Shock as DStv ditches Glow soapie channel
FANS of Indian soapies on the popular Glow TV channel are reaching for their tissue boxes due to an unexpected new drama that is being played out.
DStv announced that the channel will no longer be part of its offering come April 1 as the contract would have expired.
Glow TV is challenging the ruling and the matter is heading for an arbitration hearing.
MultiChoice, which owns DStv, said on its website there were plenty more telenovelas, talk shows, music and movies to watch on Zee World (Channel 166), Zee Bollywood Movies (114) and eBella (159).
Loyal Glow viewers are not impressed.
“Feeling very disappointed with Glow,” one of them posted on social media. “Our favourite channel. How are we going to watch all our soapies we’ve been following?”
Another wrote: “Doesn’t help having all these other channels because they won’t air these soapies. Glow has avoided telling their viewers that it’s coming to an end. Feeling disheartened.”
Glow TV owner Nazeer Noormohamed said the contract would expire later this year. He launched an urgent application in the Johannesburg High Court, which referred the dispute for arbitration.
“To our knowledge, the contract ends in November/December. We feel DStv has jumped the gun,” Noormohamed said.
His attorney, Naushad Gattoo, said notices sent to Glow TV indicated there would not be a renewal of the channel.
“It was never a notice of termination. In terms of the contract, the channel could be renewed but not terminated. MultiChoice attempted to do something unlawful in accordance with Glow TV. At court we agreed to go to arbitration. They are trying for a date before the end of the month.”
Noormohamed said he was told by DStv that the viewership was less compared to that of other channels.
“They told us we are not doing well so I asked for the statistics. They have refused to give it to me,” he said. “How can we be doing poorly if we are receiving calls from concerned viewers about the possible closure of the channel?”
A MultiChoice spokesperson said their contract with Glow TV was ending, which meant they would stop airing it on March 31.
Glow TV, which screens Indian-specific content, aired on DStv for three years and had 1.5 million viewers in southern Africa.