by Thinus Ferreira
The edutainment series Soul City is returning to SABC1 after an absence of 12 years, as Soul City: Let's Rise on Sunday 30 August at 19:30 - something the South African public couldn't bother to properly bring to the attention of the media as the latest new show the SABC failed miserably to actually do any PR work for.
On Thursday this week I opened X, previously Twitter, and was very surprised to see a social media entry from a filmmaker not connected to the show, saying Soul City: Let's Rise will start this Sunday on SABC1.
So the first time I heard about it, as a journalist covering television and the film and TV industry in South Africa, is not from the SABC or its PR or marketing division, but from a random tweet on social media
I emailed SABC publicity specialist Caroline Phalakatshela, who later responded and passed me off to a Bongani Ndlovu at the Soul City Institute to "share a press release and to assist further with regard to the project".
I also went to that place's website and found the email address of an Akona Zibonti, who is listed to be emailed about Soul City: Let's Rise. I sent an email, but he/she never responded.
Then on Facebook after a search, I saw that there was a so-called "media launch event" on Wednesday at The Bioscope in Milpark, Johannesburg.
It's unclear on who was invited or attended - there's not really a lot of actual coverage of it or who was there, or any substantial reporting that I could find of what was actually said there about Soul City: Let's Rise.
It's looks like yet another example of people spending money to do something, and then speaking into the wind. No Transcript, no recording, no nothing afterwards.
Once again, like the abject PR failure before the start of Amalanga Awafani on SABC1 last year, the SABC did absolutely nothing to reach out beforehand with Soul City: Let's Rise to even just say "this show will be starting on this date" so that media can diarise it and be aware.
There were no "do you possibly want to do any interviews?", "What do you need press-wise?" or to say there would be any media launch, or to organise any in-person or virtual roundtable interviews with execs, the production or cast.
Not once did either the SABC or the Soul City Institute, after spending millions of rands making 13 episodes of a TV show, bother to pick up a phone, to send a Whatsapp message or a voicenote, an SMS or, to email journalists to make sure that the return of this show is on their radar and in their news diaries.
On Wednesday I started by asking other journalists who also covering film and TV if they have received or heard anything about Soul City: Let's Rise starting on Sunday on SABC1, or if they have reveived a press release or received any form of communication from anybody.
After hearing back from 5 media, I stopped asking further, with all who said they know nothing, heard nothing, got nothing and aren't aware of anything and therefore won't even cover Soul City: Let's Rise.
Surely, whether the work to liaise with media and to actually talk to media, was passed off by the SABC to the Soul City Institute, the SABC PR and marketing division still has a responsibility to check with media whether they are in the loop!
At the least, even if the actual work responsibility of having to deal with media and PR is given to the actual TV show, the SABC PR and marketing division surely must always double-check and at bare minimum, make the real-world effort to reach out and hear and verify if media got press releases, and long before that, actually communicate with journalists!
What lazy, ineptitude and downright callous attitude is this, where you know something is starting on one of your TV channels as a broadcaster in South Africa, but you can't even bother to check whether the media you're supposedly interacting with, are aware of anything?
What exactly is the coverage that the SABC and the Soul City Institute now want, or think it's going to get in terms of so-called "positive" reporting on Soul City: Let's Rise when the effort that went into actually picking up a phone or doing bare-bones communicating with media covering TV, has been non-existent?
While the first episode of Soul City: Let's Rise was screened in-person to people at the media event for those invited, and who knew that it was happening), absolutely Nothing was done for press who were not invited, who didn't even know there would be an event, or who couldn't attend.
There was no digital screener emailed to interested press (how would the SABC or the institute even know whether media would be interested?) with nobody lifting a finger to reach out and ask "do you want to see the show for coverage and review and interview purposes?".
The absolute zero effort or any trace of knowledge of best practice and how it works when launching a TV show, and what the media need, and how to go about it, is really shocking.
Soul City was on South African television for 21 years. Now it's back and ... where's the buzz or the articles and reporting there should be for Soul City: Let's Rise?
The revived Soul City: Let's Rise apparently follows the lives of five women growing up in the Katlehong township.
The characters apparently dream of "education, successful careers, love,
independence and better lives. But along the way, they encounter relationships
and systems in which money, status, gender, culture, faith and influence can be
used to limit their choices and exercise power over them".
The new Soul City: Let's Rise cast includes Pule Buys portraying Samke, Lufuno Mdau as
Rhulani, Bohlokoa Nkalai as Neo, Asibonge Ntuli as Thando, and Neo Malaka as
Siza.
In a quote taken from the Soul City Institute website, Phinah Kodisang, Soul City Institute CEO, is quoted after the media launch event as having said "After 12 years, Soul City is returning to television at a time when South Africa urgently needs courageous conversations about the realities facing young people, particularly girls and young women, around violence, grooming, vulnerability".
"This is not simply the return of a television series. It is an
invitation to South Africans to become part of a movement that believes change
is possible when ordinary people choose to act. We want audiences to watch
these young women rise and then ask themselves what it means for all of us to
rise together against violence, silence and injustice."
Somebody should really tell Phinah Kodisang that there would have been a bigger chance of creating a so-called "movement" with Soul City: Let's Rise if somebody actually properly communicates with the media ,who would cover this show, and who would do coverage on their platforms in synergy with the new programme.
Also quoted is Jacqui Hlongwane, SABC genre manager for education and children.
Jacqui Hlongwane is quoted as saying, "The return of the Soul City franchise is a particularly significant
moment for SABC Education".
Sadly, this also feels disingenuous and fake.
If Soul City: Let's Rise really were "a significant moment", why the lack of effort, the lack of conveying and communicating anything about this show, and the apparent lack of involving the real media in any coverage plans in the weeks beforehand?
Ofentse Thinane, SABC1 channel head, is also quoted, saying, "By
bringing these stories to SABC1, we are not only giving audiences compelling
entertainment, but creating a platform for dialogue, reflection and awareness.
We are especially excited about the opportunity to connect with young audiences
and encourage conversations that can extend beyond the television screen and
into homes, friendships and communities."
While SABC1 might do lip-service, wanting to try and "connect with young audiences", it definitely didn't "connect" with the media about Soul City: Let's Rise.
Soul City: Let's Rise is produced by Mindset Concept, with funding from What Works and UK International Development.
Sadly, I couldn't find anything on the executive producer(s) or directors, or the very basic stuff a show, or the SABC should be sending the media beforehand about the making of it.
