Former Openview Program Gets Snatched By A DStv Channel

Last month, eMedia Investments shuttered the People’s Planet channel on Openview after six years. Popular shows such as SafariLIVE are now only available on DStv and YouTube. Other titles found new homes: Snake Season was picked up by Curiosity Channel, while Tiny Homes is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Around the same time, KwaZulu-Natal talk-show host Denver Naicker secured new broadcasting deals for his programme, The Get Real Talk Show. The show has moved between several platforms over the years, including the now-defunct Glow TV and People’s Planet. It is currently broadcast on Mpuma Kapa TV.

Naicker, a retail manager who grew up in Chatsworth and now lives in Morningside, began his media career eight years ago. The latest move marks a significant step for the seven-year-old show. He said it will keep its core identity while reaching viewers across different cultural and generational lines.

The programme was created to highlight influential people, motivate audiences and give viewers insight into the journeys of successful individuals. It regularly features celebrities who share both their personal and professional stories. Naicker often emphasises that success usually comes only after years of hard work.

Here’s the challenge: Mpuma Kapa TV is not available on Openview. That means viewers who want to watch The Get Real Talk Show (and SafariLIVE on WildEarth) need either a DStv EasyView subscription (R29 per month) or access to streaming platforms. The show is also available on SABC+, Freevision Play, Apple TV and DStv Stream.

Not everyone can afford multiple streaming services or a paid satellite package. As a result, some previous Openview viewers are currently missing out. Because the show is already streaming on SABC+, there is a reasonable chance it could eventually land a slot on one of the SABC linear channels, most likely SABC 3.

The Get Real Talk Show currently airs on Saturdays at 20:30 on Mpuma Kapa TV (DStv channel 261). It is also available to stream on SABC+, Freevision Play, Apple TV and DStv Stream.

Since the departure of People’s Planet, eMedia Investments has launched eXplore in its place on Openview. The new channel, which had already rolled out in other African markets, offers a mix of wildlife, survival, real-life mysteries and true-crime programming.