e.tv has dumped its long-running local youth programming content block Craz-e, after a decade that it used to broadcast on weekdays afternoons at 15:55, doing away with the entire group of local youth presenters and the local content the channel offered for years produced by Red Pepper.
e.tv launched Craz-e in
e.tv decided to now fill afternoons with international youth shows and animation.
As rumoured, e.tv dropped Craz-e at the end of March but didn't make any announcement beforehand.
e.tv was asked Tuesday why it didn't announce the end of Craz-e but the eMedia Investments channel didn't answer the question. There's also no explanation as for why e.tv decided to do away with Craz-e's various local content strands.
In response to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus on Tuesday, e.tv confirmed that the channel has ended its Craz-e local youth programming block at the end of March 2019.
On 2 April e.tv said that from 1 April its programming line-up "will feature a mix of local and international shows, including Supa Strikas, Zafari, Turbo FAST, Zak Storm and Trollhunter: Tales of Arcadia".
"Television is always evolving, and we are constantly reviewing and refreshing our lineup to make sure that we are catering to the needs of our viewers," says Marlon Davids, head of e.tv channels.
"It has been a fantastic journey, and we are ending this era of youth programming on a high note."
"We would like to thank the presenters and our producing partners at Red Pepper for all their creativity and hard work over the years. They have produced thousands of hours of great entertainment, and we are incredibly proud of the positive contribution they have made to e.tv and South Africa's youth."
It's not clear how e.tv plans to adhere to its annual content quotas for local youth programming mandated by the broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
e.tv was asked how e.tv foresee to do and include local youth programming going forward but didn't specifically answer that question either.
e.tv in a statement says that "Over the years, Craz-e's high energy youth programming, which has included standalone shows like Sistahood, Shiz Niz, and Craz-e World Live, has been a source of information, inspiration and entertainment for millions of young South Africans."
