Business Day reports that the SABC is launching a 24-hour news channel on MultiChoice’s DSTV platform in a bid to recover from its financial troubles. However, the broadcaster will miss the original 1 April launch deadline.
The public broadcaster presented plans for the 24-hour news channel to Parliament last year as a key component of its turnaround strategy. SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said while the channel would not make its original deadline, it would be launched “soon”. Kganyago said the broadcaster had approached MultiChoice because the SABC had no space to broadcast the new channel.
According to Business day the proposed news channel has not been well received by SABC unions and the civil society coalition SOS: Support Public Broadcasting. The concerned parties have called the channel unsustainable and questioned whether the SABC has the resources needed to compete with the BBC and CNN.
