M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle says M-Net's big vision is to be the leading storyteller of African stories for the world.
On Thursday Yolisa Phahle addressed the media at MultiChoice's DStv media showcase held in the cinema auditorium at MultiChoice City in Randburg, Johannesburg, explaining what she's proud of as the CEO of Africa's leading pay-TV broadcaster on the continent.
"We aspire to be the leading storyteller of African stories for the world," said Yolisa Phahle.
"I think that our stories have the potential to find audiences beyond our borders, and if we can do that, we will build our industry, we will build our talent, and that's what it's all about."
"I'm very proud that we won the Gold Promax Award for the M-Net 30th Birthday campaign. For us this is a small step in the right direction, because we were competing with big global brands."
"We were competing with Eurovision as an event, we were competing with something from the BBC, something from Disney. So really, really big massive brands who have events of great proportions, and actually this year in New York we took home that award, and I'm really, really proud of that," said Yolisa Phahle.
"I'm also proud of something new which we launched this year with MultiChoice," said Yolisa Phahle.
"This year we decided to stage the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards. Now for us, it is really, really important that we bring our industry together. We recognise our industry, we acknowledge our industry, and that we also give our audiences a chance to have their voices heard."
"So these awards were awards for our industry but not the Saftas type awards where it's about directing and editing and all sorts of other important production capabilities. The DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards is about the best actor, the best presenter, the best DJ, the best comedian."
"The DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards was a fantastic event. The red carpet was literally something that can compete with the Oscars and the Emmys; our stars looked amazing, the audience loved the show, the ratings of the DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) was through the roof."
"I think this is something that we need to have. Our industry needs to have one night a year when they come together and they celebrate and I'm very proud of that as well."
"If I talk about the channels, I have to say that our local content is really going from strength to strength," said Yolisa Phahle.
"We're at season 13 of Idols on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) - the ratings are amazing, the audiences are still there, the talent is amazing, we're getting ready to launch season 10 on kykNET (DStv 144) of Boer Soek 'n Vrou - again, a hugely successful show."
"On M-Net (DStv 101) I'm really proud of Trevor Noah who had his first-ever local talk show on M-Net, was back in the country, he came to see us, he did an amazing show for us at the Johannesburg Theatre, and we're also now getting ready to produce a comedy series with Trevor Noah."
"This show [working title: Trevor Noah Presents...] is going to profile and highlight other fantastic South African comedians. I'm proud of our local content and the investment that we with MultiChoice continue to make."
"Finally, very close to my heart, is our M-Net Magic in Motion Academy. This is our corporate social responsibility initiative. It's run by Gaylyn Wingate-Pearse who many of you now, and this is really about ensuring the sustainability of our industry."
"This is about finding and supporting and nurturing and mentoring and giving the next generation of local content makers the chance to excel and hopefully help us realise this massive vision that we have about African storytelling in the world," said Yolisa Phahle.
"These guys come to us for a year, they have a paid internship, they work on all of our big productions - they're not making tea, they're not filing papers, they are on the studio floor, they're in the editing suites and they actually end up producing shows which rate."
"So the Magic in Motion Academy, the future of our industry, is something that is very close to my heart," said Yolisa Phahle.
PERSONAL TAKE:
■ As I sat there, I thought why is the SABC as South Africa's public broadcaster not doing this, not talking like this, not communicating a vision and success stories like this, not being like this.
■ Covering South African television, it was hugely inspiring to just sit and listen to Yolisa Phahle doing her presentation. She didn't hype up anything, or needed to. The very plain facts, all true, spoke volumes about what M-Net is really doing as a pay-TV broadcaster and its gargantuan contribution to South Africa and Africa's TV industry.
■ Respect to Yolisa Phahle who literally was on a flight back to South Africa on Thursday morning from Lagos, Nigeria and landed very early, and still took a lot of time out of her day to attend the DStv Media Showcase and to talk to the media.
