SANEF seeks meeting over claims that 'ghost of censorship is back at eNCA'.

Thinus Ferreira

South Africa’s National Editors’ Forum wants to meet with eNCA after unhappy and angry editorial staff at the eMedia Investments-run TV news channel are once again sounding the alarm over alleged censorship in their newsroom over coverage, citing a blackout order of a press conference of former president Jacob Zuma and saying that "the ghost of censorship is back in the eNCA newsroom".

This is the second time that SANEF wants to meet with eNCA management and staff, following shocking allegations of racism and newsroom censorship in late-2019 when Kanthan Pillay, founder of the Capitalist Party of South Africa (ZACP), was first hired and then fired in a senior news management position at eNCA (DStv 403).

Nothing came of SANEF call at the time for an investigation into how a politician was appointed as eNCA's director of news inside eNCA. 

The TV news channel was plunged into a credibility and reputation crisis following newsroom palace intrigued after reporter Samkele Maseko and others staff left and with Kantan who called them "rats" who are going to a "sinking ship", meaning the SABC.

eNCA has been battered by a constant exit of on-screen and behind-the-scenes talent over the past three years with multiple staffers exiting to the SABC and growing rival Newzroom Africa (DStv 405), with Thembekile Mrototo who became the latest to leave eNCA and is now appearing on Newzroom Afrika in a weekend slot since July.

Now furious editorial staffers at eNCA are once again accusing the TV news channel of censorship and bias in news coverage decisions after it failed to cover the press conference on 4 July of former president Jacob Zuma who is now behind bars.

eNCA didn't respond to a media enquiry on Friday seeming comment.

SANEF told TVwithThinus that it "has seen a letter by eNCA journalists complaining about censorship in their newsroom".

"We have contacted the news management at eNCA to request a meeting. While we await a response, news media should always strive to reflect the multiplicity of views within codes set out by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BRCCSA) and the Press Code."

In an internal memo to eNCA management, staff claim that eNCA is once again practising censorship in an email headlined "The ghost of censorship is back in the eNCA Newsroom".

eNCA staff are demanding an open and transparent investigation into why Jacob Zuma's press conference on 4 July was allegedly censored at eNCA and are also demanding the appointment of an independent body to look into eNCA staffers' concerns about editorial newsroom interference – similar to what was done at the South African public broadcaster's SABC News division a few years ago.

eNCA staff say that they are once again compelled to "collectively" raise their voices "as loudly, as forcefully and as resoundingly as we can muster, in rejection of censorship in the eNCA newsroom."

"Our observation and experience is that this tendency has been creeping in gradually, and arguably quite insidiously, over a period of time; an incident here, an incident there, an inexplicable decision here, an inexplicable decision there."

"But nothing could have prepared us for the zero to a 100 full-force nature in which our concerns were to be dramatised and confirmed 'beyond a reasonable doubt' in the inexplicable, untenable and objectionable decision to censor the coverage of former president Jacob Zuma's speech to his supporters in Nkandla on Sunday 4 July 2021."

The memo continues to say that "There is clearly a chain of command that determines which voices are to be snuffed out of the airwaves at eNCA".

"And the chain of command, we submit, does not start even in the most senior position in our newsroom, albeit implementation of unethical instructions arguably gains momentum at this level of newsroom management."

"We submit that it is our reasonable suspicion that the chain of command involves players who ordinarily should be concerned with the running of the eMedia business, including eNCA, but not taking editorial decisions."

eNCA staff now demand that eNCA "investigates the circumstances that led to the censoring of former president Jacob Zuma's address to his supporters on Sunday 4 July 2021, a news event that undoubtedly in the public interest and which we had the full capacity to cover."

Staffers want eNCA to appoint "an independent body to investigate staff concerns about editorial interference from the board, eNCA establishes a system whereby major editorial instructions must be communicated in writing only, if they are to be of any force or effect [and that] eNCA provides clear editorial direction on the channel's stance on Jacob Zuma coverage, to which we will respond to."

"We consider these matters to be of extreme urgency, as each passing hour seems to sink us to new depths. We, therefore, call on management to consider these matters raised herein, and give a comprehensive response," the internal memo states. "The Nkandla field team is demotivated and the output and input teams are outraged given that they try their best to conquer audience demands."

ALSO READ: Outraged eNCA staffers say 'the ghost of censorship is back', demand an independent investigation into alleged newsroom bias after Jacob Zuma presser was censored.

As OUTtv removes some shows, receives complaints, the gay-focused channel hopes to become a permanent DStv addition as channel boss says everybody needs to have a voice.

The OUTtv channel on MultiChoice has had to drop some of the gay-focused content on the DStv pop-up channel and got some complaints, but the South African channel boss says he's hopeful that OUTtv could become a permanent pay-TV channel and says everybody needs to have a voice.

MultiChoice says viewer feedback about the OUTtv pop-up channel currently broadcasting in South Africa on DStv until early November will be used to test DStv subscribers' interest in gay-focused TV content.

OUTtv started on 4 October for DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers and will run until 4 November, although some of the content got removed without warning.

OUTtv SA so far featured programming ranging from a gay bachelor looking for love, to a stripping dating show that had full frontal nudity and even a series showing what happens behind the production of a gay porn site.

These two shows - Naked Attraction and Broke Straight Boys - however got removed from the schedule, leading to DStv subscribers wondering what's happening and why the shows disappeared.

TVwithThinus spoke to Warren Whitcher, the managing director of OUTtv SA about the channel.

What has been happening with OUTtv SA's schedule since it launched on MultiChoice because DStv subscribers complained and queried after they tuned in to watch and set DStv recordings only to find that shows are gone.

Warren Whitcher: I'm sure you're referring to Friday nights with Naked Attraction and Broke Straight Boys and Popporn.

In regard to the Friday night schedule there was a little bit of an issue with Naked Attraction.

Unfortunately we picked up the wrong file from the distributor, we picked up the fully nude and not the blurred out version which aired that first night, and unfortunately it did create a little bit of a stir with the more conservative side of the audience.

There were one or two BCCSA complaints which was not the most ideal thing for a pop-up channel as well. We tried to get the blurred out file from the distributor, however we can only get it in November which doesn't help us for a November pop-up channel.

So we obviously had to pull Naked Attraction off the schedule until such time as we can get the correct files. So if we hopefully come back as a permanent channel we'll definitely have it back on the schedule, just the correct format.

And what has in general been the feedback about OUTtv on DStv?

Warren Whitcher: It has been immensely positive.

The only thing that's been bothering me is awareness. Not enough people I think know about the channel. We're working very hard over the next 10 days just to create as much awareness as we possibly can. Most of the feedback has been extremely positive.

And how has the interaction with MultiChoice been in terms of getting OUTtv on DStv, and the feedback since it's been running with the operator?

Warren Whitcher: MultiChoice in my opinion has been absolutely fantastic.

They're a very conservative company, so for them to make this step is a huge deal as far as I'm concerned. Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice's general manager for content, and her team have been absolutely supportive in terms of everything we've tried to do, they've given us a lot of guidance when it comes to scheduling, as well as the technical side of things.

They've helped a lot on the positioning and the marketing as well. They've been absolutely amazing. I genuinely can't fault them. 

In terms of the OUTtv schedule, what was the intention? Was it to push the envelope a bit or be provocative or just to give a sense of the variety of content available, or both? What was the aim?

Warren Whitcher: So you know what, it's a strange paradigm, given that it's a pop-up channel.

Obviously we know that local content is what engages viewers the most, but you can't invest in local content for a one month pop-up.

So that was one of the strange things that we've had to deal with. So what we did then was we looked at what content worked the best in Canada which is obviously where the OUTtv mother channel comes from, and tried to put as wide a variety of that on as possible on the schedule to see what was going to stick and what was going to work - which has been great.

Surprisingly, if I had to ask you what has been the most watched show, what would you say? ER Vets - the pet programme. So it's these interesting learnings that we've been trying to pick up on the pop-up.

Obviously if we have a permanent channel there's a lot of things we will do differently, we've got a lot better ideas of what works and how we want to position OUTtv for the South African market and we already been working with some South African production companies to flesh out a couple of local content ideas.

 If we come back in 2019 as a permanent channel it's going to look very, very different to what it looks on the pop-up, very different.

And I wanted to ask in terms of the possibility of OUTtv SA becoming a permanent channel, what are the hopes or possibilities or projections for the future?

Warren Whitcher: Like I've said MultiChoice has been amazing, so they didn't put any kind of conditions on the channel because that was one of our first questions: Guys, give us some performance targets and let us work towards them.

They said it's not to do with performance targets at all, we know that this kind of channel is needed in the South African market, we want to introduce variety, we want to embrace diversity and inclusion, we just want to see what kind of content works. They had to check if there was any potential pushback. It's to see how ready is the market for this type of channel.

I think from the feedback we've received so far it's been very positive. I'm hoping that the conversations we have going forward is going to be positive towards a permanent channel.

Do you think some of the programming like the Naked Attraction or Broke Straight Boys were maybe a bridge too far in hindsight, or don't you see anything wrong with it?

Warren Whitcher: No, no, the amount of feedback we've received saying "why have you taken it off the schedule?" has made it plain as day that the market is ready for it, as far as I'm concerned.

Its just got to be done correctly. We operate in a regulated environment, so things like the "watershed period", the correct parental advisories etc. - that are all really important things, so we've got to get that complete on side.

And then I think that type of programming works really, really well because you have to put push the envelope. I mean you watch a lot of TV, I watch a lot of TV, how many new things do you see on TV that really captures your interest? Not many.

And then why would you say is something like OUTtv as a channel important?

Warren Whitcher: For me it's all about promoting diversity and inclusion. Everybody needs to have a voice and we need a platform.

If we have a strong and commercially sustainable platform where we can start telling really uniquely South African stories as well as - we're obviously connected to the global OUTtv brand so we're an export market for the content as well - my intention is to use the channel to stimulate things like local production to tell South African stories.

We've got amazing stories, absolutely amazing stories. Our production value is really top notch, so I believe we can do amazing things.

Then I want to ask you about censorship of TV content in general and broadly you view about it. The past few years we've seen content censored from shows to even cartoons in Africa and South Africa when for instance Kenya's censorship board came up with bogus reasons for animation shows for instance to be removed, or shows like I Am Cait on E! Entertainment or Andi Mack on The Disney Channel gets removed. What do you make of this?

Warren Whitcher: For me there are two parts to it - there's a theory part and a practicality part.

Obviously in theory I believe content should find it's right audience and broadcasters should play the role of connecting content with audiences without a view of censorship.

But that being said, I have to use OUTtv for example as a real-world example in my mind. We've also got to be responsible in what we do. It's one thing to sit here in South Africa where it's safe and cosy and say "yes we should  be allowed to play LGBT content" but in some of the African countries it's actually dangerous.

So we've got to be responsible in how we do these things. I always take the view that you've got to be part of the change you want to see but that doesn't happen overnight. As long as you're putting one step in front of the other and moving forward, then you're doing the right thing.

I understand sometimes why some of the broadcasters or networks feel like they have to, and sometimes it's coming from a point of good intention and trying to be responsible, but you're right - sometimes it gets ridiculous. Pulling cartoons makes no sense to me. So it's one of those slippery slopes.

You've got to try and take each case on merit and see if it's justified or not. That's probably the best way I would approach it. Ideally you'd like content to be available to everyone to view it because people are going to find what they want to watch. But you've also got to be responsible as well. It's a fine balance to maintain.

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 15 November 2017

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net censor Talk with Kwangu on the Zambezi Magic channel on DStv.
MultiChoice scramble to remove all marketing for Talk with Kwangu and a rebroadcast of the episode on DStv Zambia's platform after an episode in which a woman details Zambian government and police brutality and Kwangu talks about how media plurality in Zambia is non-existent.
- Meanwhile Zambia's information minister (Zambia still has something like an "information minister") denies that the government threatened DStv.


■ MultiChoice and M-Net, Africa's largest TV platform, has a growing free speech and censorship problem.


■ Lowly-paid reporters at ANN7 (DStv 405) feel traumatised.
- ANN7 workers complaining of "exploitation" by Indian senior editors in particular say they're told they can't be paid more "because of the structure of the company".
- Almost all black ANN7 anchors have considered quitting.
- Have the words "permanent trainee" inserted into contracts in order to justify low pay.
- Owner Mzwanele "Jimmy" Manyi refuses to answer media questions and puts the phone down in a reporter's ear.

■ Zimbabwe woman Rumbidzai Evelyn Sibanda guilty and fined
for illegally selling DStv decoders in Zimbabwe that have been registered with South African addresses to give Zimbabwe viewers access to DStv South African content and making as if she's a MultiChoice agent.

■ The BBC will now have to reveal how many complaints it gets from viewers every two weeks.
Angry BBC not happy about having to reveal the number of complaints it receives every 2 weeks, having to identify the shows that received more than 100 complaints, and having to explain the editorial issues raised by the complaints.

■ Watching too much TV is bad for you, even if you exercise.

■ The latest channels list of TStv in Nigeria.
Which channels are being pirated illegally?

■ I want to love Star Trek: Discovery but it's an absolute mess.

■ How The Good Doctor seen on M-Net (DStv 101) became the new TV season's breakout hit.

SABC adds 'further misconduct' charges to 3 of its 8 suspended SABC News journalists for 'informing the media about their suspensions'.

The crisis-riddled SABC has added "further misconduct" charges against 3 of its 8 suspended SABC News journalists, charging Foeta Krige, Thandeka Gqubule and Suna Venter among other things with "informing the media about their suspensions".

The SABC at the same time decided to "indefinitely postpone" the disciplinary hearing against Foeta Krige, Thandeka Gqubule and Suna Venter. Their disciplinary hearings were set to take place on Monday.

We are urgently appealing to all South Africans to stand firmly behind the suspended journalists to stamp out the SABC’s attack on press freedom," says Dirk Hermann, the head of Solidarity.

"We are calling for the immediate suspension of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, COO of the SABC, pending an investigation into his ability to manage the SABC," says Solidarity.

Foeta Krige, the executive editor of Monitor and Spektrum on the SABC's RSG radio station, journalist Suna Venter and SABC business editor Thandeka Gqubule were suspended by the SABC last month after they dared to say in a daily news diary meeting that they're don't agree with the SABC's censorship to not cover any of the Right2Know Campaign's public protests at SABC offices countrywide.

The SABC blocking any coverage of the Right2Know Campaign's public protests over SABC censorship, came after the SABC in May announced that it will be censoring SABC TV news visuals of public protests that contain destruction of property.

The SABC has meanwhile also suspended and is taking disciplinary action against 5 other SABC News staffers.

Busisiwe Ntuli‚ Jacques Steenkamp and Krivani Pillay were suspended after they sent a collective letter to SABC chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng requesting a meeting over SABC News and censorship policies after Jimi Matthews quit two weeks ago.

The SABC ordered the SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko to give reasons why his contract shouldn't be terminated after writing about "My Hell at the SABC" as a front page newspaper article.

Lukhanyo Calata was charged with a disciplinary hearing after writing a scathing opinion-editorial on the SABC.

Solidarity says it will approach the Constitutional Court this week for a case to test the SABC's SABC TV News censorship decision. Solidarity will also go to the Labour court to get an interdict against the SABC's disciplinary process against the suspended journalists.

Solidarity said it welcomes the broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) ruling today against the SABC's decision to censor SABC TV news public protest visuals.

"The ruling proves that the SABC, under the guidance of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, did not act within the framework of the Constitution. We therefore request that all charges against the suspended SABC employees be withdrawn and that Hlaudi Motsoeneng be removed from his position as chief operating officer of the SABC immediately, pending an investigation".

"Icasa's ruling is a victory for the ethical SABC journalists who, despite unlawful instructions and intimidation, stood up for constitutional principles," says Solidarity.

BREAKING. South African broadcasting regulator, Icasa, orders SABC to end censorship on SABC TV news of protest visuals, gives broadcaster 7 days to comply.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator, Icasa, on Monday afternoon announced a decision regarding the case brought before it regarding the SABC's censorship of protest visuals, with Icasa ordering the SABC to end its ban on showing the destruction of property during public protests.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has ruled that the SABC must withdraw its decision to not air footage of violent protests.

In its ruling, Icasa found the SABC guilty of not only breaching the Broadcasting Act and its broadcasting licence conditions, but also the South African Constitution.

"The SABC resolution in the present matter amounts, at its core, to a categorical blocking of the public's right to information in conflict with the Broadcasting Act which places a duty on the SABC to keep the public informed in the public interest."

"This resolution is in conflict with the Broadcasting Act 1999 read with section 39(2) and 16(1)(a) and(b) of the Constitution. It is also in conflict with the licence conditions of the SABC," Icasa said in its ruling.

Icasa found the SABC "outside of its powers", saying: "Ultimately, one of the core values in terms of our Constitution is legality and the decision of the SABC did not comply with this central constitutional value."

"The public would be severely stilted in making real and informed choices about the governance of our democracy," Icasa said in its ruling.

Citing several Constitutional court rulings, Icasa said the "importance of the free flow of information has been widely acknowledged by our courts. A subject, as such, may never be blocked from SABC television and radio. South Africa is not, as in the apartheid era, a dictatorship."

The acting chairperson of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), Rubben Mohlaloga, gave the SABC 7 days to respond to Icasa as to whether it will comply with the order to withdraw its unilateral decision to ban the broadcasting of property destruction during protests and to censor its TV news.

If the SABC fails to comply with the Icasa ruling, the South African public broadcaster could be fined or even lose its broadcasting licence.

Rubben Mohlaloga said "the SABC is directed to withdrawn its resolution 26 May 2016 which states that the SABC will no longer broadcast footage of destruction of public property during protests".

"The withdrawal must be done retrospectively from the date that the resolution was taken on 26 May 2016."

"Three, the chairperson of the SABC must confirm in writing to Icasa, within 7 days, that the resolution was indeed taken as ordered."

Ironically, SABC News (DStv 404) on Monday afternoon was first, to report Icasa's verdict, followed a few minutes later by ANN7 (DStv 405), and with eNCA (DStv 403) third and last almost 20 minutes later at 13:56 with its first on-screen scroll of the news.

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng tells Jacaranda FM: 'I don't believe in scientific research'; asks South Africans 'whether you really think properly?'

The SABC's controversial boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng says "I don't believe in scientific research" and said in a yet another disastrous radio interview he's wondering if South Africans "really think properly".

The limelight loving chief operations officer (COO) of the SABC who keeps talking and doing appearances where he makes jaw-dropping statements, did a live interview this week on Jacaranda FM's The Continental Breakfast show with Rian van Heerden.

This interview likewise quickly went haywire on the air, in similar fashion to the disastrous recent interviews on Lotus FM, SAfm and eNCA's Maggs on Media that inflicted massive SABC brand damage on the public broadcaster's image.

The 40-minute Jacaranda FM interview came after Hlaudi Motsoeneng's latest controversial diktat that SABC TV News will censor public protest visuals where there's images of property being destroyed with immediate effect, and that the decision won't be reconsidered.

It's not clear why Hlaudi Motsoeneng is involved in editorial decisions since the COO is tasked with running the operations of the broadcaster.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said recently he has streamlined the commissioning process and told TV producers that they can now pitch shows directly to him. This week he said he is considering ordering all SABC staff to wear uniforms so that they can understand unity.

In the Jacaranda FM interview Hlaudi Motsoeneng said: "You as South Africans. I wonder, really, whether you really think properly?"

"Media, you go, and you are so excited about people burning schools. About people burning hospitals. I'm just giving example. Tomorrow you wake up there are no schools, there are no hospitals. We shall not even encourage it," he said.

"People who are not thinkers, easy way is to talk about politics. We are not serving politics there. We are serving the public," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.


'I don't believe in scientific research'
Asked where and what the scientific and market research is that the SABC conducted or used for the decision that visuals of violence on news leads to more acts of violence, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "I interact with the audience".

"I go to all this provinces myself and the team. People always raise this issues about people burning property".

Asked if there's official market research the SABC has or conducted, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "I don't need a company".

He told Rian van Heerden: "You believe in scientific research. I don't believe in scientific research. I believe in practicality".

"Even your research you believe, the scientific research, it will tell you, if kids grow in environment where there is fight, where there is war, I mean, they grow up as fighters also," he said.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "my experience and my experience, it is a good research".


'I just see heart'
In the interview, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the SABC "must have people with good heart". "I don't see colour. I just see heart, if you have good heart for the organisation".

In another decree last month, Hlaudi Motsoeneng suddenly said the SABC's TV channels will also go 90% local content, starting with SABC3 from July that must have 80% local content.

Asked where the local content and quality programming is going to come from so quickly, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said: "This is the time for all South Africans to wake up and come with miracles".

The SABC made a loss of R395 million last year but Hlaudi Motsoeneng told Rian van Heerden "we are R8 billion today, as we are speaking we are R8 billion company".

Asked why, if he faked his matric certificate symbols as the Public Protector found in a report in February 2014, why he gave himself an "F" for History and not something better, he said "I'm not going to get involved there".


'People of the SABC they love Hlaudi'
Asked about his new 6-minute long "Hlau-di" praise song that the SABC unveiled last week, Hlaudi Motsoeneng said "people of the SABC love Hlaudi, there is no doubt about it. South Africans they love Hlaudi. It's life."

Asked if its true that he's being paid more than president Jacob Zuma, he said "I don't want to dwell on the salary issue, but the fact of the matter, if I was working for a private company, I will get 10 million per annum".

"I want to put it clear, anyone who's unhappy within the organisation, leave".


You can listen to the entire Jacaranda FM interview here

A selection of South African cartoonists on the decision by SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng to censor SABC News protest coverage on television.

Besides a near-universal avalanche of criticism directed at the SABC and its controversial and famously matricless boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng's decision to censor SABC News protest coverage on television, South African cartoonists also weighed in the past week.

Here's just a few:

City Press

Zapiro for The Sunday Times

Rico for eNCA

Zapiro for The Times

And some brilliant classic older ones: