CNBC Africa (DStv 410) tells me that the business TV channel - now rocket by an ever-growing funding scandal, a severely dented public image as broadcaster of business news, a tarnished reputation, cagey responses to the media and an expanding credibility problem - ''has maintained editorial independence''.
That's after the growing scandal that CNBC Africa pocketed government money in ''advertising agreements'' and sponsorships worth millions of dollars from The Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) and Wesgro for TV shows.
CNBC Africa has so far had no response, or lukewarm and very terse, almost one-liner comments on the growing revelations of funding improprieties and alleged sponsorship conduct unbecoming of a business TV channel such as CNBC Africa. There's a massive amount of irony that CNBC Africa is slamming shut and refusing to discuss or talk about the issue - which is something that CNBC Africa, as well as it's American counterpart CNBC, would never accept from the business, companies and business community it covers.
CNBC Africa chose not to answer any of the specific questions that I've put to CNBC Africa's chief operating officer, Gary Alfonso and refused to respond specifically to questions on whether money received from Wesgro and the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) influenced editorial decisions regarding coverage and the type of TV coverage on CNBC Africa.
CNBC Africa also chose not to answer on whether CNBC Africa told editorial staff not to cover certain stories because of sponsorships, and didn't want to answer on whether CNBC Africa sees any conflict or undue influence arising out of receiving money from government or parastatal agencies. Does CNBC Africa still have an annual advertising shortfall, and how would CNBC Africa describe its current financial and advertising revenue situation? CNBC Africa isn't answering - probably hoping and wishing that all of this would just go away.
''CNBC Africa reiterates its position that at all times the channel has maintained editorial independence and control in relation to all content broadcast,'' is the only ''answer'' CNBC Africa has sent me in response to my specific questions. ''It is the channel's policy that no commercial agreement prevents CNBC Africa from maintaining editorial independence''.
CNBC Africa is seriously making things worse by not discussing the issue, not saying how it's possibly looking or relooking at the issue of the TV channel's funding and advertising model and how it's going to (try and) restore its credibility which is now in serious question as a business news TV channel.
