by Thinus Ferreira
A TV news war for Nguni viewers is coming to South African television at 19:00 with M-Net taking the SABC head-on by launching a daily isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletin from 27 February on DStv at the same time as SABC1's news bulletins in these languages which have surged to record ratings.
The buzzword for early 2023 in South African television news is a renewed push for an increase in news content in vernacular languages, with Mzansi Wethu (DStv 163) which will add a daily isiZulu/ isiXhosa TV news bulletin from 27 February.
Meanwhile the SABC is forging ahead with plans to launch its second SABC News channel, SABC eKhaya, in April.
With the surging TV ratings of the isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletins on SABC1 rising to record levels in 2022 of over 2.4 million nightly viewers each - now by far the two most-watched TV newscasts in the country - M-Net asked the existing TV news channel Newzroom Afrika carried by MultiChoice on DStv, to produce a dual Nguni language TV news bulletin for its Mzansi Wethu channel.
Newzroom Afrika started advertising and staffing up in November 2022, when it looked for field reporters, bulletins editors and executive producers to do isiZulu and isiXhosa news content from 2023.
Izindaba Zethu/Iindaba Zethu will be carried on Mzansi Wethu from Monday 27 February at 19:00 taking SABC1 head-on in the news ratings race in the same extremely competitive timeslot, hoping to lure some of the highly-prized viewers to DStv with an alternative vernacular news option.
With Mzansi Wethu available for lower-tiered DStv subscribers and upwards, it means that the isiZulu and isiXhosa TV news bulletin will be available to the vast majority of the pay-TV service's customers.
The Nguni news supply deal is structured similarly to the long-running multiyear deal that M-Net has with eMedia's eNCA TV news channel to supply the daily half-hour eNuus TV news bulletin in Afrikaans for the various kykNET channels on DStv at 19:00.
The former SABC News TV anchor Thabile Mbhele will be the isiZulu news anchor on Mzansi Wethu, while Dicksy Mdlalose who is also known to SABC viewers, is the weather presenter. Khethukuthula Makoatsane is the sign language interpreter.
For the isiXhosa bulletin Lisakhanya Pepe who was on the SABC will be the anchor, with the SABC weather presenter Thabile Makapela who will appear on Mzansi Wethu. Pumza Sikumba is the sign language interpreter.
"We're proud to offer the news in IsiZulu and IsiXhosa as we take another step forward on our journey," says Thabile Ngwato, Newzroom Afrika CEO.
Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, says the addition of Nguni news to DStv will add a greater diversity of views.
"We are excited
to provide a platform for Newzroom Afrika's Nguni news. This will offer our
viewers access to a news offering in Nguni languages and add to the diversity
of news on our platform."
SABC eKhaya in April
The SABC meanwhile plans to launch its SABC News spinoff channel, SABC eKhaya, meaning "SABC at home" in April, which will be done in South African languages besides English which is catered for on the main channel.
SABC eKhaya "is our response to the demand from millions of our viewers yearning for extensive news coverage and a dedicated channel in their own languages," says Moshoeshoe Monare, SABC news boss.
The SABC used to carry and repeat all its terrestrial TV news bulletins in vernacular languages shown on SABC1 and SABC2 on its existing SABC News channel but ended the practice in April 2015 when MultiChoice extended the footprint of the SABC News channel beyond South Africa's borders.
Unlike SABC News, SABC Ekhaya will not be available on DStv on StarSat despite the country's must-carry regulations from Icasa, with SABC eKhaya which will be available on its streaming service SABC+ and as a digital terrestrial television (DTT) channel.
"This public news channel is an added platform to serve mainly communities that are not necessarily reached by mainstream commercial media. These are millions of viewers who wait until the evening to watch less than half an hour bulletins in their own languages," Moshoeshoe Monare says.
"SABC News is well-positioned to rise to this challenge because of its decades of experience in public broadcasting in indigenous languages."
