Streaming boom causing new shows to flourish, while long-running faves fade quickly in SA TV landscape
South African TV viewers are spoiled with choices regarding the various offerings on streaming platforms and traditional broadcasters, DStv and the SABC.
We are halfway through the year and there has been an influx of new shows almost every month for viewers; be it reality shows, comedy, dramas or documentaries.
One might even say there has been too much but is there such? But as the new shows keep coming in, long-running shows seem to be struggling to keep the show going.
After six seasons kykNET’s “Arendsvlei” in June 2024 aired for the last time at the end of season six. The telenovela was initially only meant to be on air for one season but became popular among viewers, earning two Safta Awards for the first season.
Roberta Durrant, the creative producer of the award-winning programme said last year; “ ‘Arendsvlei’ is not a soap opera –it’s a telenovela. It was always meant to come to an end.”
Durrant is right, telenovelas do indeed come and go, but soapies have become part of viewers' regular program schedule. There is an unspoken belief that they are here to stay forever on screens, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with fewer viewers setting those 8 or 9 pm reminders.
This July, after 27 years, SABC 2’s long-running soapie ‘Muvhango’ aired for the last time with no prior warning to viewers. Created by Duma Ndlovu and produced by Word of Mouth Pictures, 'Muvhango’ was completely shut down, with no new contract extension from the public broadcaster, the SABC.
‘Muvhango’ was SABC 2’s most watched show between January and May, pulling in over 1 million viewers monthly. It was only unseated by the Fifa World Cup 2026 African qualifiers in June.
‘Muvhango’ was the public broadcaster's first Tshivenda language drama and over the years, the show experienced issues with non-payments and late payments of the cast and crew.
A few months before the curtain fell on ‘Muvhango’, Danie Odendaal Productions which produced ‘7de Laan' for SABC2 ended. Before the final curtain fell, production was halted due to lack of funds.
In July 2023, the production house announced that the long-running soapie would not be recommissioned for another season.
The production company in September 2023 said:
“Management decided to suspend all normal ‘7de Laan’ operations with immediate effect due to insufficient funds to maintain salaries and other operational requirements”.
BET Africa’s daily drama ‘Queendom’s future hangs in the balance as production company Clive Morris Productions scrambles to raise the required amount needed for their share of the co-production.
‘Queendom’ is a co-production between broadcaster BET Africa and the production house.
CEO Clive Morris explained to IOL that being dropped by their investor at the last minute, resulted in them being unable to secure the funds needed for their co-investment in the production.
Morris' progressive move to own a slice of the pie; owning the productions they produce instead of solely the broadcaster, which has always been the norm, proved costly and not as straightforward.
“We have been trying to find another funder to come in and BET is also trying to assist in finding funding. I think there has been some really good progress, but that is the reason why people haven’t been paid at the moment.
“It’s a very unfortunate and unique circumstance as we as a producer are funding the percentage of a show.”
The public broadcaster has over the years faced plenty of financial woes and as viewers flip flop between streaming platforms and traditional pay TV offerings, the future is uncertain.
Long-running shows such as soapies, are expensive productions to keep going and viewership numbers on traditional linear TV are declining; broadcasters and productions are faced with difficult decisions.
From 2019 to 2023, households watching linear TV fell by 12.5%, according to the Broadcast Research Council (BRC).
The most watched program on the SABC is “Uzalo” which airs on SABC 1, the show had close to 5 million viewers in June.
Changing landscape
It’s not all bleak for the SABC, they have been able to unveil a fleet of new shows such as a new season of “The Masked Singer SA”, a revived “Deal or No Deal SA” and “Ready, Steady, Cook South Africa”.
Nostalgia has also had a strong presence on the public broadcaster with repeat episodes of iconic shows such as “Jam Alley”, "Sgudi 'Snaysi”, and “Selimathunzi" being broadcast.
But why watch old content when Showmax and Netflix deliver strings of new fresh titles?
It is worthy to note that the SABC is trying to keep up with times; in 2022 the SABC + streaming app launched.
Providing the best that the SABC has to offer including 19 radio stations and 3 free-to-air television channels SABC.
This month, the app was relaunched as SABC Plus – previously SABC+ went live with new features designed to enhance the user experience with a seamless, intuitive interface and personalised content recommendations.
@maskedsingerza Well, owl be darned… 🦉 HOO do you think is underneath the mask? 🤔 #MaskedSingerSA ♬ original sound - The Masked Singer South Africa
Showmax this year unveiled programmes such as “Youngins” which could be described as “Soul Buddyz” for the new generation of ama2000, and riveting dramas such as “Red Ink”.
Netflix on the other hand continues to give South African productions a platform to showcase their stories and invests in them ensuring that local productions deliver international standards.
This year the streaming giant has given viewers; “The Lobola Man”, “The Ultimatum: South Africa” and “How to Ruin Love: The Proposal” which have had successful debuts.
Multichoice which houses channels Mzansi Magic, Mzansi Wethu, and kykNet have also experienced their fair share of highs and lows. Premium channel 1Magic was canned after five years on the platform, it went off air in March.
As DStv continues to hike subscription prices, viewers are not too happy about paying exorbitant prices when they perhaps don't even watch all the channels, some pay for the sports channels.
Producing quality content for viewers should be at the top of every broadcaster's agenda also making it affordable for viewers to access.
The time of long-running formats is slowly fading out as more viewers shift to watching series and seasonal dramas, but again too much content is overkill, cause how does one consume it all?
IOL Entertainment