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MultiChoice South Africa grew out as the subscriber management arm and has been quietly getting on with the business of bringing you world-class entertainment.

Yolisa Phahle from MultiChoice talks about those 150+ SAFTA nominations

MultiChoice Press
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Yolisa Phahle from MultiChoice talks about those 150+ SAFTA nominations

SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE:

When the 2019 South African Film and Television Awards nominations were announced, MultiChoice walked away with the most nominated shows in all major categories: feature film, TV comedy, TV drama, soap, and telenovela. MultiChoice was also the most nominated broadcaster overall with more than 150 nominations.

Yolisa Phahle, CEO for General Entertainment at MultiChoice answered some questions about how MultiChoice approaches original content:

Are these nominations a big deal for MultiChoice? How did you react?

This is a fascinating time to be in TV – we talk of ‘peak TV’ thanks to the flood of international content – there are more new shows out there than can possibly be watched. On top of that video-on-demand services are going direct to consumers, meaning broadcasters have more competition. For MultiChoice this means working even harder as an African storyteller to earn viewing time with our customers. So yes, these nominations are absolutely a big deal – we’ve invested heavily in local content and it really does mean something to have that recognised. How did I react? Well, the nominations came out on a Friday, so a quick glass of fizz was in order. We’ll also be having a party to celebrate with all of the amazing producers who’ve worked with us.

How important is owned local content to MultiChoice vs buying international content? Do you see it as a differentiator vs Netflix?

Owned local content is a huge differentiator. People care about their stories, their language, and the reality of the lives they live and aspire to live: African stories told in an authentic voice. Hollywood shows most definitely have their place but equally if not more important are relevant stories that speak to people’s own experiences. We have a duty to tell our stories not only because people want to see them but also because we have an industry that we believe in and want to grow.

Do you see the mix of originals vs international content changing in the future?

There’s no question that you’ll be seeing a greater volume of originals coming from MultiChoice. It’s a mind-shift from saying we aggregate the content made by others to saying we’re the ones telling Africa’s stories.

How much autonomy do the various units have when creating their own content – is it strongly centrally driven or highly decentralised? What role does MultiChoice play?

Africa is a diverse continent, so when it comes to telling Africa’s stories we need to reflect this. The best way we’ve found to do that is give our various production teams as much autonomy as possible. MultiChoice’s role is primarily to provide advice and support, and secondarily to coordinate and ensure quality.

You’ve branded Showmax-owned content as Showmax Originals but you don’t do that for other entities like 1Magic or kykNET – why is that?

Great question! It’s something we’ve been asking ourselves. MultiChoice has been producing in effect MultiChoice Originals for years, but we never branded it that way. It’s something we’re looking at now. We invest billions supporting local production – we’re in fact the leading producer of pan-African content – and we need to do a better job highlighting that work.

Yolisa was appointed as CEO of General Entertainment for the MultiChoice Group in late 2017. Prior to that she was the CEO of M-Net.

MultiChoice announces new 24-hour news channel

MultiChoice Press
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MultiChoice announces new 24-hour news channel

MultiChoice has announced that Newzroom Afrika has been selected to produce a new 24-hour news channel to be broadcast on DStv.

Newzroom Afrika is a new company formed by successful television production entrepreneurs Thokozani Nkosi of Eclipse TV and Thabile Ngwato of Rapid Innovation.

Their bid stood out for its potential to bring a fresh, creative and diversified approach to news reporting, which included an integrated digital strategy, combined with sound audience analysis and appealing on-screen execution.

Newzroom Afrika has assembled an editorial team with proven news media credentials. Accomplished television executive, Zanele Mthembu will head the broadcast operation; while the newsroom will be under the leadership of veteran news media executive and journalist Malebo Phage. There will be an editorial ethics oversight board spearheaded by the illustrious Joe Thloloe and Dinesh Balliah, a forward-thinking journalist and academic.

This new channel will greatly enhance and enrich the news offering on DStv, whilst at the same time creating a new black-owned entrant in South African news media. It will promote the diversity of voices in media and give all our customers the chance to find a news channel on DStv that resonates with them.

“Today marks the birth of an exciting new and independent media voice in South Africa. We set out to find a quality new, black-owned, independent news channel to expand the diversity of SA news and enrich our democracy – we’re excited by the outcome,” said MultiChoice SA CEO Calvo Mawela.

“Independent, trustworthy media are essential to a healthy democracy and the calibre of journalists on the Newzroom Afrika team will ensure that this new channel plays its part with distinction.”

“The Eclipse TV and Rapid Innovation teams have a track record of entrepreneurial success. They will be supported by an editorial team that will deliver independent views of events unfolding in South Africa and around the world, while the owners concentrate on running the business successfully.”

“We were looking for a news channel that is distinctly different from what is currently available, and we certainly found it in Newzroom Afrika. We want to drive sustainable transformation in the television industry and to contribute to the diversity of views in our country and our continent,” said Mawela.

Referring to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appeal in Parliament last week for business to create opportunities for the youth, Mawela said an important aim of the project was to grow skills and open doors for the youth, with a focus on training and development of news and broadcast industry personnel.

As with other news channels on DStv such as SABC News, eNCA, Business Day TV, CNN, Sky News and Al Jazeera, MultiChoice will have no editorial oversight over the new channel.

“This is a great opportunity for us to bring a fresh perspective to South African news media by building a news channel from scratch. We’re excited and raring to go,” said Nkosi.

Ngwato commented: “It’s no secret that the future of media is digital, which is why we took a deliberate decision to put digital at the heart of our news channel, to be disrupters rather than being disrupted. Our channel will be a new offering with a new perspective and approach.

“We’re committed to provide independent and dependable reporting, and will deliver that through our strong editorial team,” said Ngwato.

“We’ll be sharing further details about the channel in the coming weeks,” she concluded.

The parties will start negotiating the terms of a Channel Distribution Agreement shortly.

Volkswagen Amarok and Mzansi Magic announce new reality show

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Volkswagen Amarok and Mzansi Magic announce new reality show

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is partnering with Mzansi Magic this August for an action-packed race that will see eight South Africans battle it out in the new Volkswagen Amarok Extreme, for a chance at bagging the massive R 250 000 grand prize.

Hosted by comedian and actor, Mpho “Popps” Modikoane, Spirit of Mzansi will premiere on 18 August at 21h30 and will feature two teams of four unlikely companions. The contestants will be thrust into a timed race that will test their driving and endurance skills, as they have to face challenge upon challenge on various SA terrains, while driving the powerful 3.0 V6 Amarok Extreme.

Besides learning to work together as a team, the contestants will have to rely on the Amarok bakkie to get them across the finish line as quickly as possible and in the end, the hopefuls will be dealt with a first-of-its-kind twist!

Over five days, the two teams will be racing to the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Every Race Day will consist of two Race Legs along a route that will reveal landscapes and communities most of us have not seen or even heard of. Every evening, teams will vote amongst themselves to eliminate one of their team mates until only one remains.

“The V6 Amarok Extreme is an aspirational bakkie that comfortably bridges the gap between urban city trailblazer and off-road prowess. The Mzansi audience have to traverse all types of terrain in their lifestyle and this is what makes the Amarok a great partner for their adventures. Amarok is the only 100 per cent German-engineered bakkie in the South African market, and only the best is good enough for this exciting new programme. We cannot wait to bring Spirit of Mzansi to audiences around our beautiful country,“ says Mark Handley, head of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

“South Africa is blessed with some of the most striking routes in Africa, and what better way to showcase our beautiful country and its unique people than in the comfort of the Amarok Extreme? It’s certainly going to be a race of epic proportions!” concludes director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net, Reneilwe Sema.

Eight complete strangers. Two teams of four. Two brand new 3.0 V6 VW Amarok Extremes, and one massive grand prize of R250 000 in the craziest road trip ever seen on South African TV. Who will be left standing? Spirit of Mzansi is produced by Beautiful Day Productions. Tune in on 18 August at 21h30 on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) to find out.

For more information, visit the Mzansi Magic website.

MultiChoice to donate funds from ad sales for Mandela 100 Tribute Channel

MultiChoice Press
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MultiChoice to donate funds from ad sales for Mandela 100 Tribute Channel

DStv will broadcast a special five-day long pop-up channel to celebrate and honour the extraordinary life and legacy of Tata Madiba. DStv’s Mandela 100 Tribute Channel will be available to all DStv customers across Africa from Wednesday, 18 July to Saturday, 21 July, on DStv channel 199.

To further honour this special occasion, MultiChoice will match all advertisers’ investment on the channel and donate all these funds to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

“It’s important to us to make a real and lasting impact where we can. Donating all the money from advertising on the special pop-up channel, and also matching it, means we can make a meaningful contribution to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. We want to thank our advertisers for their support and helping us to make a difference,” said Fahmeed Cassim-Surtee, CEO for DStv Media Sales.

DStv brings unique Mandela 100 Tribute pop-up channel to Africa viewers

MultiChoice Press
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DStv brings unique Mandela 100 Tribute pop-up channel to Africa viewers

DStv brings unique Mandela 100 Tribute Pop-Up Channel to all its customers across Africa. Wednesday, 18 July is an important date on the 2018 calendar. On the timeline of world history, it marks a hundred years since the birth of one of Africa’s most beloved icons, legendary statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela.

On that day, DStv will launch a special five-day long pop-up channel to celebrate and honour the extraordinary life and legacy of Tata Madiba. DStv’s Mandela 100 Tribute Channel will be available to all DStv customers across Africa.
Starting on Madiba’s birthday, Wednesday 18 July, at 19h00, the channel will feature an exceptional mix of films, documentaries, archive footage from M-Net’s multiple award-winning actuality programme Carte Blanche as well as exclusive celebrity interviews.

“Around the globe, Nelson Mandela is revered as a hero of the struggle and as the man who led South Africa to democracy. While striving for justice and freedom and shaping a nation, he also changed the world with his humility and indomitable spirit. We are immensely proud to dedicate a unique pop-up channel to celebrate the life and legacy of this beacon of selflessness and reconciliation, who gave hope to millions,” says Yolisa Phahle, general entertainment CEO, MultiChoice.

The channel, which was compiled for DStv by M-Net, Africa’s leading storyteller, is packed with programmes that paint a powerful picture of what it meant to be Madiba – and what Madiba has meant to the world.

Each night at 20h00 – from Wednesday 18 July to Saturday 21 July – DStv customers across the continent can tune in for a new director’s cut, in the form of a four-part miniseries, of the landmark film The Long Walk to Freedom (2013), based on Mandela’s autobiography which focuses on his early life and 27 years in prison, and stars Idris Elba.

The Mandela 100 Tribute builds up to a heart-stopping climax on the final evening: Invictus (2009), the Hollywood blockbuster directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Springbok rugby captain Francois Pienaar.
It is the true- to-life depiction of South Africa’s victory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Madiba famously walked on to the Ellis Park turf in the No 6 jersey, usually worn by Pienaar, to thunderous applause before the match – a stroke of genius that spurred the Springboks on to glory.

Other highlights include:

The Face of Unity – a documentary with previously unscreened footage and tributes from former US President Barack Obama; golf legend Jack Nicklaus; musical genius Ray Charles, and Hollywood luminaries Samuel L. Jackson and George Lucas.

In the Name of Mandela, War and Peace – a summary of the political history of South Africa from the time of the discovery of gold in 1886 up to the election of Nelson Mandela as President in 1994.

Mandela’s Unsung Heroes – an account of the Rivonia trial in which some of Nelson Mandela’s fellow accused in the trial, that led to his incarceration on Robben Island, share their memories.

Countdown to Freedom – Narrated by James Earl Jones and Alfre Woodard, this independent documentary chronicles the behind-the-scenes lead up to the rebirth of a nation and Nelson Mandela’s triumph in South Africa’s first free elections.

For the full schedule, go to DStv.com under The Guide as well as on the TV Guide and EPG (Electronic Programming Guide) on your decoder, or the TV Guide on DStv Now.

DStv customers can also access the Long Walk To Freedom mini-series, and Carte Blanche inserts on DStv Catch Up on their PVR and Explora decoders, as well as all the content from the channel on DStv Catch Up Plus through their connected Explora or on DStv Catch Up on DStv Now.

Africa Magic to announce AMVCAs nominees

MultiChoice Press
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Africa Magic to announce AMVCAs nominees

Nominees for the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) will be announced via a televised broadcast on all Africa Magic channels on DStv on Saturday, 30 June at 20h00.

The nominees for each category will be revealed by popular Ghanaian actress and TV host, Joselyn Dumas and Nigerian comedian and actor, Bovi. The 2018 AMVCAs is brought to viewers across the continent by Africa Magic in association with MultiChoice Africa and the sponsors, Airtel and Konga.

Speaking on the milestone telecast, channel director, Africa Magic, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, revealed that close to 3 000 entries were received across the continent. She also said that the judging panel spearheaded by veteran filmmaker, Debbie Odutayo, painstakingly reviewed each of the entries to arrive at the final shortlist of nominees.

“We are honoured to showcase and celebrate the creative industry each year on the platform of the AMVCAs. In the past five years, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to nurture and showcase indigenous talent from across the continent. Join us on Saturday, 30 June as we reveal the nominees for the sixth edition of the Awards,” she said.

Launched in March 2013, the AMVCAs continue to celebrate the contributions of African filmmakers, actors and technicians to the success of the continent’s film and television industry. For the 2018 edition, a number of awards will be presented in 27 categories, with seven categories open to public voting and 20 being categories to be decided by the AMVCA panel of judges.

The full list of nominees will be published on the Africa Magic website, and social media platforms following the reveal. Viewers can join the conversation using the hashtag #AMVCA2018 and follow @africamagictv for live tweets.

Watch the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) Nominee Announcement on all Africa Magic channels on DStv on Saturday, 30 June at 20h00.

MultiChoice Group appoints The Media Shop as its new media agency

MultiChoice Press
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MultiChoice Group appoints The Media Shop as its new media agency

From 1 July 2018, The Media Shop will be looking after the MultiChoice brands, focusing on media buying, planning and strategy, as well as other media-related services.

“We’re building a new digital future for the MultiChoice Group, and need an agency who can bring a fresh and more edgy approach with a better overall return on our media spend. The Media Shop are completely aligned to our new strategic vision, and we’re looking forward to working with them to bring that vision to life,” said Conrad Shezi, executive head of Marketing, MultiChoice South Africa.

Shezi also extended thanks to Mindshare: “We want to thank our previous media agency, Mindshare, who have been excellent partners to us over the years. They helped us to launch new packages and services like Showmax, grow our Compact and Access customer base, and launch a number of products.”

MultiChoice and Tuks invest in AI skills development

MultiChoice Press
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MultiChoice and Tuks invest in AI skills development

MultiChoice South Africa and the University of Pretoria recently announced a partnership, intended to develop and sustain scarce Artificial Intelligence, and specifically Machine Learning technology skills in South Africa. This partnership will see MultiChoice sponsoring a Research Chair of Machine Learning at the University of Pretoria.

The field of Artificial Intelligence and specifically Machine and Deep Learning is key to the Fourth Industrial revolution and a truly digital future. There is a severe skill shortage worldwide, and even more so in Africa. There are only 6000 PhD’s worldwide, with little experience and 20 000 skilled pool of talent, with 30 per cent of the global pool of talent coming from only six organisations.

MultiChoice has identified opportunities for Artificial Intelligence and specifically Machine and Deep Learning to add value to their business ranging from content selection, automated editing and archiving, content recommendations, natural language processing in their customer care platforms and automated piracy detection to name only a few examples. As this is a very specialised field, partnering with an academic institute, is a forward-looking way to nurture these skills in South Africa.

MultiChoice South Africa CEO, Calvo Mawela said the chair will help MultiChoice to grow its pool of talent in engineering, to help the company build its digital future: “Technology and innovation is part of our DNA as a company, so this is a natural extension to ensure we remain at the forefront of developments. This chair will enable us to tap into the largest and highest internationally ranked local engineering school with an excellent transformation record. And more importantly, we’ll make a significant contribution to South Africa to compete on an international stage in the new digital future.”

This Research Chair, fully funded by MultiChoice, will act as a bridge between the two partners to guide them on the projects and research topics to be chosen for sponsorship. It will also include awarding bursaries and supporting students at all levels. The projects will range from final year and Honours projects through to Masters and PhD degrees in Engineering, Data Science or Computer Science.

Speaking at the launch of the chair at the University of Pretoria, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Buti Manamela said: “Our country is full aboard the Fourth Industrial revolution train, and this chapter, which illustrates the partnership between the private and public sector, is indicative of our commitment to place our country at the Centre of development. Yes, there should be technological advancement and development, and as government, we believe in guiding this in a more people-centred fashion. We are pleased that this is taking shape in this manner. And hope to see many more collaborations between the public and the private sector.”

“Technology is evolving every day on an exponential scale,” said professor Cheryl de la Rey, vice-chancellor and principal from the University of Pretoria. “It’s vital educational institutions invest in researching and educating students about the next waves of technology. We’re thrilled to have found a partner who supports us in developing high-level skills and enhancing technology education in South Africa so as to be at the forefront in the fourth Industrial Revolution.”

ANN7 changes to Afro Worldview

MultiChoice Press
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ANN7 changes to Afro Worldview

Afro Worldview will go live on 30 April 2018, as a rebrand of the ANN7 channel, on DStv channel 405. It will still be a 24-hour news platform covering news, business and current affairs. The channel will adopt a completely new look and feel with a renewed editorial policy in line with the BCCSA code.

The channel will stop broadcasting on DStv on 20 August 2018 as the contract to broadcast ANN7 on DStv will not be renewed. Afro Worldview is participating in the bidding process of the proposed new black-owned news channel on MultiChoice’s DStv platform.

Mzwanele Manyi owner of Afrotone Media Holdings said that this is a strategic decision to break away from the past of the previous channel ANN7 and give viewers a fresh outlook on the news. As part of the group strategy, The New Age newspaper will also be rebranded as Afro Voice and its editorial policy will be in line with the press code.

Afro Worldview’s vision is to be the trusted voice of Africa. They strive to be the most representative voice of the country and the continent, that would also ensure that the plight of the poor and marginalised is brought to the fore.

The bidding process to award a new black-owned news channel is still underway and the final decision on the winning bidder will be announced by MultiChoice at the end of July 2018.

MultiChoice and ROK launch two new channels this April

MultiChoice Press
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MultiChoice and ROK launch two new channels this April

MultiChoice Africa and ROK are excited to announce the launch of two brand new channels ROK 2 and ROK 3 on DStv and GOtv on Thursday, 5 April 2018.

The two channels will join ROK (DStv channel 168) – the studio’s debut TV channel which was launched in November 2016 by the Lagos-based film studio, renowned for its original TV series and Nollywood movies. ROK 2 and ROK 3 will result in the growth of the studio’s linear TV programming as it continues to build a pan-African TV audience on one of the continent’s most widely consumed entertainment platforms, with an audience in excess of 12.3million. The announcement of the new TV channels will see content production double, as the company continues to invest in scriptwriting, production and new talent.

ROK 2 will show the very best traditional village, tribal, palace regal Nollywood movies and TV series, 24/7 and launches with titles including King of Kings, The Heiress, Throne of Revenge and Mark of the Gods. ROK 2 will be available on DStv Channel 169 to Premium, Compact+, Compact and Family customers and also on GOtv Max, Channel 17 (all other countries), Channel 117 in Ghana and Channel 317 in Uganda.

ROK 3 will showcase the finest selection of Ghanaian movies and TV series, in both English and Twi, during the day and will play the very best of West African music from 23h00 each night. The channel launches with titles including Black & White, Stalemate, Banks Chronicles, Agya Fakye Me, Ama Pooley, Born Again, Coach Krakye and Ye Obi Dea Yie. ROK 3 will be available on DStv Channel 164 to Premium, Compact+, Compact, Family and Access customers, and on GOtv Max and Plus, Channel 18 (all other countries), Channel 118 in Ghana and Channel 318 in Uganda.

ROK CEO Mary Njoku says: “Great storytelling is at the core of everything ROK does – so today, we are really delighted to be launching two new TV channels on DStv and GOtv. Everything we do as a film studio, we throw passion and intensity behind, to ensure beautiful, thrilling and ultimately, entertaining African stories are brought to life alongside ever-improving production standards. What we achieved with ROK has resonated with audiences around the continent, which has allowed us to build on our success and bring even more brilliant Nollywood and Ghanaian stories, direct to our loyal fans on DStv.”

Welcoming the two channels onto the DStv and GOtv platforms, MultiChoice country GM says: “It is such a great pleasure to be launching these two new ROK channels on both our platforms. Our aim is to find content that resonates with our customers and more and more, we have realised that our customers love homegrown stories and watching local talent and adding these two channels speaks to just that. Providing a platform to our African storytellers and celebrating local talent and productions is part of our DNA and what we aim to deliver to our customers for years to come.”

For further information about the channels and programming visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com.

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