November 5, 2007
By Lara de Matos
We've followed the announcements, seen the adverts and heard the chatter about some of the never-before-seen (well, not in this country, anyway) genres and now, at long last, Multichoice has officially launched the first five of its new channels.
The third movie channel in the Multichoice stable, M-Net Stars, kicked things off last Thursday, which was swiftly followed by the leisure network, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) last Friday, Animax on Saturday, the Christian-orientated One Gospel on Sunday and on Monday night, The Style Network (the lifestyle-driven younger sister to the ever-popular E! Entertainment) hits our screens for the very first time.
While each of the new additions will undoubtedly boast a wider appeal among broader audience groups of all ages, cultures and creeds, it's Animax that is generating the biggest buzz.
But although the anime genre already enjoys a firm following in Asia and Latin America in particular, many within the South African market will probably display a questioning look at the mention of the word. So what exactly is anime?
"Animé is a Japanese term for animation and what you will see when you watch the channel is that visually, it's very different from the typical cartoons that come out of other markets," explains Philipp Mello-Schmidt, Africa General Manager and Regional Director of International Networks for Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI).
And the visual component isn't the only element that sets anime apart from traditional animation. The content itself is far more expansive, with a range of genres that include thrillers, comedy, sci-fi, horror and romance-driven storylines.
Hardly surprising, then, that this cutting-edge approach to television programming has proven to be one of SPTI's most successful networks the world over, with 36-million homes across 38 countries tuning in every day.
That said though, Mello-Schmidt is quick to add: "We are aware that we need to educate the (South African) audience about anime. There's a strong core following, but there's also a larger viewing population out there that we want to attract to the channel, hence our 'Open a New World' marketing slogan."
The arrival of SET (which is punted as a "must-have offering for entertainment junkies") has also been met with much enthusiasm. But given that not all of the movies and TV series which will be screened fall within the "fresh content" category, just what will make SET stand out from similar channels already in existence, such as M-Net Movies 1 and 2, as well as M-Net Series?
"We're positioned to augment what M-Net is doing in general, so rather than us being competition to them, we are simply seeking to offer more choice for pay-TV viewers," said SPTI Senior Vice-President of International Networks, Ross Hair.
"Scheduling has been a big issue in terms of how certain shows may have been slotted during times that people wouldn't have been able to watch them, so we're giving them a second chance and, hopefully, attracting a new audience too
. Further to that, we have a very strong daily movie line-up as well."
In the medium-term, Hair also hopes to make both SET and Animax "more meaningful" to our specific audience, by seeking to incorporate indigenous content. Initially, said content will probably be more along the lines of "filler-between-programmes" material featuring local personalities, which will tie-in with elements represented on the two channels.
"So we would look at short-form programming, which we already do worldwide, whereby we look at the music and fashion of anime, for example, or the technology and gadgets that the 15- to 29-year-old anime-watching audience is interested in," he explained.
Long-term, should SPTI's creative and marketing teams subsequently decide that some of these short-form shows are worth developing into half-hour to full-hour segments, "we will look to the local production community to make that happen," Hair said.
Ghost in the Shell
ANIMAX (Channel 111)
Mon - Fri, 10.25pm and Sat - Sun, 10.55pm
This futuristic police thriller follows the exploits of "the Major", Motoko Kusanagi, a member of Japan's National Public Safety Commission's covert operations section. The task team (comprised of both flesh-and-blood humans, as well as cyborgs) specialises in combating technology related crime, and although Motoko is of equal rank to her colleagues, she has taken on something of a leadership role.
Hex
SET (Channel 108)
Saturday, 8.50pm
Cassandra Hughes (Christina Cole) is your stereotypical outcast, but her situation is made more poignant because of the fact that she happens to be holed up in a remote English boarding school. Her life soon shifts, however, when her sexual awakening leads to another revelation as well … namely, that she possesses supernatural powers. At first, Cassie is thrilled and uses her skills to her social advantage, but things begin to take a dark turn when her best friend is killed and Cassandra learns an evil force is determined to destroy her.
Whose Wedding is it Anyway?
The style network (Channel 183)
Daily, 8.20pm
It's a day every little girl dreams of… That moment when she'll walk down the aisle in her white, princess-like gown and straight into the arms of the man she loves, with all her friends and family present to witness the special moment. But, as any bride who's ''been there" will know, the build-up to a wedding isn't quite so idyllic, thanks to things like over-bearing in-laws, bridesmaids with delusions of grandeur and a best man who just can't stay off the booze.
Consult your DStv Dish Magazine for full programming details.
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