BREAKING. eNCA adds new environmental show, Earth Watch, from Tuesday 25 February at 10:45 with presenters Amy MacIver and Lance Witten.

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eNCA (DStv 403) is adding a new 15 minute show show Earth Watch from Tuesday 25 February at 10:45 presented by Amy MacIver (right) and Lance Witten.

The six episode environmental documentary series will contain eco-friendly tips in the weekly episodes and bring viewers environmental news.

The presenters are e.tv and eNCA telenalities - eNews anchor Amy MacIver (previously Amy Brooke and now married), and Lance Witten who left eNCA as sports presenter in mid-2013.

Earth Watch is written and produced by Elisabeth Tandy and Amy MacIver.

"The show is light enough for non-greenies to get their teeth into, and at the same time tackle meatier issues facing South Africa conversation," says Debbie Meyer, the head of eNCA's current affairs division.

"We're delighted to add this dynamic new show into our programming mix. The show's aim is to try and make us understand why we all need to be concerned about the environment".

Some of the stories covered on Earth Watch on eNCA will be the ongoing battle to save the rhino, rising sea levels, a controversial new hotel in the Kruger National Park, the plight of the honey bee, the surge in urban farming and a special pre-election piece on the different political parties' policies on the environment.

Earth Watch will repeat on eNCA on Wednesdays (12:45), Thursdays (10:45; 16:45), Fridays (11:45; 17:45), Saturdays (06:45; 14:45; 18:45) and Sundays (09:45; 17:45).

eNCA exodus of on-air staff continues with Macfarlane Moleli and Lance Witten also gone; eNCA says overall staff numbers are growing.

The eNCA (DStv 403) is bleeding on-air staff but the 24 hour South African TV news channel says that overall the staff is actually growing.

Following news woman Debora Patta out the door and Shahan Ramkissoon who left the eNCA, is Macfarlane Moleli who resigned at the end of May without the eNCA saying a word about it. Lance Witten is now also gone; he upped and left the eNCA to go back to radio.

Then there's also Charlotte Kilbane the online editor of the eNews online division who left and who insiders consider a big loss for the news channel.

The eNCA's Patrick Controy, the group head of news at the eNCA, tells TV with Thinus that there "are more people coming through the front doot than leaving out the back".

'"eNCA staff numbers have been increasing since April 2012 from 500 to 546 staff, which is an increas of 9%. For context - in May 2010 the staff total came to 338, which means our growth over this period is 62%," he says.

"This figure of 546 will increase as we fill vacancies and recruit staff for new positions which have opened up in our business."

"It is true tht a number of staff have resigned to join PowerFM. In April we had 12 resignations on file, of which nearly half have gone to the radio station. While we hate to lose staff we are in the position however of having highly trained and skilled personnel who are easily poached."

"Primedia has also lost a significant number of staff to PowerFM which makes total sense. We're probably the only two broadcasting companies training and producing talent at this level . The SABC has largely failed to do so in recent years in my view," says Patrick Conroy.

"I view it as a compliment that eNCA staff are considered to be well trained, professional and skilled. If they were not in demand by local and international broadcasters, I'd actually be a bit miffed."

"Of course when a high-profile person like Debora Patta leaves, it is understandable that to outsiders it comes as a shock. We've been in discussions with Debora Patta for months about the future and format of 3rd Degree, and ultimately she felt it was time to move on and do something different. It is perfectly normal in this business. Things change and people move on."

Over the past five years Charlotte Kilbane mentored her successor in Cape Town and then stepped back to hand over the Cape Town editor post to Nisa Allie doing an incredible job taking our product forward. Charlotte then agreed to hold off on leaving us and assist with the launch of www.eNCA.com."

"Her television experience and online insights really helped make the launch of this site a huge success. Currently it is ahead of all targets set in our business plan," says Patrick Conroy.

BREAKING. Lance Witten back on the air on the eNCA from Thursday following 'hurtful and inappropriate' tweets.

The twit could have lost his job over this but eNCA sports anchor Lance Witten will be back tomorrow on the eNCA (DStv 403) after livid news bosses at South Africa's 24 hour news channel suspended him with immediate effect 13 days ago, following out-of-line and insensitive death tweet jokes after the Linkin Park concert structure collapse tragedy in Cape Town.

Lance Witten's irresponsible tweets damaged not only his own credibility as a TV reporter and the public perception of him, but also the credibility, image, brand and integrity of the news platform he represents.

The eNCA says Lance Witten will resume his on-air work on Thursday, follwing a 13 day suspension and a disciplinary hearing during which Lance Witten acknowledged that the tweets "were hurtful and inappropriate".

While dismissal was an option on the table, the chairperson of the disciplinary committee felt that dismissal would be excessive.

"We took the matter seriously and dealth with it speedily," says Patrick Conroy, the group head of news at the eNCA. "We are satisfied with the internal disciplinary process, he has been sanctioned and we now consider this matter closed."

I asked the eNCA about the news channel's policy for social media use by reporters. Patrick Conroy tells me that the eNCA have had a social media policy for quite some time.

"This incident does not require us to revisit that policy as it comprehensively covered the issues at hand. Lance Witten accepts he failed to live up to this policy."

"Essentially the policy makes it clear that social media platforms are not private, but public, and all statements made should be considered as such."


ALSO READ: Global TV news channels have good advice for the eNCA and its suspended twit reporter Lance Witten.

Global TV news channels have good advice for the eNCA and its suspended twit reporter Lance Witten.

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Global TV news channels like Sky News, BBC World News and Al Jazeera all have good advice for people like the now-suspended eNCA (DStv 403) reporter Lance Witten who foolishly and arrogantly doesn't seem to know how to properly use social media and brought shame and embarrassement to the South African 24-hour news channel who he represents.

Lance Witten who is a TV face on the eNCA, broadcast incredibly insensitive tweets this past week after a woman tragically died at a Linkin Park rock concert in Cape Town.

He seemed unaware of the eNCA policy for social media use for its reporters, or blatantly flouting it, or was just not using the common sense viewers expect from a TV reporter. Lance Witten's puerile messages sparked a firestorm which saw him immediately getting suspended by livid eNCA bosses.

In the Royal Television Society Lecture broadcast on BBC World News (DStv 400 / TopTV 400) in South Africa over the weekend, global TV news channels all spoke about their own social media policies and their social media rules for their reporters.

Allof these 24-hour TV news channels have ground rules for social media messages to prevent their TV reporters from suffering public humiliation and embarrassement like Lance Witten and the eNCA.

All these TV news channels have great advice for the eNCA and people like Lance Witten who appear clueless about the fact that their social media comments are actually a form of broadcasting to the world and are constantly reflecting back on the credibility and image of the news organisations they work for.

"We ask staff not to talk about their political opinion and to not be a partisan; not to be critical of colleagues and to not reveal confidential information. In terms of breaking news we ask our staff to file it and tweet it at least at the same time," says Chris Hamilton, the head of social media at BBC News. "Our aim is to be as encouraging and as open as possible."

"Simplified: Don't be stupid!" says Riyaad Minty, the head of social media at A Jazeera.

"Exercise common sense," says Miranda Richardson, social media producer at Sky News.

"Think twice before pressing Tweet," says Cathy Newman, a presenter at Channel 4 News in Britain.

"Keep clear lanes between personal use and professional use," says Alan Fisher, senior US correspondent for Al Jazeera.

"What people wouldn't say on screen, they really shouldn't be saying on Facebook or Twitter," says Anna Doble, the head of online at Channel 4 News.

LIVID OVER LANCE: eNCA news bosses 'absolutely livid' over Lance Witten's action; immediate suspension indefinite.

Insiders are telling me that eNCA news bosses are "absolutely livid" over Lance Witten, the eNCA (DStv 403) sports anchor who also appears on e.tv and his appalling twitter trashtalk which has now gotten him immediately suspended.

Lance Witten tweeted "Linkin Park is so badass, people are dying to see 'em" after the tragic death last night in which 19 people were injured when scaffolding collapsed at the Linkin Park performance in Cape Town. Lance Witten continued with further tweets until suddenly becoming remorseful and apologizing and deleting the tweets.

Shocked eNCA colleagues tell me they feel bad for Lance Witten when they were informed about the suspension, but they also feel that he's damaged the eNews reputation.

"People follow us [on twitter] for the news and the stories we're on and doing. He should know better," said an insider.

"It's intense. Very little [we] hate more than to be the news; we work so hard to bring the news and not actually be it," said eNewser to me. "Embarrassing," said another.

eNews bosses meanwhile are very uspset, I'm told. I asked for how long Lance Witten has been suspended but e.tv tells me: "Patrick Conroy [the group head of news at the eNCA] will not be commenting further on this matter".

The eNCA isn't willing to [or can't tell] me who will be filling in for Lance Witten while being suspended. "The eNCA team of anchors will fill in his slots," says e.tv.

BREAKING. Lance Witten, eNCA sports anchor suspended immediately following derogatory tweets after Linkin Park concert tragedy.

Lance Witten, the sports anchor of the eNCA (DStv 403) has been suspended with immediate effect by e.tv's 24-hour news channel following his derogatory and extremely insensitive tweets after the Linkin Park concert tragedy last night in Cape Town when a Lucozade billboard fell on concert goers killing one woman and injuring several others.

Lance Witten, who appears on both e.tv as well as the eNCA, made disgusting and insensitive references to the tragic death last night in which 19 people were injured when scaffolding collapsed, tweeting "Linkin Park is so badass, people are dying to see 'em."

When angry people started to react, the unprofessional Lance Witten arrogantly kept reacting on twitter: "die mense kry hulle panties in a knot oor 'n tweet".

Lance Witten even joked that comedian Trevor Noah would in future use his joke on stage. Then, after probably intervention by eNCA executives, Lance Witten deleted the comments, suddenly became remorseful and tried to apologise for his insensitive remarks.

e.tv has now started an internal enquiry into Lance Witten's controversial twitter comments and says that Lance Witten's comments "do not reflect the views or values of our company".

Lance Witten, who appears clueless as to how important it is as to what comments can and can't be made by a public person irrespective of where they are, is now suspended and e.tv says "our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young woman who lost her life, and all those who were injured in this terrible accident.

Insiders told TV with Thinus that eNCA news bosses are "absolutely livid" over Lance Witten's actions. The eNCA told me the news channel will not be commenting further and also wasn't able or willing to say for how long the suspension will be.