Thinus Ferreira
The South African public broadcaster has appointed Arise/365 Digital, Media North as well as Mediamark as digital sales partners.
The SABC's appointment of Arise/365 Digital, Media North and Mediamark as specialist digital sales companies to try and bring in advertising income for the beleaguered broadcaster comes as the SABC has started a retrenchment process of its sales division staff.
The SABC announced last month that its Section 189 process could affect as many as 180 workers across its various sales divisions, including the broadcaster's digital sales division, with job cuts expected by the end of November.
The Bemawu trade union disputed the number of affected SABC staffers and said that it's not 180 but 262 workers affected by the latest retrenchment process.
The retrenchments will potentially be across the SABC's sales divisions of enterprise sales, corporate sales, government sales, SMME (Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises), digital sales, sports sales, category management including RAP radio and product management), sales operations, Ad-venture sales, the sales intelligence division, as well as sales governance and the deals team.
The SABC's sales division has been underperforming for years.
About the appointment of the outside agencies, Nomsa Chabeli, SABC CEO, says in a statement "These partnerships are about unlocking greater value for our clients".
"By collaborating with trusted specialist partners, we are strengthening our ability to deliver innovative, multi-platform solutions across radio, television and digital."
"This ensures that advertisers can reach audiences in more impactful ways while benefitting from the growth of our digital platforms and the comprehensive opportunities they provide."
According to the SABC the appointment of these agencies will help with the public broadcaster's latest 5-year corporate plan that is looking to add new revenue streams for the corporation.
According to the SABC its sales partnerships with Arise/365 Digital, Media North and Mediamark as digital sales partners will help with broader market coverage through enhanced representation across the SABC's various digital platforms, as well as its streaming service SABC+, SABC News, SABC Sport, and its video entertainment and radio divisions.
The SABC says potential clients who want to advertise on the SABC will get "Access to experienced digital sales professionals who can respond quickly to evolving client needs" and that these agencies will "work alongside SABC’s internal sales teams, complementing rather than replacing them, to maximise client service and revenue potential".
The SABC notes that it remains "committed to transparency and collaboration, ensuring that all agencies and clients are supported through this transition and have access to the best possible service and opportunities".
