Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Solly Malatsi seeks out-of-court deal in TV migration fight

      15 July 2025

      South Africa’s telcos battle to monetise 5G as 4G suffices for most

      15 July 2025

      Major new electric car brand launching in South Africa

      15 July 2025

      MTN empowerment investors see ‘modest’ return as Zakhele Futhi winds up

      15 July 2025

      Eskom wants your solar system registered – but what does that actually mean?

      15 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Samsung’s bet on folding phones faces major test

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      OpenAI to launch web browser in direct challenge to Google Chrome

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025
    • In-depth

      The 1940s visionary who imagined the Information Age

      14 July 2025

      MultiChoice is working on a wholesale overhaul of DStv

      10 July 2025

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

      15 July 2025

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » DStv won’t engage in ‘tit for tat’ with e.tv: CEO

    DStv won’t engage in ‘tit for tat’ with e.tv: CEO

    By Duncan McLeod1 February 2018
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    MultiChoice South Africa CEO Calvo Mawela on Thursday declined to comment publicly on scathing criticism by e.tv and eNCA parent eMedia Investments over remarks Mawela made at a press conference on Wednesday.

    On Wednesday evening, eMedia issued a statement in response to the remarks made at the press conference earlier in the day on its decision not to renew its channel-supply deal with the controversial formally Gupta-owned 24-hour news channel ANN7.

    Mawela read out a statement at the press conference in which he said the negotiations with ANN7 began at a time when MultiChoice wanted to add local black voices to reflect more diverse local news coverage on the DStv platform. “In addition, annual payments to e.tv had escalated substantially, heading towards R500m/annum,” he said.

    The suggestion made by Mr Mawela that questions have not been asked of the MultiChoice agreement with eNCA is misplaced

    “The commercial rationale was to assist in the development of the new ANN7 channel by contributing to their costs and allow it a reasonable term of three to five years to develop. Should it fail, MultiChoice would let the agreement lapse at the end of the period, as allowed for in the contract.”

    But eMedia, in its statement, expressed “disappointment” in MultiChoice’s remarks.

    “Mr Mawela revealed confidential contractual information relating to eMedia Investments’ agreement with MultiChoice,” it said. “eMedia Investments is contracted to provide five channels to DStv on a non-exclusive basis, the same basis as ANN7 provides its news channel to MultiChoice. Furthermore, the provision of 24-hour news channel eNCA as well as Afrikaans news bulletins for KykNet are provided on an exclusive basis.

    “These services are incomparably more extensive than the ANN7 offering and attract substantially larger audiences on the DStv platform. eNCA delivers an independent, commercially viable news service, holding more than 50% of the news-watching audience. The total amount currently received from MultiChoice for all of the services is significantly below the amount suggested by both the MultiChoice statement and subsequent comments made in the Q&A session. The overstatement of the amount payable, to justify amounts paid in respect of ANN7, is distressing.”

    ‘Serious allegations’

    The eMedia statement added: “The suggestion made by Mr Mawela that questions have not been asked of the MultiChoice agreement with eNCA is misplaced. The amount paid pursuant to an ordinary commercial contract such as eMedia’s is irrelevant when it comes to the issues facing MultiChoice and their relationship with ANN7. That relationship, which has been ventilated in the media and the court of public opinion, details serious allegations of bribery, corruption and impropriety.”

    In a podcast interview with TechCentral on Thursday morning, Mawela declined to comment on eMedia’s statement.

    However, he said eMedia is “taking it overboard in terms of how they have crafted their statement, but I am not going to get into a tit-for-tat fight with e.tv”.

    “We have a good relationship them. And we will be engaging with e.tv on this matter. Safe to say, I think they didn’t understand the context in which I mentioned their name in the press statement. I’d rather prefer to engage with them personally.”  — (c) 2018 NewsCentral Media



    ANN7 Calvo Mawela DStv e.tv eNCA MultiChoice top
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleWhy ANN7 won’t be missed, by Anton Harber
    Next Article Interview: DStv boss Calvo Mawela on ANN7, SABC deals

    Related Posts

    Solly Malatsi seeks out-of-court deal in TV migration fight

    15 July 2025

    South Africa begins complex job of overhauling media laws

    13 July 2025

    MultiChoice is working on a wholesale overhaul of DStv

    10 July 2025
    Company News

    Mental wellness at scale: how Mac fuels October Health’s mission

    15 July 2025

    Banking on LEO: Q-KON transforms financial services connectivity

    14 July 2025

    The future of business calling: Voys brings your landline to the cloud

    14 July 2025
    Opinion

    A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

    15 July 2025

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.