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Cape Town – With the SABC’s shock decision to dump Days of our Lives from SABC3 after 24 years on the public broadcaster, both e.tv and M-Net say they’re not looking at taking over the soap.
As part of the SABC chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s plan to rid the SABC’s TV channels of international content in a new 90% local content decree starting with 80% local content on SABC3 from July, Days of our Lives, produced by Corday Productions and distributed by Sony Pictures Television, will see its last episode on 20 July.
Motsoeneng told TV producers that “only best-performing” soaps would be kept on the SABC schedule.
Ironically the American soap set in the fictional town of Salem and broadcast on the SABC since 1992, is not just one of the best performing soaps, but one of the best performing shows on the entire SABC3 schedule.
As a weekday programming strand Days is an over-performer and a money-maker on SABC3 as the broadcaster’s only commercial TV channel. While it’s a non prime time show at 17:00 on weekdays, it’s consistently the 3rd most watched show on the entire SABC3 schedule with 1.02 million viewers in May, topped only by The Bold and the Beautiful in first place and Isidingo second that both benefit from better early prime time slots when more potential viewers are available.
Asked if it’s considering taking over Days for viewers, M-Net told Channel24 that M-Net has no immediate plans to acquire and broadcast Days of our Lives.
Marlon Davids, acting managing director for e.tv’s channels division, told Channel24 that “e.tv has not acquired the rights to broadcast Days of our Lives on the channel” and that “there are no immediate plans to air the international soapie at this time”.
‘SABC3 selfish’
Meanwhile angry viewers are lashing SABC3 for the decision to dump Days.
“You guys are absolutely stupid for cancelling Days along with Survivor and The Amazing Race,” said Dean Kotze. “Biggest mistake ever! I have no word for this disgraceful channel”.
Angelique Williams said: “SABC3 sucks for dropping Days of our Lives. They are so selfish they don’t care about viewers they only care about what they want.”
Warren Adams said: “I’m a loyal SABC3 viewer and out of all the SABC channels I’ve been loyal to SABC3. My favourite shows, Days and Survivor getting dropped by you is a vicious slap in the face to us as viewers. I am done with SABC3, I hope you enjoy the plummet in viewership.”
Megan Adderley said: “I cannot believe SABC3 is cancelling Days of our Lives. Why? There is so much other crap you can rather cancel. Best you rethink that little move, otherwise you are going to lose a lot of viewers. Can’t believe it. I have never heard of anything more stupid”.
Dinesh Debiky said: “How upsetting that Days of our Lives [is] gonna be taken off air. It’s really not fair on us TV licence holders.”
