Recap To Last Year: How MultiChoice Went About Phasing Out The eBranded Channels?

During the week, it was reported by my sources that eToonz alongside eExtra, eMovies and eMovies Extra would stop airing on DStv by the end of July. Since then, eExtra had been promoting several content without any mention of DStv which confirms everyone's suspicion.

These channels were reinstated in 2022 due to pending investigation - MultiChoice never intended to relaunch these channels as others had hoped. So the only way you can watch the final episodes of your favourite Kuiertyd shows would be to tuning in on e.tv or getting an Openview.

For those who still reside on DStv even after the termination need to note the following:

• DreamWorks was added as a replacement to eToonz to Compact consumers featuring various content already seen by the former brand: All Hail King Julien, Dragons: Race To The Edge, Boss Baby: Back In Business and Home: The Adventures Of Tip And Oh.

• Not having much alternatives to kiddies entertainment, MultiChoice extended the reach of PBS Kids to Easyview consumers. Access and Family consumers got a lot of kids channels e.g. Cartoon Network, Disney Junior and JimJam so they get nothing.

• Movie Room was added to all DStv consumers or better yet to the packages that offered eMovies and eMovies Extra. So basically 1 movie channel was given to Compact consumers while as KIX was added to Family and Access consumers giving them 2 channels.

• Each DStv package got 2 channels to replace the 4 TV channels while Easyview only got 1 channel.

• New channels added to the platform during the year include CineMagic, Magic Showcase, BBC UKTV, NHK World Japan, Moonbug and Hilaal TV so in a way you could say MultiChoice found a way to distract consumers from their absence particularly with Easyview consumers.

Poltergeist: A 1980s Classic Became Known As Hollywood's Most "Cursed" Film Following The Untimely Death Of A 12-Year-Old Actress

Not only is Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist regarded as one of the most terrifying horror films of all time, it's also known as the most "cursed" film in Hollywood.

Shrouded in superstition following a handful of mysterious cast deaths, the 1982 film's grim history has followed it through decades – even casting fear over the critically reviled 2015 remake.

The "Poltergeist curse", as it's become known, came about after four of the cast members died of mysterious circumstances – the most shocking being that of Heather O'Rourke – the cherubic 12-year-old childstar who played protagonist Carol Anne in all three Poltergeist films, as well as Heather Pfister in Happy Days.

THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY

Set in a house built on an ancient Native American burial ground, the original Poltergeist trilogy told the terrifying story of the Freeling family and their encounters with the supernatural.

Gifted with a connection to the spiritual world, the youngest daughter, Carol Anne (O'Rourke), was haunted by the malicious spirits buried beneath her home, including that of a sadistic doomsday cult leader named Kane

It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on June 4, 1982 and was a commercial success, grossing $1.13 million in the United States, making it the highest-grossing horror film of 1982 and eighth overall for the year.

The film's special effects – inventive for its era – makes it frequently ranked among the greatest horror films of all time.

BEGINNINGS OF "THE CURSE"

Many believe the "Poltergeist Curse" began the same year the first movie was released.

Actress Dominique Young, who made her film debut in Poltergeist as the elder sister of Carol Anne, died a violent death shortly after its release in 1983.

She was strangled to death by her boyfriend, John Thomas Sweeney.

According to a New York Times article, Young was put on life support after the attack but passed away five days later.

Sweeney was later found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, according to a 1983 article from The Freelance Star.

JULIAN BECK

It was the actor who played Carol Anne's most intimidating spirit, doomsday cult leader Kane, who died next.

Julian Beck, who played Kane in Poltergeist II sadly did not live to see the release of the sequel.

He was 60 when he lost a battle with stomach cancer on September 14, 1985, according to The New York Times.

WILL SAMPSON

The third in the spooky string of deaths associated with the film was of the man who portrayed a friendly ghost named Taylor in the second Polergeist film, Will Sampson.

Sampson died on June 3, 1987, aged 53, after of an illness caused by a chronic degenerative condition, according to The Herald Journal.

HEATHER O'ROURKE'S DEATH

It was the unexpected nature of Heather O'Rourke's death which led many to believe the "Poltergeist Curse" was real.

Known for adorable, blue-eyed angelic looks and her creepy delivery of the line; "They're here" in the first film of the series, it was largely O'Rourke's chilling performance that made the film iconic.

At 12 years old, she passed away suddenly.

The actress died in surgery when doctors were attempting to repair an acute bowel obstruction, caused by what was believed to be a long battle with Crohn's disease, the LA Times reported.

The young address was tragically pronounced dead after suffering septic shock, on February 1, 1988.

Its eMovies And eMovies Extra Vs. TNT And CineMagic: Another Openview Vs. DStv Saga

Openview has been dominating the South African market for several years giving companies like MultiChoice a run for their money particularly for those residing on lower bouquets such as DStv Easyview as the once underachieving platform is about to go through some changes.

MultiChoice will be adding two new entertainment channels to the bouquet in the month of November, Magic Showcase and CineMagic which just helps build onto the number of alternatives in South Africa.

Openview offers less channels but they have managed to win a lot of audiences with the selection of sports, local dramas, international series, kids shows and movies. Now it appears as if MultiChoice has begun catching up to the free-to-view platform.

DStv Easyview only offered 1 movie channel TNT which has been having a bit of its ups and downs with the likes of Blade, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Final Destination, Anaconda and so forth. If it was for TNT Original Movies and All Elite Wrestling I don't how far the channel could have gotten.

Point is, TNT was at a disadvantage as Openview provided two movie channels eMovies and eMovies Extra which were able to juggle around a mix of emotions. eMovies had Pokémon, Mama Jack and Oh Schuks while eMovies Extra had Fast And Furious, Transporter and Rush Hour.

With the inclusion of CineMagic, I'm not expecting them to read each other's mind or become the sibling duo as these two fall under different grounds so the only thing that anyone should be excited about is the number of options available.

CineMagic is set to feature a mix of local and international films 18 hours a day leaving TNT to the remaining 6 hours. Although, a schedule hasn't been provided my guess would be the content is based from M-Net Movies and Mzansi Bioskop.

Over to the winners which there's none, you got to look at the benefits to the above brands to reach your conclusion. eMovies is very selective I guess that's what made them favourable on DStv, TNT has got All Elite Wrestling and CineMagic by my hunch has the local productions.

Review: The Outcome To The eFamily Of Channels On DStv

Earlier in the year, it was reported that eMedia Investments 4 TV channels currently seen on the Openview platform would exit the DStv platform. Now the channels remain onboard for a few months as the Competition Tribunal conduct their findings.

As it the channel's futures seem very dark on the pay-tv service as they've been hit with various limitations leading them to launch several new channels like Racing240, Hilaal TV and Qwest TV in place of others like Tellytrack, ITV Networks and MTV Hits.

But that's not what aggravated them to axe the channels but mostly the fact that these brands lacked originality and the only existed to mash the existing offering on their platform as it is eMovies and eToonz are duplicating Studio Universal and DreamWorks.

Honestly, when those channels exited for the short while sure I was pissed as there was plenty of content I followed but overtime I felt like a huge burden had been lifted of my shoulders. I mean I kind of got used to their absence and was stunned when they were reinstated.

Just as I was ready to just open up a new chapter I discovered there was more to the previous chapter in this eMedia. Trust me when I say I do take people's opinions to consideration but when it comes to these channels this comes from my point of view.

Honestly, I do feel that these channels are very much possessive or distractions but not a bad way I mean it's hard finding channels that can keep viewers glued this long despite the annual increases and reshuffle of entertainment.

If anything, the only other brand that has me latched onto the platform would be CBS Reality not because of Judge Judy or Cheaters but primarily over the fact that they're very selective I mean they have Animal Hoarding and Shocking Emergency Calls.

I know there's National Geographic Wild and Investigation Discovery but the magic is different from what you can already see on CBS Reality. eMedia's channels had the same effect with the bulk of alternatives already found on DStv.

Sure they may have been a mishap with the amount of Zee World on eExtra but that doesn't mean no one watches it. As it is neighbouring countries are up to speed with what's going on with Twist Of Fate and I Do while others have to catch up through this channel.

eExtra happens to be the most popular attraction on eMedia's stable on DStv alongside eMovies but comparing the two I do feel that this channel should fall back while the others remain exclusive to the Openview platform.

MultiChoice has plenty of movie channels at this point particularly on the ones that eMovies cater for in this case Premium all the way done to Access such as M-Net Movies 4, Movie Room, TNT and KIX and the same can be said about eToonz really.

With eExtra, it's not really about the stories but the fact eMedia views the brand as another window to their local endeavours with the likes of Die Kontrak and the former Afrikaans movie block so why leave kykNET as the only alternative at this point.

Sure there's plenty of viewers tuning into Elif and Verdeelde Liefde on eExtra alongside In Die Ysterhand Se Greep and Kind Van Die Noodlot on kykNET & Kie but those are just complimenting each other even if kykNET were to just give it a channel the feeling would be mutual.

Having both these brands would give consumers more choices compared to the Openview platform which seems to following the route of most M-Net channels that rush to duplicate an offering on another channel.