dramas such as Norwegian legal series Aber Bergen, the period drama Un Village Français, and the procedural crime drama from the producers of Gomorrah, called Masantonio.

The move follows ITV Studios’ launch of four non-scripted YouTube channels last year – Our World, Our Life, Our Stories and Our Histories. The agreement will see Samsung TV Plus –  Samsung’s free ad-supported app – broadcast content from the ITV Studios catalogue 24/7 across all Samsung Smart TVs made in 2016 and onwards, as well as select Galaxy devices.

Ruth Berry, Managing Director at ITV Studios Global Distribution, commented: “We are very excited to partner with Samsung TV Plus to launch FAST channels in EMEA. We have an amazing library of 90,000+ hours of IP and the FAST/AVOD space is a key strategic focus for ITV Studios as we look to provide global audiences with new ways to access some of our best-known scripted brands, formats and non-scripted entertainment content.”

Video Entertainment:
- BBC to close linear channels and focus on digital future
- HBO Max no longer produces live-action programs for kids and family
- Triggerfish working with Disney+ on a Star Wars project

Roundups #142: Barney The Dinosaur Reboot Is Giving People Nightmares, TLNovelas Dumps The Pink And Dye Their Hair Blue And eMedia Investments And BBC Studios Remain Silent On Any Developments Regarding BBC UKTV

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Barney is set to make his comeback by 2024

Mattel announced that they would be relaunching the Barney the Dinosaur franchise and now we have a look at the titular dino’s redesign. And, unsurprisingly, people on social media sure hate it.

The most noticeable change is that they’re going from a live-action Barney the Dinosaur to an animated version. It also appears that his colors have brightened up a bit. Other than being animated, the most noticeable change is definitely Barney’s face.

As some pointed out, it sort of looks like Barney the Dinosaur went under the knife for some plastic surgery. Buccal fat removal is a procedure that thins out the cheeks. It definitely looks like the new Barney has had a little bit of work done.

In short, if this Barney redesign isn’t for you, you could simply not watch it. According to Mattel, the series is specifically being made to teach lessons to preschool-aged kids. Maybe in another three decades when they redesign Barney the Dinosaur again, the kids who watch this new series will be complaining about how their Barney is ruined.

Regular Nick:
- Wonder Pets revival might be in the works for Nickelodeon
- Peacock greenlights two new animated series
- Boomerang to go dark on the DStv platform next month

TLNovelas debuts a new look in Latin America and several countries

As part of this new image, for its 30th anniversary, the TLNovelas channel in the regions will re-release "ACAPULCO, CUERPO Y ALMA" and "TE SIGO AMANDO" two super successful soap operas back in the 90s. Both will be remastered and in high definition.

The channel has unique and exclusive content to enjoy as a family the successful melodramas that are part of more than 500 productions of the TelevisaUnivisión group. Ranging from classic and stellar to youth and children with a presence in Mexico, Latin America, the United States, Africa and Europe.

This change responds to the interests and expectations of the new pay television audiences, mainly the 04-44 segment, which makes up more than 50% of the total audience that follows the Tlnovelas signal. The channel's programming bar, which also broadcasts original programs and content focused on the world of melodrama, is aimed at an increasingly heterogeneous audience, to which young audiences from Mexico and Latin America have joined.

Everyday Novelas:
- Rubi coming soon to TLNovelas
- Until Money Do Us Part coming soon to Telemundo
- Second Chance and Hart Van Goud coming soon to Zee One and eExtra respectively

BBC UKTV still not available on the Openview platform

Last year, eMedia Investments and BBC Studios were gearing up for the rollout of BBC's sixth channel BBC UKTV to the market joining existing brands like BBC Brit, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Earth, BBC News and CBeebies currently seen on the DStv platform.

As of January 2023, BBC UKTV is currently available on the DStv platform offering rebroadcasts to several shows from above-mentioned channels to Access, Family and Easyview customers including Doctors, Top Gear and Come Dine With Me.

It has since then led to a clash amongst Openview consumers some even speculating that MultiChoice ripped the channel away from eMedia Investments in an exclusive deal with the BBC.

In a media enquiry with both BBC and eMedia Investments, they both remain very much silent regarding details about BBC UKTV. At the moment, eMedia Investments is gearing up for the rollout of Ultraview. What are the chances BBC UKTV will rollout thereafter?

eMedia Investments:
- SABC+ Vs. eVOD: The Consequence Of Free-To-View Television
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments plan to combat load shedding get a lot of attention
- Could SABC be unveiling another two channels for Openview Ultra?

Roundups #141: Peppa Pig's Glasses Show Has Been Deemed Inappropriate For Facebook's Guidelines, Marvel Studios Reportedly Set To Debut Two Series Within 2023 And Telemundo Set To Debut First Original Series In March 2023, Game Of Lies

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Peppa Pig has become a laughing stock

During the week, Peppa Pig got some much needed attention after a Facebook user called Daily Nick uploaded a clip to one of the episodes titled Glasses Show and the Facebook rodents swooped in and deemed it sexually inappropriate.

Taking to account that Facebook has become an absolute joke and if there's one thing Elon can save it's Facebook. It's currently a trainwreck waiting to happen if Peppa Pig glasses is inappropriate then posting about the weather is deemed violent.

Peppa Pig has been having a run since 2004 and has been a part of gags, jokes and has even made various appearances take for instance Family Guy where she has killed in a car accident or Robot Chicken where she was deemed a criminal to society.

All of this makes me feel as if she was being targeted about Facebook's latest rant with the character is something to laugh about.

Regular Nick:
- Wonder Pets revival might be in the works for Nickelodeon
- Peacock greenlights two new animated series
- Boomerang to go dark on the DStv platform next month
- Disney Junior and Disney+ to debut new Star Wars series in May

Marvel might be putting the breaks on new content

Marvel's big MCU Phase 5 reveal at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 revealed six shows would likely be arriving on Disney+ in 2023, that number allegedly may drop to only two with Loki Season 2 and Secret Invasion being the only "sure bets" for this year.

As reported by THR, this news follows comments by Disney CEO Bob Iger, in which he said the company needs to be "better at curating" franchise content that is "extraordinarily expensive.

Marvel content obviously doesn't come cheap, and Disney was planning on potentially releasing Loki's second season, Secret Invasion, What If... ?'s second season, Ironheart, Echo, and Agatha: Coven of Chaos in 2023. If these changes are to go through, sources say Loki and Secret Invasion may be the only ones to make it out, even though shows like Echo and Ironheart have wrapped their productions months ago.

“There is going to be a level of rigor on Marvel and across the entire company,” one company insider says. “Numbers matter now, and costs are going to be outlined and enforced.”

Telemundo still lagging behind schedule

For several months, Telemundo has been lagging behind in terms of original programming leading repeat padded African feed of the channel seen on MultiChoice's platforms to sought content from Colombian broadcasters Caracol Television and RCN Television.

Caracol Television had worked with the channel on Hidden Passions including the second season and is supplying the upcoming Ana's Revenge while RCN Television has Nurses and The Scent Of Passion with Until Money Do Us Part rolling out in the coming month.

After a long while since the channel struggled to obtain original programming, it was announced from the main feed that Telemundo will be rolling out a new show from March 7th 2023 titled Game Of Lies (Juego De Mentiras) starring Arap Bethke and Altair Jarabo.

The story is set in the city of Los Angeles and San Clemente, California, Game Of Lies follows the footsteps of César Ferrer, a hard working man who always dreamed of having his own family and who gives his life for his own daughter Noelia.

Everyday Novelas:
- Zee World to add an additional 3 shows to their lineup
- Second Chance and Hart Van Goud coming soon to Zee One and eExtra respectively
- Queen Of The Night and How Do I Say This? coming respectively to Timeless Dizi Channel and Zee World
- New Series Alert: eMedia Investments Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Turkish Romcom, Aşk Mantık İntikam

Warner Bros. Discovery Remains With The Most Popular Kids Channels In The African Market Including Boing, But Where Does That Leave Toonami Exactly?

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During the week, Warner Bros. Discovery held a showcase where they were able to clear up some fears consumers had of Cartoon Network shutting down as seen with the Disney Channels and the current offering of Boomerang once it becomes Cartoonito in March.

Cartoon Network ranks as the most popular kids destination in South Africa for a 7th year in a row pulling at least 15 million households which is ginormous for any channel in general with Boomerang (soon to be Cartoonito) coming in second place with 10 million.

Some of these popular shows include Regular Show, We Baby Bears, Craig Of The Creek, Teen Titans GO!, Grizzy And The Lemmings, Masha And The Bear, Scooby-Doo and Looney Tunes.

Insidus Games:
- Transformers
- Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit
- Looney Tunes
- The Powerpuff Girls: Mojo Jojo A-Go-Go!

Currently available in selected parts of Africa, Boing was apparently part of this event and to my surprise it's actually managing to get some attention. Not much had been shared in terms of performance but viewers are digging classics like Johnny Bravo and Clarence.

Of course, one brand that Warner Bros. Discovery failed to mention amidst all of this is Toonami.

Since 2021, Toonami is no longer regarded as kids entertainment which was the whole point of this virtual event. But the brand features a ton of kid centric programming and films from the likes of Batman, Superman, Justice League and Teen Titans.

It still repetitive compared to most channels seen under Warner Bros. Discovery that it wouldn't be shocking if they scrapped the channel. Cartoon Network has been airing a variety of content from the DC Universe and Toonami's offering would help compliment that section.

Regular Nick:
- Wonder Pets revival might be in the works for Nickelodeon
- Peacock greenlights two new animated series
- Boomerang to go dark on the DStv platform next month
- Disney Junior and Disney+ to debut new Star Wars series in May

As opposed to the future of Toonami, it might as well be Boing which incorporates all aspects of kids and family in terms of animation including the DC Universe. Besides, both are very much underrated and the one Boing gained popularity after nearly a decade.

Sentech To Launch Streaming Platform To Rival SABC+

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The SABC is Sentech’s biggest client — by far. But that’s not stopping the state-owned broadcast signal distributor from formulating plans to rival the public broadcaster in streaming services.

While the SABC has been without a board for several months, Sentech has been making plans to launch what appears will be a competitor to SABC+, the streaming service launched by the public broadcaster late last year when it took over management and operation of Telkom One, a joint venture it had with Telkom.

News of Sentech’s plans to offer a so-called OTT service (over the top — industry jargon for streaming) emerged in parliament on Wednesday when communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the company will “soon launch a homegrown OTT platform that will be anchored by Nemisa but which will be available to other content producers”. Nemisa is a state-owned non-profit in Ntshavheni’s portfolio that focuses on technology education, including in multimedia production.

The launch plans come amid growing tension between the SABC and Sentech over signal carriage fees.

“Our goal is to eventually make this platform the home for quality films, documentaries and children’s stories, in addition to SABC+,” the minister told MPs.

Sentech plans to launch the OTT platform in the first quarter of the 2024 financial year – that’s sometime between March and May this calendar year. A Sentech spokeswoman was on leave and not immediately available to comment further on the platform and its planned content offerings.

The launch plans come amid growing tension between the SABC and Sentech over the signal carriage fees the latter charges the former to distribute its terrestrial channels to South African audiences.

The SABC and its commercial free-to-air rival e.tv last year accused the broadcasting signal distributor of excessive pricing and anticompetitive behaviour.

Formal submissions
Their broadsides against the state-owned enterprise were included in formal submissions to communications regulator Icasa, in which they called for urgent regulatory interventions in the signal distribution market to deal with alleged monopolistic abuses by Sentech.

The submissions form part of a market inquiry by Icasa into the signal distribution services market. Sentech has asked that the regulator’s discussion document be withdrawn because, among other reasons, updated legislation to govern audiovisual services is in development and Icasa’s investigations shouldn’t pre-empt these potential policy changes.

E.tv parent eMedia Investments said in its submission to Icasa that it is “deeply concerned at the fact that the issues relating to significant market power in relation to signal distribution services have been ignored for decades”.

Video Entertainment:
- Rumour: SuperSport Schools to get a dedicated channel on the DStv platform
- Disney Junior and Disney+ to debut new Star Wars series in May
- Paramount+ set to merge with Showtime
- eVOD has yet to offer linear channels as promised in 2021

“This is despite pleas by the broadcasters that the market needed urgent regulation. Indeed, Icasa recognised as far back as 2010 that there was an urgent need to regulate the market due to Sentech’s undisputed dominance,” eMedia said. “Yet Icasa has taken no steps in this regard… All this has been to the detriment of broadcasters and caused them financial harm.”

The SABC also strongly criticised Sentech’s tariffs and behaviour, describing them as “not appropriate or correct”. It said its concerns led to the creation of a “chart of accounts project” at the public broadcaster to determine the fairness or otherwise of Sentech’s fees.

“The details of the various costs per service and per transmission site have been requested from Sentech with the objective of understanding how the structure of the cost for each service was derived. Sentech has not been cooperative in this regard for the past two years,” the public broadcaster alleged in its submission.

The SABC also filed a complaint against Sentech at the Competition Commission in 2021, in which it accused the signal distributor of “unfair and anticompetitive pricing”. 

Rubi: The 2004 Classic Telenovela That Won A Lot Of Hearts

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As reported a while ago, TLNovelas is planning to rollout the Mexican telenovela Rubi in the coming month and unlike most remakes this one comes as a sequel leaving audiences with several missing pieces but it's a norm with most reboots so travel back to 2004 where it all started.

Rubi follows the titular character described as a beautiful but poor university student who is only interested in money. Her dream is marrying a rich man to leave poverty behind and does whatever it takes to achieve it even if it makes people unhappy.

It stars Bárbara Mori, Eduardo Santamarina, Jacqueline Bracamontes, Sebastián Rulli, Ana Martín, Yadhira Carrillo, Josefina Echánove, Antonio Medellín, Ana Bertha Espín and José Elías Moreno.

Everyday Novelas:
- Sightless Love coming soon to TLNovelas
- Zee World to add an additional 3 shows to their lineup
- Ana's Revenge coming soon to Telemundo
- Second Chance and Hart Van Goud coming soon to Zee One and eExtra respectively
- Queen Of The Night and How Do I Say This? coming respectively to Timeless Dizi Channel and Zee World
- New Series Alert: eMedia Investments Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Turkish Romcom, Aşk Mantık İntikam

Canal de las Estrellas aired Rubí from May 17 to October 22, 2004 with a total of 115 episodes. Univision broadcast Rubí from September 20, 2004 to March 7, 2005, and has named Rubí as the top telenovela of all time.

Rubi became a star in the awards category after bagging Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Telenovela, Best Supporting Actress and Best Musical Theme at the 23rd TVyNovelas Awards and Best Female Protagonist Of The Decade at the Tv Adicto Golden Awards.

A number of adaptations had already been produced the original dates back to 1968 followed by a film in 1970. From the 2010s, a Pinoy version titled Bagong Simula with an Arabic version had been produced with the 2020 remake being the latest installment so far.

Out of all these remake, the upcoming series Rubi will be one of the shortest tales to date on the channel.

Disney+ And Disney Junior Announce Release Date And Additional Key Cast For “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures”

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Disney+, Disney Junior, and Lucasfilm has announced that “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will premiere on Disney+ and Disney Junior (DStv channel 309) on May 4, 2023. Set during The High Republic era, the animated series follows Jedi younglings as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need, and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way. 

Disney+ and Lucasfilm also released two stills from the series, which include Master Yoda, Jedi younglings Kai, Lys, and Nubs, and their friends Nash and RJ-83 on planet Tenoo. The second image shows Lys, Kai, and Nubs during a training sequence.

Produced by Lucasfilm for Disney+ and Disney Junior, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is showrunner and executive producer; Elliot M. Bour (“Elena of Avalor”) is supervising director and co-producer; Jeannine Hodson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is producer; and Lamont Magee (“Black Lightning”) is consulting producer.

Insidus Games:
- Lizzie McGuire: On The Go!
- Tinkerbell
- Spy Muppets: Licence To Croak
- Winnie The Pooh: Hunny Trouble

“‘Star Wars’ transcends generations; fans of all ages deeply connect with its imaginative worlds, mythic stories, and unique characters,” says James Waugh, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” executive producer and Senior Vice President Franchise Content & Strategy at Lucasfilm. “When developing ‘Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures,’ the first ‘Star Wars’ series created for preschoolers, the creative team never stopped thinking about how this show may be a ‘youngling’s’ first step into a larger world and their first time experiencing the limitless potential of the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy. The show’s characters, tone, and the life lessons woven throughout each episode were written just for them, and our talented team was committed to honoring the cinematic legacy while staying true to the expectations of parents for the youngest of audiences.”

Alyssa Sapire, Senior Vice President, Development, Series, Strategy, Disney Junior: “Our collaboration with Lucasfilm on this series is an amazing opportunity to introduce this universally cherished franchise to a younger generation. As an early entry point into ‘Star Wars,’ we have created a series with exciting new and familiar characters and storylines that highlight the values of compassion, teamwork, and friendship, which are important elements for all of our Disney Junior programming.”

“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” stars Jamaal Avery, Jr. as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, and Piotr Michael as Master Yoda.

“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will debut on Disney+ and Disney Junior on May 4, 2023.

Regular Nick:
- Lego Monkie Kid returns this April on Cartoon Network
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries

Roundups #140: Lego Monkie Kid Returning For A New Season On Cartoon Network, Borderline To Make Its Free-To-Air Debut On SABC 3 And Discovery+ To Remain Onboard While As HBO Max Gets Renamed Possibly WBD+

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More Lego Monkie Kid for D

Stv customers this April

Inspired by the classic Chinese story Journey to the West, Lego Monkie Kid serves as one of many  trilogies which follows the adventures of a young teenager, MK, as he comes into terms of his mission to save the world.

It is led by Jack De Sena, Dave B. Mitchell, Stephanie Sheh, David Chen, Patrick Seitz, Sean Schemmel, Victoria Grace, Steve Blum, Gwendoline Yeo, Kyle McCarley, Kimberly Brooks and Kimberly Brooks.

Sean Schemmel who currently voices The Monkey King is also known for voicing Goku in the Funimation Dub of Dragon Ball, which much like the show, is also inspired by Journey to the West.

Regular Nick:
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries
- Disney renews 3 adult animated series through 2025

Love is also in the air with SABC 3

It seems like eExtra won't be the only thing sharing the love this Valentine's Day, SABC 3, South African free-to-air channel owned by the SABC home to various local and mostly international productions had acquired rights to the British drama, Borderline.

This mockumentary follows an incompetent UK border control department based in the fictional Northend Airport. Inspired by immigration issues in Britain at the time of filming, this comedy touches on the topic with light-hearted humour. In charge of the unit is Chief Inspector Proctor who leads the In charge of the unit is Chief Inspector Proctor who leads the team of border agents and baggage handlers who all seemingly hate their job. 

Trouble brews as the motley crew deal with everything from new derivatives to unruly travellers. It stars David Avery, Jackie Clune, David Elms, Liz Kingsman, Jamie Michie, Ralf Little and Guz Khan.

Openview Plus:
- Ratings for SABC 1-3 and e.tv for December 2022
- e.tv to rollout a rebroadcast of Die Put
- eExtra scrapped the launch of 4 telenovelas
- Verdeelde Liefde to return with a second season on eExtra

Warner Bros. Discovery starts off 2023 with more confusion

According to the Journal’s sources, Warner Bros. Discovery is still planning to launch a “supersize streaming service” in the near future. The service will feature all of the HBO Max content and most of the content that can currently be found on Discovery Plus. Nevertheless, Discovery Plus will still be available as a standalone option for consumers.

The sources claim that WBD doesn’t want to risk losing the 20 million Discovery Plus subscribers that may not be interested in paying more for a combined offering. Therefore, the new service and Discovery Plus will share some content, including Discovery Channel’s Shark Week block and TV shows from Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network.

During the week, Twitter users recently discovered a private account they suspect might be connected to the company. The account is named WBD+ (@wbdplus) and its bio reads: “All in one.” The account has zero followers and its tweets are protected, but there’s a chance that this could be the name of the upcoming streaming service.

Or it could be a troll with too much time on their hands.

What You Need To Know About The NFL Super Bowl 2023?

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It’s finally here. The 2023 American National Football League’s Super Bowl, the 57th annual showdown between the best of the best, will broadcast live, exclusively across Africa on ESPN (Dstv 218, Starsat 248) in the early hours of the morning on Monday 13 February 2023. One of the most anticipated sporting events on the U.S. calendar, the annual championship game, which will see the league’s top franchises competing to hold the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy, will air live at 1:30 AM (CAT) with repeats at 8:00, 17:00 and 22:00 on ESPN2 and at 14:00 on ESPN.

Here are a few things you need to know:

Super Bowl LVII will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona between Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles, who’ll be competing in their fifth Super Bowl, will be sporting their home green jerseys, while the Chiefs, who’ll be playing in their fifth Super Bowl, will be in white.

In what some may call an awkward moment, Andy Reid who coaches the Chiefs, was the Eagles head coach from 1999-2012. He will essentially be doing his best to defeat a team he spent over a decade building.

Perhaps even more interesting is the situation mom Donna Kelce finds herself in as the first mother to have two sons play against each other at the Super Bowl. Her younger son Travis plays Chiefs tight end while her son Jason plays centre for the Eagles. She has been spotted wearing a “half-and-half” top ahead of Super Bowl LVII, incorporating the colours of her both of the teams.

DStv Flex:
- Virtual Reality offers a new opportunity for African filmmakers
- Ratings for DStv from December 2022
- Big Cat Sunday this February on National Geographic Wild
- CBS Reality acquired rights to Killer's Caught On Camera

Beyond sport, the Super Bowl is a truly global cultural event, as well-known as for the cutting-edge commercial spots and half time show as it is for the actual game. This year, the half time show will be performed by popular artist Rihanna. The halftime show typically lasts around 15 minutes and is expected to contain an impressive medley of anthems from the nine-time Grammy award-winning artist.

The national anthem will be sung by Chris Stapleton -  a country music singer that has 15 Country Music Association and 10-Academy of Country Music Awards in addition to being an Eight-time Grammy. Stapelton follows artists such as Mickey Guyton, Eric Church, Demi Lovato, Gladys Knight and others who have had this honour in the past.

How to tune in to ESPN:

ESPN: DStv 218, Starsat 248 
ESPN2: DStv 219, Starsat 249

All times are stated in CAT / SAST.
Schedule subject to change