MultiChoice Africa and Discovery Incorporated of the USA have launched two new channels on DStv called Real Time and A new 24-hour news service, Newzroom Afrika, which feature programmes around the format Real Lives, Real Nature, Real Crime, Real Medical as and dedicated news, respectively.
Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe, said Real Time had a dynamic mixture of lifestyle and factual content giving viewers a mix of reality TV and general entertainment in one channel.
“Real Time launched on July 15 and is available on the Premium, Compact Plus, Compact and Family packages,” she said.
“Discovery’s portfolio of channels has become highly popular with viewers across the world, with content that aims to inspire, inform and entertain through a range of well-loved and trusted brands.”
The line-up features a number of programmes that will soon become favourites among audiences in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa. Programming includes:
Our Little Family, in which audiences meet the Hamills. Parents Dan and Michelle are not raising the typical American family; the entire family of five has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Dan and Michelle use their own life experiences to help guide their children in overcoming physical obstacles and learning to adapt to the world around them.
Married by Mom and Dad, a new social experiment featuring men and women who have been unlucky in love and who have agreed to put their love lives and their future in the hands of the people who know them best: their parents.
My Extreme Excess Skin, in which people who have lost massive amounts of weight are followed as they are about to undergo a full body transformation through skin removal surgery. The programme will not only change the featured subjects’ self-image but will also change their lives.
Predators up Close with Joel Lambert, a landmark series that reveals nature’s apex predators as they have never been seen before. Using a unique, bespoke polycarbonate and aluminium pod, the Predator team comes face to face with lions, hyenas, polar bears and sharks, close enough to carry out a range of original scientific experiments and to feel the power (and terror) of the natural world’s most effective killing machines.
Is OJ Innocent? The Missing Evidence, in which the question is asked whether sports hero OJ Simpson was perhaps not guilty of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
The six-episode series features investigators who delve into one of history’s most infamous crime cases, exploring never-before-seen evidence.
People Magazine Investigates, in which America’s most popular weekly magazine seeks to uncover the truth behind some of the country’s most infamous characters and crime stories, focusing on extraordinary tales of ordinary people who were thrust into the spotlight.
In addition to Real Time’s on-screen offering, a selection of the channel’s programming is also be available to stream and download through the DStv Now platform, bringing the best of Real-Time to viewers in their own time.
Meanwhile, Newzroom Afrika will be available to viewers on DStv Access, Family, Compact, Compact Plus and Premium packages.
Dziva said the channel was launched on July 15 and showcased on DStv just two months after being launched in South Africa.
“News is one of the cornerstones of DStv and this new channel, with its unique insights into the African continent, will complement the already varied and popular set of news channels available to customers of the various DStv bouquets,” she said.
Programming includes Your View Africa Round Table, hosted by South African talk-show veteran JJ Tabane, who offers an in-depth look at many issues across Africa.
Another high-interest show is Newz World, with lead anchor Vic Naidoo giving regular round-ups of continental and global news.
Viewers will also be exposed to respected news practitioners such as Cathy Mohlahlana, Thulasizwe Simelane and sports-focused Marc Lewis, along with many other on-air personalities on the channel’s compelling line-up.
Dziva said Newzroom Afrika increased the diversity of voices and perspectives on Africa’s news media space, focusing on quality news and current affairs content to keep viewers updated and fully informed about what is happening in the world, especially in Africa.
“Content ranging from breaking news and in-depth analysis to expert panel discussions, business and sport are covered in a style unique to the channel,” she said.
“Cutting-edge systems and technology allow Newzroom Afrika to be broadcast in high-definition, with unmatched remote broadcasting capabilities that give journalists the freedom to roam wherever the news takes them.
Newzroom Afrika is available for streaming on-the-go through smartphones, tablets or desktops and through the DStv Now app, as well as on all DStv bouquets.
