GAME NOT ON: ANN7's biggest and most embarrassing mistake on its launch night as amateur-looking sports presenters bumble on.

There were other embarrassing mistakes all through the launch night of ANN7 (DStv 405) but the biggest unprofessional on-screen mess of South Africa's third 24-hour news channel happened at 22:04 on Wednesday night.

Two amateur and awkward looking sports presenters were involved in a massive on-screen fail, only to start over right from the beginning after a very long promo break as if viewers saw none of it.

There were audio problems right from the start when Game On! started at 22:04 on ANN7 but that was only the beginning. You can watch the cringe-worthy technical mess which played out on ANN7 for yourself.

Look at the presenters at a loss for words. Listen out for the floor crew or the control room voice which you're not supposed to hear.

Look at Carolyn Samuels on the left making faces, trying to signal the floor crew and control room, then mouthing words, and eventually even talking to people off screen.

Listen to Carolyn Samuels saying to her co-presenter "Good one" while the sport clip plays - something you're not supposed to hear, and most probably encouragement after they tried to - and think that they managed to - "save" the segment. (Too late!)

Once the long sport clip ends - abrupty - more embarrassement. Silence. "Hello." "We're back from the break." (Oh? Wasn't it a sports clip?)

More silence. More vacant staring. More sound problems. More control room voice. "Great stuff. Ja, please."

More silence.

More staring.

Then suddenly Table Mountain and then a litany of long promos until Game On! on ANN7 suddenly returned and started right over as if none of it happened.

It wasn't possible to ask ANN7 on Wednesday night what happened and went wrong here; ANN7 was asked repeatedly in multiple media enquiries for weeks before the channel launched who the designated correct ANN7 contact point is for press in terms of urgent media enquiries regarding short notice programming changes and urgent programming enquiries once ANN7 starts broadcasting - there's never been a response.


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