It is majority-owned by black empowerment group Hosken Consolidated Investments (via its subsidiary eMedia Holdings), with Remgro having a minority-stake.

[2] Hosken Consolidated Investments' major shareholder is the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union.

[7] Shortly before starting its 24-hour schedule, Vula Communications, one of Midi's shareholders, planned to float 20% of its shares at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange during 1999.

Influenced by The Big Breakfast, two of its producers reportedly visited Johannesburg in February 2000 providing consultancy to Times Media.

[14] The consortium has had many changes in ownership, however the dominant player has always been HCI: it had bought out minority black shareholders who had failed to repay loans they used to purchase the Midi TV stake.

Marcel Golding, a former trade unionist, was controversially forced to resign as the station's CEO in late October 2014, following the polemic purchase of shares he made in South African electronics equipment maker Ellies.

[15] HCI had insisted, in court documents, that the purchase of the R24 million stake in the electronics maker, which also produces digital set-top boxes, was without authorisation.

Golding had, challenging his removal as CEO, stated that attempts to get rid of him was due to the ANC government wanting to control the station's news output through direct interference.

The government responded by threatening legal action, citing that the station contravened The Protection of Information Act.

"[23] In October, the channel failed in its bid to force the court to allow a live broadcast of the proceedings of the Schabir Shaik trial.

[29][30][31] It also garnered controversy from conservative and religious groups, after it decided to broadcast softcore pornography late at night over the weekends.

[33] They also received 14 complaints after a contestant was injured in an episode of the local Fear Factor; the station retorted, saying they "gave fair warning" to participants prior to the show, which was upheld by the BCCSA.

More recently[vague], e.tv joined a coalition of media outlets in a lawsuit to force the courts to allow live audio and/or video feeds to be broadcast from trials involving government officials and other prominent figures.

Because of its liberal policies on adult content and its continual reinforcement of being free-to-air while it broadcast blockbuster movies, e.tv seems to have won the ratings war against SABC, especially on weekends.

In 2018, True African and Beatlab TV were discontinued as part of realignment strategy to offer viewers fresh entertainment.

In 2021, the brand launched its own streaming service eVOD with some content moving exclusively to that platform alongside upcoming programming that haven't aired on their channels.

Backstage, set in an arts college in Cape Town, started off on a high note when it first aired in 2000, but things soured when e.tv had a dispute with the production company, and several popular cast members left the show.

Scandal!, set in a mass media company in Johannesburg, experienced increased ratings after its timeslot was changed from 8pm to 7.30pm.

In 2015 the channel introduced new dramas such as Ashes to Ashes, Matatiele, Umlilo, Z'bondiwe, Gold Diggers, Traffic, Broken Vows and eKasi:Our Stories, Imbewu: The Seed and Isipho, reality shows like Blame it on Fame, Rolling With, Katch it with Kanyi, Coke Studio Africa, Step Up or Step Out, Reality Check, Nikiwe, Isitha:The Enemy, Smoke And Mirrors, Superdance South Africa and Durban Gen.[43] In South Africa, e.tv formerly aired some HBO shows like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

From January 2016, e.tv is the first free-to-air channel in South Africa to air the hit shows and dramas such as Doodsondes, Empire, Devious Maids, How To Get Away With Murder, The Fixer, Chicago and Hawaii Five-O.

The channel also airs America's Funniest Home Videos, Family Feud, Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge, Minute to Win It, MTV Fear Factor, Little Big Shots and Judge Judy.

[44] Littl-e's local offerings such as Cool Catz and Siyabonga Gogo were also discontinued, although reruns still air on eToonz.

[45] Over the years, e.tv still dominates the weekend ratings war with movies against the SABC, due to having multiple deals with various distribution companies.

e.tv previously secured broadcast rights of the UEFA Champions League and the World Wrestling Entertainment's various shows;[46] which aired on weekdays and weekends, these received the highest ratings in their timeslots.

In 1998, e.tv launched its very own dedicated news division from Cape Town called "eNews" which went LIVE at 7pm daily.

The weekend edition called "South Africa Tonight" features a simulcast at 7pm from e.tv's sister channel eNCA.

It promises to be a binge watchers paradise with thrilling real-life stories, fascinating characters, and raw human emotion.

New sitcoms filled with spontaneous laughter bringing families together, drama series with warm, captivatingly relatable themes, to intense, darkly dramatic plot twists, and the thrill of the chase through the gritty arcs of crime.