For the television culturati in South Africa there's suddenly a must-read new voice that popped up and which already has those in the know buzzing with delight: On the Box.
On the Box very recently popped up and promises ''views and reviews of what's on South African television. No holds barred''. The site [no, I don't have any affiliation or connection but I did immediately started reading it] instantly jumped out of the gate with a much stronger, more incisive, acerbically witty and intelligent tele-take down of television and TV shows as seen in South Africa.
The writer of On the Box dishes better and more clever commentary than 90% of the press release-rehashing, I-won't-offend-or-write anything-that-you-as-the-TV-channel-haven't-told-me-to, so-called entertainment journalists in South Africa. The site makes for a refreshing addition of independent thought journalism in an industry where very little investigative journalism and even less real critical observation or commentary on both the trade side as well as the commercial consumer side takes place.
While we don't yet know who On the Box is, the site says it keeps ''a beady eye on South African television''. Well, clearly people are going to keep a beady eye on you On the Box.
It certainly makes for an interesting new bookmark to check daily if you work in television in South Africa or if you're a viewer who wants more ''real'' commentary and insight on shows than the lets-all-play-fake-together pitter-patter than passes for so-called TV-writing in this country. There's clear humour there, which makes On the Box also good for just a good ol' laugh.
