I can break the news that the popular SABC2 soap 7de Laan is back in the race as South Africa's most popular soap on TV in the 7th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) which will take place in March 2013 and which will be screened on one of M-Net's TV channels for the first time.
I can also reveal that both of e.tv's soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! are legitimately back (although no official word from e.tv about having entering their soaps), after e.tv withdrew all of its nominees and shows just before the 6th Saftas took place earlier this year.
I can also exclusively break the news that kykNET's Binneland and Villa Rosa won't be votable for the 7th Saftas as Best Soap (although it's a viewers' vote category only) - neither show entered for the 7th Saftas, similar to 7de Laan last year.
7de Laan won as Best Soap at
the Saftas in 2009, again in 2010 and 2011 before suddenly being excluded in
2012.
The NFVF dumped 7de Laan, the 3rd biggest South African soap according to viewership figures, since the soap failed to enter other categories. The NFVF said soaps are only eligible to be voted for if they've entered other categories; the production said they were not aware of that.
The NFVF dumped 7de Laan, the 3rd biggest South African soap according to viewership figures, since the soap failed to enter other categories. The NFVF said soaps are only eligible to be voted for if they've entered other categories; the production said they were not aware of that.
Now 7de
Laan is back in the Saftas after having entered into other categories,
although South African TV viewers will again not have a true complete soap set
to truly choose from and which will still be impacting on the true legitimacy of
the Best Soap category winner.
iNkaba in, Binneland
and Villa Rosa out
I can reveal that while SABC1's Generations, SABC2's Muvhango
and 7de Laan, SABC3's Isidingo, e.tv's Scandal! and Rhythm City,
M-Net's The Wild and even Mzansi
Magic's telenovela iNkaba (for the first time) all entered
into categories and therefore will be listed in the Best Soap category, kykNET
on DStv's Binneland and Villa Rosa are absent because they did
not enter anything.
Fans of Binneland
and Villa Rosa won't be able to vote
for these shows, although they are legitimate and longrunning soaps.
"Eight soaps that submitted entries will go
to judging and also qualify for Best Soap as a viewer voting category," the
NFVF tells me.
This year the 7th Saftas saw 354
entries qualify to proceed to the so-called "filtration process" which will be
followed by final judging. While South Africa's TV industry plays nice, there
is still simmering tension behind the scenes, with the Saftas abjudication
process still accused of sistemic and judges' bias. Once again, previous
winners and nominees of the Saftas serve as judges which is perceived to be a
conflict of interest.
"The Saftas judges are professionals with
integrity, also if a judge has been nominated in a category they are not
permitted to sit on the judging of their own project. The judging process is
audited," the NFVF tells TV with Thinus.
"I’m proud to say that not only is the Saftas
growing but the whole industry as we continue to witness a considerable
increase in the levels of international and local investments in the film and
TV industry," says Zama Mkosi the NFVF CEO and Saftas chairperson.
Tension
"This year all the role players in the industry
fully support the Saftas," says Mkosi. And while public criticism surrounding
the upcoming 7th Saftas has not yet bubbled to the surface as in
previous years, behind the scenes broadcasters and industry players are keeping
a close eye on the process. Industry insiders remain concerned about the true
independence of the awards.
"e.tv remains committed to working together
with the NFVF and the Saftas committee to address concerns around the
independence of the awards," says Monde Twala, e.tv's group head of channels.
Just before the awards ceremony of the 6th Saftas e.tv in a big
fight with the awards ceremony, withdrew all e.tv nominees and shows, although the
broadcaster did enter again this year.
"Our efforts aim to bolster industry
competence and transparency," says Monde Twala. "It is important that we work towards
ensuring genuine reward for the country's diverse film and television talent
pool."
Back on TV
Another swirling backstage drama in the past was
the bad organising and the NFVF's inability to find a broadcaster in time to
televise the awards show done over two consecutive nights, or to institute a
so-called "carousel wheel" similar to American award shows where TV channels
play nice and equally share in taking turns to televise shows such as the Emmys on a turn-by-turn basis to fascilitate buy-in and continued support.
Now M-Net agreed to show an edited version of
the 7th Saftas in 2013. "M-Net is fully behind the awards, and has
committed to screening an edited version on one of its channels," says Theo
Erasmus, M-Net's director for general entertainment channels who is an M-Net
representative on the Saftas committee.
