The Box: Netflix Unveils Three New Japanese Series, Nielsen To Exit South Africa
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Africa: TV markets in South Africa were brought to a shock when Nielsen, the country’s ratings custodian, announced they were leaving South Africa after decades of being in the country. Many companies were shocked at the announcement, as they relied heavily on Nielsen in order to gain data for their companies. However, a week after the news broke. The Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA) announced they approved GfK, an NIQ company, to take over Nielsen’s position as the country's TV rating tabulator. Nielsen will continue to handle data until Phase 1 launches on January 1, 2027.
Within the last two years, the National Film and Video Production has come under fire, as they have appointed a whopping six chief executive officers, including Onke Dumeko. His hiring comes after a history of allegations against the sports, arts, and culture minister, Gayton McKenzie. The National Film and Video Production. The allegations against Gayton McKenzie state that he appoints certain people for his own political ends.
Bluey, the beloved kids’ show, has officially made its debut in the regions of Zulu, Afrikaans, Swahili, and Nigerian Pidgin. Thanks to BBC Studios, the beloved series is being dubbed in several African languages for the very first time.
Asia: Netflix has announced three new Japanese series, Steel Ball Run, Straight to Hell, and Did Someone Happen To Mention Me?. The Comedy Series, Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?, is officially in production. The series stars Koji Yakusho, who won the Best Actor Award for his performance in Wim Wenders’ Film Perfect Days. The show is eyeing a release next year. Steel Ball Run is also officially underway, based on the popular manga series, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. The series will be directed by Yasuhiro Kimura, and it has yet to announce a release date. Lastly, Straight to Hell, the drama series starring Erika Toda, is in production as well. The story focuses on one of Japan’s most well-known fortune-tellers, Kazuko Hosoki. The series is being directed by Tomoyuki Takimoto. The series is also slated to premiere next year.
Disney+ finds success in its newest Korean Spy Drama thriller, Tempest. The show has a star-studded cast that includes Gianna Jun, Gang Dongwon, John Cho, Lee Misook, and Park Haejoon. The series is directed by Co-Directors Kim and Heo Myeonghaeng. The series is getting praise and is currently one of the most impressive international lineups in Korean drama history. As Korean shows and films find audiences outside of their country, Tempest is one of the few to truly make an impact outside of their country.
Indian streamer SonyLIV has unveiled its new 2025 content, headlined by Real Kashmir Football Club. The drama is inspired by the formation of Kashmir’s first professional soccer team. Danish Khan, the head of SonyLIV, believes this could be their next big hit as he bets big on it. This is just one of the few lineups the service has to offer in the coming year.
Latin America: YouTube TV is currently under fire. TelevisaUnivision, one of the biggest channels in Latin America, is accusing YouTube TV of using discriminatory tactics against its Latino customers. TelevisaUnivision, in a new ad campaign, revealed YouTube TV’s plan to take off the channel from its basic tier and shift it towards an add-on, meaning customers now have to purchase it separately in order to stream it. TelevisaUnivision calls this “Hispanic Tax”. The add-on won’t go into effect until September 30, 2025
Variety just released its Top 50 Producers of the Year. Some familiar names include Hwang Dong-hyuk and Alfonso Cuarón. These are just a few of the names of producers who made it onto the list.
