ANN7 presenter praises channel for ‘revolution’
SHEENA Deepnarain, model turned TV presenter on the ANN7 news channel that has been the butt of many jokes since going live last week, has hit back at its critics.
African News Network 7 on DStv channel 405 has become a laughing stock, particularly on social network sites.
Viewers have made comments about how “pathetic” the 24-hour news channel presenters are and posted video clips of their embarrassing bloopers on YouTube.
The video clips showed presenters referring to Australian cricket captain Michael Clark as “Michelle”, pronouncing Grand Prix as “grand pricks” and calling Johannesburg “the Mother City” in a weather report.
Some suggested the news channel had focused on hiring attractive people — most of the presenters are models — rather than on getting presenters with appropriate experience.
The channel’s executives have declined to comment to the media, but Deepnarain — who presents
HashTag — hit out at critics on her Facebook page.
“I am proud to be a part of ANN7 — Channel 405DStv,” she wrote.
“Having worked in the industry for just over a decade, my industry friends and I know how difficult the road has been, not because there isn’t talent out there but because the opportunities are few and far apart.
“There was a need for someone or some company to take that chance and invest in the youth of the media and entertainment industry and that was ANN7.
“ANN7 believed in the youth and went on a massive recruitment campaign to hire graduates within the industry, invest in them and provide them with a much needed platform. “Whilst there [are] a vast number of errors and mistakes, South Africa is really watching ANN7 revolutionise an industry that needed it, mistakes and all.”
Deepnarain declined to comment any further to the Sunday Times Extra.
ANN7 is owned by Infinity Media. The controversial and politically connected Gupta family and President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane are the main investors.
Neither Haranath Ghosh — a spokesman for ANN7 and the Gupta family — nor Gupta spokesman Gary Naidoo responded to questions by the time of going to press.
Viewer Jo Barton tweeted that it was good to give young people an opportunity to learn, but they had to be professional in what they did.
Simon Berry said the fact that most of the presenters were models explained why there were so many problems. “The Guptas hired a bunch of pretty faces who know nothing about news reading or even the material they are supposed to be reading.”
Said George Smit: “Is this what we are to expect from our youth then? Why not get Riaan Cruywagen to teach you a few lessons. Oh no, I forgot, he took 20 years to get to the top. That’s way to long for the Gupta news team! I wonder who, besides the Zuma and Gupta families, watch this lot?”