e.tv to launch South Africa DTT news channel
May 17, 2018
By Chris Forrester
e-tv’s parent company (eMedia Investments) says it will launch a new 24-hour news channel, OpenNews, which will be carried on South Africa’s DTT service provided by Platco Digital.
eMedia already has a news channel on DStv’s pay-TV service.
OpenNews will initially be in Standard Definition but plans to switch to digital later this year.
The service will run head-to-head with South Africa Broadcasting’s news output. eMedia says it will also add an Afrikaans language block of news to run for two hours as part of its existing eExtra channel.
“OpenNews will be broadcast out of the Cape Town studios, offering viewers an integrated news channel combining short format news, onscreen information and links with selected social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, and a proprietary app,” said André van der Veen, eMedia Investments CEO, and reported by Channel 24 in South Africa.
“eMedia Investments has the talent, knowledge and experience to launch South Africa’s first satellite free-to-air television news channel. OpenNews will be an independent news service, but hosts will be encouraged to ‘to take a view’ on regional, international, sports, entertainment and financial news,” added van der Veen.