ZBC goes wide for content

21 May, 2017 - 00:05 0 Views
ZBC goes wide for content

The Sunday Mail

Prince Mushawevato
THE Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has put in place numerous measures including Embassy engagements as they push to amass adequate content for the pending six channels.

Completion of the ongoing analogue to digital migration under the digitisation programme will see ZBC run an additional five stations thus demand for content is going to be high. As part of the digitisation programme, they have since installed state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment around the country. But the multi-million dollar investment could count for nothing if ZBC fails to get solid content that will grab viewers’ interest.

A sizeable number of people have over the years dumped the country’s sole television channel in favour of satellite television services that offer wide and diverse options. However, speaking in an interview last week, ZBC acting chief executive Patrick Mavhura said their ongoing “image cleaning programme” is producing positive results.

Mavhura highlighted that they have identified local, regional and international sources of content that will make them more competitive than ever. Information privy to this publication reveal a number of diplomatic offices are willing to help ZBC secure foreign content though details of engagement are still ongoing.

Moreover, SADC countries will be producing content for one basket that ZBC will have rights to cherry-pick.  “Apart from physically improving our workplace, we have entered into partnership with various international broadcasters for the provision/sharing of content. We have a contract with Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (JSBC) from China, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) Japan Broadcasting Corporation and others that we will make public in due course.

“The NHK head was here and we are in the process of finalising a content sharing agreement. We are also planning, through the Iranian Embassy, to visit Iran, which runs 27 public broadcasting channels. The move will help us understand how they manage their stations and possibly make us identify relevant content from that side,” said Mavhura.

The ZBC top official adds content for the new channels will be all inclusive. Accordingly, they have appointed provincial content co-ordinators who will be responsible for harnessing content for all genres of production in the country’s 10 provinces.

Already, meetings have been held in Kariba, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Hwange and Victoria Falls. The next stop will be Chiredzi and Beitbridge. “As part of a Government initiative led by the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, we have been visiting all provinces in search of content. We no longer have minority languages but national languages. Content is going to be coming through in all these languages and we are going to make use of subtitles for the deaf and those that do not understand a particular language,” revealed Mavhura.

“News bulletins for various languages will increase time from the current 10 minutes. Everyone will be prioritised as the national broadcaster angles to come up with content that meets expectations of the viewer.”

Furthermore, ZBC has signed Memoranda of Understanding with tertiary institutions and national associations such as the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the Sports and Recreation Commission.

The move is aimed at making sure they do not miss out in covering games and actives that are registered under these organisations.  “ . . . some of the tertiary institutions now have a faculty to train film and theatre and we have access to their archive. The quality might not be good but it will be okay for the beginners channel and it will help budding content producers grow,” explained Mavhura.

Outside independent producers, two “crack teams” have been put in place to produce content for ZBC. The first team is tasked with producing content that does not expire while the other one is producing content for the existing channel.

Programmes that have thus far proved to be popular on ZBC include “Muchaneta”, “Muzita Rababa”, “Woza Friday”, “Wenera” and “House of Assembly” live broadcasts.

ZBC head of television services and production, Ms Busisiwe Dube notes the current schedules are just an appetiser. “A number of new programmes have already been introduced in our current and previous schedules but there is still more to come,” she says.

The current schedule was introduced on May 1 and will run up to the end of August. Part of the local programmes on the new schedule include “KuChina”, “Outrage”, “Dirty Necklace”, “Madlela/ Sikhobokhobo Power”, “Thatha Wena”, “Munhandare/ Enkundleni”, “On the Menu”, “Golden Moments” and “Battle of Chefs”.

Foreign programmes include “Someone is Watching”, “The Pararira’s”, “Steve Harvey Show”, “Perfect Partners”, “The Stumbo Stomp/ Amapantsula”, “Unusual Suspects”, “Mind Work” and “Book of Spells”.

ZBC boasts of an archive with an estimated 16 000 hours of content that has been created over decades. The content is currently being converted from analogue to digital for compatibility with the new technology.

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