Sky Deutschland Drops 3 TV Channels As More Consumers Opt To Streaming

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German pay-TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland is removing three channels from its TV line-up.

At the end of June 2023, Curiosity Channel (formerly Spiegel TV Wissen) and Spiegel Geschichte will be dropped, a Sky spokesperson confirmed to German industry magazine Digital Fernsehen.

Curiosity Channel is currently viewable on MultiChoice's DStv across Africa initially used as collateral for A+E Networks 3 brands at the time Lifetime, History and Crime + Investigation. The channel was founded by former founder of Discovery Channel, John S. Hendricks.

Another channel set to be axed before the end of 2023 is operated by Sky Deutschland, Sky Comedy. Although a Sky Comedy isn't offered in Africa the channel bares a resemblance to Paramount Global's Comedy Central also seen on DStv alongside StarTimes (not SA).

The reason: Media usage is moving strongly towards video-on-demand, said the spokesperson, adding that: “Sky doesn’t need a linear comedy channel.”

Over the years, MultiChoice has sorted to such measure which the reduction of M-Net Movies alongside the axing of M-Net City, VUZU, BBC First and ITV Choice with The Walt Disney Company anticipated to rip out more channels as seen with FOX and Disney XD years prior.

Even the BBC is planning to become an online only brand within the next decade. Since then a revised BBC News channel launched globally and also content spend was cut on BBC Brit, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies and BBC Earth with some content streaming exclusively on BritBox.

NBA Finals To Broadcast Live On ESPN Across Africa

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ESPN Africa today announced that it will be broadcasting all of the 2023 NBA Final games, live across the African continent. Showcasing the highest level of professional basketball in the world, this year’s finals will see the Denver Nuggets go up against the Miami Heat, with the action being broadcast live on ESPN from Friday 2 June 2023 at 02:00 (CAT).  

The Miami Heat closed out a nail-biting Eastern Conference finals series against the Boston Celtics with a Game 7 win on Monday night and will face the Denver Nuggets in their quest to hold up the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy for the fourth time in the league’s history, with three previous wins under their belt. The eighth-seeded Heat are just the second No. 8 seed team in NBA history to appear in the Finals.

The Denver Nuggets, who are appearing in the NBA Finals for the very first time, completed a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in their lead up to this point. Making good on their billing at the top seed in the Western Conference, featuring superstars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Denver have yet to lose a game at home this postseason.

The NBA Finals follows a "best of 7" format, where the first team to win four games out of the seven played is crowned as the champion. Should a winner not have been reached in the first four games, play will extend for an additional one or three games.

While the live broadcast of the NBA Final games will enable basketball enthusiasts to enjoy the games live at 02:00 or 02:30 (CAT), depending on the game, an additional broadcast will take place at 8:00 AM, with additional repeats at 11:00, 15:00 and 20:00 to provide viewers in regular viewing times more options to enjoy the sport. Now with extended reach through recently being made available on the DStv Compact packages, ESPN Africa will ensure that even more basketball enthusiasts across Africa have access to comprehensive coverage, including pre-game analysis, in-depth interviews, and captivating behind-the-scenes content, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the excitement and exhilaration of the games.

“ESPN Africa's commitment to delivering high-quality sports content extends to the NBA Finals games, providing viewers across the continent with an unrivalled viewing experience and the opportunity to witness basketball greatness unfold in real-time,” said Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports of Africa at the Walt Disney Company Africa. “ESPN Africa continues to showcase its dedication to bringing the best sporting events to audiences across Africa, and we are looking forward to an exhilarating NBA Finals 2023” he added.

Basketball fans across Africa can stay updated regarding the NBA Conference Final games and other sports news by following @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visiting https://www.espn.com/. 

# # #

NOTES TO EDITORS

How to tune in to ESPN:

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

NBA 2023 Finals schedule:

Game
Date
Live Broadcast
Repeat Broadcast

NBA Finals Game 1
02-06-2023
02:30:00
02-06-2023 at 8:00, 11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 2
05-06-2023
02:00:00
05-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 3
08-06-2023
02:30:00
08-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 4
10-06-2023
02:30:00
10-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 5 *if necessary
13-06-2023
02:30:00
13-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 6 *if necessary
16-06-2023
02:30:00
16-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)
19-06-2023
02:00:00
19-06-2023 at 8:00
11:00, 15:00 and 20:00

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

Envision Racing And Cartoon Network EMEA Join Forces To Help Kids Become Climate Champions!

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Envision Racing, the leading Formula E race team and Cartoon Network EMEA, Warner Bros. Discovery’s number one animated series network, have announced a new partnership to engage children and young people in the Race Against Climate Change™.

Cartoon Network EMEA will work alongside Envision Racing to create awareness of the global issue of electric waste through joint marketing campaigns, promotions, and gamification. This comes as annual electronic waste production is on track to reach a staggering 75 million tonnes by 2030 and includes items such as mobile phones, laptops, MP3 players, plugs and batteries.

Opportunities for participation include the Recover-E-Waste to Race competition, where kids can learn how to design and build a mini–Formula E race car using e-waste, with prize winners being showcased at the London Formula E-Prix on 29 July.

Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions initiative empowers and inspires children to act and help the environment. Kids aged 6-12 can become Climate Champions by taking up daily challenges and making a world of difference together.

With the help of beloved characters from hit shows that include The Amazing World of Gumball and Craig of the Creek, children can complete tasks and create real, tangible change in their lives while contributing to a community driving sustainability globally.

Since its launch in June 2021, more than 1.5 million challenges have been accepted worldwide and this number continues to grow daily.

Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and CTO at Envision Racing said: “Envision Racing exists to engage fans and the public on the urgency of the climate crisis with the Race Against Climate Change™ at the centre of our activity. As well as testing new battery technology for cars, we are on a mission to tackle e-waste and to help build a circular economy for electric vehicles. This partnership is an incredible opportunity to engage children and young people in the creation of a sustainable future. We’re excited to be working with Cartoon Network to inspire action across the world and can’t wait to get started.”

Monika Oomen, VP Brand, Communications and Digital Content Strategy, Kids EMEA at Warner Bros. Discovery: “E-waste is an incredibly important issue, but we don’t pay enough attention to it. Through our strategic collaboration with Envision Racing, we want to raise awareness amongst kids and help educate them about how they can play a part in reducing it. We’re delighted to partner with Envision Racing because this will help open up to kids a whole new sporting environment and a world where they are even more empowered to impact the planet positively. Together, we can make a world of difference. We look forward to extending our Cartoon Network Climate Champions campaign to equipping kids with the tools to tackle electronic waste in their lives."

FIA Formula E World Championship is the only sport to be certified net zero carbon since inception and has been independently ranked and recognised as the most sustainable sport in the world by the Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports.

In addition to being the all-time leading points scorers in Formula E, Envision Racing also has a leadership position for sustainability. Its Race Against Climate Change™ program is inspiring and empowering fans and the wider public to take climate action, using Formula E’s platform, Envision Racing aims to make electric mobility and renewable energy a global reality.

TNT Novelas Expands To More Parts Of Latin America, Kills Off TBS

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During the year, Turner Network Television, Inc. a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery had trademarked a new brand, TNT Novelas. The channel rolled out in place of TNT Series which had since then inherited a number of soap operas from Turkey and Colombia.

As seen through various pay-tv outlets, the general entertainment channel TBS similar to family brand Boomerang earlier in the year in parts of Europe is being phased out for a more productive brand, TNT Novelas.

Sources site the cutback of original programming on TNT, Cartoon Network and TBS in the United States as one of the contributing factors of TNT Novelas which is expected to takeover the TBS brand name across Latin America (including Brazil) from June 26.

Another being the newly launched Max streaming service in which Warner Bros. Discovery is prioritising the original programming and leaving brands like Cartoon Network to promote the existing batch of content from the streaming service.

In other developments, Warner Bros. Discovery has been phasing out TNT across Europe for Warner TV. Of course, the TNT brand name was revived as a sports channel in the UK on top of that these changes have yet to take affect in the African market.

Afrikaans Voice Actors For Roekeloos Dade, Annekan Die Swa Kry And Ramo

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Roekeloos Dade (Hayat Sarkisi)
Roberto Kyle as Kerim Cevher
Rene Cloete as Hülya Çamoglu
Melanie Scholtz as Melek
Pierre Nelson as Hüseyin Cevher
Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck as Süheyla Cevher
Anja Taljaard as Filiz
Dee Theart as Nilay
Helena Baard as Bade Cevher
Chante Crainger as Ceylan
Liande Valentyn as Nürgul

Annekan Die Swa Kry (Kardeslerim)
Melissa De Vries as Sengül
Megan Spencer as Nebahat
Richard Van Die Westhuizen as Akif Aktul
Talitta Jameson as Asiye
John Koopman as Ogulcan
Marunzo Thomas as Kadir
Curtley Pitt as Mazlum
Anna Louise Bischoff as Harika
Zaan Du Toit as Suzan
Melissa Myburgh as Melisa
Christian Schoeman as Berk
Hunter Plaatjies as Aybike Eren

Additional voice actors: click here 

Ramo
Hein De Vries as Ramo
Veronique Jephtas as Sibel
Keenan Herman as Alpay
Christian Bennett as Kasak
Anrich Herbst as Yavuz
Craig Adriaanse as Sakik
Jacques Theron as Hale
Grace Pienaar as Neslihan
Abdurgaman Adams as Süleyman
Jill Levenberg as Kerimak
Sanchia Davids as Afet
Hein Poole as Bücür
Rushney Ferguson as Fatos
Basil Appolis as Ismail
Maria Van Die Almeida as Cavidan
Jurgen McEwan as Docak
Nethanel Swartz as Arap
Celeste Matthews as Sebanat
André Samuels as Durdu

Recap To The Month: Showmax Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Berry And The Big City

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Toronto-based WildBrain has closed several broadcast sales for 2D-animated series Berry in the Big City (120 x four minutes), as well as signing new licensing partners for the Strawberry Shortcake consumer products program.

Portuguese/Spanish preschool channel Canal Panda has acquired the first three seasons of the 2D-animated series, along with four 44-minute seasonal specials, with French AVOD platforms TFOU MAX and MYTFI and Polish preschool net MiniMini+ picking up seasons one and two, and Paramount’s AVOD Pluto TV, Africa’s SVOD Showmax and LA-based AVOD Kanopy buying just the first season.

Meanwhile, WildBrain CPLG is moving Strawberry Shortcake into the spotlight with a series of strategic licensing deals. In addition to the iconic character being Funko-ized in the collectibles category, A Leading Role has signed up for costumes, SkinnyDip for phone cases and Diamond Art Club for crafts.

Houston-based cosmetics company Hunnideux will also create character-inspired make-up palettes for the US market, with Florida’s Little Bird Bamboo releasing matching “mommy & me” apparel sets, and American clothing retailer Hot Topic launching a new Strawberry Shortcake collection spanning apparel, accessories and footwear.

The Strawberry Shortcake franchise is experiencing a new surge in popularity, according to The Insights Family. During the last quarter, the UK-based research firm ranked Strawberry Shortcake as the sixth most popular character with kids ages six to nine in the US, putting it ahead of the likes of Harry Potter, SpongeBob SquarePants and Barbie.

SuperSport To Launch Sports Betting Site In South Africa With SuperSportBET

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In a big move for sports betting punters, Multichoice has shown their hand by unveiling their plans to enter the gambling industry, accompanied by the launch of an innovative payment platform. They announced these plans at their Capital Markets Day. The company's foray into the world of gambling is set to disrupt the industry and provide South Africans with an unparalleled gaming experience.

SuperSportBet Mobile South Africa

The decision to venture into the gambling sector comes as no surprise, considering the significant growth and revenue witnessed by the industry in recent years. Multichoice aims to tap into this market by providing a comprehensive gaming platform that combines cutting-edge technology, a user-friendly interface, and a wide range of betting options.

SuperSportBET to Accompany SuperSport

The newly unveiled Multichoice gaming platform, named SuperSportBET, promises to revolutionise online gambling in South Africa. With an extensive selection of sports betting opportunities and experiences, the platform will cater to a diverse audience, like its broadcasting counterpart.

SuperSportBet is the Sports Betting Platform by MultiChoice South Africa

Possibly complementing its venture into the gambling industry, Multichoice has also introduced an innovative payment platform, Moment. This payment platform is designed to streamline transactions in South Africa. This state-of-the-art payment system prioritises user convenience, offering seamless and secure transactions for both deposits and withdrawals. Online gambling payment methods are something every South African considers before creating an account to place sports bets.

Multichoice Acquired KingMakers

KingMakers has been hugely successful in Nigeria's iGaming and sports betting industry. Multichoice acquired a 49% stake in KingMakers in 2022. With KingMakers’ past experience in the sports betting industry, it’s almost guaranteed that SuperSportBET is going to be a great experience for fans of sports betting.

Add to this the fact that SuperSportBET will be able to get exposure to the SuperSport audience, and the potential is massive. If SuperSportBET offers betting on the same sheer amount of sports that is broadcast on SuperSport, there is going to be betting options for everyone.

What Sports Will SuperSportBET Offer Bets On?

SuperSportBET has not said what sports you will be able to bet on through their platform. But based on what we’ve seen in the sports betting industry over the past five years, we predict these sports will be on offer:

Rugby

Cricket

Soccer

Tennis

Golf

Basketball

Ice Hockey

Football

Table Tennis

Volleyball

MMA

Formula 1

Boxing

eSport

Snooker

Darts

Horse Racing

And probably a whole lot more.

Not everyone is confident that Multichoice will be able to handle a sports betting platform:

“Multichoice will find a way to mess it up... Gambling is very competitive and cut throat, neither market condition is something multichoice knows how to operate in.” said one user on the MyBroadband Forums.

It’s exciting times if you are a South African sports betting enthusiast. Upon launch, SuperSportBET is sure to have great welcome bonuses, no deposit bonuses and more.

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.

The Real Life Story Of Disney's The Little Mermaid

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The Little Mermaid, a tale that endured over the centuries

This story is certainly one of the most popular cartoons of the 1990s and 2000s. Ariel, a young mermaid, dreams of becoming human and living on the surface herself. With the help of her friend, she disobeys her father King Triton, and trades her precious voice for a pair of legs with the witch Ursula. But once on land, the young woman, who finds the sailor she has fallen in love with, Prince Eric, must succeed in making him fall under her spell in less than three days without the help of her voice. Should she fail, she would end up damned by the witch’s curse. Only a true love’s kiss can save her, and the whole plot of the film leads viewer to hope for a happy ending, which eventually comes.

At least, this is Disney’s 1989 version. And also the one the studio has chosen to use for the release of a live-action version of The Little Mermaid, due May 2023.

The Little Mermaid, a not-so-fairy story

Although Disney opted to make it a love story, this very much not the plot of the original story as written by Hans Christian Andersen. In fact, in 1837, the author of the Danish tale published Den Lille Havfrue (The Little Mermaid), a story that is very different from the one retold by the animation studio. In the original tale, the Little Mermaid fell under the spell of a human whom she saves from drowning, but unlike Disney’s adaptation, she was not driven to wish for legs out of curiosity for life on earth, or her love for the princes. In Andersen’s story, the young mermaid learns that the souls of humans are eternal and decides to go to the witch to get legs so that she too can acquire this “ability” by marrying a human. Once again, the Danish author’s story is much less squeamish than Disney’s: the Little Mermaid has her tongue cut out by the witch and the “creation” of her legs is so painful that every step she takes feels as if she is being “pierced by knives.”

Similarly, you’ll find no “happily ever after” for Hans Christian Andersen. The prince falls in love with another woman, and decides to marry her, so Ariel knows she is doomed to have her heart broken, literally, and to be turned into sea foam. In a fit of despair, urged on by her sisters, the young woman decides to stab Prince Eric, her only means of breaking her curse and becoming a mermaid again. But at the last moment, Ariel finally decides to spare him. As she throws herself into the sea, ready to accept her fate, she joins a metaphorical paradise, “the women of the air,” as a reward for her good deed.

No great love story, then. Hans Christian Andersen portrays a young woman who idealises her future and sacrifices everything to get there, without taking into account the risks and warnings. It is not her love for the prince that drives her to leave the ocean, but her desire to be immortal.

The Little Mermaid, a work forever linked to Copenhagen

Hans Christian Andersen died in Copenhagen in August 1875 after leaving his mark on the capital and on Danish culture. Although he may have been mocked by his peers during his lifetime, this great friend of Charles Dickens enjoyed worldwide success in posterity. The Danish capital erected many statues of the author, such as the one in Rådhuspladsen Square or the one at City Hall, but also of his most popular work: The Little Mermaid. In Copenhagen harbour, not far from Churchill Park, there is a bronze statue of the famous character in the waters of the Kattegat.

Outside the capital, you can also visit the writer’s childhood home in his home town of Odense. In the south of the country, in the heart of the Efteling amusement park, the Fairy Tale Wood features many of the local hero’s works in their original setting.