Yaydom! I'm pleased to report that there are hush-hush meetings going on behind-the-scenes for Channel O's 20th birthday.
The channel turns 20 on Tuesday, 17 October and there are plans to do something spesh for it.
I've been snooping for goss about it for months and at first it seemed that nothing was going to happen for it because of the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards that were held last month.
It was such a big, splashy affair that it was looking unlikely that DStv would do another event this year.
BUT this has changed over the past month or so.
I recently chatted to Nondumiso Mabece, head of publicity for M-Net's local entertainment channels, and it turns out the channel is in talks with potential sponsors who are interested in getting on board for a celebratory event.
Apparently M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle has been instrumental in pushing for it because of her close ties to channel from the past. Yolisa was General Manager of Channel O when she first joined MultiChoice in 2005 and she was pivotal in making it the hottshot channel that it went on to become.
It's never been the same since her departure as GM in 2009/2010 so I was pleased to hear that she's getting involved again.
The cool thing about Channel O is that it is exactly what it claims to be: truly African. The Channel O Awards used to be this too but now they've been ousted by the MTV Africa awards, which irritates me like you can't believe.
I've been to both award ceremonies and trust me when I tell you, the Channel O Awards were much more fun and authentically African. The proof:
Khloé Kardashian, thee headline attraction at the 2014 MTV Africa Awards. The awards became all about her and her then-boyfriend French Montana.
So yes, I'm pleased that Channel O's getting some TLC for its birthday and I'm hoping this will extend to its programming too. DStv used to provide highlights for the channel as part of their publicity materials but even these have stopped in the past few months!