Press Release
M-Net Edge revolutionises TV viewing with HBO series: Game of Thrones V will be screened simultaneously in the US and SA
For the first time in South Africa, television viewers will be able to watch an international drama series at exactly the same time as their American counterparts.
M-Net Edge (channel 102 on DStv) will simulcast the new, much-anticipated Season 5 of HBO’s Game of Thrones
when it launches in the US on Sunday, 12 April at 21:00.
So, if you turn on the telly in South Africa at 03:00 on the morning of Monday 13 April, you can contribute to the deluge of comments and mini reviews on social media straight away. No unwanted spoilers, no need to play the waiting game.
Last year M-Net introduced ‘Express from the US’ to fast-track top-notch international series to our shores within 24 hours. Many of these shows reached our screens an hour after their American premiere, but now M-Net Edge is taking the time lapse to an unbelievable zero seconds.
“We have been able to screen awards ceremonies and other one-off events live, but this is a first for scripted international series. It is further testament to our commitment to ensuring our audiences get the best viewing experience possible” says M-Net’s CEO for South Africa, Yolisa Phahle.
“It is important for M-Net to remain at the forefront of the latest broadcast and technology trends and we’re very proud of this new turbo-charged ‘Express from the US’. In the fast-paced digital age, our viewers have become global citizens who want instant access to the best programming.
"With simulcasts like these we can bring their favourite shows to them in high-quality HD. We are delighted that HBO sees us as a partner in their endeavour to use technology to serve audiences better. Our state of the art broadcast facility will allow us to screen this fantastic show in real time and we look forward to similar arrangements in the future.”
Viewers who still prefer a good night’s sleep to being ahead of the office chatter about new story developments can watch the same episodes on Thursdays at 21:00, with the first scheduled for Thursday, 16 April. Another option is to set the PVR or to catch the
Game of Thrones Season V simulcast on the DStv Explora.
Before all the plotting, scheming, lust and revenge in the mythical kingdom of Westeros resume, M-Net Edge will screen the half-hour
Game of Thrones special titled
A Day in the Life. Key people working on the show share enlightening insights into a single day of filming across three countries – Croatia, Ireland and Spain.
A Day in the Life will air on Thursday, 9 April at 21:00.
As you would expect from this Golden Globe winning series, Season 5 of
Game of Thrones is bound to packed with interesting new plot developments as all the kings and queens, knights and renegades continue to jostle for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros - and possession of the Iron Throne. What will happen next? For once, you’ll be able to find out as the story unfolds on American screens.
A trailer:
The season will air the same way in a total of 170 countries.