Africa's encroaching television censorship creep continues with the latest TV ban coming from Zambia's broadcasting regulator, censoring a show over alleged "gay tendencies" that it wants off television and that will see the locally-produced reality show, Lusaka Hustle, going dark on Zambezi Magic - not just for DStv subscribers in Zambia but across multiple countries for all viewers across Southern Africa.
Zambia's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has abruptly banned the Zambian produced reality show, Lusaka Hustle that started on 24 January on M-Net's Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel available in Southern Africa, for allegedly promoting "gay tendencies".
Zambia's broadcasting regulator hasn't watched the show but is "responding to public outcries", after Zambia's Godfridah Sumaili, the country's minister for religious affairs and national guidance, complained that Lusaka Hustle features a character with "gay tendencies" and wearing a dress.
Some viewers were disturbed that Kuni wore a dress in a recent episode while doing a spa day in Lusaka.
It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.
In November 2017 the show Talk with Kwangu was censored and pulled off the air on Zambezi Magic, following Zambian government interference and pressure.
Zambezi Magic is aimed at helping producers in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini to get their original content from their countries on the air for local DStv audiences to enjoy.
Zambia's latest TV censorship is not just raising questions around the clampdown of freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the country, but is also worrying Zambian TV and film producers who don't feel that their local work is valued in their own country, with more and more producers looking across borders and outside of Zambia to pitch their projects.
The biggest concern around the ban on Lusaka Hustle however revolves around how draconian censorship of TV content in just one African country will once again that the censored show will become unavailable to millions of viewers and DStv subscribers in multiple other countries.
Similar to a growing and ongoing trend of recent TV censorship in Nigeria and Kenya ranging from lifestyle and reality shows to even kids animation programming on the Disney Channel and Viacom Africa's Nickelodeon, shows on channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform ordered blocked there by local regulators in one country, means that when these shows are removed, they are censored for everyone.
MultiChoice carries only one channel feed for Africa - in some cases two - from a channel distributor, meaning that content on a channel - for instance E! Entertainment (DStv 124) or Disney Channel (DStv 303) - ordered to be censored and dumped in for instance Kenya, makes it unavailable in South Africa and a range of other African countries outside of where the censorship takes place.
When Lusaka Hustle is removed on Zambezi Magic for Zambia's DStv subscribers, it becomes unavailable for viewers in every other country where Zambezi Magic is carried since it's the same single channel feed viewed in all the countries.
Josephine Mapona, IBA director-general in Zambia, in a statement, said it is ordering MultiChoice Zambia to "suspend the Lusaka Hustle reality show on the Zambezi Magic channel on DStv".
"This follows public outcries that the Lusaka Hustle reality show promotes a lifestyle contrary to our Zambian values and culture." The IBA says it urges Zambian producers of local content "to produce content that reflect the Zambian culture".
Zambia's IBA in media enquiries was asked what specifically is wrong with Lusaka Hustle and why the IBA censor and removes TV shows as opposed to classifying and issuing advisories, what the IBA's message is to TV and film producers in Zambia and whether they should rather pitch local content for audiences outside of Zambia.
The regulator was also asked how the IBA sees freedom of speech and expression in terms of TV content and to what degree the IBA feels that that exists for Zambian television.
The IBA didn't respond to these media enquiries this week from TVwithThinus.
DStv: Show prejudged on social media, cast deeply distressed
Both MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel responded to media enquiries seeking comment.
MultiChoice Zambia told TVwithThinus that "MultiChoice Zambia has noted the public commentary about Lusaka Hustle on the Zambezi Magic channel. We are concerned that the programme has been misrepresented on social media and to address these misrepresentations, we will be facilitating a viewing session with our key stakeholders to allow for an assessment of the programme".
"MultiChoice remains committed to the promotion of local content and respect for the law".
Timothy Okwaro, head of Zambezi Magic tells TVwithThinus that Lusaka Hustle "is a locally-produced reality show which follows the lives of three Zambian celebrities who regularly appear on television".
"The show has been prejudged in social media without an informed assessment of the content or a clear indication of which aspects of the show are unlawful. The cast and crew of Lusaka Hustle have been deeply distressed by the misleading representation of the content".
Zambezi Magic says M-Net and the channel are "respectful of Zambian values and culture. We are working with MultiChoice Zambia to resolve this matter in a constructive way and will join key stakeholders for a viewing session of upcoming episodes".
