Me (M-Net Essentials)
CountrySouth Africa
Broadcast areaSub Saharan Africa
NetworkM-Net Series (formerly)
AffiliatesM-Net
HeadquartersJohannesburg
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerMultiChoice
Sister channels
History
Launched1 April 1998 (1 April 1998)
ReplacedVuzu (merge)
Closed2 February 2024 (2 February 2024)
Former names
  • The Series Channel (1998–2005)
  • M-Net Series (2005–2013)
  • M-Net Series Zone (2013–2015)
  • M-Net City (2015–2021)
Links
WebsiteOfficial website
Availability
Terrestrial
DStvChannel 115
Streaming media
DStv App

M-Net Essentials,[lower-alpha 1] branded on-air as Me, was a South African pay television channel originally launched by M-Net on 9 July 2013 as M-Net Series Zone, one of three channels from the parent M-Net Series channel.

It rebranded as M-Net City in 2015 and as Me in 2021, the latter from a merger with Vuzu. It currently broadcasts on satellite television service DStv on channel 115.

History

The channel began on 1 April 1998 as The Series Channel, eventually rebranded as M-Net Series to align with the parent M-Net channel in 2005.

On 9 July 2013, the channel broke into a three-channel network consisting of M-Net Series Showcase,[1] M-Net Series Reality and M-Net Series Zone. M-Net Series Showcase was touted by M-Net as "its main network for the launch of current serial programming, M-Net Series Reality airing reality television programming and M-Net Series Zone (this channel's adopted name) airing delayed programming from M-Net. However, within a year of launch, the channel formats of M-Net Series Showcase and M-Net Series Reality failed and got respectively rebranded as Vuzu Amp and M-Net Edge on 13 and 20 October 2014.[2]

As "M-Net City" (2015–2021)

On 6 April 2015, M-Net Series Zone was rebranded as M-Net City #115,[3] the channel number suffix getting dropped the following year.

Typically, M-Net City featured reruns of international television serial programming previously aired on parent channel M-Net along with some homegrown shows, the former M-Net Edge, and sister channel 1Magic (rebranded from Vuzu Amp on 1 March 2018) and Mzansi Magic.

As "Me" (2021–present)

On 1 October 2021, M-Net announced that Vuzu would be merged into M-Net City and be rebranded as Me effective from 1 November.[4]

M-Net City signed off the air after 29 October for a 2-day channel reel promoting the premiere of its successor, along with Vuzu, with the successor assuming its channel run 3 days later at 16:00 CAT. As of 23 June 2023, the channel's official website designates the channel as M-Net Essentials whiles still maintaining its Me on-air branding. The channel will stop airing on February 2nd alongside 1Magic.

References

  1. ↑ The channel's official website designates it as Me channel 115 - M-Net Essentials.
  1. ↑ "M-Net Series Showcase". TVSA. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. ↑ "M-Net Edge and VUZU AMP coming to DStv". Channel24. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "M-Net Series Zone to become M-Net City". YoMzansi. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Ferreira, Thinus (1 October 2021). "DStv ends M-Net City and VUZU for new channel coming in November". News24. Retrieved 1 October 2021..
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