Former CNN International correspondent Diana Magnay joins Sky News; meanwhile Sky's technology correspondent Tom Cheshire moving to Beijing as new Asia correspondent.

The former CNN International (DStv 401) correspondent Diana Magnay has joined Sky News (DStv 402) as Moscow correspondent while Sky News; technology correspondent Tom Cheshire has been appointed as Sky News' Asia correspondent.

Tom Cheshire (right) will be based in Beijing, China.

Diana Magnay is replacing John Sparks who is Sky News' new Africa correspondent replacing Alex Crawford who is moving to Istanbul, Turkey to set up a new news bureau for Sky News there.

Alex Crawford, Sky News South Africa and Africa correspondent, leaving to head up new bureau in Istabul; replaced by John Sparks.

Alex Crawford, the respected and award-winning Sky News (DStv 402) correspondent for South Africa and Africa, is leaving to head up a new news bureau in Istanbul, Turkey, and will be replaced with John Sparks.

The distinguished, respected and hard-working Alex Crawford has done several (hard-hitting) memorable and brilliant stories from South Africa and across several African countries the past years.

Alex Crawford has far surpassed, in her own on-the-ground African coverage, the barely-there African coverage that viewers get from South Africa's African-shy channels eNCA (DStv 403), SABC News (DStv 404) and ANN7 (DStv 405) who all largely use wire agency and news agency file footage from Reuters and others and don't want to do first-hand reporting from correspondents in African countries.

Unlike South Africa's TV reporters working at eNCA, SABC News and ANN7, Alex Crawford goes to actual African places - reporting from Libya, from inside the Democratic Republic of the Congo where child slaves mine cobalt, from the Zimbabwe border where woman are captured as sex slaves, Malawi's abortion cults, oil pirates in Nigeria and many more.

Alex Crawford is now leaving South Africa to head up a new Sky News bureau in Istanbul, Turkey.

Alex Crawford will be replaced in Sky News' Johannesburg news bureau that covers Africa, by John Sparks, who is currently based in Moscow, Russia.

Zimbabwe freaks out over CNN International correspondent David McKenzie's brilliant 2-day reporting from inside the country that it claims 'was stage managed'.

Zimbabwe is freaking out over the absolutely terrific 2-day reporting on CNN International  this week and done by its Africa correspondent David McKenzie from inside the failed state.

With inside access and tracking, tracing and persuading scared insiders to talk, correspondent David McKenzie's brilliant reporting gave CNN International (DStv 401) viewers a first hand view and insight on what is really going on in Zimbabwe.

The country is again being ravaged by renewed violence and unrest, growing public protest, a police clampdown and a new wave of civil resistance against despot Robert Mugabe's rule but the past few months outside media has been barred from access to the country to report freely on what's happening inside it.

Please watch and read David McKenzie's brilliant report right here.

For the past month and a half both CNN International and Sky News (DStv 402) have been brilliant at incisive, on the ground reporting from inside Zimbabwe and from South Africa's Limpopo border, exploring and showing the latest crisis escalating in the beleaguered Southern African nation.

Please watch and read Alex Crawford's incredible report right here.

Meanwhile South African TV news channels - eNCA, SABC News and ANN7 have done literally nothing besides running really old file footage and some wire service visuals with voice-overs - largely ignoring the growing crisis and humanitarian issues in South Africa's neighbouring country.

In an unintentionally hilarious response released today by the Zimbabwe Police, it starts by saying "While we agree that CNN like any other media institution have journalistic privileges these should never be abused".

"We watched with total disbelief an interview purported to have been carried out with a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police," says C. Charamba, Zimbabwe police senior assistant commissioner.

"By merely looking at the shadowy figure with a voice that had been modified it is clear that this fictitious character would fit in a Hollywood style movie".

The Zimbabwe police then accuses CNN International that "it is very clear that the whole interview was manufactured and concocted or simply put it was stage managed".

The Zimbabwe police says "this is clearly unorthodox, unprofessional and malicious".

"It belies understanding why people go to such unprofessional lengths to plump the depth to come up with an entirely fictitious story.The reportage by CNN  reporters is one sided to say the least suggesting that they had come to Zimbabwe on a mission."

CNN International, Sky News both win big with great television journalism rewarded at the Royal Television Society's Television Journalism Awards 2016.

South Africa doesn't have anything like it (and would so greatly benefit from something similar) but the United Kingdom has the Royal Television Society - and besides that they do the annual RTS Television Journalism Awards to rewards the best TV journalism.

Well, the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2016 just took place and several of the winners have bearing (hence this story) on the South African and African audience, since the work they've won for are seen and have been seen on TV news channels available here.

Sky News (DStv 402) won 5 RTS Television Journalism Awards, and CNN International (DStv 401) won two at yesterday evening's awards in London.

Sky News' brilliant Alex Crawford who covers Africa from Johannesburg won as the Television Journalist of the Year - the 5th time in a row!

Sky News won as News Channel of the Year (for the second year in a row).

Sky News's director of operations Jackie Faulkner also won the Judges' Award recognising her "outstanding contribution to the advancement of television journalism".

Sky News at Five won in the Daily News Programme of the Year category.

Sky News' coverage of 2015's terror attack in Tunisia won the News Coverage - International award.

CNN International's brilliant Nima Elbagir won in the category for Specialist Journalist of the Year.

CNN International also won for Best Breaking News coverage for its coverage of the Paris Attacks.

NewsNight seen on BBC World News (DStv 400 / StarSat 256) won in the Scoopof the Year category.

Julie Etchingham won as Network Presenter of the Year. She works at ITV and was the moderator for the ITV Election 2015 Leaders debate - which (thanks for how small the world is becoming!) was also seen in South Africa.

NCIS becomes the most-watched TV drama in the world; The Bold and the Beautiful and Modern Family now the most watched soap and comedy.

NCIS has now become the most watched TV drama in the world, winning the International Television Audience Award for a TV drama series at the 54th Monte Carlo Television Festival for the show with the biggest global audience.

Various seasons of NCIS are seen in South Africa on pay-TV broadcaster M-Net, free-to-air public broadcaster SABC2 and the Universal Channel (DStv 117) and is distributed worldwide by CBS Studios International.

In a statement the NCIS star and executive producer Mark Harmon and executive producer Gary Glasberg say: "As NCIS enters its 12th season, we couldn't be happier to learn we're now the number one drama in the world. It's no secret that determination and teamwork have allowed our cast and crew to continue to deliver a show we're truly proud of".

"We also know we wouldn't be here without the support and loyalty of the best fans in television. Thanks to our worldwide audience".

The winner of the most-watched TV comedy series globally was Modern Family distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Television and seen in South Africa in M-Net.

The Bold and the Beautiful, seen in South Africa on SABC3 and produced by Bell-Phillip Television Productions, won for the 9th consecutive time as the most watched TV soap worldwide.

Meanwhile Sky News (DStv 402) and special correspondent Alex Crawford also won a Golden Nymph for best TV news story for a report on the victims of rape in the Central African Republic.

"We're delighted that the Monte Carlo jury took the brave decision to recognise this difficult and sensitive subject from a country which is not on many people's radar and by doing so, has raised the whole profile of sexual violence being used as a weapon of war," says Alex Crawford in a statement.

Best TV news documentary went to Al Jazeera's (DStv 406 / StarSat 401) Correspondent programme's "Identity and Exile", while CNN (DStv 401) won for best 24-hour news programme for Ukraine Unrest: Shooting In Independence Square.

"It's great that 'Identity and Exile' has been recognised with such a prestigious award," says Farid Barsoum, the executive producer of Correspondent in a statement. "It's a well-crafted and beautifully told personal story that treats such a polarising subject with incredible sensitivity and intelligence".

GRUESOME SHOCKER. South African TV makes history by showing for the first time a dead Reeva Steenkamp and shocking head injuries.

People in South Africa are completely shocked in today's Oscar Pistorius murder trial coverage as it was shown on television.

For the first time in South African history- and for the first time in South African television history - an image/photo of a victim, photographed dead on the scene, was shown on South African television in live TV coverage of a court case and a murder trial.

It happened when a gruesome and shocking image of victim Reeva Steenkamp, killed by Oscar Pistorius, taken by police on the night of the fatal shooting, was shown in full on TV on Wednesday.

(It is the side image visible on the screen at the right in the image above, which was shown, full screen, on broadcast television seconds later). 

While other TV channels had no on-air age restriction indicator, the Carte Blanche Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv 199, carried (only) the ongoing "13" age restriction. 

It's highly debatable whether this is/was remotely sufficient for the gruesome image which was shown on South African television today.

Broadcasters - not eNCA (DStv 403), ANN7 (DStv 405), SABC News (SABC News 404), OpenView HD's Oscar Pistorius Trial channel - had no prior warning that this shocking image of a dead Reeva Steenkamp and her head blown open, was going to be shown in court and with such severe and horrific impact. 

However, why the image was repeatedly being shown on television in repeat broadcasts of the court proceedings, is unclear - although a channel like the Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel on MultiChoice did run an on-screen notification bar warning about "graphic evidence" and that "viewer discretion is advised".

Is the age restriction to show an image of a real-life person on broadcast television who is now dead - and who sustained gory and gruesome injuries and severe bodily trauma - only 13?

As a South African TV critic I do not have the answer to that question.

I'm deliberately not showing the image here - although people who tuned in to the TV channels broadcasting the court case had no prior warning and no choice.

They just unexpectedly saw it - the same way as the people inside the North Gauteng High Court who all let out a collective gasp.

Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, who have sat in court every day as she did today, did get prior warning from the prosecutor that the image was going to be shown in court today.

"It got uncomfortable for people seeing Reeva's head up there, and it being juxtaposed with the watermelon exploding because of some fired shots. It painted a graphic and disturbing picture," said prof. Tawana Kupe, Wits academic and journalist, later, when he was interviewed on the Oscar Pistorius trial TV channel on Wednesday night.

"A very, very graphic image," said Alex Crawford, the Sky News correspondent, covering the Oscar Pistorius murder trial, "showing both bullet entry and exit wounds, brain matter all in her hair. And it was utter shocking".

I'm hiding the image which was shown on South African television behind a fold below. Do not scroll down further, or do not click on the link below if you do not want to see this image.

In edited news stories, 24-hour TV news channels like Sky News (DStv 402) which used pieces of the footage, it blurred both of the images, and told viewers before showing the specific scenes, that it blurred the images.

That an extremely graphic image like this was shown in a South African court is in itself not unusual. This is a murder case. 

What is highly unusual, and that happened for the first time on South African television, is that it was shown to a broad public - a viewing public which includes and can potentially include anybody. 

That is what makes the broadcast of this image shocking and unprecedented for South Africa and for South African television and for South Africa's legal profession.

It's never happened before, is unknown territory, and potentially exposes people who did not want to see something like this - for instance a 15 year old, or a 55 year old, not tuned into a news programme - to something they can't "unwatch".

If you want to see it, you will have to click on the link below at the end of this article, but I cannot stress enough that it is highly disturbing, makes for disturbing viewer, and shouldn't be watched by sensitive people.

BREAKING. With duelling, highly sensational court trials - Oscar! Dewani! - eNCA, SABC News, ANN7 struggle to bring all the news.

With breathless live reporting and multiple live crossings, 24-hour TV news channels, from Sky News (DStv 402) and eNCA (DStv 403) to SABC News (DStv 404) and ANN7 (DStv 405) are having a veritable field day and are struggling to keep up with the sensational Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria and the Shrien Dewani murder trial in Cape Town.

All of the channels are bringing viewers insta-reaction and insta-coverage of both over-the-top, sensational court cases happening simultaneously in Pretoria's North Gauteng High Court and Cape Town's Western Cape High Court, with compelling news and reporting available from both cases.

On Sky News, Jeremy Thompson back in South Africa outside the court room, and Alex Crawford inside the court building is reporting on Oscar Pistorius on his stumps in the sensational court case.

On eNCA the channel ran the Oscar Pistorius court room testimony, as did SABC News and ANN7.

SABC News cut to Chriselda Lewis for commentary and reporting on Oscar Pistorius; eNCA went to Cathy Mohlahlana outside the Pretoria courtroom.

eNCA experiencing broadcasting problems just before 13:00 and threw to Andrew Barnes, Leigh-Ann Jansen and Olly Barratt in Cape Town covering the sensational Shrien Dewani murder trial.

ANN7 has Kevin Brandt in Cape Town reporting on the Shrien Dewani story, and Michael Appel reporting from the Oscar Pistorius murder trial in the North Gauteng High Court.

Sky News adds extensive Oscar Pistorius murder trial coverage with a special, daily Pistorius Trial review programme at 23:30 from Monday.

Sky News (DStv 402) will start with extensive coverage of the Oscar Pistorius murder trial on Monday 3 March and has added a daily, special Pistorius Trial review programme which will start on Monday at 23:30 (South African time).

From Monday Sky News will be reporting live from the Oscar Pistorius court case from the North Gauteng High Court in South Africa.

Sky News' Jeremy Thompson has flown from London to Pretoria and and will present the latest news and developments to a global audience, as well as interview a number of guests, including regular commentary from a South African lawyer and a forensic expert.

Alex Crawford, special correspondent; Martin Brunt, crime correspondent; and Emma Hurd as foreign correspondent will all join Jeremy Thompson in Pretoria and Alex Crawford will be reporting live from the Oscar Pistorius courtroom.

Sky News has created a 3D layout of the Oscar Pistorius apartment, there will be a live feed from a stenographer, a Twitter stream from the Sky News correspondents covering the murder trial, extensive image galleries and infographics on South Africa's legal system.

Sky News is also adding a live stream of the Oscar Pistorius trial on the Sky News channel on YouTube.

"Sky News has a strong history of delivering must-see coverage of courtroom trials," says John Ryley, the head of Sky News in a statement.

"Our special nightly programme will offer a succinct review of the day. Sky News customers will have every aspect of the trial available to them at their fingertips," says John Ryley.

Stedman Graham, Richard Engel, Lester Holt, Jeremy Thompson, Jon Sopel, Komla Dumor in South Africa after Nelson Mandela's death.

Blink and you'll have missed him, but Stedman Graham, the partner of Oprah Winfrey showed up on South Africa television on Sunday in the church service broadcast on SABC1 where president Jacob Zuma addressed the South African nation following the death of Nelson Mandela.

Stedman Graham co-incidentally happened to be in South Africa when Nelson Mandela died - he arrived here a while ago to do a city-by-city tour through South Africa to discuss his Identity Leadership concept.

Stedman Graham could be seen sitting just behind and to the side of Mamma Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at the Bryanston Methodist Church in Johannesburg on Sunday morning.

Stedman Graham will likely remain in South Africa, and will most likely be joined by Oprah Winfrey in attending the memorial service and funeral of Nelson Mandela later this coming week.

Other international TV notables as part of the foreign TV correspondent influx who are now in South Africa due to Nelson Mandela's death include Sky News' (DStv 402) Jeremy Thompson who is already anchoring Nelson Mandela coverage.

Sky News' Stuart Ramsay has also travelled to South Africa and has gone to Qunu in the Eastern Cape to report from there. Of course Sky News Alex Crawford and Emma Hurd who are helping out, are based here.

South Africa's David McKenzie, CNN International's (DStv 401) correspondent in China has also returned home on Saturday and will be filing stories and covering Nelson Mandela news from South Africa during the upcoming week.

From CNN International coming to South Africa to report on Nelson Mandela's death and funeral week is Christiane Amanpour and Anderson Cooper, with Isha Sesay flying in, as well as Arwa Damon and even Chris Cuomo.

Together with Errol Barnett, Robyn Curnow and David McKenzie, this gives CNN International the biggest correspondent reach within South Africa all dedicated to covering all angles and aspects of the Nelson Mandela story.

Travers Andrews is South Africa and based in Cape Town and is covering the news for CCTV News (DStv 409 / StarSat 403).

NBC News' chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel is here in South Africa as well, as is Lester Holt, who reported and anchored on Saturday night for the American newscast from Soweto. Brian Williams, the anchor of NBC Nightly News which can be seen on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) is on his way to South Africa and will anchor Tuesday and Wednesday's news bulletins from Pretoria.

From BBC World News (StarSat 400 / DStv 400) now in South Africa are Komla Dumor and Jon Sopel. Ros Atkins flew in last week meaning to go to Lesotho. When Nelson Mandela died he made a U-turn back to Soweto and is still here for the upcoming week.

ABC News in America has Alex Marquardt and Byron Pitts reporting from South Africa on Nelson Mandela.

Greg Palkot, the senior foreign affairs correspondent for Fox News Channel (StarSat 405), usually based in London, is in South Africa.

Al Jazeera (StarSat 401 / DStv 406) dispatched Mike Hanna and Jonah Hull to South Africa. Mike Hanna covered South Africa as a CNN International journalist during apartheid and the post-apartheid era. Jonah Hull is Al Jazeera's correspondent in London.

CBS News now has Allen Pizzey in Johannesburg, reporting for the CBS Evening News (which can be seen on Sky News.

Debora Patta from South Africa, reported for the CBS Evening News for the third night in a row from Johannesburg.

BREAKING. Emma Hurd is leaving South Africa as Sky News correspondent; replaced by Alex Crawford in Johannesburg.

Emma Hurd is leaving Johannesburg and South Africa as the correspondent for Sky News (DStv 402) for South Africa and Africa, and will be replaced by Alex Crawford (above) who will be heading up the South African bureau of Sky News.

Sky News just announced in a press statement that special correspondent Alex Crawford will take up a new posting in Johannesburg, replacing the longtime Emma Hurd, who in turn vacates Johannesburg for Jerusalem as the new Middle East correspondent for Sky News.

Alex Crawford is currently based in Dubai and has so far spent the year covering the tumultuous uprisings in North Africa and the Middle-East, currently reporting from the stricken Libyan cities of Zawiya and Misratah. ''Alex Crawford's new role will see her return to the continent where she grew up to cover news across Africa. She will also continue to be deployed on big stories around the world,'' says Sky News.

In other foreign bureau moves Sky News's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay will transfer from Delhi to the Dubai bureau. Dominic Waghorn is to leave Jerusalem to take up the role of American correspondent replacing Robert Nisbet who will move to Brussels as Europe correspondent. Alex Rossi takes up the post of India correspondent based in Delhi.

''It's been an incredibly busy start to the year for foreign stories and it doesn't look like its going to slow down anytime soon,'' says Sarah Whitehead, head of international news for Sky News. ''Our re-formed teams will bring the best news stories from every region to viewers at home and around the world.''