Channel O scales back flagship show, Turn Up

Copyright: Channel O

Not even three months after launching its new daily live flagship show, Channel O is already scaling back Turn Up, hosted by Siyabonga ‘Scoop’ Ngwekazi.

Started back in February to no promotion what so ever, Turn Up was meant to be the channel's new flagship show, in line with the channels recent slight relaunch with a new schedule, new name for video walls and graphics. The channel planned a new studio for the show, that was apparently nearly completed at launch, though nothing has happened of it.

The channel is billing this move to prime time on Friday Nights as an upgrade to the show, even though it is hard to see losing 80% of your broadcast time as an upgrade. This is the channel's second attempt at launching a new 'flagship' show after ending its long running daily two hour show O-boma, which was hosted by the likes of Nonhle Thema, Lungile Radu and KB. That show was ended on July, 10th 2009 with the channel stating back then that they would be shortly announcing its replacement. That replacement was the shortlived Young Gifted and African daily show, which disppeared silently.

Now things are not looking too good for this show that seems to be recorded using a cellphone. It does, however, free Siyabonga to devote more of his time to V Entertainment and V Prime on Vuzu.

One has to wonder why it is sooo hard for Mnet to launch a successful show on this channel. Their other properties of similar style shows include V Entertainment on Vuzu, the well done Star Gist on Africa Magic and Pls Call Me on Mzansi Magic Muic. Could it be an over saturation of similar shows? Probably.