eNews to launch in June
Net is South Africa's first 24-hour news channel
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E.sat, sister company to private free-to-air broadcaster e.tv, was granted one of four new pay TV licenses issued in September by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to open up the pay TV market long monopolized by Multichoice.
But just three months later, e.sat shocked a market anticipating increased price-friendly competition by announcing it had decided to pull out as an independent paycaster and become a channel provider to Multichoice instead.
ENews, the 24-hour news channel originally intended to be part of e.sat's feevee service, will form part of DStv's premium and budget compact packages.
E.tv's daily 7 p.m. news bulletin is the most watched English-language news broadcast in South Africa, and one of the channel's biggest regular viewership draws, pulling in some 1.4 million viewers.
"ENews is our strongest brand," E.sat chief executive Marcel Golding says. "In a developing country with so many challenges and issues, a 24-hour news channel will contribute to keeping society abreast of what is happening and can play a critical role in informed debate and discussion. We believe the eNews Channel will become an important voice in South Africa's democracy."
ENews editor-in-chief Debora Patta says the channel will provide "primetime news, all the time," including South African, regional and international news with live reports, breaking news, sport, weather, entertainment, financial information and in-depth current affairs shows.
She says there wouldn't be crossover programming between eNews and e.tv's regular newsshows. An ayemcast will be created specifically for the new channel so that e.tv's new breakfast show, "Sunrise," won't be part of eNews.
