News and Actuality Programming Shifts as SABC Shuffles Schedule Across the Board

This past Tuesday (2nd February) the SABC announced across the board changes to the schedule of the free to air channels, [you know the name of those channels. I'm not writing them out].

Sotho/Tswana/Sepedi News moves from 7:30pm to 6:00pm 

The news bulletin that has a greater audience loses its timeslot for some reason, moving into the 6:00pm timeslot, a timeslot previously occupied by non-fiction fare that have typically not moved the ratings needle much (read: virtual tv deadzone).

Remember not too long ago this bulletin was shifted from 8:30pm to an hour earlier as the SABC stated viewers do not like waiting too late for their news. Problem is, will viewers be home in time for this bulletin.

Interesting to note that this is the same timeslot etv had its Sotho news bulletin in before it got cancelled due to the channel needing to slot in a third soap opera.

Sense Prevails: Fokus moves out of 7pm slot to 6:30pm slot. Also shifts from SABC3 to SABC2

Close you eyes and picture the person watching the Afrikaans news. Now close your eyes and picture someone watching the Afrikaans actuality program, Fokus. Did you picture the same person? Well, guess what? Both programs have been airing simultaneously on two different channels, forcing viewers with the exact same demographic profile to choose between the two. 

Well now Fokus will be the lead-in for the Afrikaans news and both shows' viewerships will be better because of it. 

Mzansi Insider moves an hour later

SABC1's weekend breakfast show, Mzansi Insider moves an hour later to 10am [shifting the Generations omnibus to 11am.]. The show also adds a new co host, Rorisang Thadekiso.

 Leihlo La Setshaba moves to 8:30pm on Thursday nights

SABC3 Adds Block of Documentaries and Current Affairs

Interface jumps from SABC 2 to SABC3 (essentially a swap with Fokus) and moves to an earlier 7pm slot on Sunday evenings.

This is only the start of what is the channel's new current affairs block which includes Special Assignment after Interface and then international documentary fare, like Ross Kemp, after that. 

[In other words,  the English news starts a 3 hour block of current affairs programming on the channel]