Hlaudi Motsoeneng tells TV producers they'll notice 'more and more repeats' on the SABC but that the public broadcaster will soon replace it with new local content.

The SABC's controversial chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng told TV producers that there's "more and more repeats on our channels" but that the public broadcaster is planning to lessen the rebroadcasts littered over its TV schedules and to replace it with more local content.

The SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng took the stage on Wednesday at the public broadcaster's Auckland Park headquarters to tell existing as well as aspiring TV producers that he will be making R1 billion available for the production of new local TV content for the SABC's planned "language-based" digital terrestrial television (DTT) channels.

The limelight-loving executive, flanked on stage by the SABC's acting CEO Jimi Matthews and chief financial officer (CFO) James Aguma, told the producers crammed into the auditorium that the SABC sees no sense in continuing to broadcast American soap operas like The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives and other international TV fare.

The producers' meeting and Hlaudi Motsoeneng's speech was relayed through video link to several of the SABC's provincial offices countrywide.

"There's no reason why we have to broadcast these American soaps and dramas he told the audience, saying that "you will notice that there's more and more repeats on the channels".

According to him the SABC wants to cut down on repeats by commissioning more local content from local producers - especially from all of the country's different provinces.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng also wants to speed up the process of commissioning local content and said the SABC has decided to ditch its Request for Proposals or so-called RFP book, in favour of hearing from producers what shows they want to make and think should be on the SABC.

"It is for you as specialists in this industry, what are the problems that you are facing? We depend on you and the day I'm going to enjoy my life is when I see all African languages are catered for in all this platforms," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

"We want you to talk about your townships and your township heroes," Hlaudi Motsoeneng told the crowd, while James Aguma told South African TV producers that "we need to stop bench-marking ourselves with the international market".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the SABC's previous commissioning guidelines are "old" and that it's been a barrier of entry for local TV producers, hindering the submission process.

The SABC will now appoint 9 content commissioning editors for each of the 9 provinces in South Africa.

While some TV producers, especially emerging producers welcomed the SABC's promise of R1 billion to be funneled into new "language-based" TV content creation, some TV producers expressed doubts and fears, especially over the SABC's decision to scrap its use of issuing a RFP book to the industry.

The acclaimed film producer Rehad Desai said scrapping the RFP will spell the end of South Africa's independent TV production sector.

"Many of us have spent many years of our lives fighting for the SABC to commission, license and co-produce independently produced local content - local content that speaks to the truths of people's lives."

"We have done so because we believe in the power of well-produced TV and we hold this is the only way to produce a diversity and plurality of voice and yes to build our democracy. No RFPs‚ however badly managed‚ will spell the end of what is left of independent production sector."

Besides its existing SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 channels as well as the SABC News and SABC Encore channels produced for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, the SABC now plans to create further new channels for its envisioned DTT bouquet.

These include a SABC Sport channel, and several language-based" TV channels including a Sotho channel, a Nguni channel, a Tsonga channel and an Afrikaans language channel.

The SABC that made a R395 million loss for its last declared financial year has not yet explained where the R1 billion is coming from to pay for new local content that the broadcaster wants to invest in new emerging and aspiring TV producers.

Insiders are also wondering why the SABC wants to expand its number of TV channels when its struggling to grow the viewership market share and reach of its existing channels, and why more is not being done to first improve the quality of programming and content as well as the profile of its existing channels.

After SABC scraps RFP book, South African TV producers are fearful and upset over the future: 'Are we really now going to play Dragons' Den?'

South African TV and film producers are fearful, scared and upset over the SABC's move towards largely scrapping its existing modus operandi of issuing - although irregularly the past few years - a Request for Proposals or so-called "RFP book", saying it will be damaging for the public broadcaster as well as for local producers and the TV industry.

The SABC's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng announced last week that the SABC is scrapping the RFP book it used to issued to the TV production sector.

The SABC that's supposed to assess and know its annual new commissions and recommissioning in terms of ongoing TV requirements,  in terms of type of content and volume minutes, is moving away from being programming prescriptive.

Instead, SABC TV content executives are now going to want TV producers - especially new and emerging producers - to tell the SABC what shows they want to do and what they think the SABC should be broadcasting.

The SABC's system of issuing an annual RFP book completely broke down in 2009 when the public broadcaster came to the brink of financial collapse after years of internal mismanagement and bad decisions and ran out of funds to pay producers for new local content.

In mid-2010 SABC executives scrambled to put together a badly done "temporary" request for proposals book, the first since September 2008 calling for some content.

It was however only in November 2011 - three years later that the SABC finally managed to put together and issue its first "real RFP book again, although it was very limited in scope.

Since then the SABC's new RFP book appeared irregularly and no longer annually, and although the SABC kept saying it allocated millions of rands to new local production spend, producers have been openly wondering whether new content is actually being commissioned.

"We are getting rid of RFP book, said Hlaudi Motsoeneng last week.

"SABC we dictate for people what kind of content they should pitch which kills the creativity within those individuals. So we are saying allow people to come with their own creativity and their own ideas so that we can compute with other broadcasters," said Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

Insiders and TV producers are calling it a recipe for disaster and overreach by the public broadcaster that posted a R395 million loss for its last declared financial year.

This week TVwithThinus spoke to several longtime TV producers to get their thoughts on the matter.

They all spoke freely on condition of anonymity since they've had direct dealings with the SABC, are in business with the SABC, hope to continue dealing with the SABC and don't want to jeopardise existing and future business relationships.

"A responsible parent knows better what a child needs to eat and sets the diet and consumption within a budget," said a longtime local TV producer.

"Imagine I ask my kids every evening what they want to eat and then pander to their whims? Unimaginable. The kids are not the ones who should be making the decision within this set-up."

Another producer called the SABC shift "disheartening" and "disappointing", saying "it looks lazy, like they don't want to put in the effort of knowing first what audiences want and then breaking that down into focused specific requests for us so we can apply for it."

"Certain genres will suffer," said another TV producer.

"The mindset [of producers] is to make what's popular and commercial. With RFP, people sent proposals because that's what was available and they [SABC] wanted like a religion show or doccie series. Will people pitch for those? I wonder."

"Honestly, I don't see the difference," said another longtime producer. "Even with RFP you'd do your calculations and diligence and send your proposals and then it takes literally months to hear back, if you even hear back from the SABC."

"Then when you ask, they tell you they're still considering. Meanwhile the costing is completely off and irrelevant now because months lapsed. You'd wait for the RFP issue but then nothing happened anyway."

Another TV producer likened the change in process to a BBC show.

"Are we really now going to play Dragons' Den?" said a longtime producer, referencing the show in which untested entrepreneurs bring their ideas to a table of business moguls to be scrutinised and possibly be picked up.

"It's about viewership, ultimately, and getting audience. Now the SABC wants to make content with people who might have an idea but no experience, backing or background as to how brutal it is to be in this for even established companies".

Another producer wondered: "You wonder if these people have ever been to Hollywood? There's a reason shows for instance don't accept unsolicited scripts. The legal risk and issues are madness. Now everyone must pitch their ideas to SABC."

"Imagine the SABC gets flooded by ideas and pitches - all of which they receive. What happens if someone claims the SABC took an idea or part of it and gave it to another producer or show? We need more clarity".

The acclaimed film producer Rehad Desai isn't scared to add his name to criticism of the SABC's plan to drop its RFP book, saying scrapping the RFP will spell the end of South Africa's independent TV production sector.

"Many of us have spent many years of our lives fighting for the SABC to commission, license and co-produce independently produced local content - local content that speaks to the truths of people's lives," he wrote on Facebook.

"We have done so because we believe in the power of well-produced TV and we hold this is the only way to produce a diversity and plurality of voice and yes to build our democracy. No RFPs‚ however badly managed‚ will spell the end of what is left of independent production sector."

Miners Shot Down documentary film will now be broadcast on eNCA on Sunday at 19:00 followed by special panel discussion; will be shown on e.tv in January 2016.

The harrowing and International Emmy awarded South African documentary Miners Show Down will suddenly be broadcast tonight on eNCA (DStv 403) at 19:05, with the documentary that will also be broadcast sometime in January 2016 on sister channel e.tv.

The Rehad Desai documentary won an International Emmy at the end of November in New York despite the refusal of South Africa's big terrestrial TV broadcasters - the SABC as public broadcaster and Sabido's e.tv - to show it in the country.

The documentary, produced by Uhuru Productions that won in the documentary category and which has won numerous international and local film awards the past year, recounts the horrific story through witnesses and widows of how the South African police massacred miners in the shocking incident which left 44 miners dead and the country stunned.

Miners Shot Down has since been shown on the education channel [ED] (DStv 190), Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257), the community TV station, Cape Town TV (CTV) and the video-on-demand services of Times Media Group's VIDI and PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com.

Following public pressure through a petition which already amassed more than 5 000 signatures and public calls for the SABC and e.tv to broadcast Miners Shot Down following its Emmy win, the commercially run e.tv and eNCA at the end of November said that it won't pay the TV producer and filmmaker to show Miners Shot Down but will broadcast the documentary "if Rehad Desai drops us a free copy".

Miners Shot Down has now quietly appeared on the eNCA schedule on Sunday at 19:05, with no pre-publicity or programming advisory from the channel to the press or TV critics and no notification that the documentary has been picked up and scheduled.

While broadcasters and TV channels usually want to maximise their potential ratings by getting media exposure through publicising and marketing shows and its programming acquisitions - especially for an Emmy winning programme - eNCA's lack of letting the media and viewers know through the press, makes it less likely for viewers to be aware that the documentary is finally on TV and that it will be shown.

The Miners Shot Down broadcast will be followed by an hour-long panel discussion on eNCA between 20:00 and 21:00 with eNCA anchor Jeremy Maggs as moderator. eNCA also decided to keep quiet about this additional programming add-on to the press with no publicity promotion or announcement about it.

Sister channel e.tv will now also broadcast Miners Shot Down sometime in January 2016. 

e.tv and eNCA didn't respond to a media enquiry about their programming acquisition of the documentary and its scheduling that made on Saturday evening.

Educational channel [ED] on DStv will show Rehad Desai's Emmy award-winning documentary, Miners Shot Down, this Sunday 3 times during the day.

Miners Shot Down, the International Emmy award winning South Africa documentary of filmmaker Rehad Desai about the Marikana massacre by the South Africa police will be broadcast this Sunday 29 November on [ED] (DStv 190) on DStv in South Africa and across the African continent.

Ordinary South Africans haven't seen Miners Shot Down since the SABC and e.tv refused to shown Miners Shot Down on the public broadcaster and South Africa's only free-to-air commercial TV channel.

Miner Shot Down has been shown on [ED] before in 2014, as well as earlier this year on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) and the community TV station, Cape Town TV (CTV).

Miners Shot Down won the International Emmy Award on Sunday night in New York in the documentary category.

Yesterday e.tv and eNCA (DStv 403) condescendingly said it would broadcast Miners Shot Down but won't pay to show it and that it would broadcast the Emmy award winning documentary "if Rehad Desai drops us a free copy".

Miners Shot Down will be rebroadcast on [ED] this Sunday 29 November at 10:55, 14:55 and 18:55.

"It's an opportunity for South Africans to tune in to a documentary that has the whole world talking," says Roberto Carletti, [ED] station manager.

"As the first channel to air the documentary as far back as July 2014, we feel it's only fitting to repeat it. There's been growing viewer demand for the documentary in light of the recent success at the International Emmy Awards."

"Heeding these calls is in line with [ED]'s vision of empowering viewers through the dissemination of knowledge."

BREAKING. e.tv and eNCA doesn't want to pay to show International Emmy award winning Miners Shot Down; tells Rehad Desai to 'drop us a free copy'.

eNCA and e.tv says filmmaker Rehad Desai can drop the Sabido-run TV news channel "a free copy" of his International Emmy winning documentary Miners Shot Down and eNCA will show it – but won't pay.

In an extremely snooty and condescending statement, eNCA, one of the TV news channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, says Rehad Desai's office "is welcome to drop off a copy at our studios" and that eNCA and e.tv will "gladly" broadcast his documentary for free.

On Sunday Rehad Desai's multi-award winning documentary about the Marikana massacre won yet another award – despite the fact that it has not been shown in South Africa by the public broadcaster, the SABC, nor e.tv or M-Net.

The hard-hitting Miners Shot Down telling the story of the Marikana miners who were gunned down by the South African Police in August 2012 and produced by Uhuru Productions has been shown earlier this year on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) and the community TV station, Cape Town TV (CTV).

Video-on-demand (VOD) services like Times Media Group's struggling VIDI and PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com have also added the documentary to their streaming catalogues.

With a growing petition circulation, calls have been growing for the SABC and e.tv to show the documentary in South Africa. While the SABC has been silent, e.tv and eNCA is now responding saying they will show it, but not if they have to pay for it.

People and production companies who produce content for broadcast, especially on commercial TV channels, are paid for their work in South Africa, as is the case internationally.

eNCA earlier this year however went through painful layoffs and downsized the business, closing bureaux and shuttering its entire African news division.

“Previously Rehad Desai wanted us to pay him to broadcast it. At the time we felt his price was too high and we had a documentary, feature stories and reports of our own,” says e.tv in a statement.

“We have not been asked by Rehad Desai to broadcast the documentary since the initial release. We therefore extend an invitation to him to accept our offer of a free broadcast should he feel the film requires further exposure to a South African audience," says e.tv.

e.tv says "There are no aspects to the Marikana tragedy we have not covered as a news organisation. eNCA and the SABC also broadcast the Marikana Commission of Inquiry at our own costs."

Miners Shot Down wins International Emmy despite South African broadcasters refusing to show the harrowing documentary in their own country.

The hard-hitting South African documentary film Miners Shot Down telling the story of the Marikana miners who were gunned down by the South African Police in August 2012 has won an International Emmy despite South African broadcasters refusing to show the documentary in South Africa.

Filmmaker Rehad Desai's harrowing Miners Shot Down was one of three South African productions that was nominated for the 2015 International Emmy Awards.

Miners Shot Down produced by Uhuru Productions won in the documentary category telling the story of how the South African police massacred the miners in the shocking incident which left 44 miners dead.

Neither the South African public broadcaster, the SABC, nor the commercial free-to-air e.tv or pay-TV broadcaster M-Net has shown Miners Shot Down, although it has been shown on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) and the community TV station, Cape Town TV (CTV).

In a statement the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party said "the SABC should air Miners Shot Down in order to give South Africans the opportunity to see it".

"Despite repeated requests from both the filmmakers and widows of the Marikana miners, the SABC has refused to air it. The unwillingness of the SABC to air the documentary raises serious questions about whose interests they are trying to protect," says the DA in a statement.

BREAKING. South Africa shines as M-Net's MasterChef South Africa, StarSat's Puppet Nation ZA and Miners Shot Down doc are nominated for International Emmy Awards.

South Africa is shining with a massive 3 nominations for the 2015 International Emmy Awards with M-Net's (DStv 101) MasterChef South Africa, StarSat's Puppet Nation ZA and the local documentary Miners Shot Down that's all been nominated for this year's awards.

South Africa with 3 nominations forms part of only 19 countries that cracked the nod this year in the 10 categories and the various nominees announced today by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Besides South Africa, Angola is the only other country in Africa to get a nomination for its Jikulumessu in the telenovela category.

The winners will be announced in New York on 23 November at the Hilton New York hotel.

M-Net's MasterChef South Africa cracked a nomination in the reality, or so called "non-scripted" category and is produced by Quizzical Pictures and Lucky Bean Media. It's the second time that MasterChef SA gets an international Emmy nomination after it also snagged a nomination in 2013.

There's been no immediate statement from M-Net.

Puppet Nation ZA (previously called ZA News), produced by Both Worlds and shown on On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media South Africa's StarSat on the StarTimes One (StarSat 120) channel, was nominated in the comedy category.

After getting 11 nominations, Puppet Nation ZA earlier this year won 7 Golden Horn trophies at the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) in May.

There's been no immediate statement from StarSat.

The harrowing documentary Miners Shot Down - the Uhuru Productions documentary about the Marikana Massacre produced by filmmaker Rehad Desai - scored a nomination in the documentary category.

The SABC and e.tv have so far refused to broadcast Miners Shot Down but it has been shown on the community TV station Cape Town TV in July and Al Jazeera ((DStv 406 / StarSat 257) both channels of which are carried on MultiChoice's DStv platform.

In August Rehad Desai urged for Miners Shot Down to be broadcast on e.tv and the SABC saying that the film "has become an ever-present symbol of the average South African's struggle to survive in this country".

"Every year, the international television community competes to be recognized for excellence on the International Emmy's global stage," says Bruce L. Paisner, the president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Another Africa related nomination includes Africa’s Wild West: Stallions of the Namib Desert from Austria.

Earlier this year Debora Patta was nominated for a news Emmy for her work as the Africa correspondent for the American TV network CBS on their show, CBS Evening News.