The SABC's latest plan to make its fruitless and wasteful expenditure look less: 'TV shows bought and not shown in time shouldn't be labelled as wasteful'.

The SABC's latest plan to help lessen the billions of rand lost in fruitless and wasteful expenditure is to "reclassify" the TV content that it had bought and wasted because it didn't broadcast it in time, as not being wasteful.

The beleaguered and loss-making SABC, more than any other South African broadcaster like e.tv and M-Net, ends up buying food for the TV fridge that just sits there, rots and ends up as waste that must be thrown away, not scheduled and consumed in time.

The SABC annually racks up massive content losses in this area on its balance sheet, wasting SABC TV licence payers' money by buying programming it doesn't show before the broadcasting licensing right windows expires.

This happens because the SABC wastes money by buying programming that is inappropriate for the audience and channel demographics, because there’s no space on the SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 schedules – or because the content acquisitions hub and schedulers don't make sure that the TV that's bought is broadcast before the "use by" date.

The SABC keeps failing to properly assess and align the public broadcaster's playout needs in terms of scheduled number of hours with what it ends up buying. The written-off glut of TV programming bought and paid for but that that ends up never being shown, is annually classified as part of fruitless and wasteful expenditure – the same as with all broadcasters.

Now the SABC wants to "reclassify" some of this wasted, bought TV content through no longer seeing it as "fruitless and wasteful".

'They throw in other titles that you don't need'

Although all TV broadcasters – public television services and pay-TV operators – all operate under the same playbook, the SABC's acting CEO, James Aguma now wants to shift the blame for fruitless and wasteful expenditure in terms of some programming costs to content distributors and content sellers.

James Aguma, now blaming TV content distributors and content sellers, is taking the same page as the disgraced former SABC chairperson dr Ben Ngubane, who also previously told parliament the SABC can't really be held responsible for all of the TV content it acquires and fails to show in time.

James Aguma told parliament's portfolio committee on communications this week that the SABC is busy reworking how the TV content that the public broadcaster buys and ends up wasting – marked as fruitless and wasteful expenditure on its balance sheet – is seen.

James Aguma, an accountant and auditor from Uganda, told parliament that "a lot of fruitless and wasteful expenditure at the SABC arises from two sources. One is writing off content. You go and buy content, lets say 8 titles."

"But your schedule only allows you to broadcast 3 or 4 programmes – and you actually only want four, but they sell you a package. The parlance in broadcasting is you buy the dog and fleas".

"So we're saying if we do not have space to broadcast that because we only have 3 channels, then inevitably you'll find at year-end you have to write-off that. Because the rights that you have are time-based."

"They [international content distributors] are giving you rights to broadcast something. But you know that you only want four titles. Then they throw in other titles that you don't need. And it's take it or leave it unfortunately in the broadcasting industry."

"So you’ll see that we're continuously showing that as fruitless and wasteful expenditure," said James Aguma.

"But we're having a debate at a principal level whether it strictly meets the definition of fruitless and wasteful. Because it an amount that could have been avoided if reasonable steps were put in place."

Take cows and donkeys

"If somebody says: 'I want 4 cows', and he says 'No, take 3 donkeys, buy it as a package' and you say 'No, I want the 4' and he says 'If you want the cows, take the donkeys' then I don't think those 3 strictly meet the definition of fruitless and wasteful," James Aguma told parliament.

"You may not have gotten value, but what could you have done to avoid in that industry to avoid the buying of the dog and fleas so to speak? So we’re going to adjust that note also in conjunction with the Auditor-General (AG)."

Fanny by Gaslight

While the SABC's James Aguma is correct that TV content acquisitions are sometimes "bundled" – premium programme buys come attached with lower-tiered series and movies, other broadcasters worldwide, as well as e.tv and M-Net in South Africa, are much better at managing, scheduling and working away the flotsam with the fantastic so that it doesn't end up as a liability and content write-off.

For every How I Met Your Mother and Anaconda: Hunt for the Blood Orchid on e.tv that the red letter free-to-air broadcaster actually wanted, there's a Fanny by Gaslight scheduled and burnt off in a near-midnight slot.

It's also not just international content. The SABC also runs rougshod over local content that equally contributes to fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

In December the SABC for instance abruptly ordered an end to the contract of the weekday local prime time drama series High Rollers on SABC3, produced by Rous House Productions.

With months left on the signed contract of the recently ordered third season, the SABC suddenly wanted High Rollers on SABC3 shut down and off the air, citing "changing programming needs".

With the remainder of the contract that must be paid out whether the public broadcaster has anything to show for it or not, the SABC is wasting and essentially paying money to a production company to not deliver local content – episodes that it ordered and wanted just months ago.

As far back as 2013 dr Ben Ngubane warned that content purchasing decisions at the SABC will no longer be made by one executive.

In the past the SABC several times have sent people not skilled or versed in international programming acquisition – and flying business class – to foreign film festivals and content markets where they signed deals and picked up programming wholly unsuitable for the SABC.

BREAKING. 'Devastation' as SABC finally pulls the plug on SABC3's High Rollers; show loses interdict bid; over 100 workers hear they're out on the street a week before Christmas.

The SABC3 shows High Rollers has lost an urgent court application to try and interdict the SABC from prematurely cancelling the prime time drama series months before its existing contract expires, with the SABC that is directly contributing to, and causing, massive job losses of local artists in South Africa's TV industry.

More than 100 dedicated actors and crew working in South Africa's TV biz on a SABC TV show have been told they're out on the street just a week before Christmas - now all facing not just a very bleak festive period but also a very uncertain 2017.

The show describes the SABC's shock move putting workers on the unemployment line with their families who depend on them, as "devastating" to the High Rollers cast and crew.

In November the SABC shocked viewers and the South African TV industry when it abruptly told High Rollers production company Rous House Productions it wants the local drama series off of SABC3it wants the local drama series off of SABC3 with production that must cease within 30 days.

The SABC said it wanted High Rollers, that it initially launched with big fanfare in April 2013, now immediately gone "because of programming strategy changes on SABC3" - a decision that was slammed as "bisarre" by South Africa's TV industry.

The shocking SABC instruction comes after the broadcaster signed a new third season contract earlier this year for 156 episodes for the fictional Kings Casino set show and also extended the weekly episode broadcast from three to five episodes per week.


Shocking new SABC precedent
The abrupt premature cancellation, with High Rollers having months left on its contract, now sets a shocking new precedent for the South African public broadcaster, with fearful producers of TV content no longer sure that the SABC will honour any existing commitments and contracts.

By shutting down High Rollers, it's the second time in just over two years that the SABC has effectively "fired" the cast of a local production after the striking actors of SABC1's Generations were unceremoniously dumped and the show shut down for months in August 2014 and disappeared from the airwaves after the actors said they were being exploited and demanded better contracts and better and fairer working conditions.

This year the SABC's chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the South African public broadcaster supports local productions and artists, will improve contracts and conditions and will increase local content on SABC3 to 80%.

The harsh reality is that the SABC under Hlaudi Motsoeneng's destructive reign is doing the opposite, and is directly making over a hundred South African actors and crew jobless a week before Christmas - people who thought they had steady work well into 2017.

The SABC said earlier that it is " "not in a position to discuss its contractual obligations with production houses and content providers with third parties, including the media".

On Thursday Judge Andrew Louw in the Pretoria High Court dismissed Rous House Productions' urgent court application for an interdict to prevent the canning of High Rollers.

The show also lodged a complaint about the SABC's shocking cancellation of High Rollers with the broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), but that case will only be heard in February 2017 at the earliest when production on the show has already ceased and the large ensemble cast and crew let go.

"It is with heavy hearts that Rous House Productions has no choice but to stop production of High Rollers on the last of the 30 business days, 12 January 2017, as stipulated in SABC's cancellation clause and terminate in excess of 100 individuals contracted on High Rollers," the writing and directing executive producer brothers Luke and Joshua Rous tell TVwithThinus.

"We have had an amazing journey with this immensely talented and hard-working cast and crew and are devastated that they no longer have jobs come January 2017," say Luke and Joshua Rous.

"To the fans of High Rollers and the members of our industry who have stood by us, thank you for you for all the support you have given the show over the years and we look forward to entertaining you on other productions in the future".

High Rollers' large ensemble cast includes local stars like Anthony Coleman, Thapelo Mokoena, Terence Bridgett, Hayley Owen, Jai Prakash, Vilje Maritz, Thishiwe Ziqubu and Thishiwe Ziqubu.


Weekly episode play-out trimmed
High Rollers won't be able to jump and be picked up by rival broadcasters like e.tv, M-Net or Mzansi Magic since it's an SABC commissioned show with the Rous producer brothers who struggled for over four and a half years to get the public broadcaster to bite and commission the show.

TVwithThinus has learnt that in February the SABC will cut back on play out schedule of the already produced High Rollers episodes. High Rollers will be reduced from five back to three per week, with the three year old and cancelled international sitcom Whitney scheduled into the prime time timeslot of 19:30 on Thursdays and Fridays.

By Saturday an online petition started four weeks ago to save High Rollers had amassed over a 1 000 signatures and comments from not just viewers but also actors, production crew and people working in South Africa's TV industry, all shocked and outraged at the SABC's callous treatment of local television.

"Isn't it local content we're supposed to be after? So cancel something that's obviously that and doing well?" said a local South African soap star working on another SABC prime time show. "This is where the minister of communications and her self-appointed henchman Hlaudi Motsoeneng are allowed to chop and change as they please".

Nhlanla Ndlovu who works on High Rollers says "So many background artists I book depend on that show to put food on the table, including myself".

Viewer Alexia Staschik said "the SABC is out of control", with Robert Beney saying "the SABC has clearly failed all sane levels of governance. Its decision-making has been compromised by autocratic, non-sensical decision-making".


SABC3 viewership plunge
The viewership for High Rollers fell since May when the SABC introduced a dramatic schedule make-over for SABC3 from a low 645  858 viewers (1.9 AR, 5.6 share) to 540  570 viewers ( 1.6 AR, 4.7 share) in October and 431 963 (1.3 AR, 3.8 share) in November.

The High Rollers ratings depression is however in line with and part of the entire SABC3 schedule's ratings collapse.

SABC3 saw a total viewership implosion since June with the channel's ratings falling month after month since May when Hlaudi Motsoeneng's announced his decision to purge SABC3 of international content and the channel rushed a slew of badly produced local shows into production and onto the schedule that saw viewers flee.


No SABC CEO, COO and CFO by end of December
Parliament's SABC inquiry into the collapse of governance and management at the public broadcaster was shocked when members of parliament were told that the SABC from the end of December will not have an acting CEO or chief financial officer (CFO).

The SABC also doesn't have a COO since Hlaudi Motsoeneng did not return to work this week following a Western Cape High Court ruling on Monday that he shouldn't be employed at the SABC in any position and should undergo an independent disciplinary hearing.

The SABC inquiry heard how the public broadcasting's commissioning process of new local TV content has allegedly been derailed by Hlaudi Motsoeneng with disastrous results for the SABC's finances as well as ratings.

BREAKING. High Rollers local drama on SABC3 going to court seeking an urgent court interdict to prevent premature SABC cancellation.

High Rollers on SABC3 is now seeking an urgent court interdict to prevent the SABC from abruptly cancelling the local prime time TV drama months before its third season contract is supposed to end and that will leave 103 cast and crew suddenly jobless just before Christmas.

Rous House Productions (RHP) producing the casino-set drama series is now taking the SABC to court in a dramatic showdown after an unsuccessful meeting between the production company's executives and the SABC on Monday.

SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng repeatedly this year said how he's boosting and supporting 90% local content and working for better a better work environment and job security for struggling local artists but last month the South African public broadcaster suddenly told the show it will pull the plug within a month just before Christmas.

The SABC said it is "not in a position to discuss its contractual obligations with production houses and content providers with third parties, including the media".

SABC3 viewers and the South African TV industry have slammed the SABC for the shortsighted and "bisarre" decision – especially since the SABC renewed the show in May for a third season and increased the episode order from 3 to 5 days per week.

TVwithThinus also learnt that the SABC plans to cull the SABC3 broadcast schedule of High Rollers’ remaining episodes, trimming the show back to only three episodes per week in 2017.

Meanwhile RHP executives – including the writing and directing executive producer brothers Luke and Joshua Rous – have been fighting to save the show and the livelihood of actors and crew who will be out on the street within weeks without intervention.

"RHP has no other choice but to approach the courts with an application for an urgent interdict to stop the SABC from cancelling High Rollers," says Luke and Joshua Rous.

"This application was served on SABC on 7 December and a court date has been set to hear the urgent case within the next week."

"At the same time RHP is submitting an application to the broadcasting regulator, Icasa, to intervene on an urgent basis and set aside the SABC's decision to cancel the High Rollers contract."

Irresponsible SABC decision

"Not only is this the worst possible time of the year for this to happen, but is also in contradiction to SABC's decision to increase local content to 80% on SABC3," says Luke and Joshua Rous.

"RHP feels that the SABC's decision to cancel High Rollers within just 30 business days is in bad faith".

Executive producer Meren Reddy says "This news is devastating to us especially after all the hard work we have put in to increase our output from broadcasting 3 episodes a week to 5 episodes a week only 3 months ago."

Executive producer Luke Rous says "hundreds of people have been affected by this irresponsible and unjust decision."

Executive producer Joshua Rous says "it has been the privilege of a lifetime for us to lead this committed and passionate team, which has formed our High Rollers family. RHP has been overwhelmed by the public support for High Rollers and we appreciate the outpouring of love for the show."

An online petition at change.org entitled "Stop the SABC from Cancelling High Rollers" has so far amassed more than a thousand signatures from the South African public and TV industry.

BREAKING. High Rollers on SABC saved from cancellation - for now - but still getting replaced on SABC3 by ... SABC1's Generations.

I can exclusively break the news and reveal that the SABC drama High Rollers facing the danger of axing has been saved from premature cancellation - from now - but in another new shocker the local drama series will still be yanked from the schedule and replaced in its timeslot on SABC3 from January by SABC1's Generations suddenly flipping channels.

TVwithThinus can reveal that the SABC has now suddenly put its decision to can High Rollers - described as "bizarre" by the South African TV industry - on hold.

The SABC backpedaling on its decision to abruptly remove High Rollers from the SABC3 and to just possibly pay out the show to go away, follows a massive public outcry from viewers last week, slamming the SABC over its decision to cancel High Rollers months before its third season contract is supposed to end.

The SABC's decision to rid its schedule of the casino-set local drama series - putting cast and crew out of work and income just before Christmas, comes after SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng said multiple times this year that the SABC supports local content and wants more local content on SABC3.

The decision to do away with High Rollers led to widespread shock and condemnation directed at the SABC by the South African TV industry at large, including producers and actors saying the SABC is only doing lip service when it comes to ensuring bigger work security and better employment stability for artists working in local TV production.

An online petition, started last week to try and save High Rollers on SABC3 and still amassing signatures and comments from very vocal South African viewers as well as people working in and watching television worldwide, seems to have done the trick in staving off the cancellation decision for now.

While the SABC is for now not going through with its decision to cancel High Rollers, it is making another shocking move: removing High Rollers from the SABC3 schedule and replacing it with SABC1's Generations from mid-January in its timeslot.

According to sources speaking on condition of anonymity to TVwithThinus, "the SABC has agreed to put a moratorium on the cancellation until they meet with the production company".

According to insiders, this meeting between Rous House Productions is set for sometime next week. "So everyone waits now," a person familiar with the matter told me.

Rous House Productions has so far not spoken publicly after the shocking revelation that the SABC planned to can High Rollers within 30 business days although there's months left on the contract because of "programming strategy changes on SABC3".

The SABC, asked about the High Rollers brouhaha, said last week that "the SABC is not in a position to discuss its contractual obligations with production houses and content providers with third parties including the media".


Another shocking twist
In another shocking twist, TVwithThinus can reveal that High Rollers will disappear from the SABC3 schedule from Monday 16 January when it will be replaced by SABC1's Generations on a daily basis at 19:30.

The SABC plans 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) soccer coverage on SABC1 from 16 January 2017 daily from 17:30 until midnight, and has to move Generations.

Oddly, the SABC plans to move Generations - its second biggest show in terms of viewership and a massive ad income generator for the public broadcaster - not to SABC2 but to its smallest TV channel.

The SABC recently made the same unprecedented move.

In October, and again in November, it moved Generations from SABC1 to SABC3 pre-empting High Rollers - the first time in the history of the SABC that it replaced one locally produced SABC TV soap with another of its locally produced TV soaps due to sport.

The triple-whammy result of the SABC move in January 2017 will firstly mean that High Rollers' dedicated daily demo audience on SABC3 will abandon the timeslot and "kick the habit" so to speak to tune in to the show - a daily prime time drama that cultivates habitual viewing and depends on an audience, following an unfolding narrative returning the next day to see more of the story.

When and if High Rollers returns to the SABC3 schedule, its falling viewership - as with most of SABC3's sagging audience ratings over the past few months - will very likely be down even more, with the show that will have to start over in trying to lure its dedicated viewer base back.

Secondly the move will mean that millions of SABC viewers won't be able to see Generations at all during prime time, since SABC3's terrestrial TV channel footprint is the smallest of the SABC's channels. The smallest number of South African TV households are able to receive the channel.

Thirdly the expected loss in viewers for SABC1, people not sticking around since there's no Generations and not wanting to watch African soccer broadcasts that will also be carrying a lesser ad load, will mean less ad income for the SABC1 during January for the cash-strapped broadcaster.

Is the SABC's cancelled High Rollers on SABC3 going to jump to a rival broadcaster like e.tv or M-Net after its 'bizarre' dumping?

Viewers are saying they will follow High Rollers, that the SABC wants to dump prematurely before the end of its third season contract, to e.tv or M-Net – a possible move that will further weakening the ratings challenged SABC3 should a rival broadcaster take over the prime time local drama series.

The South African TV production industry, viewers and artists are shocked at the SABC's bizarre decision to can the casino-set local drama series from Rous House Productions months before it's supposed to end.

The SABC's shock cancellation puts the cast and crew of High Rollers out of work just before Christmas.

The South African public broadcaster's shocking move comes despite SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng repeatedly doing lip-service in 2016 that the the SABC values local content, is upping the local content quota for SABC3 to 80%, and that he is spearheading the charge for greater job security as well as better and longer contracts for struggling local actors and artists.

An online petition (found here) started to save High Rollers from SABC cancellation keeps adding signatures and a flurry of comments from angry viewers, upset artists and production workers across South Africa, slamming the SABC for its shortsighted and the as yet unexplained move.

Insiders are now saying that the SABC is allegedly readying a massive pay-out for the remainder of High Rollers’ contract that would have stretched well into 2017.

It means that the SABC will be paying out and wasting a large amount of money, not getting local content in return for it, and paying to not show a local series it signed a contract for and now wants off the SABC3 schedule prematurely.

In May the SABC renewed High Rollers for a third season of 156 episodes and extended it from three to five episodes per week but now wants it gone.

The SABC, asked about its plan to cancel High Rollers cancellation, said "the SABC is not in a position to discuss its contractual obligations with production houses and content providers with third parties including the media".

The Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) that says it represents, protects and promotes the interests and needs of producers, declined to comment when asked and didn't publicly want to voice support for the High Rollers production.

The South African Screen Federation (Sasfed) says the SABC's move wanting to cancel a contract prematurely "establishes a very dangerous precedent".

The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) says the High Rollers cancellation will have a "profoundly negative impact on the production company and the 103 members of cast and crew" and that SAGA is deeply concerned that the SABC is willing to cancel production contracts before their scheduled prescription.

Part of bigger SABC content devastation

The broad-based public pressure group SOS Coalition, fighting for better public broadcasting in South Africa, told TVwithThinus on Thursday that "it's very unclear, much like most things SABC,under what circumstances the contract is being prematurely terminated".

"However, in light of the radical and continued decline of SABC3's audience share, it appears that the may be linked to the devastation that the entirely unplanned for 90% local content directive issued by Hlaudi Motsoeneng has wreaked on the SABC's TV and radio offerings generally, and SABC3 specifically".

"Ours is not a position against high local content thresholds across the full range of offerings on the SABC," says the SOS Coalition, "but about sound planning, the shaping of a strong business case for all content produced for and by the SABC,to ensure that the organisation remains viable and sustainable in what is becoming an increasingly hostile industry".

"Unfortunately, in light of the arbitrary decision-making at the highest levels, purging of skilled staff, the unlawful writing off of the commissioning protocol and seeming award of commissions to pals, it doesn’t appear as though there is much leadership in the SABC at a point where it is needing it more than ever," says the SOS Coalition.

New lease on TV life elsewhere?

If the SABC goes through with abruptly removing High Rollers within the next month from the SABC3 schedule, the possibility exists that the show could jump to rival broadcasters like e.tv or M-Net in 2017.

Producer brothers Luke and Josh Rous struggled for four and a half years to finally get their well-received show accepted by the SABC but with the public broadcaster that doesn't want it anymore, e.tv or M-Net could possibly take it over.

M-Net has broadcast similar type shows to High Rollers in the past – like the drama series Jacob’s Cross that's been seen on both the SABC and M-Net.

High Rollers would also be a local drama take-over coup for e.tv that's been steadily investing in more glitzy dramas with high-end production values that would make sense for its own schedule.

"High Rollers is a great production," said outraged viewer Sphesihle Khumalo. "Please do not take away South African content that we can actually relate to and enjoy".

"I will actually consider cancelling my SABC TV licence if this show is removed," said Rianette Cluley. "It's one of the few good local offerings. Hope e.tv snatches if up if it is cancelled".

"If the SABC goes through with this, I hope it is picked up by e.tv" said Michael Harris.

"This is the only decent show left on SABC3 after Days of Our Lives was taken off," said Penny Kemertgoglou. "If the show is cancelled, I will never watch SABC3 again. Neither will I pay my TV licence”.

TV biz aghast over SABC's dumping of local drama series High Rollers, sharply criticises SABC for 'bizarre' cancellation decision.

South Africas TV industry is reacting with shock over the SABC's abrupt decision to suddenly cancel local drama series High Rollers before its contract ends with insiders now saying the SABC is readying a pay-off pay-out for the production – ironically wasting millions of rand not to air a local show.

Shock and outrage is growing within South Africa's TV industry over the way the SABC plans to suddenly axe High Rollers on SABC3 within a month. 

Ironically the SABC renewed the casino-set local drama in May for a third season and increased the episode order of 156 episodes from three to five episodes per week.

According to production sources not directly connected to the show but dealing with the SABC, the South African public broadcaster is now allegedly planning to pay out Rous House Productions fully for the remainder of their contract, "so four months' salary for cast and crew".

If true, it means that the SABC will essentially be spending a vast amount of money for nothing in return just to not broadcast a local show it commissioned and had renewed twice.

Rouse House Productions didn't respond to a media enquiry asking about the cancellation and the newly surfaced pay-out rumours swirling, and the SABC told TVwithThinus earlier that "the SABC is not in a position to discuss its contractual obligations with production houses and content providers with third parties including the media".

Following viewers' outrage and an online petition against the SABC's shock High Rollers’ cancellation where signatures and support keeps growing, as well as scorn from South African actors hammering the public broadcaster over its decision, representative TV industry bodies are also slamming the SABC over the "bizarre" cancellation decision.

"This unilateral decision made by the broadcaster has to be challenged, there is simply too much at stake not only for the countless crew members and the company in question, but also the wider industry, this establishes a very dangerous precedent," the South African Screen Federation (Sasfed) told TVwithThinus in a statement.

"Any going business concern has to have a degree of predictability to be able to plan and survive, with our major broadcaster not willing to honour legally binding contracts, such contracts become meaningless adversely affecting our emerging industry".

SABC’s bizarre decision criticised

The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) told TVwithThinus High Rollers’ cancellation "will have a profoundly negative impact on the production company and the 103 members of cast and crew".

"Many actors on the show, including SAGA members, have given up other possible earning opportunities in order to commit their time to High Rollers. Having the rug pulled out from under their feet like this means they will face the prospect of a very bleak Christmas."

"SAGA is deeply concerned that if the SABC is willing to cancel production contracts before their scheduled prescription, then nothing prevents the broadcaster cancelling other existing production contracts at an even greater expense to the taxpayer."

"The impact of this cancellation will therefore be felt throughout the industry and will add to speculation that responsible and competent leadership at the state broadcaster has been compromised at its highest levels."

SAGA says "the decision to cancel High Rollers which has earned a loyal following on SABC3, seems quite bizarre.  In announcing their intention to cancel the show, the SABC has demonstrated a reversal of its own much-publicised commitment to developing local content."

'Money thrown out the window'

A longtime producer working on shows for the SABC and other broadcasters, told TVwithThinus that "while in America contracts specifically feature the right to cancellation at specific stages if the ARs (audience ratings) of a show are not adequate, I have never seen such a clause in a SABC contract".

"As such, unless the producers are specifically in breach of elements of their contract, the SABC has no right to terminate the production. And even if there is a ratings clause which permits cancellation, one wonders why the same is not happening to Hlaudi Motsoeneng's crap commissions."

"If High Rollers is cancelled now, the SABC will have to pay for all work done and contracted until the final day of the notice period, which will be more money thrown out of the window as the SABC will never be able to use or air any of that work," said the veteran producer.

While the ratings for High Rollers has fallen since May when Hlaudi Motsoeneng abruptly ordered a quota of 80% local content for the channel – a plan that flopped – the viewership decrease for the show is in line with the entire SABC3 viewership that keeps spiralling down month after month since the introduction of the new crop of local shows that all failed to attract viewers.

Petition started to save cancelled High Rollers on SABC3 as producer slams SABC for being ‘unjust and wrong’ over canning the primetime soap.

Angry viewers have now started a petition started a petition to try and save SABC3's cancelled prime time soap High Rollers while the show's producer, fighting to keep the show on the air, is slamming the SABC's decision to can the show as "unjust and wrong".

The SABC abruptly decided it wants High Rollers off the TV channel's schedule, mid-contract, within a month – despite having said repeatedly this year through SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng that it supports local content and more local programming for SABC3.

The producers and large cast and crew of High Rollers, currently in its 3^rd season, are shocked while the SABC has so far not responded to media enquiries about the show's sudden cancellation notice coming just weeks before Christmas.

Executive producer Luke Rous from Rous House Productions is slamming the SABC's decision to dump High Rollers as "unjust and wrong", saying "we love making High Rollers, we are two-thirds of the way through our signed contract and we want the SABC to honour the commitment they have made to us".

Viewer Raeesa Khan from Durban has now started an online petition over the weekend to save the show, begging the SABC not to can High Rollers, with hundreds of viewers who have already signed the petition.

The petition can be found here.

'Stupid SABC decisions'

"The SABC has been making some really stupid decisions, the latest being their sudden announcement to cancel the local television show, High Rollers," says Raeesa.

"This show is one of the most popular local programmes and cancelling it would be the biggest mistake the SABC could make at this point in time. It’s about time that the viewers' opinions are taken into consideration".

Furious and upset SABC and SABC3 viewers quickly flooded the petition with their comments of vote of support.

"What will be left of SABC3? We want High Rollers to stay," said Amone Robbertze, with Sarahann Du Plooy saying "I think the mismanagement at the SABC is unacceptable. Actors and producers are in South Africa deserve a fair chance to create a future for themselves".

"I support the SA TV industry and I believe this would negatively affect it and many people involved," said Frances Hepburn.

"It's a good show and employs and empowers many South African families," says Thabi Gumede who already signed the petition.

"The SABC will be making a very rash decision by cancelling High Rollers. It will have a massive impact on the crew, actors and producers who will all be without jobs. It's not fair," noted Rozanne Bishop.

Fighting back

High Rollers that was launched in April 2013 was renewed for a full third season of 156 episodes in May this year and extended from three to five days per week, with the SABC no longer calling it a telenovela but a prime time weekday soap.

After the production company with producing and directing brothers Luke and Josh Rous, struggled for four and a half years to finally get the show on the cash-strapped SABC in 2013, the SABC now suddenly wants High Rollers with its large ensemble cast gone and cancelled – within 30 days.

While the ratings for High Rollers has fallen since May when Hlaudi Motsoeneng abruptly ordered a quota of 80% local content for the channel, it is in line with the entire SABC3 viewership that keeps spiraling down month after month since the introduction of new local shows  viewers have made clear that they don’t want to see.

High Rollers is however fighting back against the SABC’s shock decision that will leave actors and crew without jobs and income to support their families by Christmas.

Production company Rous House Productions says "the SABC have signalled their intent to cancel High Rollers within 30 business days" and was told the SABC is taking the decision "based on programming strategy changes on SABC3".

"Rous House Productions does not agree with the SABC's cancellation letter". Rous House Productions in a statement says that it's working with the SABC to try and "resolve this matter."

High Rollers' large ensemble cast includes local stars like Anthony Coleman, Thapelo Mokoena, Terence Bridgett, Hayley Owen, Jai Prakash, Vilje Maritz, Thishiwe Ziqubu and Thishiwe Ziqubu.

SHOCKER. Producers fighting back after SABC suddenly decides to cancel local telenovela High Rollers on SABC3 within 30 days.

Shock and disbelief is reverberating through South Africa's television industry as the SABC that promised more, not less, local content for SABC3, has decided to abruptly cancel the local weekday telenovela High Rollers within 30 days - but the producers are fighting back, saying they are adamant for the show to remain on the air.

The SABC launched High Rollers with big fanfare in April 2013 at 20:30 with hour long episodes and renewed it for a second season in 2015 and moved it to 19:30 as a half hour drama.

The show was renewed for a full third season of 156 episodes in May this year and extended from three to five days per week with the SABC no longer calling it a telenovela but a primetime weekday soap.

After the production company with producing and directing brothers Luke and Josh Rous, struggled for four and a half years to finally get the show on the cash-strapped SABC in 2013, the SABC now suddenly wants High Rollers with its large ensemble cast gone and cancelled - within 30 days.

The shock decision comes despite the controversial SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng who said the SABC is not just fighting for more job security for actors and TV biz workers, but also supports local content and just months after he said the SABC will increase SABC television content to 90% local, starting with 80% local content on SABC3.

While the fictional Kings Casino set High Rollers has never been a strong ratings performer, it is local content produced by a local cast with local producers - the type of content and show the SABC's Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the public broadcaster now values as it rids its TV schedules of foreign content and international shows.

The viewership for High Rollers fell since May when the SABC introduced a dramatic schedule make-over for SABC3 from a low 645  858 viewers (1.9 AR, 5.6 share) to 540  570 viewers ( 1.6 AR, 4.7 share).

It is however in line with and part of the entire SABC3 schedule that saw a viewership implosion since June with the channel's ratings falling month after month since May as South African viewers have shunned all the new local content rushed to air and dished up on the struggling channel's line-up.

Last month, for the first time ever in SABC history - and doing it again in November - SABC programming executives decided to replace High Rollers on SABC3 with Generations from SABC1 due to soccer.

The disruptive move was the first time in the history of the South African public broadcaster that it replaced one locally produced SABC TV soap with another of its locally produced TV soaps for sport reasons, and through it signaled that High Rollers and that show's viewership doesn't matter that much - or matters less - than Generations.

Gone in 30 days?
While High Rollers as a weekday, primetime soap on SABC3 is what is known as an "anchor programme" - episodes are stripped daily on weekdays, at the same time, courting a dedicated audience who habitually tune in and who are following an ongoing narrative - the SABC now wants to dismantle it, just as SABC2 started its own local telenovela, Keeping Score last month.

High Rollers is however planning on fighting back, since its sudden cancellation with leave a large group of people suddenly out of work.

The shocked production company Rous House Productions says "the SABC have signaled their intent to cancel High Rollers within 30 business days" and was told the SABC is taking the decision "based on programming strategy changes on SABC3".

The production company that's also responsible for the Setswana sitcom Ga Re Dumele on SABC2, Gauteng Maboneng and sitcom City Ses'la on SABC1, says "Rous House Productions does not agree with the SABC's cancellation letter".

Rouse House Productions in a statement says that it's working with the SABC to try and "resolve this matter".

The SABC didn't immediately respond to media enquiries made on Saturday morning about why the broadcaster wants to end High Rollers.

High Rollers' large ensemble cast includes local stars like Anthony Coleman, Thapelo Mokoena, Terence Bridgett, Hayley Owen, Jai Prakash, Vilje Maritz, Thishiwe Ziqubu and Thishiwe Ziqubu.

Actress Thishiwe Ziqubu abruptly gone from SABC3's High Rollers over 'personal reasons'; replaced by Soul City's Nunu Khumalo.

Actress Thishiwe Ziqubu (right) is abruptly gone from SABC3's telenovela High Rollers, replaced by former Soul City actress Nunu Khumalo in the same role of Thandi.

According to the show Thishiwe Ziqubu will appear in High Rollers, produced by Rous House Productions, for the last time on 24 November.

No reason has been given for Thishiwe Ziqubu's sudden departure other than the actress is out of the casino set daily drama over "personal reasons".

Although a public person, High Rollers producers are asking for privacy for the actress

Thishiwe Ziqubu previously appeared in e.tv's Rhythm City and the SABC's Tempy Pushas.

She made her film debut in 2011 as the lead in Man on Ground and is also a scriptwriter, director and producer.

BREAKING. SABC2 grabs new local Afrikaans drama series Geraamtes in die Kas filming from Monday; moves Vampire Diaries to November.

You're reading it here first. 

SABC2 is moving ahead with a brand-new Afrikaans drama series entitled Geraamtes in die Kas ("Skeletons in the Closet") which will start shooting next week and which will start on SABC2 for 26 episodes on 29 October - at the same time as SABC2 is moving The Vampire Diaries from its planned starting date in August to a new starting date of 1 November for the first season.

Besides Geraamtes in die Kas starting on 29 October and The Vampire Diaries which now has a new tentative starting date of 1 November, SABC2 is also planning a new season of the local environmental magazine show 50/50 to start on 9 September on the channel.

Filming on Geraamtes in die Kas I'm told will start shooting on Monday, is a brand-new drama series for SABC2 and will have 26 episodes.

Here is what else TV with Thinus can tell first: Geraamtes in die Kas is from Rous House Productions which did High Rollers for SABC3 and is an Afrikaans single-camera 45 minute drama shot on locations and set in an up-market Johannesburg psychiatric practice.

In Geraamtes in die Kas four psychiatrists and psychologists precariously balance their patients, families, careers and their own sanity where a criminal psychologist, a hippy music therapist, an ego-stroking couples councelor and sex therapist and an interantionally acclaimed psychiatrist (who finds himself in a mid life crisis and who can't stop arguing with his dead father) all work together.

The Geraamtes in die Kas cast list is a who's who of Afrikaans drama talent including Gys de Villiers, Marius Weyers and Helene Lombard. 

Helene Lombard won't be alone since she's joined by several former 7de Laan actors such as Vuyelwa Booi and Anel Alexander. Anel Alexander won't be alone since she's joined by her husband James Alexander on screen.

The Geraamtes in die Kas cast is rounded out by Wayne van Rooyen, Duke Motlanthe and Kim Engelbrecht.

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