by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice on Friday afternoon announced that the pay-TV company has set aside R80 million to help production companies to pay the full salaries of casts, crews and creatives for March and April as the growing global Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on South Africa's local TV and film industry.
MultiChoice says it is also guaranteeing the income of SuperSport freelancers, including those working in its broadcast technology environment.
MultiChoice told TVwithThinus on Friday in response to a media enquiry that the R80 million is centralised for South Africa, as well as for the MultiChoice Group's Southern Africa and East Africa regions, and also including Nigeria to cover salaries where MultiChoice has ongoing productions until the end of April 2020.
MultiChoice says it expects that by May 2020 "hopefully we will have the worst of the disruptions behind us".
Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO says "The need to secure salaries of our creatives goes a long way in creating income stability for them and their families. We believe this to be critical for the industry" and that the pay-TV operator "has decided to implement several measures aimed at safe-guarding the incomes of cast, crew and creatives as well as the sustainability of production houses".
"With these measures the group can hopefully steer the industry through this tumultuous time."
MultiChoice says it's also guaranteeing the incomes of freelance workers in its SuperSport division where live sports programming all but disappeared the past two weeks and where staffers have been unable to work due to the suspension of sports events, as well as the national lockdowns that are in effect in South Africa as well as several other African countries.
"This extends to guaranteeing the income of freelancers in our broadcast technology environment."
Calvo Mawela says "Our main concern is to ensure as much as
possible that we secure the incomes of creatives, cast and crew over this
period. We want to ensure that they and their families are not negatively
impacted as work has come to a standstill".
"As an
industry made up of thousands of freelance actors, producers, directors and
camera operators, Africa’s video entertainment industry is particularly
vulnerable at this time. These people play a critical role in keeping viewers
and communities informed, entertained and connected. All the whilst
contributing significantly to the economy."
