Pay-television content provider M-Net will launch a host of new channels in South Africa on 1 October, the broadcaster has announced in a press statement.

The broadcaster's expanded channel offering includes genre-based M-Net movie channels in High Definition — bringing the total of movie channels to eight — as well as two channels under the AfricaMagic banner, the statement said.

M-Net CEO, Patricia van Rooyen, says these additions to the M-Net family of channels affirm the company's commitment to bringing superior television entertainment to its viewers.

"Our new cluster of eight dedicated M-Net movie channels marks the beginning of an exciting new era of movie magic built around convenience and variety like never before," she said.

"Concurrently, the introduction of the two AfricaMagic channels – AfricaMagic Entertainment and AfricaMagic Movies 1 - will give South African viewers the opportunity to enjoy captivating, modern African productions and films."

AfricaMagic Entertainment is a general entertainment channel that was successfully launched to viewers outside of South Africa earlier this year. The channel is home to some of Africa's biggest and most popular productions, including top-notch M-Net made-for-Africa shows such as the soap Tinsel; the magazine shows Star Gist and 53 Extra; and the talk shows Moments with Mo and The Patricia Show.  

Its counterpart, dedicated 24/7 movie channel AfricaMagic Movies 1, showcases dynamic stories of modern life in all movie genres, set against the urban backdrop of the continent's bustling and growing cities.

These two channels as well as the eight M-Net movie channels – of which six are in HD - will all be available on the DStv Premium bouquet.  

Themed according to movie type, the movie channels include M-Net Movies Premiere, M-Net Movies Comedy, M-Net Movies Family, M-Net Movies Action Plus, M-Net Movies Drama & Romance and M-Net Movies Showcase, which will all be in HD, as well as M-Net Movies Action and M-Net Movies Stars.

"This means that DStv Premium subscribers will now have two movies to choose from every half hour in the biggest collection ever brought together on TV in South Africa," explains Pierre Cloete, Director: M-Net Movie Channels. "Instead of the current M-Net movie offering which is limited to two generic channels, our new movie channel structure lends itself to much easier navigation. As our tagline says, there will literally be a A Movie for Every Mood, anytime of the day."

M-Net Movies Premiere (taking the place of M-Net Movies 1) is where you will find the freshest blockbusters appearing on television for the first time. Five new movies will be screened every week; on Fridays there will be a new movie at 6.30pm, 8.30pm, 10.30pm and 12.30am; and M-Net's Sunday night 8pm premiere will be screened half an hour later at 8.30pm.

M-Net Movies Showcase (replacing M-Net Movies 2) shines the spotlight on specific movies and directors with exciting festivals, themes and box sets. 

If you like your comedies with a little romance, drama, slapstick humour or slightly on the naughty side, M-Net Movies Comedy will leave you in stitches. M-Net Movies Family is the destination for wholesome entertainment for all ages, featuring animation; musicals; fantasy and feel-good family movies.  

Viewers can expect a host of blockbuster movies, from action features to Westerns, horror and sci-fi on M-Net Movies Action Plus, while M-Net Movies Drama & Romance features biographies; thrillers; documentaries and war movies alongside its love stories. 

M-Net Movies Action and M-Net Movies Stars, the two channels that won't be broadcast in HD, will respectively broadcast classic action movies and films for young and old alike.