Wits University Professor Anton Harber says MultiChoice has the obligation to care about its employees and the quality of journalism.
Harber’s comments follows news of TV channel Afro WorldView shutdown leaving the future of 350 employees hanging in the balance.
The channel, previously known as ANN7, started in 2013 and was broadcasting on DSTV Channel 405. Its contract with MultiChoice ended on Tuesday.
MultiChoice says the successful bidder for a new black-owned news channel to air on its platform will be announced next Tuesday.
Harber says: “They may be a private company but they have the same obligation as all corporate citizens to care about the quality of journalism, to care about media diversity and to care about unemployment.”
“One hopes they all can find a place with whoever wins the new licence. It would be extraordinary to MultiChoice to guarantee that it has to employ everyone voetstoots – so to speak. I think they can encourage them to consider everyone.”
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