Oscar Pistorius Trial To Have Dedicated 24-Hour Television Channel In South Africa

South African cable provider MultiChoice said that the trial of Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius will have a dedicated 24-hour TV channel in South Africa, promising "round-the-clock" coverage of one of the "blockbuster stories of the year," according to the AP. MultiChoice said that the temporary "pop-up" channel will launch on March 2, "the day before the Pistorius goes on trial in a high court in Pretoria, for killing his girlfriend in his home on Valentine's Day last year." MultiChoice said that "it is the first time it has launched a channel of this kind to cover a major news event." The judge who will preside over the trial has not yet ruled if TV cameras "will be allowed to record images of court proceedings or if the trial at North Gauteng high court can be carried live." TV coverage "was restricted for Pistorius's previous court appearances." Cameras "were allowed to record in court only before proceedings began and after they ended" (AP, 1/29).