STILL LOADING… ENTIRE EDITORIAL STAFF RESIGN JUST 1 WEEK AFTER NEW CHANNEL GOES LIVE

New Brazilian esports, gaming, and geek culture TV channel Loading has descended into farce just a week after going on air.

As previously reported, the Grupo Kalunga-owned channel had acquired the former MTV Brasil broadcasting concession and moved into its old studios. Headed by CEO Thiago Garcia, it had put together an impressive team of local esports journalists and talent, including Bárbara Gutierrez (from IGN Brasil), and Chandy Teixeira (from Globo’s GE). 

However, according to the Esports Observer, which spoke to sources familiar with the channel on the condition of anonymity, the channel’s entire editorial staff has resigned.

Apparently, the launch of the channel has been plagued by issues, with employees never receiving their contracts or agreed benefits, including healthcare insurance, and the former MTV studios being about two decades out-of-date, equipped with obsolete technology. 

But, it seems that an investigative report into a possibly fraudulent fundraising campaign, fronted by an esports player on Twitch, by Teixeira, followed by a negative portrayal of Riot Games regarding Brazilian League of Legends Championship (CBLoL) coverage, was too much for the channel’s management, who just wanted entirely ‘happy content’, minus any controversy or realism.

As such, esports Editor-in-Chief Vicenzzo Mandetta was fired, and the journalist staff ordered to strictly follow a ‘positive agenda’ – extending even to the point where covering sexism or discrimination in esports woudl be banned. 

Reports suggest a rebellion followed, with staff attempting to make a stand to protect their integrity, but their demands fell on deaf ears, and the entire team resigned the next morning. 

Loading’s management have referred to the incident as a “misalignment between Loading’s positioning, focused on entertainment, and the Metagaming program’s editorial team.”

AYO.NEWS says:

While it’s very early days for Loading, this doesn’t bode well for the channel’s future. Quite apart from the ‘misalignment’ issues, the allegation that the channel’s owners haven’t even invested in the right equipment should ring alarm bells, and very strongly suggests those in charge have no idea of what is required to be relevant in 2021. 

Can Loading bring things back from the brink, and get back on track? Interesting times…

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