The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: MultiChoice Talent Factory to host a dedicated academy experience at the Joburg Film Festival
The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), Africa’s film and television training academy, will host a dedicated academy experience at the 8th edition of the Joburg Film Festival (JFF), taking place on 5 March 2026 at Theatre on the Square in Sandton.
Delivered in partnership with the Joburg Film Festival, the one-day programme will bring together emerging filmmakers, industry professionals and creative leaders for focused conversations around the craft of storytelling and the skills required to build sustainable careers in film and television.
The programme will centre on the art of storytelling, exploring how authentic African stories are conceived, developed and translated to screen through writing, directing and production. Through a series of discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions, participants will engage with industry practitioners such as Tebogo Matlawa, the head of scripted content middle & mass SA and Shirley Adonisi, the channel director for local entertainment at MultiChoice Group, they will be exploring the creative discipline, technical skill and narrative clarity needed to produce stories that resonate locally while competing on a global stage.
MultiChoice Group’s continued participation in the Joburg Film Festival underscores its long-term commitment to developing skills and strengthening creative capacity within Africa’s film and television industry. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the partnership reflects a sustained investment in nurturing the next generation of African storytellers.
People moves
SAFTA-nominated Chanley Wong joins Expresso Morning Show in Johannesburg
S3’s Expresso Morning Show has welcomed two-time SAFTA-nominated television presenter Chanley Wong to its line-up. Making her debut on 17 February 2026, Wong joins Zanele Potelwa to broadcast live from the show’s Johannesburg studio located at Design Quarter in Fourways, where she brings her infectious energy, sharp wit and relatability to South Africa’s favourite morning show.
Wong is a familiar face to South African audiences, having built a strong reputation as a host in the youth and children’s television space. Her move to Expresso marks an exciting new chapter in her career, as she brings her signature warmth and authenticity to the nation’s morning routine.
“I am so excited to be joining the Expresso family. Stepping into the Expresso studio feels like the natural progression in my journey. After seven years away, returning to television feels both surreal and right,” says Wong. “I waited 12 hours at the Presenter Search on 3 auditions back in 2018, hoping to be part of a show I grew up watching. While it wasn’t my time then, I’ve learned that a dream isn’t denied — it’s often just delayed until you’re ready. Being here now feels like proof of that. Expresso has always felt like a warm, welcoming space that reflects the best of South Africa, and I’m so excited to be part of that energy.”
Business moves
V appoints Reach Africa as advertising partner to expand Smart TV advertising across Africa
Africa has announced a key new partnership with V, the company formerly known as VIDAA – the fastest-growing Smart TV platform embedded at device level across a rapidly expanding base of African households. This appointment strengthens Reach Africa’s operating system layer, alongside its existing partnerships across multiple original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), platforms, free streaming channel environments, and broadcasters.
This partnership addresses a longstanding market challenge around fragmentation and scale by giving advertisers expanded access to premium audiences via the device OS layer, enabling consistent reach, brand-safe environments and high-impact placements that complement existing app and publisher environments across the continent. VIDAA today already powers millions of Smart TVs across the African continent, working with renowned OEMs such as Hisense, Toshiba, and over 400 other brands.
Ryan Silberman, founder at Reach Africa, says this is a significant win for the African Connected TV (CTV) market, as advertisers now have access to premium, full screen and highly viewable placements directly on the TV Home screen, native discovery formats and contextual video environments.
eVOD Surpasses 2.2 million registered users in Q3 2025
eVOD, South Africa’s free streaming platform, surpassed 2.2 million registered users in Q3 2025, marking a significant milestone in its growth journey. Established in October 2021, the platform has recorded a 22% year-on-year increase in registrations, reflecting continued audience adoption and engagement.
This milestone underscores eVOD’s long-standing commitment to providing authentic, relevant entertainment to South African audiences at no cost. Over the past year, the platform has continued to evolve, introducing key features such as offline downloads and expanding accessibility through availability on Android and Hisense smart TVs.
eVOD currently offers more than 9 000 hours of content, driving strong viewer engagement. Watch time on the platform increased by 56% when comparing 2024 to 2025, highlighting growing consumption across its content library. Building on this momentum, eVOD plans to launch five new original productions in 2026.
5FM and Balwin set to give away another R1 million apartment
South Africa’s favourite youth radio station, 5FM, and Balwin Properties are once again gearing up to transform 2026 into a year of fitness, community and life-changing opportunity with the return of the Balwin Run Series, powered by 5FM, with another amazing apartment up for grabs.
Following the overwhelming success of last year’s Series, the partnership is back with four major races
across the country and another massive prize: a Balwin-built, fully furnished apartment valued at R1
million, including 12 months of free levies.
The 2026 Series will run from February to September and continues its mission of promoting health and
wellness while giving South Africans a real shot at home ownership.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or someone lacing up for the first time, every participant who
completes any distance – 5km, 10km, 21.1km or 42.2km – in any of the Series events stands a chance to
win.
To enter, runners simply need to complete any one of these races and then visit any Balwin show
apartment nationwide, with each visit counting as an additional entry. The more developments visited,
the more chances to win the R1 million apartment.
This year’s race calendar includes the Peninsula Race on 15 February, the Pretoria Race on 22 February,
the Dolphin Coast Race on 22 March, and the Jeppe Race on 20 September.
According to Masi Mdingane, Business Manager for 5FM and Good Hope FM, the partnership continues to reflect the station’s commitment to both lifestyle and upliftment.
TruFM talent search returns
trufm has announced the return of truTalent, the youth talent competition that has become a cultural movement in the Eastern Cape. This year, truTalent comes back bigger, better and fully Plug’d by Telkom, setting a new benchmark for how young talent is discovered, developed and celebrated on radio and digital platforms.
Registration for auditions opens on 14 February 2026, inviting young talent between the ages of 18 and 35 to enter the competition and take their shot at becoming the next big voice on trufm.
Auditions will take place across four key Eastern Cape towns:
- Gqeberha – 28 February 2026
- KuGompo – 7 March 2026
- Mthatha – 14 March 2026
- Komani – 21 March 2026
To register before we get to their town, entrants will need to SMS their name + town to 39721.
Orms photographic event: GoLive! is back!
Orms is stepping back to a time before algorithms, when creating was about feeling and not filtering. Where content was crafted simply for the fun of creating.
This year Orms is upping the ante! Experience immersive content creator pods, the chance to connect with the biggest brands in the photographic industry and get firsthand advice from leading brand ambassadors. If you want to take your content creation to the next level, this is an event not to be missed.
Mark your calendars for February 27 – 28, 2026 from 10h00 – 15h00 at 56 Roeland Street, Cape Town for the exclusive GoLive! event, The Content Creator Edition.
Film submissions now open for FAME Shorts Film Festival 2026
The FAME Shorts Film Festival 2026, now in its fourth year, is officially open for submissions. Hosted as part of FAME Week Africa, this festival celebrates the diverse narratives of Africa and its diaspora, spotlighting films that explore cultural heritage, modern life, identity, historical events, environmental concerns and pressing social issues.
Short films are a vital part of global cinema — a format where creativity, innovation and bold storytelling shine. Many filmmakers use shorts not only to share compelling stories but also as proof of concept for features and larger projects. FAME Shorts provides an invaluable showcase for short-form storytellers seeking visibility on both local and international stages.
Submission Deadline: 22 May 2026. Submit your film here.
How Digify GP’s Is Transforming Young Talent in the Northern Cape
After successfully launching in Kuruman and Kimberley, the Digify GP’s programme is now back and expanding its roots in the Northern Cape, through the partnership between Digify Africa and Longyuan, widening its reach to the De Aar region to empower more young people with future-ready digital skills free of charge.
Digify GP’s equip unemployed youth aged 18 to 35 with practical digital marketing, content creation, paid advertising, and work-readiness skills that prepare them for employment, entrepreneurship and further opportunities in the digital economy.
When Digify GP’s alumni, Makgotso Khubute, first joined the Digify GP’s programme, she described herself as eager, but unsure of her next step. “I knew I had potential,” she says, “but I lacked the tools and direction to turn that potential into something practical.”
With limited exposure to digital skills and no formal work experience, accessing meaningful opportunities felt out of reach. Like many young people from smaller communities, she faced uncertainty about where she fit into the working world. Today, Khubute is a Social Media and Brand Manager Specialist. Her turning point was Digify GP’s.
Improving education in South Africa, one school at a time
Independent agency, Joe Public, and its non-profit organisation, One School at a Time (OSAAT), has celebrated yet another milestone in their long-standing mission to transform township education. Their partner school of 18 years, Forte High School in Dobsonville, has once again proven that consistent purpose-driven collaboration yields lasting results.
The Forte High School Class of 2025 achieved an extraordinary 99.61% matric pass rate, with 77.51% bachelor’s passes and an impressive 264 distinctions. The school continues to be ranked among the Top 10 performing schools in the Johannesburg West District, which includes Florida, Roodepoort, Soweto and surrounding areas.
When One School at a Time began its journey with Forte in 2008, the school’s pass rate stood at 66%, with 31% bachelor’s passes. Just one year later, after the full implementation of the OSAAT leadership and learner support model, the school leapt to an 82% pass rate and 40% bachelor’s passes.
Over the years, Forte has maintained steady growth — 88% pass rate in 2015, 94% in 2021, and a historic 100% pass rate in 2024 with 73% bachelor’s passes, achieving the long-term goal set more than a decade earlier.
World Out of Home Organisation signs up another 13 members
Following a highly successful APAC Forum in Seoul, South Korea, which attracted over 400 delegates, the World Out of Home Organisation has signed up another 13 members from across the globe.
The new members come from Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. Five are national media owners, six are OOH service providers/suppliers and two are national OOH associations.
The countries represented include the UK, Ireland, United States, Greece, UAE, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.
Making moves
isiZulu takes centre Stage as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Kids’ shows launch in local language
Warner Bros. Discovery is strengthening its connection with South African families by introducing isiZulu dubbing for fan‑favourite Cartoon Network and Cartoonito shows, a major step in making its kids’ content more accessible and culturally relevant for the local market.
Building on the brands’ existing local productions and on-ground marketing initiatives, the rollout also includes new local channel voice‑overs and multilingual Cartoonito on‑air greetings. Together, these elements celebrate cultural inclusivity, support local talent, and respond to the growing demand for authentic local voices in kids’ entertainment, making Cartoon Network and Cartoonito’s content more accessible and relevant than ever before.
These initiatives build on the strong connection Warner Bros. Discovery Kids already enjoys with South African audiences. Cartoon Network has once again been voted the #1 Coolest Kids’ Channel in the Sunday Times GenNext Youth Survey, while Cartoonito ranks as the #1 channel in the DStv Family package.
During DStv’s 30th Anniversary Open Window promotion in November, Cartoonito also soared to the #1 kids’ channel across the platform. Cartoon Network remains one of the strongest and most popular kids’ channels on pay‑TV, available from the DStv Access package upwards¹. With beloved shows such as Teen Titans Go!, Regular Show, Mr Bean and Zig & Sharko, the brands continue to deliver the content kids love — now with an even stronger local touch.
Cynthia Gonçalves Afonso, Warner Bros. Discovery Senior Manager, Programming and Presentation, Kids Channels, explains, “By introducing local languages into our kids’ channels, we’re not only making our content more accessible, but also ensuring it stays relevant to the everyday lives of South African families.”
