Veteran reporter Andrew Barnes leaves eNCA; the longtime News Day anchor will exit at the end of April, closing yet another chapter at the news channel.

The senior TV anchor Andrew Barnes is done with eNCA (DStv 403), becoming the latest high-profile name leaving the Sabido-run TV news channel in the ongoing exodus of highly experienced brand names and on-screen talent.

Andrew Barnes' sudden resignation as the longtime anchor of eNCA's News Day on eNCA and e.tv came as a shocking surprise to staff in the same week as the longtime anchor and reporter Robyn Smith signed off on Monday night when she read her last eNews Direct bulletin on e.tv.

Both Andrew Barnes and Robyn Smith clocked 15 years at eNCA and eMedia Investments' eNews brand.

The reporter, editor and anchor Andrew Barnes will leave eNCA at the end of April where he brought gravitas, stability and credibility to eNCA's mid-noon schedule over many years. In a statement eNCA says it thanks Andrew Barnes for his loyalty and hard work over the years.

His exit is the latest in an ongoing string of retrenchments and resignations at the news channel that started in 2015, with eNCA being gutted by a massive loss of experienced and talented staffers in front of, and behind the scenes.

While eNCA remains the most watched TV news channel among all of the local and international TV news channels available on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, the ongoing loss of expertise and skill in TV news channel operation and reporting on eNCA has become noticeable the past few months.

eNCA's reporting has been marred by incidence of blatant plagiarism and even pay-for-play reporting - a sign of what appears to be compromised news values at eNCA and new people who don't care, of perhaps simply don't know better, when it comes to reporting news.

The exit of Andrew Barnes also brings another eNCA chapter to a sad close.

When the veteran Andrew Barnes takes off his lapel mic for the last time at the end of this month, it will mark the final end of literally all of the original on-screen faces and several news executives behind the scenes who were at e.tv's eNews brand and evening bulletin before and at the moment eNCA launched in June 2008 and who were part of, and transitioned to the rolling TV news channel.

Andrew Barnes will close the door as the last one in a string of eNCA losses who were all part of a special group of people who started the news channel and who are no longer at eNCA: the likes of Marcel Golding, Patrick Conroy, Chantal Rutter Dros, Pat Pillai, Debora Patta, Ben Said, Robyn Smith and others.

It was Andrew Barnes who was instrumental in spotting and bringing the affable meteorologist Derek van Dam, now at CNN International (DStv 401), originally into the eNCA fold.

Michelle Craig, the umpteenth new co-host in a revolving door of presenters next to Andrew Barnes over multiple years will now continue to anchor News Day alone from May. Observers say its further evidence of the ongoing downscaling of the prominence given to eNCA's Cape Town studios on the channel with News Day that's anchored from eNCA's hub in the Mother City.

In January Andrew Barnes made headlines when he mocked the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's for being unable to correctly say the word "epitome" when she announced the 2015 matric results.

He apologised and was suspended with disciplinary action taken against him although eNCA refused to tell the public what sanctions were taken.

Andrew Barnes, who'd holidayed in south-east Asia and earlier this year told viewers how peaceful it was there with a cellphone without reception, is planning to move to Cambodia to launch a start-up business.

"It's been an incredible journey here at e.tv," says Andrew Barnes. "I have been able to realise my childhood dream of anchoring TV news and reporting from places like Washington DC., New York and London. Those opportunities followed several rewarding years in news management."

"I leave South Africa with my partner to start a new life in my favourite corner of the world, south-east Asia. I'll be putting the years of experience I've gained in training and development to launch my own business in Cambodia."

"While Brandon and I shall miss this country, we're excited that the time has come to spread our wings. I leave the e-family with a profound sense of satisfaction with my contribution, most especially of all the new talent I have helped train and develop."

Mapi Mhlanga, eNCA news director says Andrew Barnes will be missed. "I would like to thank him for 15 years of dedication and professionalism. Andrew will be missed and it is difficult to imagine the Cape Town office without him."

eNCA fires technical director Modise Morobane after 'false and defamatory' open letter; CWU outraged at alleged 'ongoing blatant racist practices at eNCA'.

eNCA (DStv 403) has fired the technical director Modise Morobane over what the Sabido-run 24-hour TV news channel calls "misconduct, defamation and publishing untruth" after he wrote an open letter to executives citing several alleged labour grievances.

eMedia Investments' eNCA news channel, supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, has been in the news more and more the past year over various labour issues - although it hasn't reached the level of internal labour strife at rival Infinity Media's ANN7 (DStv 405) news channel where news about staff turnover, firings and even physical fights between news personnel have been making headlines.

eNCA fired Modise Morobane last week after he wrote an open letter accusing eNCA of racism, questioning why top executive positions at eNCA are given to whites, and alleging that eNCA are preventing workers from organising and joining unions.

eNCA said the claims are defamatory and false and that Modise Morobane wasn't fired because he tried to organise workers into a trade union but for defamation and misconduct. "Staff may join a trade union if they wish. The issue here was an open letter making false and defamatory claims".

The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) now says it will take eNCA to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for firing Modise Morobane.

In a press statement last week the Communications Workers' Union (CWU) said its "disgusted and outraged at the ongoing violation of workers' rights and blatant racist practices at eNCA and e.tv".

"Since October 2015 the TV channel has been ducking and diving when it had to hold a meeting with CWU to discuss organisational rights in the company in terms of the Labour Relations Act whereas over 50% of the TV channel staff has voluntarily joined the CWU," says the union.

"This was followed by a process of looking for wizards and witches everywhere, where intimidating calls to workers were made by management, asking them whether they have joined the union, whether they were still interested in the union, why they are joining a union and so on."

"This attitude of the TV channel towards the union is triggered by the fact that the executive and the board know that they violate not only worker rights but human rights too on a daily basis. We find it totally unethical that this company could conduct itself in this manner regard being had to the political and legal dispensation in the country."

In its statement the CWU says "the continuation of white supremacy and anti-transformational agenda in the TV channel has once again found its expression in the recent appointments announced by the board."

"The board has chosen a white male, Anton Harber, to take up the most senior, strategic position as editor-in-chief of news. There is no doubt that while Harber has journalism experience, he is not an experienced broadcaster."

"They have a number of senior black managers with years of broadcasting experience who were overlooked. To add salt to the wound the executive and the board chose not to advertise this position internally, so that they are able to ignore those blacks who are already in the system and who had obtained necessary qualifications."

The CWU in its statement alleges that "furthermore black reporters are not llowed to wear 'doeks' or African head scarves on air. Workers were told that Muslim women would be banned from wearing the hijab on air. Clearly this is a violation of their rights".

"We take the strongest exception to people spreading falsehoods and defamation, such as those disseminated in the 'open letter' and the CWU statement," says Vasili Vass, eNCA head of corporate affairs.

"eMedia Investments would not publish defamatory and false allegations if they were brought to us without detailed, proper evidence. The contents of the documents are highly defamatory and false."

"eMedia Investments has always operated in accordance with the law, the Labour Relations Act and the Constitution and will continue to do so."

eNCA starts reporting on air about anchor Andrew Barnes who appears in a recorded message saying he's sorry: 'Realise now comment caused a lot of hurt'.

On Thursday afternoon eNCA (DStv 403) finally started reporting about its own senior anchor Andrew Barnes who the Sabido-run TV news channel on DStv started disciplinary measures against following an on-air comment regarding the basic minister of education, Angie Motshekga - including a recorded on-air apology from Andrew Barnes.

A social media firestorm of criticism engulfed the respected anchor of News Day on the Sabido-run TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on Wednesday when, after a video clip of the basic education minister, Andrew Barnes quipped that "maybe someone should have a word with the basic education minister on how to pronounce the word epitome".

eNCA has taken Andrew Barnes off air with immediate effect with Amy MacIver substituting on News Day on Thursday afternoon.

Later on Thursday afternoon eNCA, which initially didn't report the news late on Wednesday or early Thursday, finally started to report about the incident on-air.

eNCA anchor and reporter Cathy Mohlahlana told viewers that "a controversial comment by a eNCA anchor has drawn a strong reaction on social media. Senior anchor Andrew Barnes remarked on basic education minister Angie Motshekga's pronunciation" and that eNCA is following "due labour practice".

Mapi Mhlangu, eNCA news director, read the same statement on-air that eNCA supplied to the media, saying "his comment was not only hurtful and unneccessary, but deeply insensitive. eNCA apologises for his comment."

"We remain committed to honest, fair, accurate and unbiased reporting. Any action or statement from an employee that undermines that ethos is taken very seriously."

Andrew Barnes who was taken off air, is appearing on-air in a recorded apology.

"I'm grateful for this opportunity to apologise for a comment that I made on News Day on Wednesday afternoon," said Andrew Barnes, appearing with an unbuttoned shirt and without a tie.

"I made fun of the education minister's pronunciation of the word 'epitome'. I realise now that that comment caused a lot of hurt and offense because ultimately it was unfair and insensitive. To those at home and minister Motshekga, I'm sorry," said Andrew Barnes.

eNCA also placed the on-air apology on its website at 15:22 on Thursday afternoon.

BREAKING. eNCA removes anchor Andrew Barnes with immediate effect, starts disciplinary measures after 'hurtful, unneccessary, insensitive' comments.

eNCA (DStv 403) has removed Andrew Barnes with immediate effect and started disciplinary measures against its senior anchor following his "deeply insensitive" remarks over the basic education minister Angie Motshekga's English pronunciation.

A social media firestorm of criticism engulfed the respected anchor of News Day on the Sabido-run TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on Wednesday when, after a video clip of the basic education minister, Andrew Barnes quipped that "maybe someone should have a word with the basic education minister on how to pronounce the word epitome".

eNCA has taken Andrew Barnes off air with immediate effect with Amy MacIver substituting on News Day on Thursday afternoon.

While eNCA hasn't done a story about its own anchor's social media storm as it has frequently done and earlier this week with Penny Sparrow, eNCA is now running an on-air scroll in the bottom third saying "eNCA anchor Andrew Barnes offers heartfelt apology for hurtful comment about education minister".

In response to a media enquiry eNCA tells TVwithThinus that disciplinary proceedings are underway over the on-air incident, saying Andrew Barnes' comments were "not only hurtful and unnecessary but deeply insensitive".

"eNCA apologises for his comment. eNCA remains committed to honest, fair, accurate and unbiased reporting. Any action or statement from an employee that undermines that ethos is taken very seriously," says the news channel.

"We have begun disciplinary measures against Andrew Barnes. Andrew has been taken off air with an on-air apology to be broadcast this afternoon".

e.tv on MultiChoice's DStv finally upgraded to high definition quality; e.tv local weekday soaps Rhytm City and Scandal! added to DStv Catch Up.

Sabido's e.tv and MultiChoice have finally agreed to upgrade the South African free-to-air commercial TV channel's signal from SD to HD on the DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

e.tv also signed a deal with MultiChoice to add its daily local soaps, Rhythm City and Scandal! to the DStv Catch Up service from 1 December.

DStv Catch up already contains some of the SABC's weekday soaps like Generations and 7de Laan in a contract with the SABC, as well as kykNET's (DStv 144) Binnelanders and Villa Rosa.

e.tv is being broadcast in high definition (HD) from today on DStv.

e.tv upgraded its signal to HD in October 2013 and has been broadcasting the high definition version for the past two years on Platco Digital's OpenView HD (OVHD) free-to-air satellite platform.

While the HD version of e.tv was available the past two years, MultiChoice as well as On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media South Africa running the StarSat pay-TV satellite platform didn't switch to the better version for their respective subscribers.

There's been no announcement from MultiChoice but Monde Twala, e.tv channels managing director praised the upgrade deal, saying it will enrich DStv subscribers' viewing experience.

"All of our distinctive blend of authentic, compelling shows are filmed in HD. We are certain that his new development will give the channel a new edge and add value to our broad audience across all platforms".

In 2016 e.tv will roll out a new second "season" of the telenovela Ashes to Ashes and dramas Z'bondiwe and Umlilo have also been renewed for second seasons.

e.tv will also bring viewers a new local travel show Double Up, a new local action thriller Heist, and picked up the Jongo local superhero drama.

BREAKING. e.tv and eNCA doesn't want to pay to show International Emmy award winning Miners Shot Down; tells Rehad Desai to 'drop us a free copy'.

eNCA and e.tv says filmmaker Rehad Desai can drop the Sabido-run TV news channel "a free copy" of his International Emmy winning documentary Miners Shot Down and eNCA will show it – but won't pay.

In an extremely snooty and condescending statement, eNCA, one of the TV news channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, says Rehad Desai's office "is welcome to drop off a copy at our studios" and that eNCA and e.tv will "gladly" broadcast his documentary for free.

On Sunday Rehad Desai's multi-award winning documentary about the Marikana massacre won yet another award – despite the fact that it has not been shown in South Africa by the public broadcaster, the SABC, nor e.tv or M-Net.

The hard-hitting Miners Shot Down telling the story of the Marikana miners who were gunned down by the South African Police in August 2012 and produced by Uhuru Productions has been shown earlier this year on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) and the community TV station, Cape Town TV (CTV).

Video-on-demand (VOD) services like Times Media Group's struggling VIDI and PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com have also added the documentary to their streaming catalogues.

With a growing petition circulation, calls have been growing for the SABC and e.tv to show the documentary in South Africa. While the SABC has been silent, e.tv and eNCA is now responding saying they will show it, but not if they have to pay for it.

People and production companies who produce content for broadcast, especially on commercial TV channels, are paid for their work in South Africa, as is the case internationally.

eNCA earlier this year however went through painful layoffs and downsized the business, closing bureaux and shuttering its entire African news division.

“Previously Rehad Desai wanted us to pay him to broadcast it. At the time we felt his price was too high and we had a documentary, feature stories and reports of our own,” says e.tv in a statement.

“We have not been asked by Rehad Desai to broadcast the documentary since the initial release. We therefore extend an invitation to him to accept our offer of a free broadcast should he feel the film requires further exposure to a South African audience," says e.tv.

e.tv says "There are no aspects to the Marikana tragedy we have not covered as a news organisation. eNCA and the SABC also broadcast the Marikana Commission of Inquiry at our own costs."

OpenView HD adds the new South African outdoor and adventure lifestyle channel, Wild TV Africa, from 31 July.

Platco Digital's OpenView HD is adding the new outdoor and adventure lifestyle channel Wild TV Africa (OVHD 153) to the satellite platform's channel line-up from Friday, 31 July at 12:00.

Wild TV Africa, developed by Dewald Visser, will bring viewers outdoor and adventure programming focusing on camping, mountain-biking, fishing, 4X4 trails, scuba diving, conservation, mountain climbing, hunting, sport shooting, skydiving and big wave surfing.

The addition of Wild TV Africa is part of an additional investment of R245 million by Seardel into the still loss-making OpenView HD.

Asked about Wild TV Africa last week, e.tv responded to a media enquiry with a press release confirming the launch of the channel this week.

"We recognised the gap in the TV landscape presented by the Wild TV Africa team and were quite excited about partnering with the channel to provide for the demand," says Ziyanda Mngomezulu, the head of channel acquisitions at OpenView HD.

Wild TV Africa will run for 24-hours per day and is promising viewers 9 locally produced weekly magazine and talk shows. The Wild TV Africa schedule is themed, with Mountain Mondays, Target Tuesdays, Wet Wednesdays, Turbo Thursdays, Fishing Fridays and Wild Weekends.

Wild TV Africa also aims to find the "Adventure Town of the Year", highlighting smaller towns around South Africa which are enticing visitors with a variety of outdoor and adventure activities.

"Our key content focus is on providing family entertainment with shows about camping, braai and outdoor cooking as well as kiddie outdoor fun activities," says Dewald Visser, the managing director of Wild TV Africa in a statement.

"South Africa is a mecca for outdoor pursuits with amazing weather and incredible natural beauty. This is not a sports channel but rather a channel that focuses on content that makes you feel alive, while exploring the essence of Africa and its wide-open spaces. Although some of the activities are not for the faint-hearted, it makes for great viewing," says Dewald Visser.

"With the Wild TV Africa addition to OpenView HD, we look forward to attracting a new audience that makes up a great part of the South African active outdoor lifestyle enthusiasts," says Ziyanda Mngomezulu.

BREAKING. eNCA shuts down its Africa news division; cancels Africa360; says it will 'continue to report on Africa' as staff retrenchment looms.

eNCA (DStv 403) is shutting down its Africa division and news bureaus across the continent, has cancelled the news channel's weekly show Africa360 and is retracting from its comprehensive African coverage with staff which will be retrenched soon.

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".

BREAKING. Relevant TV gone from OpenView HD; Alex TV also abruptly disappears from OpenView HD after its broadcasting licence expires.

Relevant TV channel (OVHD 253) is gone from OpenView HD with no warning to OpenView HD viewers or telling the press, while the community TV station Alex TV also disappeared abruptly and went off the air without warning after its broadcasting licence expired.

Although Relevant TV and Alex TV are still sold to OpenView HD viewers as two of the available channels on the satellite TV platform's channel line-up on its website, Relevant TV and Alex TV have both been scrapped, with no word from OpenView HD as to why.

The shocking and sudden termination of Relevant TV, a non-denominational, multi-national Christian lifestyle TV channel with Joshua McCauley as founder, is apparently due to Relevant TV no longer forming a part of the "focus" of OpenView HD which is run by Sabido's Platco Digital division.

"Relevant TV will be off air due to unforeseen circumstances that the channel could not avoid," says OpenView HD.

Furious OpenView HD viewers who got no warning nor any explanation are fuming about the abrupt removal of Relevant TV which was added to OpenView HD in September 2014.

"Please take the necessary action to rectify your unforseen circumstances," said OpenView HD viewer Viv Mellows.

The community TV channel Alex TV (OVHD 453), stylised as lx tv, is also abruptly gone from OpenView HD without prior warning to viewers or the press.

Alex TV's licence apparently expired since the TV channel covering the Alexandra township started broadcasting in May 2014.

In response to a media enquiry made on Tuesday about Alex TV going dark, Maxwell Nonge, the managing director of Platco Digital said "the channel is in the process of renewing its broadcast licence with the regulating body".

In response to a media enquiry made on Tuesday about Relevant TV, Maxwell Nonge says "the channel is ending its contract due to business contraints. Viewers can look forward to the introduction of more channels on the platform over the course of the year".

BREAKING. Sabido, e.tv admit problems with the processes of eNCA's eyebrow-raising infrastructure documentary series.

Sabido the parent company of broadcaster e.tv and the independent 24-hour TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403) on MultiChoice's DStv is now admitting that there were problems with the processes of, and that "lines blurred", with the South Africa infrastructure documentary series shown on eNCA earlier this year.

Although the documentary series is not an "infomercial" and the government paid for separate TV commercials on eNCA, the department of economic development has been using the documentaries as commercials, clearly being very happy and of the opinion that it reflects very well on the government's infrastructure development initiatives.

Sabido, e.tv and eNCA are mired in scandal the past two weeks, with huge brand and reputational damage which has been inflicted following a bitter management meltdown behind the scenes.

It saw both its CEO Marcel Golding and then its COO Bronwyn Keene-Young abruptly quit last week amidst shocking allegations of  government and corporate interference in the eNews and eNCA news divisions.

Emails and court documents laid bare how badly e.tv's eNews and eNCA had been allegedly compromised in terms of news integrity, credibility and brand reputation.

That happened due to alleged pressure on the broadcaster to do legitimate news coverage on the one hand, and on the other hand to do positive government news coverage as a result of corporate lobbying efforts to get the South African government to side with e.tv on the issue of set-top box (STB) control and e.tv favouring an encryption system for digital terrestrial television (DTT).

In a statement today - following an earlier statement when Sabido's chief operating officer (COO) Mark Rosin didn't answer specific questions put to Sabido over the documentary series specifically - Mark Rosin now admits that "there were problems which should have been foreseen" with the documentary series and that Sabido, e.tv and eNCA are "reviewing the process internally and what transpired".

It's now clear that the South African government did pay money to eNCA for TV adverts which ran on eNCA - commercials that ran separately from the documentary series.

What is not clear is whether the documentaries series would have been commissioned, would have been broadcast, and would have existed at all if the government didn't pay for adverts or didn't take a commercial ad campaign on eNCA.

Questions about this, specifically made to Sabido last week in a media enquiry, remain unanswered.

It creates a murky situation where, whether real or perceived, viewers and media experts no longer know for sure, in terms of the eNCA editorial content, what came first: the chicken or the egg as far as this documentary series is concerned.

Mark Rosin, in today's statement, says "lines appear to have been blurred between an undertaking to report on infrastructure development in South Africa and a commitment by [the department of] economic development to spend advertising on the channel".

"The perception that the news was paid for is deeply regrettable and we wish to assure our audiences that eNews remains an impartial and independent news outlet," says Mark Rosin.

Patrick Conroy, managing director of news at e.tv and eNCA says "the news division should have been more directly involved in the discussions at the time".

Although the government paid for commercials on eNCA - and it being unclear whether the documentary series would have made it to broadcast if the government didn't advertise on the channel as well - Patrick Conroy now says that "boundaries of editorial control were not clear" but that "at no point did our editors surrender control".

Today's statement now also signals that eNCA executives knew there were problems with the documentary series before problems with it were revealed, as collateral damage, by Marcel Golding in his court documents two weeks ago to try and prevent his suspension.

Patrick Conroy, using past tense in the today's statement says that "news management agreed afterwards that in future clearer rules and policies were needed to avoid confusion between commercial messages and editorial ones".

Patrick Conroy says that "as a result of the issues we have not entered into any similar agreements subsequently. It was open to misinterpretation and could be confused with advertorial content. Work on clearer policies and guidelines began once these issues were raised".

Patrick Conroy says: "Viewers should at all times be comforted in the knowledge of the fact that what they're watching is independently produced by our news division. Where necessary, disclosures should be included to reinforce this."


Correction 17:43 : This story was changed, amended and updated from a first posted version at 14:33 to more accurately reflect the issue. The first version of this article stated that the government paid for the documentary series on eNCA. The government paid for separate TV commercials, on the eNCA channel. - Ed.

BREAKING. Stalled digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration in South Africa hijacked for 'job creation', minister mentions everyone - except the TV viewer.

The South African TV industry's long-delayed and completely stalled switch-over from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) has been hijacked for "job creation" and other interests and concerns, having lost sight of what really matters the most - the ordinary TV viewer.

The convoluted DTT process in South Africa has become all about about money, political and economic job creation, court cases and everything but the accessibility, the ability to afford it, and ultimately what makes the best viewing experience for the ordinary TV viewer in South Africa.

Although the paramount concern and interest is and should remain what is best, easiest, and least disruptive to the South African TV viewer and providing the best quality and widest choice of TV channels, DTT in South Africa remains vastly delayed.

DTT's interests and objectives are skewed, and is now primarily about money, economics and "job creation". The South African government wants to use DTT to create 25 500 jobs, superceding the best interests of the ordinary TV viewer.

Although South Africa started first with planning for it as the first country in Africa to do so, the country has now become the laughing stock of the continent as far as DTT is concerned and the switch-over process known as digital migration.

South Africa is lagging far behind even countries like Rwanda and Zimbabwe which have made the switch - a process which must be completed internationally by June 2015 but a deadline which South Africa is going to miss.

DTT was supposed to launch in South Africa in 2008 and then end the process of "dual illumination" in 2011 - the point where broadcasters no longer each run an analogue and digital signal concurrently while viewers made the switch, but only continue with a digital signal.

Years after the self-imposed deadline, digital television migration in South Africa is a convoluted mess.


The next e-tolling saga waiting to explode?
Experts describe it to TV with Thinus as the next e-tolling saga waiting to explode when ordinary TV viewers without pay-TV satellite dishes discover that they'll have to pay around R800 for a set-top box (STB) - basically a decoder - just to keep receiving the public television transmissions they used to get. In many cases ordinary viewers will also have to buy a new antenna.

STB cost will also be higher to ordinary consumers due to proprietary software and the hardware which has to be included in the manufacture of the boxes due to a controversial Conditional Access (CA) system.

Potential STB manufacturers and broadcasters are all fighting among and with each other over the CA issue - basically whether this "lock" should be built into the decoder boxes or not.

Those who argue for it says a CA system is necessary to make sure boxes are manufactured in South Africa only, that manufacturing standards can be maintained and that boxes can be turned off when taken outside of South Africa. It will protect and enable local STB job manufacture and creation.

Those who argue against a CA system says it raises the cost, that public access and free television in a country should never include a "condition" for citizens to be able to watch television, unfair competition, and that it makes it more difficult for ordinary viewers to use.

The government decided on a CA system "to protect its investment" since the South African government will subside the manufacturing of STBs and to "ensure standards". In 2013 the government softened CA specifications, saying it will be included but remain "optional".


'It is really about jobs'
The minister of communications, Yunus Carrim, giving feedback from the department in parliament on Wednesday, never used or referred to the interest of the ordinary TV viewers once.

On the contentious Conditional Access (CA) system over which the industry and broadcasters such as the SABC and MultiChoice on the one side, and Sabido's e.tv on the other, are still at loggerheads, Yunus Carrim told the portfiolio committee on communications that "those who want to use it can use it, those who don't want to use it, don't have to use it. Those who use it will have to pay for it".

"However there's still no consensus. We could strictly go ahead and implement it [the policy] but we think we should still try to bridge the gaps".

"This is not an issue about broadcasters. It is really an issue about jobs," said Yunus Carrim. "We really need this for economic growth reasons. It's not a luxury".

"Here [in South Africa] we are stuck about 'if you have control, we will take you to court' and 'if you don't have control, we will take you to court'. The world is moving on. And we are here - still stuck."

"So we are pleading with stakeholders. We're keeping it open for another three to four weeks, and then government will have to decide what to do," said Yunus Carrim.

"We [government] do not want to proceed without more consensus. We want everybody to work together on this thing," he said. "We can't continue like this. People can continue their profits. They can continue to fight for market share, but surely there is a time for national interest. I don't know what more government can do," said Yunus Carrim.

"If we drop Conditional Access control altogether, we can't as government see how we're going to protect black emerging manufacturers - let alone the local electronic industry because our market will be flooded by low quality products as happened in Mauritius and Tanzania".

"The point I want to stress is that the STB Conditional Access (CA) matter relates to broader issues of industrial policy. It's not simply a broadcasting issue," said Yunus Carrim.

"The set-top box manufacturing development strategy encourages black emerging entrepreneurs. We have to use this issue to create an indigenous, African emerging electronic industry".

e.tv to give viewers a preview of the 4 new e.tv "plus" TV channels available on OpenView HD on e.tv on Tuesday at 18:25.

This Tuesday, 15 October, e.tv will give viewers a preview of the four new e.tv channels - eMovies+, eAfrica+, eToonz+ and eKasi+ - which e.tv is starting on Platco Digital's new OpenView HD (OVHD) satellite platform.

For 5 minutes the South African commercial free-to-air TV channel from Sabido, a sister company to Platco Digital, will preview and show viewers more about the new expanded e.tv bouquet of TV channels.

The 5 minute preview will of the new e.tv channels will start at 18:25 right after a shortened eNews Early Edition leading into Tuesday's episode of soap Rhythm City.

Sentech launches its new Freevision satellite TV service with 38 TV channels, 16 radio channels for a once-off decoder cost of R1 350.

The parastatal South African signal distributor Sentech has rebranded and relaunched its moribund direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV service Vivid as Freevision.

Vivid, or now Freevision, already has 60 000 subscribers but Sentech now wants to rapidly expand its presence by offering a bigger range of TV content as the number of free TV channels is set to drastically grow once the long-delayed digital terrestrial television (DTT) switch-over in the country eventually happens.

Sentech's new Freevision offering will now be competing against Platco Digital's OpenView HD (OVHD) - an e.tv sister company under the Sabido Investments umbrella - which will launch on 15 October.

Freevision carries much more free TV channels than OVHD and Freevision also comes with radio channels.
Both Freevision and OVHD are free satellite TV services once viewers makes a once-off purchase of a decoder, dish and installation.

Freevision will cost around R1 350 for an entry-level decoder providing standard definition (SD) television with 38 TV channels and 16 radio channels.

OVHD will cost around R1 600 for an entry-level decoder providing high definition (HD) television providing what it says will be 16 TV channels and no radio channels. (The SABC says OVHD is lying and that its three SABC channels will not be included and that it will not allow it to be carried on OpenView HD.)

Freevision carries SABC1, SABC2, SABC3, SABC News and will carry all of the SABC's and e.tv's further planned digital terrestrial television (DTT) TV channels. Community TV channels such as Alex TV, Tshwane TV, Cape Town TV, Bay TV, Soweto TV and 1KZN are included.

Two new TV channels Zulu TV and SA Channel are included.

Zulu TV will be started by playwright and producer Mbongeni Ngema, featuring a mix of Zulu and English programming with a focus on content about KwaZulu-Natal by local artists. The SA Channel will tell "inspiring and uplifting stories" about South Africa.

Mindset Learn and Mindset Health are educational channels on Freevision.

Faith-based channels on the platform include God Never Fails TV, RLW, Breakthru TV, New Generation TV, Abel Damina Ministries, the Synagogue Church – Emmanuel TV, Daystar, Starcross TV, Angel Television Africa, Kruiskyk, Tellilah, Spirit World, Redeemed Church of God, Ezekiel TV, Christ Embassy, CTV (TBN), World Restoration Services, Unity Broadcasting Network, Manifest Sons of God, Isambulo and Homebased TV.

Freevision also has radio stations such as Phalaphala FM, 5FM, Lotus, Ukhozi, Metro, Motsweding FM, RSG, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Ligwalagwala FM, Good Hope FM, SAfm, Lesedi FM, Ikwekwezi FM, Thobela FM, Munghana Lonene FM and Radio 2000.

e.tv reports strong viewership growth with a significant increase in audience share; eNCA benefits from ongoing DStv subscriber growth.

South Africa's only commercial free-to-air TV channel e.tv, which belongs to Sabido, has made significant growth in audience viewership as well as audience share the past year.

Meanwhile Sabido's 24-hour South African TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403) continues to show strong growth as well thanks in large part to MultiChoice's robust growth of DStv Compact subscribers.

e.tv had 16.5 million viewers by June 2012.

Sabido is reporting a 12.4% rise in revenue to R2.12 billion for the financial year ending at the end of March 2013, up from R1.88 billion in the previous financial year. Remgro has a 31.6% stake in Sabido which is the holding company which runs e.tv, eNCA as well as other media properties and interests.

Although advertising sales on e.tv and eNCA (as well as the other media entities owned by Sabido) are under pressure, programming and operating costs are remaining relatively stable.

e.tv has managed to significantly increase its audience ratings and audience share since the second half of 2012.

Meanwhile eNCA continues to benefit from the subscriber growth of the DStv platform the 24-hour TV news channel is available on, especially the strong growth of the DStv Compact bouquet and remains the premier news channel on DStv.

Sabido has contributed a significant R148 million to Remgro's headline earnings for the financial year.

BREAKING. Platco Digital's OpenView HD satellite TV service could be shut down, fined if it starts in October without a licence.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator remains firm in repeating for a second time that the new Platco Digital's planned satellite TV service, OpenView HD, will be operating illegally and flouting South Africa's broadcasting regulations if it goes ahead with launching a commercial service in October without possible approval from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and a valid licence.

On Tuesday Platco Digital said in a press statement that it "won't engage in any licensable activities on its own behalf" and that the 15 to 20 TV channels - 5 of which it plans to broadcast in high definition (HD) will be legal as Platco Digital "merely provides technical platform services to licensed free-to-air broadcasters on the basis of their existing licences".

Icasa however, asked again on Tuesday about Platco Digital's plans, remains resolute and adamant that Platco Digital will need to apply for a license (although the regulator isn't currently issuing any and is busy with listening to applications and presentations for possible new pay-TV platforms in South Africa who applied months ago).

Icasa says it hasn't been aware of Platco Digital or of OpenView HD, nor any intended launch of any such free-to-air satellite service for the end of the year. 

Icasa says the law and the regulations governing broadcasting and the TV industry in South Africa are very clear: first obtain a licence and keep to the licensing conditions, or face shut down and fines.

"The law is very clear that no broadcasting service can be provided without a valid broadcasting service licence issued by Icasa in terms of the Electronic Communication Act," says the regulator.

Platco Digital with its head office in Johannesburg and Maxwell Nonge as managing director is backed by e.tv's parent company Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI). HCI owns Sabido Investments, which holds a 67% interest in Platco Digital and a 63% stake in e.tv.

Platco Digital's national roadshow for OpenView HD is taking place today in Cape Town in a hotel in the city centre but journalists and the press covering television have not been invited.

Elsewhere on the continent Malawi's broadcasting regulator last month said that MultiChoice Malawi started and is operating its new GOtv digital terrestrial television (DTT) offering in that country illegally. 

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority said MultiChoice Malawi started its digital TV service without any authorisation and said in a statement that MultiChoice officials "acknowledged that they didn't follow both the law and procedures in launching GOtv".

BREAKING. Platco Digital's OpenView HD satellite TV service won't be engaging in licensable activities, says it is merely a platform.

Platco Digital, the new satellite TV operator seeking to launch the new OpenView HD service in South Africa by October with 15 TV channels but which isn't licensed by the South African broadcasting regulator says that it will not be engaging in any licensable activities on its own because it's only providing a platform for free TV channels.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) told TV with Thinus on Monday that Platco Digital's OpenView HD would need to get licensed before it starts broadcasting and that it's never heard of Platco or OpenView HD.

Platco Digital with its head office in Johannesburg is backed by e.tv's parent company Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI). HCI owns Sabido Investments, which holds a 67% interest in Platco Digital and a 63% stake in e.tv. Platco Digital is however a separate company housed in a separate building.

Platco Digital wants to start a free satellite TV service with approximately 15 free-to-air standard definition and high definition TV channels which only acquires a once-off installation cost of around R2 000.

"The authority is not aware of any launch of a new satellite television service," says Icasa. "The law is very clear that no broadcasting service can be provided without a valid broadcasting service licence issued by Icasa in terms of the Electronic Communication Act."

Platco Digital says that "in any territory where it operates, Platco Digital willwork with licensed broadcasters to provide viewers access to channels licensed to operate in those territories. Platco Digital will therefore always be in compliance with national broadcasting laws and regulations."

"Platco Digital's South African direct-to-home (DTH) platform, OpenView HD, will not be engaging in any licensable activities on its own behalf as it merely provides technical platform services to licensed free-to-air broadcasters on the basis of their existing licences," says Platco.

"Viewers wishing to access the OpenView HD offering will need to purchase and install a satellite dish and set-top box from retail outlets," says Platco. Approximately 15 TV channels will be available.

"We are excited about participating in the digital television space - there are vast opportunities to grow free television in Southern Africa and drive digital migration and we believe satellite, digital terrestrial television (DTT), mobile TV and other digital platforms can play an important role," says Maxwell Nonge, Platco Digital's managing director.

"Platco Digital has entered into partnerships with a range of companies including satellite providers, leading set-top box (STB) distributors, major retailers and broadcasters. The company is very keen to create a strong free TV platform that will benefit all."

A national roadshow is taking place this week for installers and distributors of OpenView HD to which press has not been invited.

Besides Platco Digital's OpenView HD initiative, e.tv is separately still committed to run a free-to-air digital terrestrial television (DTT) channel offering working in conjunction with the SABC to make available TV channel clusters broadcasting digitally when South Africa eventually switched from analogue to digital broadcasting, a long-delayed process known as digital migration.

e.tv set to expand with online channels; e.tv Online and eNCA Online to launch in the first half of this year in order to remain competitive.

The South African free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv is set for major online expansion, with plans to roll out and make available a vast quantity of of its locally produced television content from e.tv and the eNCA available online as the broadcaster fights to remain competitive.

The plan for major online expansion and boosting its online presence through video output on the internet has been in the works for the past two years and picked up steam towards the end of last year when e.tv rolled out the new eNCA website and started a new, beta version of the e.tv website with richer content.

e.tv now reaches 16,5 million viewers and the 24-hour South African TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403) on MultiChoice's DStv remains the most-watched of all the TV news channels on that pay-TV platform.

The holding company Remgro which has an interest of 31,6% in Sabido Investment Limited, the owner of e.tv, says e.tv is looking at a multi-channel strategy to enhance its revenue streams. This multi-channel strategy include the start of online channels.

"The focus of the group for the forthcoming months is the ongoing development of a multi-channel strategy to enhance its competitiveness across a multiplicity of platforms and provide opportunities for new revenue streams," says Remgro in reporting its interim results. "This includes the launch of e.tv Online and eNCA Online in the first half of 2013."

"Despite aggressive growth in pay television, which is impacting on audience share for free-to-air services, e.tv has managed to hold its own against the increasing competition."

Remgro says e.tv's audience and advertising share remains increasingly under pressure from pay-TV due to the ongoing delay in the launch of digital terrestrial television (DTT) in South Africa which is effectively preventing e.tv from launching more TV channels within a digital television broadcasting environment in South Africa.

"The future of free-to-air television in South Africa, including e.tv, is critically dependent on the availability of a free-to-air platform which can compete effectively with the dominant pay-TV player," says Remgro, meaning MultiChoice's DStv.

Remgro says advertising sales on e.tv and the eNCA remain under pressure, while programming and operating costs at the channels remains stable.