Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Big Debate South Africa


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   keep. (non-admin closure) Mz7 (talk) 21:24, 15 March 2014 (UTC)

Big Debate South Africa

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I question the notability of this article - the only bigger reference is to BBC for one of the topics in one of the episodes in one of the seasons. Production company (Broad Daylight Films Foundation) and filmmaker (Ben Cashdan) both are redlinks. Dirk Beetstra T C 08:33, 13 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of South Africa-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 19:20, 14 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Television-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 19:20, 14 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so a clearer consensus may be reached.


 * Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, j⚛e deckertalk 04:21, 23 February 2014 (UTC)



I am the original author of this page and the producer of the TV show. My name is Ben Cashdan. I am new to Wikipedia and so I would like to engage in this discussion to learn what is and isn't acceptable. Our TV show is the largest current affairs discussion programme in South Africa, with a weekly viewership of about a million people. Our debates are cited in newspapers in South Africa, and are discussed weekly on social media by a following of about 50,000 people. We are now in our 5th season. I created the page as lots of our viewers and lots of journalists constantly ask for basic info about the show and its history. I have no idea if this makes it a suitable entry in Wikipedia. However I notice that some similar TV shows on other broadcasters do have wikipedia entries. The show is certainly "notable" in South Africa - and I can certainly add references on the page to newspaper articles about the show (including critiques), and links to our broadcasters etc. I wonder if the question about "notability" has anything to do with the fact that our TV show is aired on the main news broadcaster in South Africa, not the BBC in the UK :-) !? In any case, the page was not written to be promotional material - I realise that Wikipedia is not the place to promote our TV show.  It was written simply to make available basic information, and I'm sure over time other folks will edit it.  I hope this helps with the evaluation of the page.  And I look forward to hearing any feedback.

I have now added a paragraph about controversies on the show, including about 10 references to articles in national newspapers about the show, and some other references.

BroaddaylightSA (talk) 19:46, 24 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Keep I think there's enough in the way of references now to establish notability. While Mr. Cashdan's candor here is welcome--given how often editors choose not to divulge their conflict of interest--WP:COI is a concern, as is the name of the account being used to edit the article. JNW (talk) 22:58, 24 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Comment Although now we have to add the autobiography Ben Cashdan to this discussion. JNW (talk) 23:16, 24 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so a clearer consensus may be reached.


 * Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, Black Kite (talk) 01:09, 9 March 2014 (UTC)


 * Keep The references now in the article show that this is a notable TV show in South Africa.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  03:50, 9 March 2014 (UTC)


 * Keep - The topic passes WP:GNG. Source examples include:
 * Mail & Guardian
 * Mail & Guardian
 * Independent Online
 * Business Day
 * – NorthAmerica1000 16:58, 9 March 2014 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.