ENCA

eNCA, also known as eNews Channel Africa, is a 24-hour television news broadcaster owned by e.tv that focuses on South African, African stories and events. The broadcaster became South Africa's first and most watched 24-hour news service after it launched in June 2008.

Availability

eNCA is available on DStv channel 403.

In August, 2012, the channel began testing on the Eutelsat 28A satellite, which is free-to-air across Europe. The channel officially launched in the region when it was added to Sky in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 20 August 2012, and subsequently closed down on 31 October, 2014.

History

In 2007, the newly formed e. Sat TV applied for a pay-TV license during the Pay-TV Regulation period. Later that year, they were awarded the license along with the already-operating ''Multichoice Africa'', Telkom SA's media branch ''Telkom Media'', Christian channel ''Christian channel Walk on Water, as well as Digital Media. However, e. Sat TV was the first to give up and said the South African market was only big enough for two operators. They later announced that they would instead work as a channel supplier to the already operating Multichoice DSTV platform. On 1 June 2008, the channel took to the airwaves at 19h00 for a special edition of its flagship program News Night.''. Over time, the channel continued expanding the number of shows, presenters, and broadcasting formats to appeal to an increasing viewership.

On 19 August, 2012, the eNews Channel was rebranded as eNCA (eNews Channel Africa) ahead of their launch in the U.K. because they did not want to clash with existing global brands such as E! Entertainment Television. They also wanted a short and simple domain name as they prepared to go online. The channel also received a new logo depicting the continent of Africa.

On 1 June, 2018, the channel celebrated its 10th anniversary by unveiling new studios, a new look, and new line-ups on 16 July, 2018. The channel also introduced a new weekend lineup on 1 December, 2018.

On 29 July, 2019, eNCA introduced a new line-up.

Online

eNCA.com

The website eNCA.com launched in May 2013 and is the extension of the eNCA brand into digital platforms to allow consumers to access signature news coverage on any device. In September, eNCA.com passed half a million unique users, with 538,000 total users and 395,000 domestic users.

, the unique users for eNCA.com were 2.4 million, 2 million of which were domestic.

Target market

eNCA.com has a user base of 51.67% male users and 48.33% female users; users are predominantly in the age brackets of 25–29 (14.42%), 60+ (13.93%), and 30–34 (13.86%). Geographically, eNCA.com users are predominantly from Gauteng (44.6%), the Western Cape (22.07%), and KwaZulu-Natal (18.87%). The top three languages of eNCA.com users are English (73.69%), Afrikaans (30.16%), and IsiZulu (11.23%).

News programming

The schedule includes general news coverage with headlines and eNCA's main news shows: South African Morning , NewsLink, All Angles, Today, ''South Africa Tonight ,and NewsNight.'' These shows include rolling news with live reports, breaking news, and business news.

Weather

Weather reports were provided every half-hour by the forecasters of eNCA's Weather Center, which is situated in Cape Town. Former Chief Meteorologist Derek van Dam became the first broadcaster in South Africa to earn the American Meteorological Society's Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation, a professional recognition of the quality of his weather broadcasts. All forecasts and graphics were created in-house. After Van Dam left, eNCA meteorologist Candice McKechnie became the new head of the eNCA Weather Department. Other meteorologists on the channel included Joel Guy, Luis Fernandes, Lynette van Schalkwyk, Annette Venter, and most recently, Anika De Beer. The weather on eNCA is now presented by slide shows.

Current Affairs

Power To Truth With Dr JJ Tabane

Power To Truth, hosted by Dr JJ Tabane, is an in-depth interview program dealing with issues in government, public sector issues, and politics. It broadcasts on Monday to Wednesdays at 20:00.

Checkpoint

''Checkpoint'', hosted by Nkepile Mabuse, features stories that have happened throughout the country. Broadcasts are on Tuesdays at 21:30.

Week in Interviews

This show recaps the big interviews of the week.

Money Matters

Maya Fisher-French gives tips on budgeting, saving, and investing money.

Judge For Yourself

This show explores the many stories of South Africa and allows the viewer to release their verdict of the conversation on their website.

On The Spot With Lukhona Mnguni

Lukhona Mnguni speaks with people who are shaping South Africa and the world. Broadcasts are on Sundays at 12:00.

Week in One

''Week in One'' recaps the top stories of the past seven days on eNCA. Broadcasts are on weekends.

NewsNight

Hosted by Thulasizwe Simelane, It looks at Local And International Leading Stories. Broadcasts are on Weekdays at 21:00.

Today With Dan Moyane

Dan Moyane Anchors Weekday Afternoon News With Debates, Breaking News, Developing Stories, Live Reports, and Interviews

South African Morning

Gareth Edwards and Tumelo Mothotoane analyze the morning news, examining the headlines of the Nation Of South Africa . Broadcasts are on Weekdays at 06:00.

Popular culture

A broadcast of eNCA was featured in the movie ''Safe House''. The News Society was depicted as per its former name, eNews Channel.

In 2014, a documentary was released that showed how the team worked to cover coverage of Nelson Mandela's passing.

From 6–9 June 2019, eNCA released a documentary on its channel, showing how eNCA covered the 2019 SA Elections.

Notable coverage

While covering a service delivery protest at Wesselton, outside Ermelo, Mpumalanga, reporter Jody Jacobs and cameraman Linge Ndabambi were attacked by an angry mob. Live television footage on the channel showed a group stoning a police vehicle, which sped away and came rushing toward the cameraman and journalist, who sought cover in their satellite van. The van and equipment were damaged during the attack. Jacobs kept reporting, and Ndabambi kept filming throughout the incident.

East Africa bureau chief Robyn Kriel reported extensively on the 2011 East Africa drought. In 2012, Kriel and her cameraman, Orto Sori, came under air bombardment while travelling with the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

Also in 2012, eNCA cameras - alongside former eNCA Anchor Iman Rappetti - caught defacers as they vandalized a controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma called '' The Spear''. The channel covered the controversy over the picture from start to finish.

The 2012 Summer Olympics saw a two-man team - reporter Peter Stemmet and cameraman Neil Raath - covering South Africa's achievements at the games in London, including interviews with the country's Olympic champions, Cameron van der Burgh, Chad le Clos, and the gold medal-winning South African rowing team.

The Marikana miners' strike culminated in clashes with the police in which 34 miners were shot dead and more than 70 were injured. A crew from eNCA captured a graphic incident on camera and reported on what became one of South Africa's most violent post-apartheid clashes.

Controversy

In 2020, eNCA released a news headline on its social media pages alleging that the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, was going to address the nation; however, the Presidency denied this and deemed it fake news. In February 2021, eNCA reporter Lindsay Dentlinger was accused of being racist after she forced black political leaders of the UDM and IFP to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but allowed their white counterparts of the Democratic Alliance and the pro-Afrikaner Freedom Front Plus to be interviewed without wearing masks.

eNCA has been accused of spreading right-wing propaganda and fake news by the African National Congress and EFF leader Julius Malema.

Virtual reality

On 22 November 2015, eNCA published South Africa's first virtual reality news story, reported by Yusuf Omar and produced in conjunction with South African virtual reality company, ''Deep VR''. The 360° video debuted on eNCA's Facebook page and has received more views than any other eNCA video.

Following its success, eNCA produced a follow-up virtual reality report on the #ZumaMustFall marches in Johannesburg, which debuted on the eNCA Facebook page on 18 December 2015.

References

External links

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{{Portal bar, Journalism, South Africa, Television

Television stations in South Africa
English-language television stations in South Africa
Television channels and stations established in 2008
24-hour television news channels