Primedia Broadcasting welcomed last week's decision by Judge Willem van der Merwe to allow the judgment in the Jacob Zuma rape trial in the Johannesburg High Court to be broadcast live, following their application.
e.tv was also granted permission after Primedia's success and will be broadcasting the judgment live on Monday, 8 May from 8.30am to 2pm. The following new programmes on e.tv will go to air a day later: 'Dallas' will start on Tuesday 9 May at 10.30am and 'Great Expectations' the same day at 11.30am.
Commenting, group head of news and talk programming, Yusuf Abramjee, said in his letter of application to the judge: "We have been covering the trial extensively over the past few weeks with our reporters stationed in and outside the court. The case has drawn widespread national and international interest and we believe that broadcasting your judgment live will provide an important service to our listeners. There is widespread public interest to do this."
Abramjee, 702's station manager Pheladi Gwangwa and Johannesburg editor Katy Katopodis met Judge van der Merwe in his chambers before the start of proceedings last week. "The judge was very receptive to our application for a live broadcast of his judgment. We welcome his openness in considering our application. He mentioned that 'times are changing' and he therefore approved the application," Abramjee says.
Judge van der Merwe indicated that if other radio stations wanted a feed, they needed to liaise with Primedia Broadcasting.
