e.tv

Midi TV was the consortium that won the broadcasting licence in 1998 to operate the channel. It is owned by black empowerment group eMedia Investments (Formerly Hosken Consolidated Investments) and Remgro, a part of the Rupert business empire.

The consortium has had many changes in ownership, however the dominant player has always been HCI: it had bought out minority black shareholders who had failed to repay loans they used to purchase the Midi TV stake. Warner Bros. sold their 25% shareholding of the channel in 2001, concerned that they would never be able to exercise full ownership: South African media ownership law restricts foreign entities to owning no more than 25% of a television channel.

Marcel Golding, a former trade unionist, was controversially forced to resign as the station's CEO in late October 2014, following the polemic purchase of shares he made in South African electronics equipment maker Ellies.[1] HCI had insisted, in court documents, that the purchase of the R24 million stake in the electronics maker, which also produces digital set-top boxes, was without authorisation. Golding had, challenging his removal as CEO, stated that attempts to get rid of him was due to the ANC government wanting to control the station's news output through direct interference.[2]

In January 2001, controversy arose when e.tv showed floor plans and other blueprints for renovations of Genadendal Residence, the official residence of President Thabo Mbeki, on air. The government responded by threatening legal action, citing that the station contravened The Protection of Information Act.[3] In August, it was reported to be the fastest-growing channel in South Africa.[4] After the September 11, 2001 attacks, e.tv joined other South African broadcasters in agreeing to continue broadcasting statements by Osama bin Laden.[5] It was also the site of an anthrax scare in October.[6]

In 2002, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa exonerated e.tv from overstepping its code of conduct after complaints were received following its screening of series from the Emmanuelle soft-core porn series.[7] In June, it failed in its attempt to stop M-Net from acquiring a new broadcast licence.[8]

In 2004, e.tv was reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority, after launching a series of newspaper advertisements, in which the SABC was purported to be a "state broadcaster" and "lacking editorial independence."[9] In October, the channel failed in its bid to force the court to allow a live broadcast of the proceedings of the Schabir Shaik trial.[10] In November, it was reported that Midi TV owed ICASA R7 million in licence fees.[11]

In 2005, the channel was fined R55 000 for two offences of broadcasting 18-rated movies before 9pm.[12] It was also prevented by a court ruling, which prevented it from airing a documentary concerning a prominent baby murder, but upon appeal, e.tv was ordered to show the documentary to the case's prosecutors for review.[13][14] The station also fired prominent personality, Soli Philander, after a year's involvement.[15][16][17] It also garnered controversy from conservative and religious groups, after it decided to broadcast softcore pornography late at night over the weekends. It was also to be subpoenaed to appear before the Parliament's home affairs portfolio committee after failing to attend a hearing on pornography; e.tv subsequently claimed that they were given too short notice.[18][19]

In 2006, it refused to air a controversial interview with P.W. Botha before his 90th birthday, which both the SABC and M-Net refused as well.[20] They also received 14 complaints after a contestant was injured in an episode of the local Fear Factor; the station retorted, saying they "gave fair warning" to participants prior to the show, which was upheld by the BCCSA.[21][22]

The news reports of e.tv are sometimes critical of the SABC for having "close ties" to the ruling African National Congress. Both print and outdoor campaigns by e.tv imply an inherent bias in the SABC's news coverage. More recently, e.tv joined a coalition of media outlets in a lawsuit to force the courts to allow live audio and/or video feeds to be broadcast from trials involving government officials and other prominent figures.

Because of its liberal policies on adult content and its continual reinforcement of being free-to-air while it broadcast blockbuster movies, e.tv seems to have won the ratings war against SABC, especially on weekends.

• eNCA

Also referred to as eNews Channel Africa. A 24-hour television news broadcaster which focuses on both South African and African stories. The broadcaster became the nation's first & most-watched 24-hour news service when it launched in June 2008.[32] e.tv first ever news channel that is available exclusively on DStv.

• eMovies

A movie channel showcasing family friendly movies mixed with dramas and romance.

• eExtra

A South African pay television channel, which replaced the defunct eKasi+ channel on OVHD ,offering a variety of telenovelas on top of other programming.

• eMovies Extra

A second movie channel showing mostly action and thriller movies

• eToonz

A children's cartoon channel featuring cartoons that either have or haven't already shown on e.

• News and Sports

A second news and first sports channel from eMedia Investments that launched exclusively on Openview.

• eReality

It promises to be a binge watchers paradise with thrilling real-life stories, fascinating characters, and raw human emotion. There's something compelling for everyone.

• ReWIND

A rerun channel playing content from e.tv and it's other set of channels

To fit in with their new 24-hour news channel eNCA, e.tv changed their look on 1 January 2008, giving it a simplistic look and modern design.

The channel once again went through a redesign of its graphics package, with a more 3D appearance in January 2013.

In November 2017, e.tv gave eMovies+ and eToonz+ a new look to fit in with their other channels red look and dumped the '+' sign from both these channels proclaiming them as eToonz and eMovies from that point onward.

In November 2018, the channel changed their red look to a golden look. This was in commemorating the channel's 20th Anniversary, but stopped in 2019.

In April 2019, e.tv underwent a brand, new look. In the new look, e.tv has done away with the hard red square background border, opting for a "faded edge" look, giving a softer tonal impression.

• List of South African media

• e.tv homepage