You're reading it here first.
The SABC is still losing millions of rands on TV rights it buys and then never uses or schedules across its three TV channels, SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 and having to pay for drama, sport and film rights that expire and then become a loss to the broadcaster - known as ''amortisation and impairment'' of programmes.
In the SABC's latest annual report for 2009/'10 the South African public broadcaster once again admits that it lost - basically wasted - millions on once again buying more rights and shows that what it managed to broadcast before the rights period expired.
SABC1 even sits with local shows like
Sokhulu & Partners that its at risk of losing because its not scheduling it. The SABC's annual report itself describes it as an ''expensive drama production'' - even the more reason it broadcast it.
Since April 2010
SABC3 has also been used as a dumping ground of sorts by the SABC to massively start burning off foreign TV programming before its licensing window periods expire. The SABC admits that ''SABC3 did not budget for these timeslots to be filled with foreign content at a cost to the channel'', having to assist ''in the use of content that will expire soon''. What it means is that SABC3 program schedule was thrown into disarray with channel execs not really being able to put together the best and most relevant schedule since it has to act as the TV show burn-off of the SABC. As a result SABC3's programme impairment and amortisation cost in the latest annual report is more than R14 million over budget.
Oh, and the SABC sees the launch of
Mzansi Magic (DStv 107) as a ''risk to revenue'', meaning the SABC thinks that the broadcaster is going to lose advertisers in the future to this new channel on DStv.
