The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has welcomed a commitment by a new 24-hour television news channel to absorb journalists from Afro Worldview.

MultiChoice revealed on Tuesday that it had selected Newzroom Afrika to run the news channel on DStv from early 2019.

The channel will replace the previously Gupta-owned ANN7 and more recently Mzwanele Manyi-owned Afro Worldview channel.

“Sanef notes the fact that the channel is 100% black owned and 50% women owned.

“We also note MultiChoice and Newzroom Afrika’s stated commitment to journalism ethics and independence and the decision to establish an oversight body‚” Sanef said in a statement.

The forum believed that new voices and quality journalism were needed.

“We will be carefully watching this space to see if the new channel’s commitments are upheld. We also keenly await their announcements in early 2019 about their programming offerings and line-up.”

Earlier on Wednesday‚ the EFF demanded that MultiChoice disclose how Newzroom Afrika was selected as the winning bidder to broadcast the new 24-hour news channel.

“We have it on good authority that the chosen company was not the best of those who responded to the bid‚” the party alleged in a statement.