Discovery Networks International for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) region restored its carriage agreement with the struggling On Digital Media (ODM) today to resume carrying its three Discovery channels - TLC (TopTV 453), Discovery Science (TopTV 302) and ID: Investigation (TopTV 303) - on its TopTV satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa after a massive public embarrassement.
In a case study of "how NOT to" when it comes to crisis management and crisis communication, neither the arrogant and aloof Discovery Networks International nor the arrogant and aloof TopTV bothered or felt the need to talk to those who presumably matter most: its viewers and pay-TV subscribers.
TopTV's pay-TV subscribers - those who remain after multiple public missteps from the company currently in business rescue and which faced liquidation - were left angry, perplexed - and vented - after Discovery Networks CEEMEA abruptly and without any warning from them as content provider or from TopTV, pulled the three channels.
TopTV's channels were set to go dark on Tuesday night if TopTV shareholders didn't vote to approve the StarTimes bail-out deal. TopTV's third-party channel providers and creditors were aware of that and were ready to shut down their channels.
It's foreseeable that TopTV forgot to tell Discovery Networks CEEMEA that TopTV is still an ongoing business after the end of April - or that TopTV didn't communicate and that Discovery presumed the carriage agreement is over.
It's also possible that Discovery would have shut its channels down anyway at the end of April similar to Manchester United Television (MUTV) in November 2012 and Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) which pulled Showtime, Star! and Silver in December 2012 due to millions in outstanding debt.
It's also possible that TopTV didn't in time,or forgot to do so in time, communicate with Discovery Networks CEEMEA to discuss the new bail-out agreement with StarTimes and to ask Discovery to be lenient since new cash flow will be forthcoming.
Which one of these possibilities it is - or anything else - is not yet known since Discovery Networks CEEMEA and TopTV declined to give answers when asked and offered the opportunity to explain.
At 16:51 today TopTV's PR company paid to handled public relations and media enquiries, Amplified Communications, suddenly issued a press statement saying "TopTV is pleased to announce that the three Discovery Channels broadcast from its platform - Science, ID and TLC - will be restored on-air after 17:00 this evening."
It follows after media enquiries on Friday with specific questions as to what went on - both to TopTV marketing and publicity executives, Amplified Communications, as well as to Discovery Networks CEEMEA through their local employed South African PR firm, Fleishman-Hillard.
Specific questions about what is going on with the missing Discovery channels all went blatantly unanswered. The PR companies of course get paid by Discovery and TopTV and operate according to their instructions.
During the day TopTV didn't communicate with TopTV subscribers and refused to answer questions from the press about what is happening and why it happened, as TopTV subscribers wondered what's going on.
"Due to the technical nature of the business rescue process and a misunderstanding between the parties, Discovery Communications suspended its services to TopTV yesterdat (02 May)."
"Following a discussion between TopTV and Discovery earlier today, the situation was resolved and the three channels will be switched back on during the course of this afternoon," says the late-issued statement attributing quotes to Eddie Mbalo, TopTV's acting CEO.
"TopTV would like to apologise to its subscribers for this inconvenience and thanks them for their continued and loyal support."
Sadly for thousands of TopTV subscribers this "apology" came far too late.
TV with Thinus asked Amplified Communications and TopTV for specific answers to specific questions early on Friday after first asking on Thursday evening. On Friday no answers or explanations were forthcoming.
Fleishman-Hillard repping Discovery Networks CEEMEA said today "Discovery Networks will not be commenting on the issue at this stage."
I asked TopTV bare-minimum, bare basics questions which ordinary TopTV subscribers wanted and needed - and has a right - to know, since they pay actual real money for a service (they're not getting).
Subscribers of TopTV say they can't get their Discovery channels and were not told the channels are discontinued.
Why did the channels stop broadcasting?
No response.
Subscribers are wondering whether more TV channels on TopTV will be lost. Can TopTV give any assurances that the channels currently broadcasting will remain "on", or what does TopTV want to say and communicate to subscribers?
No response.
Why was TopTV subscribers not told that the Discovery channels would no longer be transmitted from yesterday, or, was TopTV informed, or when was TopTV told?
No response.
After the press statement was issued 9 minutes before the Discovery channels came back on, I asked - again - to please get specific answers to my specific questions and media enquiries made. I was told the press statement answers the "issue".
ALSO READ: Shocking lack of communication from Discovery Networks CEEMEA and TopTV after Discovery's 3 TV channels abrupty disaappear.
ALSO READ: Discovery's three TV channels on TopTV - Science, ID and TLC - all gone and blank as Discovery Networks International pulls their channels from TopTV.
Editor's note: You would think PR companies, media companies, companies whose business is relationship management and companies whose business is making money from communication would communicate better than the average. Clearly not. That's sad.
Companies, entities, corporations and individuals of course have the right of reply.
As a journalist I have to ask people. I also have to ask because it's my job and I ask on behalf of those who can't.
Companies and people and institutions have a golden opportunity to mitigate brand and reputation damage by responding and talking and being open, instead of pulling back, instead of having publicist become gatekeepers and blockers instead of being instrumental communicators and conduits for information. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the business you're in. Media. Communication. How terrible when its not happening.
And the people suffering the most? The TopTV subscriber who not only gets handled and treated badly and without respect - but who are also shown through a total lack of proper corporate and public communication that they seemingly don't even "deserve", and are unworthy, of real-time answers.
