eNCA says the Sabido-owned 24-hour TV news
channel which has been struggling to keeps its African business financially
afloat, will continue to report on Africa despite the dramatic downsizing.
Last month Sabido warned that the pan-African
TV news division of eNCA could be shutting down the loss-making division, as
well as shuttering its Natural History Unit and factual division and that staff
losses will be the result.
Africa360 is now officially cancelled as TV with Thinus reported earlier this month is happening.
"After consulting with staff, eNCA has made
the difficult decision to close its Africa division,” the company tells TV with Thinus in response to a media enquiry made Tuesday.
“This impacts the television operations of
eNews Africa and regrettably Africa360
will be discontinued. Given its reliance on the bureaus and ability to travel
throughout Africa, it was not logistically possible to continue with the show".
eNCA says the downsizing and firing of staff
looming "does not affect eNCA, news on e.tv (Zulu news and Prime Time), eNuus
on kykNET, nor does it affect our online team at eNCA.com."
eNCA says the news channel – which competes
with the SABC's SABC News (DStv 404) and Infinity Media's ANN7 (DStv 405) as
24-hour TV news channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform "will continue
to report on Africa issues using a strong network of stringers and deploy teams
out of South Africa if necessary".
