M-Net Press

From 6 April 2015, DStv Compact viewers will be able to enjoy an enhanced offering on DStv channel 115. This new general entertainment channel, M-Net City, will replace M-Net Series Zone on channel 115.

This high-impact channel will entertain viewers with a variety of programme genres. Some of the great content lined up includes comedies such as, Modern Family and Last Man Standing, talk shows, and for the first time, Chicago PD, a crime and drama series will be available to Compact subscribers.

The channel will also screen blockbuster films on Saturdays and Sundays, and series lovers can indulge in binge viewing with back-to-back episodes over the weekends or enjoy a fixed time with the favourite shows which will be showcased from Monday to Friday.

M-Net’s CEO for South Africa, Yolisa Phahle, says that M-Net City is proof of the company’s commitment to continuously evaluate, adjust and reshuffle channel offerings in line with the ever-changing needs of viewers. “In 2014, M-Net upped the ante with M-Net Edge and VUZU AMP, to the delight of DStv Premium viewers. Now we have created M-Net City, a new channel that will enhance Compact viewers’ experience of international content.’

The M-Net Series Zone transmission will end on midnight on 5 April 2015, and M-Net City will officially broadcast from the following day at 17:00. The current series offering on M-Net Series Zone will conclude before the channel becomes M-Net City.

M-Net is bringing TV fans another first in 2015, a brand-new format, Power Couple.

M-Net 101 will be the first English-language channel in the world to produce Power Couple – already a ratings success story in Israel and Portugal, and currently in production in Brazil.

Power Couple will test the relationships of eight couples, who will move into a luxurious villa somewhere in Cape Town. These couples will compete at thrilling, nerve-wracking challenges, during which they have to illustrate how much they know, trust or love their partners. Based on the outcome of these tasks, two couples will be up for elimination each week and the others will decide whom they would like to keep in the game.

These challenges – which will sometimes include high-adrenaline action adventures – will allow the couples to accumulate thousands of rands by betting on whether their loved one will be able to complete a task, without knowing how much their partner has invested in their ability to succeed. If they get it right, the money will be added to their kitty – but if their partner fails, the money will be subtracted from the amount they carry through to the end of the show.

If you want to become South Africa’s first Power Couple, the audition dates and venues are as follows:

14 February – The Bay Hotel, Camps Bay, Cape Town
18 February – Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
28 February – Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg

“You have to be older than 21 and a South African citizen, willing to do crazy and wild things for love,” says Handrie Basson from Afrokaans, who’re producing the show for M-Net 101. “We’ll be looking for diverse, interesting and outgoing people who believe that they’re a winning pair – whether they’ve been married for yonks or at the very start of a relationship.”

In the interest of acquiring new and original content for its channel, M-Net (DStv
channel 101) invites content creators and production companies to pitch ideas for an
original unscripted show, to potentially feature as part of their programming line-up in
2015. Pitching is open to the entire industry and will commence in October 2014.

M-Net director Victor Eckard says, “Since changing the landscape of South African
television in 2001 with Big Brother South Africa, the country’s first local
version of an international reality show format, M-Net has continued to raise the bar
with highly-acclaimed, first, exclusive local entertainment in HD, but now it’s game on
to find ‘the next big thing’. We can’t wait to see where this open pitch will take us.”

The selection process consists of a ten minute face-to-face pitch with M-Net’s
commissioning team in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Participants are advised
that show ideas should have a high production value and speak to the needs of DStv
Premium viewers. This means content needs to be slick, sophisticated, unpredictable,
unique and entertaining for the entire family.

“What we definitely don’t want is anything that is dated, old-fashioned or anything
we’ve seen before. It’s M-Net, after all,” adds Eckard.

While M-Net is definitely looking for compelling new reality shows, other unscripted
genres will also be accepted.

Producers and format creators who would like to book a time for their pitch or read
through the full brief can visit the pitching web page. Concept submissions
must be sent via this online form. No hard copies will be accepted.
Once the online submission is completed, producers will be contacted by the M-Net
commissioning team to confirm a time slot for their pitch.

Contact Qama Mase via email on qama.mase@mnet.co.za for more information.

As of Sunday, 12 October 2014, M-Net and Combined Artistic Productions will add a weekly, one hour long additional Carte Blanche segment to cover the Shrien Dewani court trial.

Katy Katopodis, Primedia’s editor-in-chief of Eyewitness News (EWN) and David O’Sullivan will present the segment, while Carte Blanche presenter John Webb will attend the trial in Cape Town and share his insights on a weekly basis as well.

Dewani has been accused of plotting the murder of his wife Anni Dewani during their honeymoon in South Africa in 2010. He took the stand earlier this week at the Western Cape High Court following a long extradition battle, with the businessman admitting that he’s bisexual and had sex with male prostitutes.

The segment will be called Carte Blanche Legal Round Table: The Shrien Dewani Trial and will be screened directly after the Sunday night movie.

The weekly show will also be available on DStv Catch Up and on the DStv Explora.

Pay-television platform MultiChoice, which runs both DStv and M-Net, held their Local
Content Showcase on 4 August 2014, at The Venue in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Attended by a select group of journalists and television critics, the local programming
upfront was nothing short of a five-star event, with attendees treated to a three-
course meal, sneak peeks into upcoming local content across all M-Net and DStv
channels, surprise visits from South African celebrities and a chance to have all
burning questions regarding local broadcasting answered.

Master of ceremonies Tumisho Masha, proved to be a delightful host, introducing and
expanding on the upfronts and letting onto “surprise’ announcements from the
broadcasters. At the end of the programme, South Africa’s television critics and
journalists were given the opportunity to pose questions to the CEO of M-Net South
Africa, Yolisa Phahle, and the general manager of content for MultiChoice, Aletta
Alberts.

The biggest and most exciting announcement at the showcase was that M-Net is
investing R1 billion each year in locally produced content across their channels. “We
will bring new shows to viewers this year… scripted drama, reality shows and sitcoms
will be given priority as these are the most watched,’ says Kershnee Govender,
Corporate Affairs Director for M-Net. “We will be looking to make sure there is
something surprising and delightful for all of our major divisions, the Mzansi Magic
channels, kykNET, M-Net and our audiences across the continent.’

M-Net, South Africa’s original pay-television channel, and the first to create local
versions of international reality formats, is bringing even more excitement into
programming this year. Idols SA is currently in its tenth season on M-
Net and Mzansi Magic. This year, the Idols Top 10 shows will be
broadcast live every Sunday night from 17H00, and in another twist, the results of
the previous week’s show will be revealed at the beginning of each live show.

Season 3 of MasterChef SA premieres on M-Net on Thursday 21 August
at 19H30. A new judge has been added to the mix in the form of award-winning chef
Reuben Riffel.

Something to look forward to for MasterChef SA lovers, in January 2015
viewers will be treated to MasterChef SA Celebrity, a celebrity version of
the popular cooking series, with the contestants taking part to win money for a
charity of their choice. The famous faces that will be gracing our screens in their
MasterChef aprons are: Patricia Lewis, Lerato Moloi, Lorna Maseko,
Merwelene van der Merwe, Tol A$$ Mo, Terence Bridgett, Sade Giliberti, Chris Forrest,
Lunga Shabalala and Alex Jay.

New on Mzansi Magic this year, the new reality show My Perfect
Proposal – a spin-off of My Perfect Wedding – where viewers will
get to witness people propose to their partners in public.

On the local front, FOX Crime is currently screening Season 1 of the new reality show
NightGuard, about an armed response unit with over 500 guards
specialising in all areas of protection. The TV show follows the lives and exploits of its
namesake security company, taking a behind-the-scenes look at the dangers of
armed response and security in South Africa.

With a captivating programming schedule and a promising plan for the future, DStv
and M-Net ensure that their loyal local content followers and subscribers have much
to look forward to in the year to come while at the same time adding just enough
“spice’ to entice new subscribers

Pay TV broadcaster M-Net has launched its Express from the US viewing
experience, allowing series fans to enjoy some of their favourite shows within
an unprecedented 24 hours of its US broadcast. The first show that will
receive the Express from the US treatment is the drama Ray Donovan.

The first episode in the second season of Ray Donovan will debut during
US
prime-time on Sunday 13 July and will then appear on M-Net (DStv channel 101)
on 14 July at 04h00 in the morning – that is, a mere hour after the American
broadcast.

Then in another first, directly after this episode has aired on M-Net, it will be
available on the DStv Explora Catch Up menu. That means that owners of these
decoders can watch it whenever they choose to, but before it is screened in its
dedicated prime-time evening time-slot on the M-Net schedule. In the case of
Ray Donovan, this will be on Tuesday, 15 July at 21h30.

“This is fantastic news and a win-win for all our M-Net viewers,” says Lani
Lombard, M-Net’s Head of Publicity. “If you suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing
Out) you can see what your favourite characters are up to as it happens; or you
can catch-up at your convenience.

In the past we’ve been able to simulcast or have delayed broadcasts of special
events, but having an international series within 24 hours is a first, and
something we’re very proud of. Yet again, it shows that M-Net is always moving
with the times in the world of entertainment where, these days, content can be
delivered at breakneck speed.’

Because of the extraordinarily fast turn-around time the Express episode will
unfortunately not have a family track or hearing-impaired titles.
Also note that the broadcasting times will be slightly different on the M-Net East
and West Africa feeds. Instead of on a Monday at 04h00, the Ray
Donovan
Express from the US will land at 03h00 on a Tuesday morning, with the prime-
time evening slot at 22h30 on a Tuesday evening.

For the most updated information regarding Express from the US, visit
the M-Net website or check out the official
M-Net page on Facebook and Twitter.

On 1 July at 21h30, DStv Premium viewers will be able to watch the moving, much talked-about Ryan Murphy film, The Normal Heart on M-Net Movies Premiere (DStv channel 103).

Murphy (Eat Pray Love, Glee) who is an Emmy award-winning director, cast Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right), Matt Bomer (White Collar), Taylor Kitsch (Lone Survivor), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) and Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), in the film, which is about the early days of AIDS.

The movie tells the story of a gay man in the 1980s who observes how a new,
deadly disease called AIDS claims the lives of many of his friends. With the help
of the medical community he becomes an activist and raises awareness among
the media and country at large, who are in denial about the epidemic.

The film, which is based on the play by Larry Kramer, has been nominated for a
number of Critics Choice TV Awards in the Best TV Movie; Best Actor in a Movie
(Mark Ruffalo); Best Supporting Actor in a Movie (Matt Bomer) and Best
Supporting Actor in a Movie (Joe Mantello) categories.

Lani Lombard, M-Net’s Head of Publicity said, “Licensing the movie for broadcast
so close to its US debut, is a great coup for us, It’s our mission to bring our
viewers the very best international movies and series as fresh as possible for
from Hollywood and we’re delighted to screen this fantastic film on M-Net Movies
Premiere next week.”

The Normal Heart will screen at the following times on M-Net Movies Premiere in July: 1 July at 21h30, 2 July at 00h00, 3 July at 03h30, 11 July at 22h30, 12 July at 00h30, 13 July at 02h30.

Ten-part limited television series Fargo will screen from Thursday 1 May on M-Net, which has secured the rights to the show that has become a global hit.

Says Lani Lombard, M-Net’s Head of Publicity: “It’s M-Net’s mission to bring our viewers the best of the best from Hollywood as quickly as possible – and having Fargo so soon after its US debut is a big coup for us.’

Fargo first started airing on American screens two weeks ago to critical acclaim and is based on Ethan and Joel Cohen’s Academy Award-winning film of the same name, which released in 1996.

In the following year, the Coen brothers won Best Original Screenplay for the movie with Frances McDormand taking the golden statue for Best Actress.

Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Colin Hanks, Alison Tolman and Bob Odenkirk, among others, star. The series is written and executive produced by Noah Hawley.

Fargo will air on Thursday nights at 21h30.