"Great content lies at the essence of each of our channels and we are paying attention to our audiences' needs worldwide, by not just entertaining but also raising awareness of issues that create conversation,"  says Dean Possenniskie, managing director A+E Networks, EMEA. "We go beyond the stories and offer relevant relatable content that resonates with viewers who have come to love and admire our brands."
 
CRIME+INVESTIGATION Africa

A+E Networks Africa will aim to continue to expand its local content strategy on CI. SA Crime Stories Season 2 is a 13-part series that will feature stories that shook South Africa to the core, including the abduction and murder of student Leigh Matthews — in Finding Leigh.

A new local special around abusive relationships and gender-based violence will form part of a broader global campaign that will run for a year with partnerships and more local voices being added to the narrative. CI Africa will air curated programming for 16 consecutive days, starting on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women — which is on Monday, 25 November — till 10 December. It will feature cases where women are abused, assaulted, stalked and often killed by their partners.

The special, produced by Nala Media, will be narrated by journalist, author and former news anchor Iman Rappetti, and explores four high profile local cases that represent the cycle of violence in South African society. Rappetti interweaves the stories of these women with her own childhood experiences.

"Gender-based violence is a huge issue currently in South Africa and we are seeing shocking figures of women abuse on the increase across all our territories. We believe that as an EMEA wide business, we have a responsibility to address this global crisis head-on,” said Possenniskie.

Some of the exciting lineups of international shows announced for CI Africa include 60 Days In: Narcoland — participants infiltrating a drug cartel, followed by Poisonous Liaisons, which examines why poison has been a weapon of choice over the centuries. Other premieres include The Accused and Very Scary People Season1, which will air as part of a Serial Killer Stunt, in early 2020.

LIFETIME Africa

A+E Networks Africa announced that it has acquired the rights to the format of the international hit series Don't Tell the Bride. The show follows a bridegroom who is given a budget to plan the entire wedding, while keeping his worried bride in the dark. This follows Lifetime’s Wedding Week Stunt, which featured local special, 2 Weddings and a Superstar with AKA.

Lifetime Africa says that it has become a favourite destination for wedding and relationship shows. The trend continues with new series' Marrying Millions and Heartbreak Island and a new season of Married at First Sight.

From the producers of 90 Day Fiancé, Marrying Millions explores the intricacies and drama faced by real-life couples with large age and income gaps, as well as cultural differences.

Heartbreak Island sees a group of single guys and girls put everything on the line in a bid to find their perfect match and win $100 000. Lifetime Africa continues into the investigative documentary space with a four-hour follow-up documentary special, Surviving R Kelly.

The special orients the aftermath and the development of Surviving Jeffrey Epstein, the recently deceased New York financier accused of predatory behaviour towards young girls. Also in the pipeline is a biopic on talk-show host, Wendy Williams.

Additional premieres include Ms.Ts Music Factory — a singer (turned music manager/performance coach) that helps to train rising talent in the music industry. I Should Have Seen a Doctor, builds on Lifetime’s wellness content and follows patients seeking critical medical help for conditions that have been plaguing them.

HISTORY Africa

The HISTORY Africa channel intends to have another year of high-octane programming as part of their 'Biggest Names on History' campaign this October. Damian Lewis, Robert Redford, William Shatner and pop-culture and 1980s actors David Hasselhoff and Chuck Norris are some of the key talent featured in the upcoming shows.

The UnXplained is a non-fiction series that explores strange and inexplicable mysteries. Hosted by William Shatner, each episode examines subjects that have mystified mankind.

Damian Lewis: SPY WARS is an 8-part documentary-drama that features the true stories behind some of the important international spy operations of the last forty years. Car Weekend, which will be rleeased in December, will showcase a line-up of motoring shows including: Battle of 80s Supercars with David Hasselhoff and Chuck Norris' Epic Guide to Military Vehicles.

HISTORY content will be covered in the upcoming History Films Stunt featuring titles like Cola Wars, Rise of the Superbombs, Secrets in the Sky: The Untold Story of Skunkworks, Nazis on Drugs: Hitler and the Blitzkrieg, Game Changers: Inside the Video Game Wars.

Viewers can also look forward to the premiere of Watergate, chronicling the explosive scandal in American history that brought down president Richard M. Nixon. Food That Built America is a mini-series event that reveals the stories of the food titans behind the brands that built America, including Milton Hershey, Henry Heinz, John and Will Kellogg and the McDonald brothers.

For more information, visit www.aenetworks.com. You can also follow A+E Networks on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.