Jane Dutton exits eNCA after 3 years.

by Thinus Ferreira

Jane Dutton is the next high-profile exit from eNCA (DStv 403) with the anchor who is gone from eMedia's TV news channel after 3 years.

Jane Dutton confirmed her exit from eNCA on Thursday, saying she's no longer there.

Jane Dutton who was the first news anchor of eNews together with San Reddy when e.tv started doing TV news bulletins in 1999, left in 2005 before the eNews Channel that eNCA was formerly known as, launched in June 2008.

Jane Dutton joined eNCA from Al Jazeera in July 2018, at first in a night time timeslot and later moving to the mornings, and thereafter jumping to morning and evening anchoring slots.

eNCA insiders told TVwithThinus at the beginning of September that Jane Dutton had resigned and left. eMedia was asked for confirmation of Jane Dutton's departure from eNCA in a media query on 1 September.

Viewers who spotted Jane Dutton's absence since mid-August have been asking for weeks where she is, along with Uveka Rangappa and Omar Essack.

"Jane Dutton are you okay? Nothing being communicated about your whereabouts on eNCA," viewer Piers Proctor remarked.

Jane Dutton's departure comes at the same time as Uveka Rangappa who exited eNCA (DStv 403) after 8 years and with Nisa Allie who also resigned and exited as part of eNCA's senior management team as the regional manager of eNCA in the Western Cape based in Cape Town.

ALSO READ: Uveka Rangappa exits eNCA after 8 years as anchor.  

ALSO READ: Jane Dutton joins eNCA for a new prime time actuality talk show.

Coronavirus: Tired eNCA anchor Jane Dutton reveals she's Covid-19 positive: 'I've been waiting for it. You feel that it's inevitable'.

by Thinus Ferreira

The tired eNCA anchor Jane Dutton is off air and home after she tested positive for Covid-19, saying she is in the second phase of the disease, adding that she's in a sense been "been waiting for it. You feel that it's inevitable".

Her 83-year old mom now also has Covid-19.

Jane Dutton's Covid-19 positive diagnosis follows that of fellow eNCA (DStv 403) anchor Shahan Ramkissoon who tested positive for the coronavirus in mid-June and isolated at home.

Shortly after him the eNCA reporter Heidi Giokos, the younger sister of TV reporter Eleni Giokos working for CNN International (DStv 401) from CNN's Johannesburg bureau, in July revealed that she had Covid-19 and was recuperated at home.

Later in July the longtime eNCA graphic designer Michael Wilson passed away from Covid-19, two months after the eNCA cameraman Lungile Tom died in mid-May from Covid-19.

Besides eNCA, South African TV news anchors and reporters at all local TV news channels have all been impacted by Covid-19 cases. Staffers at the SABC's SABC News (DStv 404) division in bureaus across the country, eMedia Investments' eNCA and its e.tv News and eNuus divisions in Cape Town and at its Hyde Park headquarters in Johannesburg, as well as Newzroom Africa (DStv 405) in Johannesburg and Cape Town have all been affected and have been grappling with Covid-19 cases.

In March, the eNCA morning anchor Jane Dutton said that she had placed herself in self-quarantine at home after she returned from aholiday in the United States. At that stage South Africa had "only" 61 positive Covid-19 cases.

Last week before Christmas eNCA viewers started to notice Jane Dutton's on-air absence but due to shift rotations and special work schedules kicking in for the holiday period within newsrooms across South Africa, viewers assumed that she was off as part of the Christmas period.

"Last Thursday I lost my voice, my throat was quite sore. I thought it was a sinus issue - laryngitis which many of my friends have had. And then on Saturday that quite surreal feeling of losing taste and smell," said a tired Jane Dutton on Tuesday morning when she did a video interview from home on eNCA.

"I've been waiting for it. You feel that it's inevitable," said Jane Dutton who mentioned that "You feel quite tired".

"I gather there are 4 stages, I'm in the second one, then the next stage is the tipping point: Am I going to improve or get worse?"

"There are so many surfaces, and when you are positive you realise how much you touch and can be contaminating," she said. 

"I'm pernickety about this. I don't go to shopping centres firstly - I don't believe in the commercialisation of Christmas. I don't particularly like it, I've been avoiding them. I've been doing sort of minimal short-term shops. I don't know."

"My brother came out from Ireland, he obviously tested negative before getting on the plane. But what happens on planes? Surfaces. You're surrounded by so many people. Did I pick it up at work? I have absolutely no idea."

"My mom - she's 83 - she's also got it, which is obviously a bit of a concern."

"So, we possibly got it together. Where? I really have no idea. But it doesn't mean that you should let your guard down. If anything, be more aware because it really is everywhere and it's a more dire strain," said Jane Dutton.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: eNCA anchor Shahan Ramkissoon tests Covid-19 positive shortly after other 2 other Johannesburg-building staffers; will self-isolate along with rest of affected shift workers for 14 days. 

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: eNCA reporter Heidi Giokos tests Covid-19 positive, says she's speaking out to break down stigma around the virus.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Another eNCA staffer dies, longtime graphic designer Michael Wilson had Covid-19.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: etv News boss Nisa Allie pays tribute to cameraman Lungile Tom who died from Covid-19: The loyal 'fist-pumping guy who documented everything and who liked a muffin and coffee for breakfast'

After a 3-day disappearance the eNCA anchor duo Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton will be back on-air on Monday after 'internal review process' over their incendiary in-news commentary.

by Thinus Ferreira

The maligned eNCA (DStv 403) anchors Jane Dutton and Xoli Mngambi will return to the anchor desk on Monday morning after an "internal review process" that saw them disappear since Wednesday for 3 days with their absence that went unexplained by eMedia Investments.

In the week eNCA had no comment other than to say the two anchors have not been suspended.

Their promised return to the Hyde Park studios anchor desk on Monday follows after a firestorm that their in-news commentary ignited on Monday morning around Covid-19 when they referred to an "emasculated" president Cyril Ramaphosa in relation to the continued ban on cigarettes during South Africa's national lockdown period.

They then added fuel to the fire with a bizarre apology on Tuesday morning for their misdirected and misogynistic commentary the previous day.

Their in-bulletin commentary, the apology, and their unexplained disappearance managed to simultaneously ignite massive anger and shock from multiple overlapping and different audience quadrants.

In eNCA's latest self-inflicted scandal, viewers of the embattled South African TV news channel were angry and shocked over what Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton said, viewers were upset that they apologised, viewers then got angry about perceived censorship at eNCA, and even South Africa's media fraternity raised the alarm and expressed deep concern about eNCA's dangerous stew of news and toxic commentary and the channel's apparent censorship of its anchors.

Weirdly, other eNCA anchors who now all mostly do on-air commentary on the news like FOX News in the United States, all fell silent and didn't say anything about the on-air disappearance of their colleagues or what led to it.

e.tv and eNCA didn't respond to questions from TVwithThinus the last few days asking about clarity on eNCA's policy of commentary within news, why it's being done, when it was instituted, and by whom.

On Saturday morning eNCA made an announcement saying Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton would be back from Monday.

The Meropa PR company, acting on behalf of e.tv, said in a statement that The South African Morning duo would be back on Monday 11 May at 06:00.

eNCA in the Meropa-issued statement says it "appreciates how the views expressed by the news anchors on Monday 4 May about president Cyril Ramaphosa and minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma could have created general public conjecture".

"As such, an internal review process was effected in line with the company's internal policies. The review entailed gaining clarity on the opinion and subsequent apology made and whether editorial diligence had been exercised."

"Through this process our broadcast and editorial teams identified the need to reaffirm our editorial guidelines and policies."

eNCA said that it "categorically refrain from censorship" and that the TV news channel "believes in the freedom in the freedom of media as enshrined in our national constitution, however we also understand that such rights cannot exist without responsibility".

eNCA says in the statement that "Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton both confirmed that they had not been suspended at any stage during the review process".

Jane Dutton in a prepared statement says "We found our engagement to be fair and were able to share our views without prejudice".

Xoli Mngambi in a prepared statement says "The apology was initiated by us and not by channel management and we never felt that we were being censored in any way".

Norman Ndivhuho Munzhelele, eNCA managing director, in a prepared statement says "Regular review of policies is important to the operation and success of any organization and even more so within a news context as our environment is an ever-changing one".

"We found this engagement to be productive and successful. We are grateful to our viewers for their continued support and patience as we completed this process."


Crass commentary
The eNCA firestorm started on Monday when Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton launched into a vitriol-filled commentary at the top of the 7 o'clock hours, without their on-air comments preceded by a warning or qualified as editorial opinion for viewers.

Jane Dutton on eNCA started the broadcast hour on Monday morning, saying: ""A reminder of who's controlling South Africa's narrative right now - not the president but minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. How? She used her power and considerable influence to ensure the ban on cigarettes would continue".

"Why did she do that? Is it because the president is popular right now? Or is it a reminder that the party politics at Luthuli House, the rivalry there, is still very much at play?" editorialised Xoli Mngambi.

Jane Dutton suggested that "While Cyril Ramaphosa has been publicly emasculated, we the public have been duped. How can you discard what the president said just because 2 000 people were against it? And how many more people wanted the sales ban lifted?

In her on-air commentary Jane Dutton said "It's the same warped throught-process behind the limited exercise-regime".

Xoli Mngambi opined that "There are fears we are becoming a police state under the control of the renegate ministers and our security forces - bullying at the top and bullying at the bottom. The president now needs to take back that power."

"Can he?" Jane Dutton wondered aloud. "This is a tipping point." She had more rhetorical questions: "If he can't deal with something like this, how will he overcome the economic challenges and lead the country out of this turbulent period?" she wondered.

On Tuesday eNCA forced Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton to make an on-air apology after which they disappeared on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from the eNCA airwaves without explanation.



In 2019 eNCA was found guilty of having breached the Broadcasting Code when anchor Vuyo Mvoko included commentary into a TV news bulletin and was ordered to apologise after viewers lodged complaints.

Broadcasting Code: Comment inside news a no-no

eNCA made use of unproven statements building a narrative for which there is no substantiating facts, as well as firing off rhetorical questions hanging in the air - exactly similar in style to how opinion hosts on the FOX News channel in the United States do their commentary-laced shows.

According to South Africa's Broadcasting Code of Conduct, pay-TV channels like eNCA "must report news truthfully, accurately and fairly" and news "must be presented in the correct context and in a fair manner, without intentional or negligent departure from the facts, whether by distortion, exaggeration or misrepresentation, material omissions or summarisation".

The Code states that "Comment must be an honest expression of opinion and must be presented in such manner that it appears clearly to be comment, and must be made on facts truly stated or fairly indicated and referred to".

It's still unclear as to why the eMedia Investments channel produced for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service has started to do in-news opinion and commentary when it's not allowed to and started to emulate the FOX News-style of opinion-infused comment on news instead of just reporting the news.

As the viewership of rival TV news channels like SABC News and Newzroom Afrika - which just celebrated its first anniversary continue to grow - eNCA which retains it lead and is still the most watched TV news channel in South Africa, has lost trust and credibility after an ongoing series of behind-the-scenes newsroom management scandals and mistakes.

SANEF: Deeply concerned about undermining of freedom of expression at eNCA

SANEF in a strongly-worded statement on Friday morning said that it is "perturbed about developments at eNCA".

"SANEF understands that a few months ago the eNCA management introduced a requirement for its anchors to be more opinionated and to open their shows on social and political issues. So it seems that when Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton aired their comments they were not violating any internal policy."

"SANEF is deeply concerned about the potential undermining of freedom of expression at eNCA," says the organisation.

"We think it important to reiterate key provisions of the BCCSA Broadcasting Code of Conduct applicable to eNCA," says SANEF.

"Section 28.1.3 of the Subscription Code clearly requires that “only that which may reasonably be true… may be presented as fact…If a report is…founded on opinion…it must be presented in such manner as to indicate clearly that such is the case."

SANEF says that "eNCA management’s strategy to include more personalised commentary in the news broadcasts has paved the way for an unfortunate mixing of news and comment in such a way that the reasonable viewer might have been left in doubt as to what was fact and what was the newsreaders’ opinion."

"SANEF respects the right of media companies to apply their own editorial guidelines, quality control measures, internal policies and directives, but this should never be at odds with the Constitution and industry codes."

"SANEF will write to eNCA acting managing director Norman Munzhelele asking for an explanation of why Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton's have been taken off air. We believe that news management should defend journalists and their freedom of expression."

"The incident follows incidents of political interference in the newsroom in December that led to the exit of the previous head of news. We will also be raising these issues in our meeting."


ALSO READ: eNCA walks back shocking FOX News-like on-air editorial attack by Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton on ‘publicly emasculated’ Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: ‘An unfortunate judgment call’.
ALSO READ: South African National Editors' Forum deeply concerned about eNCA's removal of anchors Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton, says eNCA's 'unfortunate mixing of news and commentary' could leave viewers in doubt as to what's fact and newsreader opinion.
ALSO READ: Sanef welcomes firing of eNCA's politician news boss Kanthan Pillay, says eNCA must 'get to the bottom of how a politician was ever allowed to have such a senior position in their newsroom'. 

South African National Editors' Forum deeply concerned about eNCA's removal of anchors Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton, says eNCA's 'unfortunate mixing of news and commentary' could leave viewers in doubt as to what's fact and newsreader opinion.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) says the media organisation is deeply concerned over the shocking developments at eMedia Investments' eNCA (DStv 403) that is carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, where Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton have been removed from their seats behind the anchor desks without any explanation following their equally-shocking in-bulletin commentary.

The latest eNCA scandal - once again inflicting image and news credibility damage on the embattled eNCA brand - started on Monday when news anchors Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton started the 7:00 bulletin off with a FOX News-like commentary and slammed the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa who was called "publicly emasculated" and minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma over their smoking ban during South Africa's Covid-19 national lockdown period.

The anchors said the president and minister have "duped" the public" and that South Africa was becoming "a police state under the renegade ministers".

The eNCA on-air comments came without warning or being qualifying as editorial for viewers.

Jane Dutton on eNCA started the broadcast hour on Monday morning, saying: ""A reminder of who's controlling South Africa's narrative right now - not the president but minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. How? She used her power and considerable influence to ensure the ban on cigarettes would continue".

"Why did she do that? Is it because the president is popular right now? Or is it a reminder that the party politics at Luthuli House, the rivalry there, is still very much at play?" editorialised Xoli Mngambi.

Jane Dutton suggested that "While Cyril Ramaphosa has been publicly emasculated, we the public have been duped. How can you discard what the president said just because 2 000 people were against it? And how many more people wanted the sales ban lifted?

In her on-air commentary Jane Dutton said "It's the same warped throught-process behind the limited exercise-regime".

Xoli Mngambi opined that "There are fears we are becoming a police state under the control of the renegate ministers and our security forces - bullying at the top and bullying at the bottom. The president now needs to take back that power."

"Can he?" Jane Dutton wondered aloud. "This is a tipping point." She had more rhetorical questions: "If he can't deal with something like this, how will he overcome the economic challenges and lead the country out of this turbulent period?" she wondered.

On Tuesday eNCA forced Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton to make an on-air apology after which they disappeared on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from the eNCA airwaves without explanation.

In a terse response on Wednesday night in response to a media enquiry, Norman Ndivhuho Munzhelele, eNCA managing director, told TVwithThinus that "eNCA anchors Jane Dutton and Xoli Mngambi have not been suspended".

eNCA is yet to answer or respond to other questions asked about the developing scandal, including why eNCA started doing commentary and opinion within its news reporting programming, and who implemented it.

In 2019 eNCA was found guilty of having breached the Broadcasting Code when anchor Vuyo Mvoko included commentary into a TV news bulletin and was ordered to apologise after viewers lodged complaints.

Broadcasting Code: Comment inside news a no-no

eNCA made use of unproven statements building a narrative for which there is no substantiating facts, as well as firing off rhetorical questions hanging in the air - exactly similar in style to how opinion hosts on the FOX News channel in the United States do their commentary-laced shows.

According to South Africa's Broadcasting Code of Conduct, pay-TV channels like eNCA "must report news truthfully, accurately and fairly" and news "must be presented in the correct context and in a fair manner, without intentional or negligent departure from the facts, whether by distortion, exaggeration or misrepresentation, material omissions or summarisation".

The Code states that "Comment must be an honest expression of opinion and must be presented in such manner that it appears clearly to be comment, and must be made on facts truly stated or fairly indicated and referred to".

It's still unclear as to why the eMedia Investments channel produced for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service has started to do in-news opinion and commentary when it's not allowed to and started to emulate the FOX News-style of opinion-infused comment on news instead of just reporting the news.

As the viewership of rival TV news channels like SABC News and Newzroom Afrika - which just celebrated its first anniversary continue to grow - eNCA which retains it lead and is still the most watched TV news channel in South Africa, has lost trust and credibility after an ongoing series of behind-the-scenes newsroom management scandals and mistakes.

SANEF: Deeply concerned about undermining of freedom of expression at eNCA

SANEF in a statement on Friday morning said that it is "perturbed about developments at eNCA".

"SANEF understands that a few months ago the eNCA management introduced a requirement for its anchors to be more opinionated and to open their shows on social and political issues. So it seems that when Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton aired their comments they were not violating any internal policy."

"SANEF is deeply concerned about the potential undermining of freedom of expression at eNCA," says the organisation.

"We think it important to reiterate key provisions of the BCCSA Broadcasting Code of Conduct applicable to eNCA," says SANEF.

"Section 28.1.3 of the Subscription Code clearly requires that “only that which may reasonably be true… may be presented as fact…If a report is…founded on opinion…it must be presented in such manner as to indicate clearly that such is the case."

SANEF says that "eNCA management’s strategy to include more personalised commentary in the news broadcasts has paved the way for an unfortunate mixing of news and comment in such a way that the reasonable viewer might have been left in doubt as to what was fact and what was the newsreaders’ opinion."

"SANEF respects the right of media companies to apply their own editorial guidelines, quality control measures, internal policies and directives, but this should never be at odds with the Constitution and industry codes."

"SANEF will write to eNCA acting managing director Norman Munzhelele asking for an explanation of why Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton's have been taken off air. We believe that news management should defend journalists and their freedom of expression."

"The incident follows incidents of political interference in the newsroom in December that led to the exit of the previous head of news. We will also be raising these issues in our meeting."


ALSO READ: Sanef welcomes firing of eNCA's politician news boss Kanthan Pillay, says eNCA must 'get to the bottom of how a politician was ever allowed to have such a senior position in their newsroom'.

eNCA says missing Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton have not been suspended, pulls a veil over behind-the-scenes newsroom drama after anchors' incendiary commentary and apology ignite a damaging brand firestorm.

by Thinus Ferreira

eNCA (DStv 403) says its maligned morning anchors Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton have not been suspended although the embattled South African TV news channel isn't explaining their on-air absence the past two days after their in-bulletin commentary and next-day apology ignited a firestorm of ongoing eNCA credibility and brand damage.

Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton are gone and didn't anchor their usual morning TV news slot on eNCA on Wednesday or Thursday but eNCA tells TVwithThinus neither have been suspended.

In a terse response on Wednesday night in response to a media enquiry, Norman Ndivhuho Munzhelele, eNCA managing director, said that "eNCA anchors Jane Dutton and Xoli Mngambi have not been suspended".

"This is an internal matter and remains between the employer and employees. The employer wishes to respect the rights of the employees in this regard."

On Tuesday eNCA forced Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton to make an on-air apology after their FOX News-like speculative on-air commentary when they opened their TV news slot on Monday morning and slammed the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa who was called "publicly emasculated" and minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

The anchors said the president and minister have "duped" the public" and that South Africa was becoming "a police state under the renegade ministers".

The eNCA on-air comments came without warning or being qualifying as editorial for viewers.

On Monday morning Jane Dutton on eNCA started the broadcast hour, saying: ""A reminder of who's controlling South Africa's narrative right now - not the president but minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. How? She used her power and considerable influence to ensure the ban on cigarettes would continue".

"Why did she do that? Is it because the president is popular right now? Or is it a reminder that the party politics at Luthuli House, the rivalry there, is still very much at play?" editorialised Xoli Mngambi.

Jane Dutton suggested that "While Cyril Ramaphosa has been publicly emasculated, we the public have been duped. How can you discard what the president said just because 2 000 people were against it? And how many more people wanted the sales ban lifted?

In her on-air rant Jane Dutton said "It's the same warped throught-process behind the limited exercise-regime".

Xoli Mngambi opined that "There are fears we are becoming a police state under the control of the renegate ministers and our security forces - bullying at the top and bullying at the bottom. The president now needs to take back that power."

"Can he?" Jane Dutton wondered aloud. "This is a tipping point." She had more rhetorical questions: "If he can't deal with something like this, how will he overcome the economic challenges and lead the country out of this turbulent period?" she wondered.

The anchor-duo made things worse through a half-hearted apology on Tuesday, trying to walk back what they said the day before, angering a whole new different set of viewers.

On Tuesday In their on-air mea cupla Jane Dutton said "yesterday we made a rather unfortunate judgment on the president and the cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma".

"Singling her out on the decision if it were her own was unfair and unwarranted - especially after Cyril Ramaphosa had provided clarity on the matter."

Xoli Mngambi climed in, saying: "As is practice here at eNCA we as news anchors are allowed to make commentary on any matter of national importance and this is done purely to encourage debate. It is not done out of malice or to personalise attacks on a particular leader."

"We've earned your trust and we're not about to disappoint you now at a time when the president and his team are leading us through one of the most difficult times of our country. Again, we apologise unreservedly to you, Mister President, you minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and indeed the nation," Xoli Mngambi told viewers.

Broadcasting Code: Comment inside news a no-no

eNCA made use of unproven statements building a narrative for which there is no substantiating facts, as well as firing off rhetorical questions hanging in the air - exactly similar in style to how opinion hosts on the FOX News channel in the United States do their commentary-laced shows.

According to South Africa's Broadcasting Code of Conduct, pay-TV channels like eNCA "must report news truthfully, accurately and fairly" and news "must be presented in the correct context and in a fair manner, without intentional or negligent departure from the facts, whether by distortion, exaggeration or misrepresentation, material omissions or summarisation".

The Code states that "Comment must be an honest expression of opinion and must be presented in such manner that it appears clearly to be comment, and must be made on facts truly stated or fairly indicated and referred to".

It's still unclear as to why the eMedia Investments channel produced for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service has started to do in-news opinion and commentary when it's not allowed to and started to emulate the FOX News-style of opinion-infused comment on news instead of just reporting the news.

As the viewership of rival TV news channels like SABC News and Newzroom Afrika - which just celebrated its first anniversary continue to grow - eNCA which retains it lead and is still the most watched TV news channel in South Africa, has lost trust and credibility after an ongoing series of behind-the-scenes newsroom management scandals and mistakes.


ALSO READ: eNCA walks back shocking FOX News-like on-air editorial attack by Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton on ‘publicly emasculated’ Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: ‘An unfortunate judgment call’.

eNCA walks back shocking FOX News-like on-air editorial attack by Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton on ‘publicly emasculated’ Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: ‘An unfortunate judgment call’.

by Thinus Ferreira

eNCA (DStv 403) on Tuesday apologised for its editorial slant of speculative on-air commentary that the TV news channel did in a similar approach to America's FOX News channel - this time from co-anchors Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton - who slammed president Cyril Ramaphosa and minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, saying Ramaphosa has been "publicly emasculated", the public "duped" and South Africa becoming "a police state under the renegade ministers".

On Monday morning on eNCA, Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton, back from coronavirus self-quarantine, launched into an opinion-laced on-air tirade against South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma at the beginning of the 7:00 hour.

The eNCA on-air comments came without warning or being qualifying as editorial for viewers.

eNCA made use of unproven statements building a narrative for which there is no substantiating facts, as well as firing off rhetorical questions hanging in the air - exactly similar in style to how opinion hosts on the FOX News channel in the United States do their commentary-laced shows.

According to South Africa's Broadcasting Code of Conduct, pay-TV channels like eNCA "must report news truthfully, accurately and fairly" and news "must be presented in the correct context and in a fair manner, without intentional or negligent departure from the facts, whether by distortion, exaggeration or misrepresentation, material omissions or summarisation".

The Code states that "Comment must be an honest expression of opinion and must be presented in such manner that it appears clearly to be comment, and must be made on facts truly stated or fairly indicated and referred to".

On Monday morning Jane Dutton on eNCA started the broadcast hour, saying: ""A reminder of who's controlling South Africa's narrative right now - not the president but minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. How? She used her power and considerable influence to ensure the ban on cigarettes would continue".

"Why did she do that? Is it because the president is popular right now? Or is it a reminder that the party politics at Luthuli House, the rivalry there, is still very much at play?" editorialised Xoli Mngambi.

Jane Dutton suggested that "While Cyril Ramaphosa has been publicly emasculated, we the public have been duped. How can you discard what the president said just because 2 000 people were against it? And how many more people wanted the sales ban lifted?

In her on-air rant Jane Dutton said "It's the same warped throught-process behind the limited exercise-regime".

Xoli Mngambi opined that "There are fears we are becoming a police state under the control of the renegate ministers and our security forces - bullying at the top and bullying at the bottom. The president now needs to take back that power."

"Can he?" Jane Dutton wondered aloud. "This is a tipping point." She had more rhetorical questions: "If he can't deal with something like this, how will he overcome the economic challenges and lead the country out of this turbulent period?" she wondered.

Behind-the-scenes something happened at eMedia Investments' Hyde Park eNCA newsroom because Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton tried to walk back their on-air rhetoric a day later.

On Tuesday morning eNCA said that Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton is apologising for their comments after the on-air news presenters "made an unfortunate judgment call on president Cyril Ramaphosa and cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma around the debacle on the cigarette ban.



In their eNCA on-air mea cupla Jane Dutton said "yesterday we made a rather unfortunate judgment on the president and the cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma".

"Singling her out on the decision if it were her own was unfair and unwarranted - especially after Cyril Ramaphosa had provided clarity on the matter."

Xoli Mngambi climed in, saying: "As is practice here at eNCA we as news anchors are allowed to make commentary on any matter of national importance and this is done purely to encourage debate. It is not done out of malice or to personalise attacks on a particular leader."

"We've earned your trust and we're not about to disappoint you now at a time when the president and his team are leading us through one of the most difficult times of our country. Again, we apologise unreservedly to you, Mister President, you minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and indeed the nation," Xoli Mngambi told viewers.

e.tv didn't immediately respond to a media enquiry made Tuesday morning asking about the eNCA editorial on-air attack, it's apparent move away from purely fact-driven content and why the channel appears is have started emulating the FOX News-style of opinion-infused comment on news.

eNCA's response will be added here if received.

As the viewership of rival TV news channels like SABC News and Newzroom Afrika - which just celebrated its first anniversary continue to grow - eNCA which is retains it lead and is still the most watched TV news channel in South Africa has lost trust and credibility after behind-the-scenes newsroom management scandals and mistakes.

Coronavirus: eNCA anchor Jane Dutton self-quarantines back in South Africa after return from United States holiday.

The eNCA (DStv 403) anchor Jane Dutton has "self-quarantined" following a vacation to the United States, the South African TV news channel said on Monday.

 eNCA said it took "precautionary measures" with Jane Dutton to isolate herself given the spread of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus in South Africa.

Jane Dutton anchoring The South African Morning on eNCA has been on leave and off-air for the past two weeks.

"The eNCA anchor will present herself for testing and remain off-air until the stipulated self-quarantine period has passed, and she has received a clean bill of health," says eNCA.

By Monday there were 61 coronavirus cases in South Africa.

Earlier on Monday afternoon TVwithThinus asked e.tv whether eNCA has implemented any different protocols inside the offices and studio of the TV news channel to limit staff interaction and on-site work but e.tv publicists didn't respond by the time of publication of this report.

In transition, TV news channel eNCA promises a personalised news presentation experience with its latest schedule revamp, including Uveka Rangappa anchoring premium prime time.

Facing added competition in the local TV news channel field, eNCA (DStv 403) will today announce a revamped schedule that will come into effect from Monday 29 July - together with a new look - that promises a more personalised news presentation for viewers.

The latest eNCA schedule change will include some big anchor moves being implemented just a year after the channel's last schedule change, including moving morning maven Uveka Rangappa to the evening as eNCA's new prime time star.

With added competition coming from Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405) that has joined SABC News (DStv 404) as the triptych of TV news channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, the eMedia Investments' news channel is changing its schedule a year after the 10-year old channel revamped its offering in July 2018.

eNCA will be moving Uveka Rangappa from the mornings to its most valuable prime time berth as part of the channel's most dramatic schedule shake-up as it does away with NewsNight after a decade and the timeslot getting rebranded as South Africa Tonight.

eNCA will also become the first South African TV news channel to rebrand various daypart programming blocks to new names and now linked to anchor name brands - similar to talk radio and what the trend has been in American TV news the past few years.

A physical relocation to a new Johannesburg news headquarters from the current office and studio complex in Hyde Park is being planned as well but the transition to the new news broadcasting hub won't happen in conjunction with the roll-out of the new eNCA schedule coming this Monday.

The new eNCA schedule will however be accompanied by a new look.

From 29 July Morning News Today on eNCA between 06:00 and 09:00 with Dan Moyane and Uveka Uveka Rangappa will be broken up into three different dayparts that will have a subtle tempo difference as the day moves along.

The eNCA live broadcast day will now start with First Take with Xoli Mngambi between 06:00 and 07:00, adding Jane Dutton whose prime time show was axed last month joining Xoli Mngambi from 7:00 to 8:00, and Jane Dutton anchoring solo between 8:00 to 09:00.

First Take with Xoli Mngambi will be a fast-paced hourlong show bringing viewers up to speed with overnight news and looking ahead to the day's expected news events.

South African Morning with Xoli Mngambi and Jane Dutton will look at the day's top stories and include some interviews and live crossings, while The Jane Dutton Hour at 8:00 will blend hard news and lifestyle interviews with Jane on occasion anchoring from the field.

eNCA is taking its cue from American morning shows, notably NBC's multi-hour Today Show, that starts off giving viewers the news during the early hours and transitioning to a softer news style blend including more interviews and talk as the day transitions into mid-morning.

eNCA Now between 09:00 and 13:00 is getting rebranded as Today with Dan Moyane between 09:00 and 11:00 with the morning anchor who will now present on his own and from a bit later than his usual extremely early rise. This timeslot will include live crossings to news events, analysis and interviews.


The rundown on eNCA afternoons
The Rundown will be on eNCA between 11:00 and 13:00, anchored by Michelle Craig, with eNCA Lunchtime between 13:00 and 14:00 becoming Live at Lunchtime anchored by eNCA editor-in-chief, Jeremy Maggs.

This daypart will be an "express mid-point daily update, including a dedicated business segment".

eNCA Now that ran between 14:00 and 17:00 is revamped as Upfront with Marcelle Gordon between 14:00 to 16:00, followed by Newshour anchored by Faith Mangope between 16:00 and 17:00.

Shahan Ramkissoon stays put at 17:00 but eNCA Live at Five is rebranded as The Lead with Shahan Ramkissoon where the anchor will do a consolidated and rapid-fire news bulletin.


eNCA's new news at night
It's the end of NewsNight at 18:00 with the biggest change on the eNCA schedule being Uveka Rangappa's day-night change to become the channel's new premium prime time anchor of South Africa Tonight between 18:00 and 20:00.

Uveka Rangappa will now duke it out against her former eNCA colleagues, now ratings rivals, during the exact same timeslot with Cathy Mohlahlana anchoring Newz@Prime on Newzroom Afrika, and Francis Herd anchoring Full View on SABC News.

The move also places a trio of women across all three local South African TV news channels at the forefront of delivering prime time television news in the country.

South Africa Tonight will include high-profile interviews and perspective on the day's big news events.

eNCA Now at 20:00 is rebranded as eNCA Nightline anchored by Vuyo Mvoko. This daypart will recap the day's news and include some panel discussions and longer interviews after most of the day's news is now known.

"The changes come after extensive audience research," says Jeremy Maggs, eNCA editor-in-chief. 

"We are matching our talented line-up to key hours in the day. This, accompanied by a new station look will give our audience the fast-paced product they have become accustomed to, entrenching our position as the country's most-watched news channel."

Erin Bates out at eNCA as the latest reporter to resign from the TV news channel that continues to lose high-calibre journalism talent.

Erin Bates is the next TV reporter to exit eNCA (DStv 403) shortly after Leigh-Anne Jansen resigned last week and the axing of Tonight with Jane Dutton.

eNCA on Thursday in response to a media enquiry confirmed to TVwithThinus that Bates is gone after a year and 9 months and that Jansen decided to leave.

On Thursday morning on social media Erin Bates wrote that "Yesterday was my last day of work at eNCA. It has been my pleasure and privilege to meet diverse people, listen to their stories and file reports. I've worked with some wonderful broadcast professionals and journalists. For that I am so grateful. Today a new chapter begins".

Erin Bates joined eNCA in November 2017. On Wednesday insiders told TVwithThinus that "Bates has also resigned".

Bates bidding farewell to eMedia Investments' TV news channel it supplies to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV services comes after Friday's resignation of the veteran star reporter Leigh-Anne Jansen who decided to leave eNCA after a decade.

The exit of Erin Bates and Leigh-Anne Jansen are the latest in a string of high-level departures that has been ongoing for over a year as eNCA continues to lose veteran talent and struggles with schedule and programming line-up changes.

It's happening while eNCA has to face new competition in terms of TV channels like Newzroom Afrika, and Open News which is produced by its own company as a free-to-air alternative carried on its Openview platform.

After Jane Dutton was lured back to South Africa from Al Jazeera to anchor eNCA during prime time, in mid-June eNCA abruptly cancelled Tonight with Jane Dutton without warning after just a year and declined to say why.

Meanwhile yet another eNCA schedule overhaul is coming with the channel that has cancelled the long-running Maggs on Media as well as other current affairs shows, and with yet another retool of the schedule coming just a year after the previous one was implemented in July 2018.

eNCA is done with Tonight with Jane Dutton, while long-running Maggs on Media is cancelled, as the TV news channel retools its schedule and current affairs offering again after a year.

After 11 months eNCA (DStv 403) is done with Tonight with Jane Dutton, with several other new and long-running programmes - including Maggs on Media - scrapped.

It comes as eNCA is once again working on another scheduling revamp following a lacklustre line-up rejig it unveiled in mid-July 2018 that less than a year later had come apart at the seams.

After luring the former eNews anchor Jane Dutton from Doha where she anchored for the Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257 / Cell C black 503) TV news channel and given her own weeknight prime time show from mid-July 2018, eNCA quietly and abruptly dumped Tonight with Jane Dutton that was last broadcast almost two weeks ago on 13 June.

Since its debut the talk show centred Tonight with Jane Dutton that got the plum and valuable 20:00 prime time slot, received criticism media experts, politicians and most importantly, viewers.

An interview Jane Dutton did with the EFF political party's deputy president Floyd Shivambu during her show's launch month in July 2018 left DStv subscribers wide-eyed.

Since then the show has had to apologise for on-air mistakes, while critics said that Jane often looked aloof, disconnected and uninformed about topics.

Insiders meanwhile noted that it came across as if eNCA producers were out to deliberately sabotage Jane Dutton while viewers looking for news didn't understand why eNCA switched to a talk and interview format at 20:00

An interview on 18 March on eNCA with Lesego Tlhabi during prime time - while South Africa was experiencing Stage 4 load shedding - saw Jane Dutton do a satire interview with the comedian who appeared on-air in character as Coconut Kelz, and that was conducted in a similar vein to what Trevor Noah does on The Daily Show on Comedy Central DStv (122).

Viewers were left confused and angry and under the mistaken impression that Jane Dutton was doing a real interview, not expecting news satire during eNCA's most important prime time hour as Jane asked rehearsed, play-along questions like "I believe you've got a direct line to Eskom. How does that work?"

Jane Dutton last appeared on eNCA on 12 June, with a fellow eNCA anchor suddenly sitting in for her the next night on 13 June and making a bewildering and unexplained appearance, saying "this is Tonight with Jane Dutton, I'm Thembekile Mrototo" after which the programme disappeared from the schedule.

The eMedia Investments channel made no announcement as to what has happened to Jane Dutton and issued no programming advisory, as is customary, to viewers. The timeslot quietly switched to a 2-hour "eNCA Now" branded timeslot.

eNCA was asked in an emailed media enquiry why the decision was taken to dump Tonight with Jane Dutton, whether Dutton will remain with eNCA, and if so in what role and capacity. The channel didn't answer the question.


Current affairs shows ended
eNCA's newly announced schedule and anchors line-up in July 2018 quickly started to unravel after eNCA unveiled its latest on-air shuffle as part of what it then called "reinventing ourselves for the next 10 years".

Little is now left of the schedule as eNCA announced it in July 2018 with the channel that saw a major and ongoing exodus of talent over the past year.

Several stars like the former NewsNight co-anchor Cathy Mohlahlana decided to quit who is now the prime time anchor at new rival news channel Newzroom Afrika (DStv 405).

Mapi Mahlangu who used to be the eNCA editor-in-chief was let go with Jeremy Maggs continuing in the position as acting editor-in-chief.

While eNCA remains the most-watched TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, it is feeling the growing competition from SABC News (DStv 404) and Newzroom Afrika.

Now eNCA is busy cobbling together yet another new news and current affairs programming line-up.

Insiders have whispered that Maggs on Media - the longest running continuous show to have remained on the eNCA schedule - is relocating to be done from e.tv's Zonnebloem studios in Cape Town.

The truth however is that the media and marketing Sunday morning magazine show has also been cancelled.

"Following in-depth audience research, eNCA has decided to end the productions of three current affairs shows namely Maggs on Media presented by Jeremy Maggs; CrimeWatch with Yusuf Abramjee and Madam Speaker with Iman Rappetti," eNCA told TVwithThinus in a statement in response to the media enquiry asking about the channel's changes.

"These programmes will be replaced in time with new current affairs shows which are currently in development," eNCA said.

The channel said that "eNCA can also confirm that it is revaluating its weekday and weekend line-up. This is carried out on a regular basis with the intention of improving programming and growing the audience of the country’s most watched news channel".

Jeremy Maggs said "Audience needs constantly change and it is our job to recognise these changes and make necessary adjustments".

"My thanks to both Yusuf and Iman for the hard work they both put into compelling programming." 

Jeremy Maggs said that "when changes are made, eNCA will communicate those changes".

eNCA updates its on-air look with a rebuild studio and video wall, adjusted timeslots and a Jane Dutton talk show.

On Monday 16 July eNCA (DStv 403), that turned 10 years old last month, is redoing its on-air look with a rebuilt Hyde Park studio that includes touch screens and a big video wall, as well as reducing the number of its on-air blocks including folding the afternoon slot News Day into a bigger midday slot rebranded as eNCA Now, and a prime time talk show for Jane Dutton.

From Monday Morning News between 06:00 and 09:00 becomes Morning News Today anchored by Dan Moyane and Uveka Rangappa.

Morning News Today on weekdays will look at overnight news stories and provides an overview of the day that lies ahead. The timeslot will also take a look at the lighter side of life in the country with human interest and lifestyle features.

The Lead between 09:00 and 13:00, News Day between 13:00 and 14:00 and Afternoon News between 16:00 and 18:00 all fall away and are folded into the more generic eNCA Now block from 09:00 to 17:00 with rolling news coverage.

eNCA Now will be anchored by by Xoli Mngambi, Jeremy Maggs, Michelle Craig and Thulasizwe Simelane throughout the day. Devan Murugan will be doing business news coverage.

News Night that used to start at 18:00 will now start an hour earlier at 17:00 from Monday anchored by Vuyo Mvoko and Cathy Mohahlana and go until 20:00 instead of 21:00.

News Night will continue to cover the day's big news stories.

At 20:00 on eNCA there's the introduction of Tonight with Jane Dutton, a new weekday talk show that eNCA calls its "flagship daily talk show" that will feature interviews various guests and newsmakers.

Jane Dutton returns to South Africa and e.tv from Al Jazeera.

The half hour Moneyline on eNCA falls away to make space for the hour long News Hour at 22:00 on weekdays, anchored by Shahan Ramkissoon and Siki Mgabadeli.

News Hour will take a look at the day's top news and business stories and will feature business reports as well as in-depth coverage of the day's news events.

Late Edition follows at 23:00, that eNCA calls " comprehensive, relaxed and conversational review of the day's news and a first look at the next day's action".

Mapi Mhlangu, eNCA's managing director and editor-in-chief, says the redone studio where news anchors will be able to move around more and the big video wall will make eNCA's "news delivery more contemporary, more interactive and faster moving".

She says that eNCA will continue to do "quality news".

"Audiences today have far more choice in a fragmenting television environment. My promise to the eNCA community is that despite the changing nature of news consumption, we will continue to rely on what has made us successful:  quality news that reflects the complexity of South African society, always mindful that we are a voice for ordinary people and their daily struggles," says Mapi Mhlangu.

Jane Dutton joins eNCA for a new prime time actuality talk show as the TV news channel readies a new studio, new on-air look and a new line-up with a bigger focus on talk television than just news.

Jane Dutton is joining eNCA (DStv 403) to anchor a new evening actuality talk show from next month as the local TV news channel that turned a decade old at the beginning of this month readies a new studio, a new on-air look, as well as a rejigged programming line-up with a bigger focus on talk television than just news.

Jane Dutton was the first news anchor of eNews together with San Reddy when e.tv started doing TV news bulletins in 1999, and she left in 2005 before the eNews Channel that eNCA was formerly known as, launched in June 2008.

Jane Dutton joins eNCA from Al Jazeera and will front a new live weekday talk show in which she will interview newsmakers about South African current affairs while viewers interact with calls and on social media.

The as yet unnamed show will make its debut on Monday 16 July at 20:00 and run on weekdays meaning a reduced runtime of the NewsNight timeslot.

"I've been around the world and back again but I suspect coming home to my beloved South Africa and eNCA could prove to be the best adventure yet," says Jane Dutton. "I am delighted that eNCA has given me the opportunity to give back and make this homecoming happen".

Mapi Mhlangu, eNCA's managing director and editor-in-chief, says the hope is that Jane Dutton will bring a compelling viewing dynamic as part of eNCA's programming line-up shake-up.

"As we celebrate 10 years on air this show will represent just one element of a bigger programming and presenter configuration designed to meet the changing needs of our audience. We have entrenched our position as the country's leading TV news channel over the past decade and Jane's presence will further cement that," says Mapi Mhlangu.

M-Net CEO Patricia van Rooyen on M-Net's nursery school and the pay-TV broadcaster's M Life to help with all of life's mundane chores.

August is Women's  month and in the August issue of The Media trade magazine M-Net CEO Patricia van Rooyen makes quite a "revelation".

Did you know that M-Net as a pay-TV broadcaster runs a nursery school for working mothers and have done so from the early days? That's what Patricia van Rooyen told The Media magazine. M-Net also provides M Life.

"This service helps with all those mundane chores that one doesn't always find the time to do," she tells the magazine in the current issue, "like collecting the dry-cleaning, paying bills and so forth."

"Every organisation should ask themselves and ask women what more can we do for working mothers?" says Patricia van Rooyen.

And remember Jane Dutton, the erstwhile eNews news reader on e.tv who've moved on and has been working for Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar? She tells The Media in the August edition of the magazine she is now the single mother of 18- month old twins.

"Being older means I am quite chilled about the whole thing, but man it's a killer on the back, all that picking up and changing nappies," Jane Dutton tells The Media magazine.