Jo-Ann Strauss launches her Online Presenter Search 2013; cyber social media web TV competition will find a new e.tv online presenter.

Jo-Ann Strauss - now South African television's third most watched local TV talk show host rating wise with her e.tv talk show Glambition - is launching her own and second online presenter search competition, this time looking to find an online presenter for e.tv.

Jo-Ann Strauss who ventured out with her own TV talk show try, Glambition on Mondays at 20:30 on e.tv since earlier this year, is

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TV news reporter climbs on flood victim in India to report a news story; gets fired.

The Indian TV news reporter Narayan Pargaien of Indian's News Express TV news channel has been fired after he climbed on a flood victim to report his story about flooding in India.

Narayan Pargaien blames his cameraman and says the cameraman was trying to "sabotage" him when he reported flooding in Uttarakland where 1 000 people had died.

Narayan Pargaien climed on a flood victim who've lost

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Carte Blanche on M-Net on Sunday returns to the studio and inside for the first time in two years.

Carte Blanche on M-Net on Sunday night returned to a studio and an anchor desk for the first time in exactly two years since the longrunning weekly South African investigative news magazine show ditched its studio presentation format in July 2011 and went outside and roofside in Johannesburg.

Carte Blanche presenter Bongani Bingwa presented Carte Blanche from the SuperSport studios in

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BREAKING. TopTV ends its own Top Explore channel, replaces it with Spark as a new factual entertainment channel from July.

On Digital Media (ODM) is dropping a third self-compiled "Top" channel from the South African pay-TV operator's channel line-up but is replacing it immediately with a new third-party channel, Spark, from 1 July, which won't be carrying the "TopTV" name.

Spark which was started in April 2011 will replace Top Explore on the same channel number 300 on TopTV, although it is in reality still

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Expresso on SABC3 adds Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp to the existing presenters' group from 1 July.

The former M-Net TV personality Elana Afrika who is now married as Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp is shifting TV channels to SABC3 and is joining SABC3 and that channel's weekday morning show Expresso from July.

The show announced Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp's addition from 1 July to the revolving presenters' corps currently existing out of Ewan Strydom, Leigh-Ann Williams, Katlegoe Maboe and Graeme

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SHOCKER! NFVF shocked at creation of South African Film Commission; says Cape Film Commission CEO 'hijacked' a process.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is shocked at news over the apparent establishment of a South African Film Commission (SAFC) - but one not created by parliament and through the department of arts and culture as is currently underway.

The NFVF is upset with the the Cape Film Commission's (CFC) CEO, Denis Lillie, saying claims by him that the NFVF, the department of trade and

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MAJOR SHOCKER! South African TV ratings war explodes as SABC and e.tv jointly jettison Saarf amidst viewership measurement fiasco.

There's major drama within South Africa's TV industry following a South African TV ratings war which has exploded: both the SABC and e.tv are ready to jettison the organisation responsible for compiling South Africa's television viewership after a damning audit highlighting major viewer panel problems.

The SABC and e.tv - in total representing basically almost 100% of South African freely

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BREAKING. eNCA and e.tv plans simulcast 'Obama in South Africa' live TV coverage on Saturday from 15:30.

The eNCA (DStv 403) and e.tv will have simulcast live coverage on Saturday 29 June from 15:30 until 17:00 of the visit of the United States president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama in South Africa with the eNCA's "new" American reporter Simon Marks covering proceedings.

The eNCA and e.tv will be crossing over for a live simulcast broadcast of Obama in South Africa on Saturday at

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BREAKING. Michelle Obama to talk to South African teenagers on MTV Base; recording a special MTV Base Meets episode this Saturday.

Michelle Obama, the first lady of the United States, will take part in MTV Base Meets... which will be recorded this Saturday in Johannesburg when the American president Barack Obama together with Michelle Obama visit South Africa.

Michelle Obama will talk to teenagers from across South Africa at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre with the event which will be streamed live on Saturday on

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BREAKING. The Justice Factor of the eNCA coming to e.tv from Monday 8 July at 20:30.

More DStv pay-TV content is being made available to free-to-air South African viewers with e.tv adding the political talk show The Justice Factor with Justice Malala on the eNCA (DStv 403) to the e.tv schedule from Monday 8 July at 20:30.



The eNCA which is a pay-TV channel is leveraging more of its previously pay-TV-only content to its freely available e.tv sister channel with The

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BREAKING. StarTimes in trouble for allegedly selling obsolete TV decoder boxes in Uganda to viewers.

StarTimes, the Chinese television company which has bailed out South Africa's floundering TopTV satellite pay-TV service by acquiring a 20% shareholder stake, is in trouble elsewhere in Africa where StarTimes is being accused of allegedly selling obsolete TV decoders to viewers in Uganda.

A public interest law suit has now been filed in Uganda claiming that allegedly soon to be obsolete

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Deen TV on TopTV apologises for months of repeats as the channel works on new programming and a new on-air look and feel.

Deen TV (TopTV 355) op TopTV is apologising for viewers for months of repeats, saying the Islamic TV channel is working on new programming "which has a fresh look and feel, and makes for more interesting viewing".

Deen TV says the channel's physical infrastructure has been upgraded the last few months. Deen TV launched on TopTV a year ago. The channel says Deen TV has over "the last three to

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When Nelson Mandela does pass on, South African president Jacob Zuma will make an announcement on national television in South Africa.

When Nelson Mandela (94) does pass on, South African president Jacob Zuma will make an announcement on national television in South Africa.

The frail Nelson Mandela battling a lung infection remains in critical condition after his condition deteriorated in hospital on Sunday and as the world's media mobilised for round-the-clock coverage.

CNN International's Isha Sesay flew to South

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'This is CNN': The baritone voice of James Earl Jones is back on CNN International after years.

The voice of James Earl Jones is back on CNN International (DStv 401), months after the venerable actor's iconic voice-over which was retired years ago, has been brought back to CNN in America at the beginning of the year.

The authoritative baritone of James Earl Jones saying "This is CNN" can now once again be heard on CNN International after it was reintroduced on CNN in the United States

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MultiChoice starts a new bouquet, DStv Extra, at R380 per month as a new mid-tiered channel package.

MultiChoice launched a new mid-tiered package for its DStv satellite pay-TV service called DStv Extra, the second new DStv bouquet launched this year following DStv Family in April which is replacing DStv Select which is getting phased out.

DStv Extra which was not announced to the press, will cost R380 per month placing it between the most expensive DStv Premium, and the DStv Compact bouquets

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Generations on SABC1 now getting 3 year renewal contracts from the SABC; Generations creator Mfundi Vundla blasts SABC1 for lack of capitalising on the show popularity.

Generations on SABC1, the weekday soap with 8 million viewers which also ranks as South Africa's most watched TV programme, will now be getting three year contract deals from the South African public broadcaster as the soap actively moves into engaging fans and vieweings in a growing digital platform.

This comes as Generations executive producer Mfundi Vundla blasted the SABC at the media

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Isha Sesay on CNN International jets to Soweto, South Africa, as anxiety and TV news coverage ramps up over ailing Nelson Mandela.

Isha Sesay of CNN International (DStv 401), the presenter of NewsCenter jetted into South Africa and Soweto to cover from there the deteriorating health of Nelson Mandela.

All the 24-hour TV news channels and TV news crews are ramping up their coverage around the ailing South African statesman who remains in critical condition in a Pretoria hospital as the world waits on edge for any updates.

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SABC finally fills 6 executive positions as three top executive positions at the South African public broadcaster remain vacant.

The South African public broadcaster has filled six executive positions at the SABC while three positions - the head of news and current affairs, that of chief financial officer (CFO) and chief operating officer (COO) still remain vacant.

The SABC appointed Sipho Masinga as the group executive for technology, Itani Tseisi as the group executive for risk and governance, Jabulani Mabaso as the

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BREAKING. MultiChoice focusing strongly on penetrating and growing lower subscriber base with cheaper bouquets; want to expand online.

The South African pay-TV platform running the DStv direct-to-home (DTH) satellite service in South Africa and across the African continent is strongly focusing - and will continue to do so - on penetrating and growing its lower subscriber base of viewers by enticing them to sign up to cheaper DStv bouquets; MultiChoice is also strongly focused on the growing expansion and delivery of content

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BREAKING. The South African Film Commission created for South Africa; aims to to help, serve and promote South Africa's film industry.

The South African Film Commission (SAFC) has been created and registered as an independent and non-profit organisation to help, serve, and promote South Africa's growing film industry and to complement the work being done by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).

The South African Film Commission will not replace the Gauteng Film Commission, KZN Film Commission, the Cape Town Film

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BREAKING. MultiChoice adds Telemundo, the South American telenovela TV channel to DStv from 12 August.

MultiChoice is adding Telemundo (DStv 118), South America's telenovela TV channel to the DStv bouquet from Monday 12 August following a carriage agreement between MultiChoice and Universal Networks International (UNI).

The telenovela channel has not previously been available outside of Latin America as a satellite pay-TV channel but will now be shown in Africa. Telemundo is a channel

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BREAKING. Shahan Ramkissoon leaves the eNCA after 6 years; reporter can now be seen on the Arise News TV news channel.

You're reading it here first.

Shahan Ramkissoon, one of the solidly dependable reporters who also moved in behind the anchor desk has left the eNCA (DStv 403) after 6 years.

There's been no word yet from the eNCA about Shahan Ramkissoon's departure from the news channel.

Shahan Ramkissoon has shown tremendous growth the past few years as the eNCA grew and has honed his image, style, news

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BREAKING. MultiChoice grows revenue by 20% to R30,3 billion for the year ending 31 March 2013; tops 6,7 million subscribers across Africa.

The satellite pay-TV business MultiChoice has grown its revenue by 20% to R30,3 billion for the year ending on 31 March 2013 and has increased its subscriber base by 1,1 million new subscribers to now top 6,7 million subscribers across 48 markets across Africa.

The media group Naspers which owns MultiChoice released its financial report for the financial year ending 31 March 2013, with the

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Lukwesa Burak is back on Sky News just a few months after moving to Johannesburg to join the eNCA as anchor of Africa Edition.

Lukwesa Burak is suddenly back on Sky News (DStv 402) - less than a year after she moved to Johannesburg to become a news anchor on the eNCA (DStv 403).

Lukwesa Burak channel hopped from Sky News to the eNCA last year to become a news anchor for the eNCA's Africa Edition.

Lukwesa Burak moved to South Africa at the end of last year when her husband got a better job offer here. But a few

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BREAKING. Nelson Mandela in critical condition; Madiba's condition deteriorates as TV news crews mobilise for coverage.

Nelson Mandela (94) is now in critical condition in hospital after his condition has deteriorated the past 24 hours, according to a statement from the presidency, prompting TV news crews in South Africa and internationally to mobilise for a fresh week of coverage of the ailing statesman.

In a statement released on Sunday night by the presidency, the South African government says "the

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BREAKING. Paul Deen dumped by The Food Network over racial slur; TV chef fired after admission that she used racial slur in the past.

The Food Network (DStv 175) has dumped Paula Deen after the TV chef's admission - and a few hours ago a video apology - of using a racial slut in the form of the "N" word in the past.

"The Network will not renew Paula Deen's contract when it expires at the end of this month," says the TV channel, owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, in a just released statement.

Paula Deen appeared in

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Kim to Khanye: North West is windy. Okay this is actually about another E! personality. Ryan Lochte's reality show is coming to E! Entertainment.

What Would Ryan Lochte Do?, E! Entertainment's (DStv 124) new reality show following the fast-in-the-water but "dumb and dumber" American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is set to start on the channel from Sunday 21 July at 22:00 (South African time). 


Reality cameras follow the swimmer as he tries to balance his training with spending time with family and friends, working on his own fashion

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BREAKING. Minister Dina Pule lists everything for South Africa to successfully transition to digital terrestrial television ... just not TV content.

South Africa's minister of communications, Dina Pule, giving an update about South Africa's far-behind schedule and convoluted process to switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting - a process known as digital migration - mentioned almost everything needed to make the process successful - just not the two most important things: actual TV content to drive viewers to

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M-Net's planning a massive public preview of pay-TV broadcaster's new science fiction TV dramas Defiance and Under the Dome.

You can see it first.

Now you can be a TV critic and see it first: M-Net is planning a massive public preview of the new tentpole science fiction dramas Defiance and Under the Dome before it starts on the schedules of M-Net (DStv 101) and M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) - and the public is invited to watch the first episodes on the big screen in cinemas.

For the first time ever M-Net is

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BREAKING. Survivor South Africa reality format show to return to M-Net with Survivor South Africa: Champions and Nico Panagio as host.

You're reading it here first.

Survivor South Africa is set to return to South African TV screens on M-Net for another season with Nico Panagio as host and two teams divided under either rugby player Corne Krige or soccer player Mark Fish as tribe captains.

The pay-TV broadcaster made the announcement on social media to journalists just before the lunch hour in a closed Facebook group after

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BREAKING. Revealed! Strictly Come Dancing's 10 South African stars who will strut their stuff in the 6th season on SABC3 from 10 July.

You're reading it here first.

Connie Ferguson, Graeme Richards, Kuli Roberts, Lalla, Jay Anstey, Zakeeya Patel, Damon Kalvari, Mpho Popps Modikoane, L'Vovo and Thapelo Mokoena are the 10 South African celebrities who will be dancing in the 6th season of the floor format dance reality show Strictly Come Dancing starting in less than three weeks on SABC3 on 10 July at 20:00 TV with Thinus

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Trace Sports tracking Oscar Pistorius' fall from grace from hero to murder suspect in Fighting Spirit, Thursday at 22:45.

Trace Sports (DStv 188) is following the fall from grace of Oscar Pistorius who shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day from sports hero to murder accused in Fighting Spirit Thursday night, 20 June at 22:45 (South African time).

The Oscar Pistorius episode of the documentary strand  will be repeated on Trace Sports on Sunday 23 June at 19:30 and again on Wednesday 26

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Is another new local TV channel coming to DStv soon? Times Media Group CEO says the company is planning to start a new TV station.

Bloomberg Businessweek is reporting today that apparently another new local TV channel is coming to MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform soon.

According to the Bloomberg Businessweek article which appeared on Wednesday the new TV channel which is being developed by South Africa's Times Media Group (TMG), the South African publishing company, will "launch soon".

Andrew Bonamour, Times Media

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FOX Crime on DStv: Dramas on the move between Fox channels; TopTV subscribers to lose series content they've followed.

The start of the new FOX Crime (DStv 126) channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform at 19:00 on 9 July has Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) now shifting shows between Fox channels - with TopTV subscribers getting hurt in the process as they're set to lose content that is moving to the FOX Crime channel on DStv Premium's bouquet - a channel not available on TopTV.

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LazyTown and Sportacus back for a third season on Boomerang with new episodes every weekday at 07:30 and 10:50.

Let's move it, kids: The third season of LazyTown with Sportacus (Magnus Scheving) and Stephanie (new replacement 10-year old actress Chloe Lang) is now on Boomerang (DStv 302) on weekdays at 07:30 with new episodes repeated Mondays to Fridays at 10:50 - and an omnibus on Saturdays at 10:00, starting this Saturday.

Magnus Scheving who created the character and LazyTown remains a rarity on

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Ed Worster now the head of television at Rapid Blue as the production company is readying a 6th season of Strictly Come Dancing for SABC3.

Ed Worster who was SABC3 acting channel head until his unexpected departure in mid-February this year and which came as a shock to SABC staff, recently joined the South African production company Rapid Blue where he is now the new head of television.

Rapid Blue is for instance producing the new 6th season of the format floor reality show Strictly Come Dancing for SABC3.

Strictly Come Dancing,

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2013 BBC Winter upfront: Mr Selfridge to BBC Entertainment, Polar Bears and unsafe sex on BBC Knowledge.

BBC Worldwide Channels which runs BBC Entertainment (DStv 120), BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174), BBC Knowledge (DStv 184) and CBeebies (DStv 306) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform unveiled its upcoming programming across the channels to ad buyers, TV critics and ad sales executives at its 2013 BBC South Africa Winter Upfront which was only done in Johannesburg.

"We know that viewers

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Nicky Greenwall gave birth to second child, Riley Fryer, as South African television finds itself in a veritable baby boom.

Talk about a multi-tasking mother: e.tv's blond telenality Nicky Greenwall with multiple TV projects in the works has given birth to her second child, Riley Fryer as South African television finds itself in the throes of a veritable baby boom bonanza.



Nicky Greenwall gave birth last Wednesday 12 June to her son Riley Fryer, her second child with her longtime partner, Robin Fryer, the 20

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BREAKING. The Disney Channel orders new sitcom, I Didn't Do It, with twins and Logan Watson starting high school.

The Disney Channel (DStv 303) has ordered another new sitcom, I Didn't Do It, following twins Lindy (Olivia Holt) and Logan Watson (Austin North) as they start high school, with the new show set to start on The Disney Channel in 2014.

The Disney Channel's order for another new sitcom comes days after it ordered Girls Meets World as a new sitcom for 2014.

Episodes of I Didn't Do It will

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The Business Day TV breakfast launch broadcast on DStv is mostly white men sitting in white chairs on a white stage.

Pravin Gordham, the minister of finance, seated second from the left, is holding up his hand looking out into the breakfast tabled audience - is he maybe looking to find black men or black women? Why, any women for that matter would do.

The staged panel for the television launch breakfast briefing of Business Day TV (DStv 412) - the rebranded Summit TV on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV

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BREAKING. Business Day TV replaces Summit TV on MultiChoice's DStv; Bloomberg Television content blocks added to the schedule.

The business television channel Summit TV (DStv 412) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform relaunched as Business Day TV this morning at 08:00 as was reported earlier in the year would happen, with  Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) which will end as a separate TV channel on DStv in South Africa at the end of June and programming from that channel which will now be folded into

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BREAKING. DStv ending two stand-alone TV channels: Bloomberg Television folded into Business Day TV with blocks, mk to live on online.

You're reading it here first. 

MultiChoice is ending two TV channels on its bouquet, with the business channel Bloomberg Television (DStv 411) and the mk (DStv 324) music channel which are both being discontinued in their current form as separate TV channels on the DStv pay-TV platform in South Africa.

South Africans will still be able to see both Bloomberg Television content and mk

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BREAKING. Defiance now starting on M-Net Series Showcase on 15 July at 20:30 - and the starting dates of all the channel's other new shows.

M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113) which starts in high definition (HD) on Tuesday 9 July has reshuffled and reworked the launch month schedule.

The big-buzz new science fiction drama Defiance will kick off on M-Net Showcase on 15 July at 20:30.

Here's the latest starting dates and times for shows and the programming which DStv Premium subscribers will be able to see on the channel:

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BREAKING. The Jeff Probst Show to M-Net Series Reality as The Doctors move, but Ellen stays put on M-Net Series Showcase from July.

M-Net which has been working and reworking, and re-reworking, the schedules for the new M-Net Series Showcase (DStv 113), M-Net Series Reality (DStv 114) and M-Net Series Zone (DStv 115) channel until last week is now releasing the "final" schedules for July ...

... and there's some shockers: such as The Doctors indeed moving to M-Net Series Reality but Ellen staying on M-Net Series

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FOX Crime set to start on DStv in South Africa on 19 July in SD on channel 126 for DStv Premium subscribers.

The new FOX Crime TV channel which TV with Thinus reported at the beginning of the month will be starting on MultiChoice's DStv platform in July now has a starting date of 19 July at 19:00 and a channel number of 126.

I've reported previously that the addition of FOX Crime will bring the total number to 7 of Fox TV channels which will be available in South Africa from July after Fox

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BREAKING. True Movies 1 channel added to DStv from 19 June to the DStv Premium bouquet as a standard definition channel.

True Movies 1, a movie channel which has been available on MultiChoice's DStv platform and other platforms elsewhere in Africa is now being added to DStv in South Africa from Wednesday 19 June on channel 138 for DStv Premium subscribers as a standard definition (SD) channel.

The film channel from Moving Movies Ltd. which was launched in April 2005 in the United Kingdom will show "moving

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Oprah and Discovery Networks International continue to snub South African viewers as Oprah shows are added in Australia following the UK.

Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Networks International (DNI) continue to snub South African TV viewers with TV shows from Oprah Winfrey's OWN TV network in the United States - including her ratings grabbing new talk show Oprah's Next Chapter - which will become available on one of Discovery's TV channels in Australia from August, after it also started in the United Kingdom on a Discovery

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BREAKING. Al Jazeera news crew free and released from prison in Niger without after being held for three days in a cell without water or food.

A news team of Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / TopTV 401) has been released after its four member team was detained in a prison in Niger, Africa for the past three days.

Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege and the rest of the news crew were held in the West African country's city of Zinder.

The correspondent and her team - cameraman Romuald Luyindula, producer Mohammed Abubakar and driver Rabiu Abdullahi -

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BREAKING. Is America Tonight, Al Jazeera's brand-new upcoming flagship daily news magazine show going to be seen globally?

Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / TopTV 401) is announcing that America Tonight will be its new hour long flagship news and current affairs magazine show coming to viewers on a daily basis once the new Al Jazeera America TV news channel launches later this year in the United States. It now begs one question: Will America Tonight be seen globally on Al Jazeera English?

It's highly conceivable that Al

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The new FOX Sports TV channel is going international; how long before it comes to South Africa and maybe TopTV?

The brand-new FOX Sports TV channel which is launching on 18 August in America is quickly also going international just as TV with Thinus predicted back in March, with Fox International Channels (FIC) which just announced that it is planning to expand FOX Sports into a new channel also running in Italy.

FIC announced that the new FOX Sports will soon also be launching in Italy with a portfolio

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Girl Meets World picked up by The Disney Channel as a new sitcom starting on the channel in 2014, based on the 90s Boy Meets World.

Girl Meets World is coming to The Disney Channel (DStv 303) as a girl-centred sitcom spin-off of the 90s sitcom Boy Meets World and will start on the channel in 2014.

Rowan Blanchard as Riley Matthews, Sabrina Carpenter as her friend Maya and Danielle Fishel and Ben Savage both reprising their roles from the 90s sitcom Boy Meet World will be seen in Girls Meets World.

"Boy Meets World and

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ANALYSIS. Sex! Nudity! South African television ramps up its sexy telly tally as the level of sexier, edgier, TV programming across Africa keeps rising.

Boobs. Buttocks. Bold sex stories. And everything in-between. South Africa's TV industry - widely considered the best developed TV market on the African continent - is exporting sexier and edgier programming in an ever-growing degree to the rest of Africa's conservative television audiences on a level never seen before.

African viewers are getting much more access than ever before to more

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Massive mess as technically marred 2013 Daytime Emmy Awards in America rivals South Africa's Saftas and AfricaMagic Viewers' Choice Awards as terrible television.

The 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the United States, broadcast live on Sunday, degenerated into a terrible trashcast filled with myriad mistakes and containing the litany of technical production faults exactly the same as South Africa's amateur and shoddily-produced 7th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) on the SABC and M-Net's highly-embarrassing AfricaMagic Viewers'

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50 public broadcasters across Europe demand that Greece's shut-down public broadcaster ERT be reopened.

Fifty public broadcasters across Europe are jointly demanding that the Greek government reverse its shocking decision to shut down Greece's public broadcaster ERT which led on Tuesday night at midnight this week to ERT World, ERT's global TV channel to suddenly disappear from MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform as it did in countries around the world.

In a joint statement serving as an open

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NAKED NEWS. A naked Giuliana Rancic on E! News censored by E! Entertainment as part of a comedy skit with Joan Rivers.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) censored a naked Giuliana Rancic Friday night on E! News on the channel's daily news broadcast with a big black block covering her body and the words "censored" over it, when the E! News co-host went au naturel following a dare from comedienne Joan Rivers who's celebrating her 80th birthday on E! this week.

Giuliana Rancic who wasn't really naked but hammed it up

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BREAKING. ANN7 is hiring! Africa News Network 7, South Africa's new 24-hour TV news channel is looking for TV talent.

Fix up those CV's people, Africa News Network 7 or ANN7 - the new South African 24-hour TV news channel - is now hiring!

ANN7 which plans to start broadcasting later this year as a new TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv platform as a competitor to eNCA (DStv 403) is now looking for presenters, reporters, anchors, sound engineers, producers and cameramen for its news broadcasts - a

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CBNC Africa to open Mauritius news bureau on 11 July in Port Louis, marking its 11th African news bureau of the biz news TV channel.

CNBC Africa (DStv 410) will be opening a brand-new news bureau in Mauritius on 11 July in Port Louis on the island - the business TV channel's 11th African news bureau. It's not clear how many people will be employed by CNBC Africa in the news bureau.

"Mauritius is an important addition to our coverage map given the country's economic performance in the past few years and its role in

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DIVA DRAMA: Dineo Ranaka dumps e.tv and Club 808 in exchange for Mzansi Magic's magazine show All Access Mzansi.

Drama queen Dineo Ranaka has dumped e.tv and the music magazine show Club 808 mid-season in favour of being a new presenter on Mzansi Magic's (DStv 161) resurrected magazine show All Access Mzansi which has been "uncancelled".

It's highly embarrassing for e.tv and for the show currently in its third season.

The broadcaster, at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013 just last week announced to the

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International TV crews covering Nelson Mandela in hospital issued with non-compliance warnings by regulator over broadcasting equipment.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has slapped some international TV crews camping outside the Pretoria hospital where the world's media is on "Madiba Watch" of the ailing Nelson Mandela with non-compliance warnings after several were found to have brought unauthorised broadcasting equipment into South Africa.

According to law, anyone bringing broadcasting

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BREAKING. Dineo Ranaka, Nandi Mngoma and ProVerb the three presenters of the uncancelled and resurrected All Access Mzansi.

Dineo Ranaka is the third presenter joining the uncancelled and resurrected magazine show All Access Mzansi on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) with Dineo Ranaka who will  be seen with the singer Nandi Mngoma as well as the Idols presenter ProVerb when the show makes a comeback on Thursday 20 June at 19:30.

Mzansi Magic has so far ignored questions and media enquiries made weeks ago as to why the

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BREAKING. Strictly Come Dancing returning to the SABC for a 6th season - but this time SABC3 - from 10 July at 20:00 for 10 episodes.

Strictly Come Dancing, the popular gloss floor format show which has seen several seasons on SABC2 is set to return on Wednesday 10 July at 20:00 - but this time the reality dancing show is waltzing over to sister channel SABC3.

In August last year TV with Thinus broke the news and reported that a new 6th season for Strictly Come Dancing is on the cards and that the format show will be

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BREAKING. Big Brother Mzansi coming to Mzansi Magic from January 2014 as South Africans get a chance again to live in a camera house.

Big Brother Mzansi produced by Endemol South Africa for M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel is coming to viewers in January 2014 as the reality format is given another South African season by the pay-TV broadcaster.

With Big Brother Africa The Chase currently taking place as the latest pan-African season of the show in which Africans from across the continent are under 24 hour camera

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PSYCHO. Co-incidental TV scheduling brilliance as Psycho the movie comes to SABC2 as Bates Hotel, based on Psycho, starts on M-Net.

You cannot make this up: SABC2 has acquired and scheduled the Alfred Hitchcock horror thriller masterpiece movie Psycho from 1960 for Monday 17 June at 21:30 - and in a stroke of co-incidental genius programming M-Net will start Bates Motel, a new spin-off TV drama series based on Psycho, a few days later in the very same week on Friday 21 June at 21:30.

Now that - as Tropika Island of

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Eddie Izzard's Comedy Central stand-up comedy performance TV marathon in June and July is every Thursday at 20:55 starting tomorrow.

To celebrate the comedic genius Eddie Izzard's rare South African trip, Comedy Central (DStv 122) has created a two month schedule of Eddie Izzard-inspired programming, focusing on the stand-up comic's outstanding performances which Comedy Central is showing during June and July on South African television.

Viewers are able to tune in for Eddie Izzard's sparkly and surreal observational

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Front Row back for a third season on Fashion One on TopTV from Thursday at 21:00.

Front Row, Fashion One's (TopTV 179) lifestyle and fashion magazine show is returning for its third season to Fashion One from Thursday, 13 June at 21:00 (South African time) with international stylist Rachel Anthony, fashion presenter and model Sam Simmons, and celebrity correspondent Kiri Bloore.

The three Front Row presenters are at red carpets and catwalks around the globe to bring

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HOTLIST. Why are the pages in a South African magazine redesign now looking the same as those of Britain's TV & Satellite Week?

MediaSlutZA, the go-to source for news and ongoing coverage of South Africa's magazine biz has an eye-popping story over a South African magazine covering television's new redesign - which now has pages using the exact intellectual layout format of the British magazine, TV & Satellite Week.



The local magazine which changed its insides, now has some pages looking exactly like TV & Satellite

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StarTimes ready to invade South Africa as Chinese pay-TV operator passes 2,5 million subscribers in Africa.

China's StarTimes which is effectively taking over the struggling and highly-indebted TopTV satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa has passed 2,5 million subscribers in Africa and is ready and poised to invade South Africa.


StarTimes says its subscribers in Africa hit 2,5 million early in June. The Chinese media company now has its sights set on its next big target: sub-Saharan Africa and

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Nandi Mngoma follows ProVerb as a newly added presenter of the resurrected All Access Mzansi on Mzansi Magic back in a new guise.

Nandi Mngoma has now also been added as a new presenter to the cancelled and now resurrected magazine show All Access Mzansi which will be returning to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on Thursday 20 June at 19:30.



As yet, there's been no official communication or publicity material about All Access Mzansi which will start on Mzansi Magic in less than 8 days' time.

The singer and ultra-thin Nandi

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BREAKING. Takalani Sesame starts production on four new seasons; 6th season to start on SABC on 2 September with a new format.

Takalani Sesame, the preschool educational programme utilising America's Muppets puppets, have started production on four brand-new seasons after 12 years on South African television and will continue in a new format when the new 6th season starts on the SABC on 2 September.

The show broke ground when it introduced Kami, the HIV-positive Muppet, in South Africa.

The new seasons of

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BREAKING. ERT World on MultiChoice's DStv service abruptly cease following sudden shocking shutdown of Greece's public broadcaster.

You're reading it here first. 

MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform instantly lost the ERT World (DStv 432) TV channel at midnight as the international 24-hour general entertainment and news channel from Greece abruptly ceased broadcasting.

DStv subscribers in South Africa and Africa are suddenly left with one less TV channel hours after Greece's public broadcaster, the Hellenic

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Bizarre Foods America starting on the Travel Channel on Tuesdays at 21:00 sees Andrew Zimmern seeking out strange tastes.

Bizarre Foods America starts on the Travel Channel (DStv 179) tonight, Tuesday 11 June at 21:00 with presenter Andrew Zimmern criss-crossing the United States in searching of - and tasting - some delectibly disgusting food.

Blackened snakehead and bonemarrow ice-cream are however not all that's on the menu in Bizarre Foods America. Andrew Zimmern also scours the country in search of unique

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BREAKING. Community television in South Africa takes a giant leap forward, forms new Association of Community Television South Africa.

The growing community television sector in South Africa is taking a giant leap forward with the formation of a new association, the Association of Community Television South Africa, which will be known as ACTSA and will represent the interest of community television and community TV stations in South Africa.

All of the existing community television licensees in South Africa - Soweto TV, Cape

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SABC blames blackout during Saturday's Bafana Bafana soccer game in Cameroon on a thunderstorm; calls blackout an 'act of God'.

The SABC explains the blackout which hit the South African public broadcaster during the soccer match on Saturday between Bafana Bafana and the Central African Republic (CAR) and left viewers furious as "an act of God" - a thunderstorm disrupted the broadcast.

On Saturday excited viewers saw video of the match until after the national anthems were played. Then a blackout causing viewers to

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: 'e.tv has an exciting winter line-up,' e.tv's channel head Monde Twala tells TV critics.

"e.tv has an exciting winter 2013 line-up," Monde Twala, e.tv's channel head, told South Africa's TV critics, editors and writers covering the television industry, in a video-taped message which formed part of the presentation played at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013.

"This year we're kicking off with 52 episodes of eKasi, our premiere drama series on Monday nights. Stories this year will come

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: e.tv's great new e On Demand online viewing service wants to grow viewers' view - and watching - of the e.tv world.

The South African free-to-air commercial television broadcaster e.tv is forging ahead and breaking new ground as it leads the charge among local broadcasters in a massive initiative within South Africa's TV industry to make its local TV content also available to viewers online.



e.tv's new e On Demand service available on e.tv's revamped www.etv.co.za website only requires e.tv viewers to

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Romantic drama series Mzansi Love: Kasi Style returning to e.tv for a second season of 6 new local romance stories.

Mzansi Love: Kasi Style, e.tv's local romance-driven drama series, is returning for a second season of six new episodes from 9 July at 20:30, the broadcaster officially revealed at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013.

The new second season of six new episodes will start after the repeat of the first season of Mzansi Love: Kasi Style which is based on the Nollybooks novels published by the actress and

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Club 808 on e.tv adds Thando Thabethe as new field reporter as the music show moves to Saturdays from July.

e.tv's Friday evening music magazine show Club 808 is being moved out of its Friday timeslot of 19:30 to Saturdays at 19:30 from Saturday 6 July to make space for an additional weekday episode of the primetime soap Scandal and the show is adding Thando Thabethe as a new field reporter, the broadcaster revealed to TV critics at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013.



Club 808 - Make Some Noise pulls

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Derek Van Dam, e.tv's chief meteorologist keeps going (and going and going) whatever the weather.

Derek Van Dam, e.tv and the eNCA's chief meteorologist probably doesn't own a chair. Why would you, if you never sit still?



Derek Van Dam attended e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013 as one of the South African broadcaster's telegenic stars and he graciously slowed down for just a nano-moment to talk to me about running the Comrades, and - of course - the weather.

You just finished running the 2013

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Reality Check for Khanyi Mbau and a tearful reality TV breakdown with Nonhle Thema and Babalwa Mneno.

A Reality Check in capital letters is on its way for on its way for socialite Khanyi Mbau and reality TV queens Nonhle Thema and Babalwa Mneno - and it won't be without tears.

As TV with Thinus reported laste week, Reality Check produced by Endemol South Africa and Rainbow Pepper for e.tv is coming to the free-to-air broadcaster from Saturday 6 July at 18:05 for 13 episodes in which cameras

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: SABC3's Isidingo on Fridays is kicking e.tv in the ratings - which is why e.tv is extending its soap Scandal! to 5 days.

e.tv explained at the free-to-air commercial broadcaster's Winter Upfront 2013 that it's soap Scandal! is getting extended to five days a week and will now also have an episode on Fridays starting from Friday 5 July at 19:30 basically because e.tv kept being hammered on Fridays in the timeslot by SABC3's soap Isidingo.

Scandal! going from four days to five days, means another scheduling

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: The Close Up with Nicky Greenwall back for a third season from Tuesday 9 July at 21:30.

Nicky Greenwall's celebrity interview show The Close Up on e.tv is set to return to the commercial free-to-air TV channel for a third season from Tuesday 9 July at 21:30.

The new third season of The Close Up is, as TV with Thinus previously reported, one of three TV productions from the busy mother's TV production company, Greenwall Productions.

The Big Picture, a brand-new red-carpet movie

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Fifth season of eKasi: Our Stories expanding to 52 episodes on e.tv with 7 production companies across 4 provinces.

eKasi: Our Stories, e.tv's local drama strand which has grown successfully to become one of the free-to-air TV channel's highest rated viewership franchises will kick off on Monday 15 July at 21:00 for a 5th season as production is expanding to 52 episodes, produced by seven different production companies filming episodes across four of South Africa's provinces.



"This year dramas will be

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e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Khanyi! Derek! Only one Twala! No Nicky! e.tv's Winter programming upfront lures some e.tv stars.

e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013 in Cape Town where the free-to-air commercial TV channel unveiled its upcoming shows and programming plans to South Africa's TV critics, editors and writers covering television, and spoke to the press about it lured some of the channel's TV talent as well.

Khanyi Mbau who will soon be seen on the new e.tv reality show Reality Check dazzled and delighted. Khanyi Mbau

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SuperSport sublicence sports rights of ICC cricket Cmapions Trophy 2013, Castle Lager Inbound test series and Rugby Championship to SABC.

SuperSport has sublicenced the TV sports rights of the ICC Cricket Champions Trophy 2013, the Rugby Championship and the Castle Lager Inbound test series to the South African public broadcaster in a limited free-to-air broadcasting rights agreement.

The SABC will show the ICC Champions Trophy from 6 June to 23 June, and the Castle Lager Inbound test series from 8 June until 22 June. The SABC

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New mini-series and action TV drama, The Message with Carl Beukes and Arno Carstens, starts filming in South Africa.

The South African action TV drama The Message started filming on Thursday in Johannesburg with the première of the pilot episode tentatively scheduled for Friday 1 November.



Similar in tone to American British co-production Strike Back filming in Cape Town, The Message which will be a mini-series, also revolves around an ultra-team of Special Forces Operators.



They return after a risky

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Playing with Fire on E! Entertainment is filled with filth; unbleeped trash talk makes E!'s latest reality outing extremely unpalatable.

Playing with Fire, the new reality show which started on Sunday night on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) at 21:00, is shocking in its disgusting filthy language which Universal Networks International (UNI) is pumping through the airwaves to South African viewers on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

The crass filfthy language which UNI and E! Entertainment seems to want to normalise

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Debora Patta goes global as TV correspondent for CBS Evening News and seen globally on Sky News.

You're reading it here first. 

Debora Patta is back on television, appearing on global television on Saturday evening in the United States and early on Sunday morning for the rest of the world less than a month after the South African TV news woman signed off from e.tv and her longrunning weekly investigative show 3rd Degree which was instantly cancelled, following behind-the-scenes upheaval

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PAIN MEDICATION. Credibility shattered, authenticity gone: 'I hope to be able to build on what Michael has achieved,' says Riaad Moosa replacing Michael Mol in Doctor's Orders.

South African TV viewers are now supposed to take seriously, trust, and watch a stand-up comedian who until recently made jokes about politics with a naked skeleton (oh sorry, it had undies on) on The Dr Mol Show Doctor's Orders on SABC3.

Yet the great lifestyle and edutainment show The Dr Mol Show on SABC3 not just suddenly and without warning or any explanation lost the headline

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The Syfy Kids programming block filled with new shows, set to start on 22 July on KidsCo on DStv and TopTV in South Africa.

The Syfy Kids programming block which I've reported in February is coming to KidsCo (DStv 308 / TopTV 255) will now start during July in South Africa on the kids' channel.

Syfy Kids, a partnership between KidsCo and NBCUniversal's Syfy channel, will start with a line-up featuring original programming from Matchbox Pictures and newly acquired titles from Platinum Films and KidsCo's

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E! Entertainment to celebrate Joan Rivers' 80 birthday with extra episodes of Fashion Police, appearances across several other shows.

E! Entertainment (DStv 124) is giving TV star Joan Rivers of Fashion Police a big network birthday celebration for her 80th birthday on 8 June with additional daily half hour episodes of Fashion Police, and heavy involvement in front of, and behind the scenes, of the channel's flagship daily show E! News for a week, as well as appearing on several other E! Entertainment programmes all from 11

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Nonhle! Khanyi! Babalwa! South Africa's reality TV queens unite for Reality Check on e.tv - filled with tears, tantrums ... and twitter.

The reality TV queens with sharp tongues, Nonhle Thema, Babalwa Mneno and Khanyi Mbau are uniting for a new reality shown entitled Reality Check currently in production by Endemol South Africa and Rainbow Pepper and which will be starting on e.tv on Saturday 6 July at 18:05 for 13 episodes.



All three - known for their high lives and the decadence that came with it, as well as

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BREAKING. The Wendy Williams Show on BET renewed until 2017 which will take the talk show to its 8th season.

The Wendy Williams Show on BET (TopTV 190) has been renewed for a further three seasons until 2016/2017 which will take the talker to at least its 8th season.

The Wendy Williams Show is the only American TV talk show which sees the same day and date episode air in South Africa as is shown in America and which is currently remaining with brand-new episodes in America right through until

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SABC claims to have spent R758 million on local content in 2012 but public broadcaster is awash in more old repeats than ever before.

The SABC claims to have spent R758 million on local content commissioning on 2012 although one look at TV schedules of the South African public broadcaster's three TV schedules reveal more repeats this year than ever before, ranging from 80s shows such as The Cosby Show littering SABC1 and SABC3, to old archive titles of local cheesy dramas and magazine shows on the SABC2 schedule.

It's

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HELLO? DOCTOR? Michael Mol gone without any explanation; Riaad Moosa in as The Dr Mol Show on SABC3 changes to Doctor's Orders.

In an extremely shocking, highly embarrassing and dramatic bait-and-switch exercise with no announcement, advisory, press statement, explanation, answers or any information to the South African press and TV critics either before it happened on-air (I asked) or since, SABC3 and the production company behind The Dr. Mol Show suddenly has Riaad Moosa in as the new doctor and Michael Mol 

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Isidingo's head writer: 'Heads will not roll and blood will not be spilled and even if this was going to happen I would tell the actors personally first.'

Isidingo's head writer Liam J. Stratton says heads are not going to roll at the popular SABC3 soap calling malicious rumours that characters are getting written out soon "unfounded and unjust".

ALSO READ: Isidingo crew and cast slam 'untrue' stories about big stars leaving; criticise 'crayon' tabloid trash journalism.

"Heads will not roll and blood will not be spilled and even if this was

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BUSY TUESDAY. South Africa's TV critics kept busy by broadcasters in a week brimming with programming upfront events and info sessions.

National South African TV critics haven't had it so busy today - in fact this week - in a long time, with BBC Worldwide, e.tv, The Travel Channel and even M-Net all having events talking and showcasing programming in presentations.

Today in Cape Town sees duelling big events - both at the same time - also both competing with yet another big event - also at the same time - in Johannesburg.

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Fox Crime to be added to MultiChoice's DStv as a new TV channel; brings to 7 the number of Fox run channels in South Africa.

You're reading it here first. 

I'm the first journalist who can report this: Fox Crime is coming to MultiChoice's DStv platform as a new TV channel bring the total to 7 of the number of Fox TV channels which will be available in South Africa from July.

Fox International Channels (FIC) and MultiChoice have entered into a carriage agreement for Fox Crime which is already seen in Mozambique

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BREAKING. MultiChoice to change transmission of its DStv high definition channels; subscribers have to check, and pay, for possible adjustments.

MultiChoice is getting ready to change the transmission of the satellite pay-TV operator's growing number of high definition (HD) TV channels but the DStv subscribers who will require an adjustment to their satellite dish installation will have to pay for the upgrade themselves.

MultiChoice plans to officially switch to the DVB-S2 digital television standard for satellite TV broadcasting

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Yusuf Omar of the eNCA puts a plaster on his nipple; runs the 2013 Comrades Marathon successfully and files a story.

Yusuf Omar - the reporter referred to as "tenacious Omar" by anchor Iman Rappetti - showed viewers of the 24-hour news channel how he put a bandage on his nipple, and then ran the 2013 Comrades Marathon's 87 kilometres from Durban after which he filed a story.

Last seen running on television when he was jogging in just a red speedo for a charitable cause in a fun run in November last year,

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Da Vinci's Demons channels the Dharma Initiative - but blink and you'll miss it. (Along with a dragon skeleton, the ark and Kryptonite.)

Just like Steven Spielberg worked in Star Wars figures in a split second showing in his TV drama Falling Skies it's now clear that Da Vinci's Demons' creator and writer David S. Goyer is a fan of Lost - he's worked in the enigmatic Dharma Initiative into Da Vinci's Demons' most mystically tantalising episode yet.

South African viewers will be able to see episode seven of Da Vinci's Demons on

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Oscar Pistorius live court coverage Tuesday on Sky News and the eNCA as the paralympic killer's court case is set to get underway.

South African viewers will be able to watch Oscar Pistorius live court coverage on Tuesday on Sky News (DStv 402) and tne eNCA (DStv 403) as the court trial of the sprinter killer gets underway who now stands accused of premeditated murder.

The paralympic athlete shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day earlier this year in a sensational story which has transfixed the

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BOOB TUBE. Poorman's Bikini Beach back on Sony Max from 11 June at 23:00 with daily episodes filled with the jigglies.

Poorman's Bikini Beach is back on Sony Max (DStv 128) from Tuesday 11 June at 23:00 with new weekday episodes of the jigglies.

Bodacious babes in bikinis harass James "The Poorman" Trenton who just tries to do his job of covering beautiful girls at beach side beauty pageants and all the insane goings-on behind the scenes at these events.

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NO CONSPIRACY. People of the South on SABC3 HAS repeats and all episodes ARE repeated. Even the disgusting Robert Mugabe ones.

There's no conspiracy: While everyone seems unable to provide the information, the truth, and the facts I can - and will - gladly tell when viewers can see the repeats and rebroadcasts of Politics People of the South on SABC3.

A fake rumour is swirling that the episode of People of the South with Dali Thambo - apparently "suddenly" controversial after the fake-pathetic softball interview with

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Ursula Stapelfeldt out; Tshepo Mosese in as presenter of the third season of Bar-One Manhunt on SABC1.

Shifting to a channel with a bigger black audience which Nestle has to try and reach means Tshepo Mosese is in and Ursula Stapelfeldt is out as the new presenter of the advertiser-funded production (AFP) Bar-One Manhunt which will start on 30 July at 21:00 on SABC1.

Ursula Stapelfeldt could have been the presenter of Bar-One Manhunt again and was therefore deliberately omitted from Top

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BREAKING. Jenna-Leigh February heading to television; where on the small screen is the radionality going to pop up?

You're reading it here first. 

Jenna-Leigh February is heading to television. The radionality and journalist read her last news on Friday night at midnight telling listeners she might not be able to get through it because of crying.

Now she's destined for the small screen. No word yet on what specific TV channel and what programme TV viewers are going to see her pop up.

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BREAKING. Isidingo actors locked in and no big stars leaving; crew and cast slam 'untrue' stories and criticise 'crayon' tabloid trash journalism.

The Isidingo actors Robert Whitehead, Kgomotso Christopher and Vusi Kunene are not only locked into contracts with Endemol South Africa but personally want to remain with the popular SABC3 Gray Hofmeyr created soap and both the crew and cast are criticising the shoddy trash journalism dished up by tabloids calling unchecked rumours simply "untrue".

Breathless reporting from third rate

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FOX deal with DStv delays the starting date of the third season of Falling Skies in South Africa.

You're reading it here first. 

The new deal between FOX and DStv is causing South African TV viewers to see at least one TV show not sooner and close to the American broadcasting date but ironically much later because of DStv: the third season of the science fiction drama Falling Skies is deliberately getting delayed by months due to the new channel carriage agreement between MultiChoice

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