1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: Seven seasons the weekend Breakfast Fill and TV. 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,039 Speaker 2: It's called when let's before eight o'clock, Welcome back to 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 2: seven or two weekend Breakfast with Megog and Klonal time 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 2: for us to talk film and TV. And the big 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: story in the local industry this week is, in fact, 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 2: I've got an email before I saw the reporting. I 7 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 2: am a show Max subscriber. I have a subscription to 8 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 2: the service. I've had it for a while. I got 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: an email saying that there's been a decision that the 10 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 2: service has been discontinued. The email went on to say 11 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 2: that while there hasn't been a decision when the service 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 2: will still continue to run as normal, but the fact 13 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 2: is the streaming platform by Multi Choice would be coming 14 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 2: to an end, and so there's been huge response to that. 15 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: Variety dot Com. They also wrote a piece looking at 16 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 2: exactly the numbers of what went I guess what went 17 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: awry with show Max. Were given a sense of just 18 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 2: how much it was costing Multi Choice to run the 19 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: service when they announced that they were essentially technically insolvent. 20 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: So quite a big story about what does this mean 21 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 2: now for the local industry and what went wrong? And 22 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: so someone who's been following the story from right the 23 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: beginning is independent film and TV critic as well as 24 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,559 Speaker 2: journalists Tennis for Erra, who joins us on the line. Tennis, 25 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 2: always a great pleasure having on the show. Good Morning, 26 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 2: I love it, So no surprises I think that there's 27 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 2: been this announcement. It is a shocking announcement, but given 28 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: the state of the parent company and while it's been 29 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: custing them to run the service, no big surprises that 30 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 2: there has been this announcement, but understandably a great deal 31 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: of shock. 32 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: And a lot of people who are upset, including filmmakers, 33 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: including people all through the film ecosystem, both yet in 34 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: South Africa as well as in the rest of Africa. 35 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: Remember that show Max is available in the rest of 36 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: subsay in Africa as well East Africa with Kenya and 37 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: Nigeria as well. And of course the announcement which came 38 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: as at quite an uncomfortable and inopportune moment because it's 39 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: right in the middle of the eighth joe Burg Film 40 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: Festival happening in Santon, where filmmakers congregate to watch films 41 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: this week over one hundred and thirty eight of them, 42 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: and then also panel sessions where obviously it was quite 43 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: uncomfortable and quite inopportune to suddenly then have phones beep 44 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: and people just looking at each other and going like, 45 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: oh did you see this? Did you hear about this? 46 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: And then the very next morning on Thursday, there was 47 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: also a panel session kicking off Thursday morning the French connection, 48 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: creativity and collaboration between Africa and France, and then making 49 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: for quite an uncomfortable panel session where I also had 50 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: to ask about Show Max and even the Canal Plus 51 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 1: people who flew to South Africa who said that they 52 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: didn't know that the announcement was coming, but as you say, 53 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: not the surprise, right. 54 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 2: And so one of the things that's been shocking to 55 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 2: a lot of people following the announcement is the numbers 56 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: just how much it was costing Multi Choice to keep 57 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: Show Max running. Talk us through some of those numbers. 58 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: What were and I imagine they would have been part 59 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 2: of the decision, but what was it looking like? And 60 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 2: I mean, we know there's been a challenge for streamers 61 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: in general to kind of monetize. It seems to be 62 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: quite an expensive business. You pay a lot of money 63 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 2: for either the rights the production of the content, and 64 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: then to get to recoup that has been difficult. And 65 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: Apple TV spends millions of dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars, 66 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: and they don't quite have the same uptakers like a Netflix, 67 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: for instance, So there is a bit of a challenge 68 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 2: in general in streaming, but show Macs seemed to be 69 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: having a particularly difficult time. 70 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: So we're going to have to also rewind a bit. 71 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: It's now eleven years that we've had show Macs, but 72 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: it's been two years since Multi Choice relaunched the streamer 73 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: in partnership with Comcasts NBC Universal and they are thirty 74 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 1: percent shareholder in this partnership. They bought in billions of 75 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: rand and Multi Choice also obviously billions of rands, and 76 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: that was to sort of retool and reboilt the platform, 77 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: the IT platform, and then the rest of the money 78 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: going into actually making all of this content to try 79 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: and get subscribers. So if we rewind, and that's almost 80 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,799 Speaker 1: like three point eight billion rand that just is now 81 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: evaporating and it's going to be gone. But to just 82 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: rewind two years back, Multi Choice at the time just 83 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: before they relaunched show Mats in February twenty twenty four, 84 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 1: sort of had these very rosy very which I and 85 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: other industry analysts already sort of questioned because looks so 86 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: aggressively sort of overestimated projections for subscriber growth for show 87 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: macs which never materialized and which from the outset looked 88 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: really too aggressively positive, and people were like, how it's 89 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: going to be possible. How can you grow so many 90 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: new subscribers so quickly, and that in an environment where 91 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: people are sort of not really willing to pay for 92 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: expensive DStv and stuff like that. And then that also 93 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: just kept progressing with the macroeconomic circumstances of the economy, 94 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: the economy weakening in South Africa and all across the continent, 95 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: inflation and currency fluctuations. So the writing has really been 96 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: on the wall for quite a while. And then Canal 97 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: Pluses CEO Macinh Sada, who in January spoke to investors 98 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: and then also said to them show maps is not 99 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: successful and it's not sustainable. So we've been expecting the 100 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: announcement and yeah, they're just sort of cutting their losses 101 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: and letting all of that money slip away. 102 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 2: And so this is quite interesting. I remember when show 103 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: Max was launched, I was still working in arts and 104 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 2: culture in newspapers, and even the way in which it 105 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 2: was launched was kind of, I don't want to say rushed, 106 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 2: but it wasn't direct response to the announcement that Netflix 107 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 2: was coming to the country, and multichoys didn't want to 108 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 2: be found sort of, you know, not ready for the 109 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: competition that Netflix was understandably going to bring to their doorstep. 110 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,119 Speaker 2: And so show Macs was kind of launched in that way. 111 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: And so but also it became a kind of an 112 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: add on to the multi choice product So with certain 113 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 2: bouquets or certain subscriptions, you could get show Max as 114 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: part of your subscription. But now the multi choice offering 115 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 2: is going through a bit of a weird time. So 116 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: we've seen some sporting events aren't being shown on the platform. 117 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 2: Show Max is now gone. There are some which you 118 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 2: spoke to us about a couple of weeks ago. We're 119 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: not sure certain local productions will come back. What is 120 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: still left of the multi choice offering? Why would I, 121 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 2: as a subscriber keep my subscription when it seems the 122 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: thing I used to be able to get as a 123 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: subscriber as fast dwindling. 124 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: Such an interesting question, and yeah, even I don't have answers. 125 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: We're going to have to wait and see because Canal 126 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: Plus is now obviously on that cost cutting drive. And 127 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: what I've been telling people is that if you take 128 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: money away, it's logical that stuff is not going to 129 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: be able to be sustained at that level. And the 130 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: cost cutting also includes a cost of content. So there's 131 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: undoubtedly going to be less content by December than what 132 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: we started at the beginning of this year. We also 133 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: lost the TV channels that were removed from the STV 134 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: already so far. Literally every day at this Jobi Film Festival, 135 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: producers and directors and creators contin me and said, you 136 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: know what my show is on hold? I mean four 137 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: seasons of a show. When I ask Emnet and Dunti 138 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: Magic Technique what's happening, they're just saying they're just shrugging 139 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: and saying it's up to Paris. They just say they 140 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: can't say they don't know. And that's for numerous of 141 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: these people. So the filmmakers are also concerned wi my 142 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: show continue. Content that we're on show maps is also 143 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: often not suitable, and that's also again for the whole 144 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: of Africa to show on African Magic channels or your 145 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: Dunti Magic channels because it's a more conservative audience. So 146 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: where all those shows love, several of them I'm sure 147 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: will be basically let's take canceled, discontinued, and some will 148 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: live on and be rebranded no longer as show maps 149 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: or regionals. And then once again, I'm very sure there's 150 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: going to be decisions of like shoots continue or doesn't 151 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,239 Speaker 1: become part of the coast cutting. So filmmakers very concerned 152 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: will the level of investment be sustained. And then we 153 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: also sit with the government's rebay system that doesn't work, 154 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 1: and obviously the SABC that is in debt, that can't 155 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: really take over the responsibility. So fimmakers who are just 156 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: very well upset, some of them were upset and concerned. 157 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 2: Right, and so you know, people are saying, well, this 158 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 2: is an opportunity for the SABC to step in, but 159 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: the SABC has its own issues. They can barely pay 160 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 2: Centech for signal distribution, and so this feels as if 161 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: there's kind of been a narrowing of the platforms available 162 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 2: a for us as viewers, but also for producers, for 163 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 2: people are filmmakers, directors, costume directors, you know, the whole 164 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: kind of value chain it takes to make a show 165 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 2: or a movie. It now seems as if there's less 166 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: fewer platforms and fewer houses that will give you the 167 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 2: money and commission you to do that work. S ABC 168 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 2: can't mount, choice, can't all be on ETV. ETV has 169 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 2: its own priorities, so it does feel like there's just 170 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 2: been a bit of a narrow wing in that way. 171 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:16,479 Speaker 1: ETV also shutting down also Swede the Afrikaans soap Calders 172 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: and Scandal all by June twenty sixth of June two 173 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: are gone and one will continue for just a little 174 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: while longer. So ETV also not really commissioning these big 175 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: things anymore. And then the big thing coming out from 176 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: filmmakers is saying tansa tough but it is a sector 177 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: and industry used to struggle and trying to make the 178 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: most out of nothing. So also sort of the theme 179 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: of resilience and strapped scrap in and yeah, just keep going. 180 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 2: I'm surprised that House of Zude is on its way out. 181 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 2: I thought it was doing well for them. Also, my 182 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:52,559 Speaker 2: grand will be devastated. 183 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: Yes, twenty six of June bye bye. 184 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 2: Wow, is it not doing well? I thought it was 185 00:10:57,960 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 2: drawing audiences for. 186 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 1: Them all three we're doing well, so maybe next week 187 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: we can talk about what's going on there. But yeah, 188 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: like imagine your shelf in the shop just suddenly taking 189 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: everything off the shelf at once. You usually replace one thing, 190 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: one thing. Basically the entire prime time lineup of Easterly 191 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: just disappearing in a few months. 192 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 2: What interesting times we are living in Tiennis and always 193 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 2: a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank you 194 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 2: so much for your time. 195 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: Thank you. 196 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 2: So those are the latest in film and TV. I'd 197 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 2: love to hear from you, particularly if you're a show 198 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 2: Max or a DStv subscriber. Send us a voice note 199 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 2: or a message on oh seven two seven oh two, 200 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,559 Speaker 2: one seven oh two. You can also send us an 201 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 2: SMS on three one seven oh two. Right now though 202 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 2: it is eight o'clock time for your latest outness news.