From August this year, the African News Network 7 (ANN7) channel may no longer be available to DStv subscribers, according to a report by the Sunday Times.

The weekly newspaper alleges that DStv’s parent company Multichoice, has decided to not renew its contract ANN7’s parent company Infinity Media, co-owned by the Gupta family, once its current contract ends in about three months.

According to South African TV blog, TV with Thinus, the move is due to “ongoing complaints from DStv subscribers regarding anchor changes, an inconsistent programming schedule that constantly changes and ongoing widespread on-air mistakes”.

If true, this is the latest in a long series of impediments which have been put in the way of Gupta-owned businesses, for reasons which don’t seem to have been made clear. The family is alleged to have a stronghold over the ANC and many politically-affiliated business interests, but major local banks pulled out of Oakbay Investments, also co-owned by the Guptas. No reasons have yet been made public by the banks, leaving speculation to focus on rules around reputational damage and money laundering regulations.

ANN7 has struggled to pull major viewership numbers over the years, with a decline reported earlier this year.

“According to viewership research by AGB Nielsen Media Research, ANN7 in March 2016 only had a paltry viewership share of 8.83% among MultiChoice’s range of news channels on DStv,” TV with Thinus said. “That is off from the 10.66% share it had in February 2016 and down from its 10.15% share in March last year”.

Multichoice has reportedly declined to offer any comment on the matter.

[Source – Sunday Times, image – ANN7]