The SABC has recently announced the cancellation of Kids News Room (KNR) after its 20-year run as the sole TV news program dedicated to young people in Africa. The show, which initially aired on SABC2 as Kids News in 2004, featuring teenage presenters, moved to SABC1 in 2006 and returned to SABC2 in June last year.
The decision to shift KNR back to SABC2 in 2023 was backed by the statement that “SABC2 prides itself on fulfilling its license mandate of informal knowledge building through crafting content relevant and relatable to its multigenerational audience.”
KNR aimed to engage kids aged seven to 16 by showcasing their diversity and offering an immersive family viewing experience. However, after almost a year, the show has been axed, with no immediate replacement following the last broadcast in May.
Confirming the cancellation, Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson, stated, “The SABC continuously reviews performance of all its content offerings and a decision has been made to discontinue the show Kids News Room (KNR). We can further confirm that the permanent staff members who worked for the program will be moved to other departments within SABC News”.
It’s worth noting that SABC is facing financial challenges, making it difficult to sustain its various content offerings and honour its commitments to producers.
The public broadcaster has also been in a trend of ending shows, including the long-running Venda weekday soap Muvhango, although a revamped 26th season has been agreed upon following negotiations between the SABC and Word of Mouth Pictures. The new season is set to begin airing on SABC2 with fresh episodes on 5 August.
