e.tv has pulled both its soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! from the Royalty Soapie Awards set to take place on 2 November in Durban making the upstart awards show instantly controversial and making the results unrepresentative and non-inclusive of South Africa's local soap opera industry, with e.tv saying the broadcaster didn't get enough information about the planned awards.
e.tv says the broadcaster decided to pull both Scandal! and Rhythm City from the Royalty Soapie Awards organised by Generations actress Winnie Modise since no information about the judging process, aims and other criteria were forthcoming from the organisers.
Both Rhythm City and Scandal! are now shut out from all categories, similar to when e.tv pulled Rhythm City and Scandal! from the 6th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) in March 2012 which suffers from an ongoing credibility problem regarding impartiality and judging.
e.tv's soaps which are not eligible, makes something like the Royalty Soapie Awards instantly an industry sham, since viewers' votes who determine the winner of a category such as "Most Popular Soapie of the Year" are not able to vote for a TV show they might want to vote for.
Without full industry buy in such as when South Africa's largest free-to-air commercial TV station say it doesn't want to be a part of it, makes it impossible to take a given awards ceremony - or the prizes handed out - seriously.
Sindile Xulu, Royalty Soapie Awards project director says "the purpose of these awards is to promite creativity, quality and excellence of local productions".
Apparently judging for the Royalty Soapie Awards has already taken place and auditing of the process is done by KPMG.
Monde Twala, e.tv's group head of channels says e.tv has "declined to participate in the Royalty Soapie Awards".
"We did not have sufficient information about the awards, its judging processes and overall objective. We have plans to meet with the organisers later this year to discuss the prospect of e.tv participating next year."
Only technical and creative nominees have been announced so far and the Royalty Soapie Awards have not made available a list of the judges or their credentials. Awards are presented in 20 categories, 18 of which are chosen by judges.
