Coronavirus: TV presenter Zororo Makamba (30) dead as Zimbabwe's second Covid-19 case.

by Thinus Ferreira

The TV presenter Zororo Makamba has died as Zimbabwe's second positive Covid-19 case as the novel coronavirus pandemic spreads globally including in South Africa and across Southern Africa.

According to AFP, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) announced that Zororo Makamba has died in the capital of Harare.

Zororo Makamba is the first person in Zimbabwe to officially die from Covid-19 and was treated in isolation in the Wilkins hospital in Harare.

"The minister of health and child care, Dr Obadiah Moyo has confirmed the death of Zororo Makamba, who was the second person to test positive for Covid-19 in Zimbabwe," the ZBC reported.

Zororo Makamba, the son of businessman and co-owner of Telecel Zimbabwe, James Makamba, tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday.

He had travelled to New York late last month where he stayed for 20 days and returned to Zimbabwe on 9 March, transiting through Johannesburg to Zimbabwe.

According to Zimbabwe's government Zororo Makamba began to show mild flu-like symptoms on 12 March that progressively worsened. His family said he was also treated for flu-like symptoms in New York. He consulted a doctor in Zimbabwe and was instructed to self-quarantine. He became worse and was hospitalised.

Zororo Makamba had a tumour removed from just under his left lung in November 2019 and was still recovering from this surgery that would take 18 months.

The Wilkins hospital had no ventilators, no plugs for ventilators, no medication, no oxygen and no water according to his family members.

The family says minister Obadiah Moyo blatantly lied to them and the country of Zimbabwe and that the hospital wanted the family to pay US$120 000 for a ventilator and monitor which it wanted to be "donated" and given to the Wilkins hospital for free after it was used for Zororo Makamba.

"People need to know that the Zimbabwe government is ill-prepared for Covid-19 and is not ready to deal with this virus," according to a report in Daily News.

Monica Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe's minister of information publicity and broadcasting services, in a statement says "I have received the news of the passing on of Zororo Makamba with great shock, extreme sadness and a deep sense of shock. He is a victim of the worldwide pandemic that is Covid-19".

"I constantly and continuously worked with Zororo Makamba on his much-watched and greatly appreciated State of the Nation programme on Zimbabwe television."

"He was a young intelligent and dynamic man that infused talent and passion for his work with intense patriotic pride. He always exuded that confidence in the face of daunting challenges. He communicated with promise and hope in the economic prospects of his beloved Zimbabwe."

Zororo Makamba was the host and executive producer of the late night show Tonight with Zororo on the Zambezi Magic channel run by M-Net on MultiChoice Africa's DStv satellite pay-TV service.

He was also the host and executive producer of Point of View with Zororo Makamba, a weekly web based political opinion on YouTube and was one of the judges on the entrepreneur reality show My Own Boss.

Zororo Makamba started his media career at ZiFM Stereo, Zimbabwe's first private radio station where he was the presenter of several current affairs programmes. From radio he made the jump to television with Tonight with Zororo which won the award for Outstanding Screen Production (Television) at the National Arts Merits Awards.

He's also worked in telecoms as the publicist for Telecel Zimbabwe and was a news and broadcasting assistant at United Talent Agency (UTA) in New York.

At the time of his death Zororo Makamba was the director and co-founder of Eleven Dogs Inc., a digital media and broadcasting company.

He had a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Michigan State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Producing (Honours) from the New York Film Academy.

M-Net looking to do a localised Date My Family version for Botswana on DStv's Zambezi Magic channel.

M-Net is looking to do another localised version of the popular South African reality series, Date My Family, this time for Botswana.

Date My Family Botswana will be broadcast on Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) M-Net's channel that MultiChoice Africa runs in countries across Southern Africa, excluding South Africa.

M-Net has invited production companies in Botswana to express interest and pitch to produce Date My Family Botswana, that has already spawned a Date My Family Zambia version currently in its second season.

Date My Family Zambia caused controversy during its first season when production participant fraud was uncovered.

In the series, a potential lover must visit three different families, before making a decision on who to date.

'Gay' reality show Lusaka Hustle back on MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel on DStv after shocking censorship.

The "gay" reality show, Lusaka Hustle, following three Zambian socialites are back on MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel on DStv in Southern Africa after Zambia's censorship-prone broadcasting regulator, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) lifted its idiotic and irrational ban and the suspension of the show.

Zambia's IBA didn't respond to emailed media enquiries about the controversial decision to order a ban on Lusaka Hustle, ordering its removal from the DStv airwaves in Zambia and multiple countries across Southern Africa.

Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) refused to admit it was wrong in banning and censoring Lusaka Hustle, only for the wayward regulator to then lift the ban this week without any changes or sanction.

The IBA has been silent on exactly why it banned Lusaka Hustle in the first place and what censorship laws the Zambian programme broke.

Interestingly, in a shocking dereliction of duty but not uncommon for a country with an underdeveloped TV and broadcasting industry and problems with freedom of speech, Zambia's incompetent IBA also ordered the ban before and without ever even watching Lusaka Hustle - simply censoring local TV content without actually seeing it, screening it, or providing specific reasons for where and how the show crossed Zambia's censors.

M-Net and MultiChoice showed a new episode of Lusaka Hustle on Thursday night, 21 February on Zambezi Magic.

Lusaka Hustle that started on 24 January, initially got in the crosshairs Godfridah Sumaili, Zambia's minister for religious affairs and national guidance, who complained that Lusaka Hustle features a character with "gay tendencies" and wearing a dress - a complaint that went viral on social media.

Social media amplified the outrage about the programme that follows three local, flamboyant Zambian celebrities and their drama-filled daily lives - Thandi Vundamina, Cleo Ice Queen and the singer Kuni (Mukuni Godfrey Mulundika), with Kuni who appears in Lusaka Hustle's promotional poster art in a flowing white robe.

Some viewers were disturbed that Kuni wore a dress in a recent episode while doing a spa day in Lusaka.

It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.

Lusaka Hustle was yanked off the air, unwillingly, by MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel to comply with the head-scratching order from Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), that ordered Lusaka Hustle off the air, over allegedly showing and promoting "gay tendencies".

MultiChoice Africa and M-Net said that it was proud of Lusaka Hustle and was "still unclear about which aspects of the show contravene Zambian law".

Zambia's information ministry that apparently has direct censorship power of what Zambian citizens can and can't see, then also weighed in and also ordered MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net to edit the Lusaka Hustle before it would be allowed back on Zambezi Magic.

Chanda Kasolo, Zambia's information and broadcasting services secretary in an interview on QTV News, reportedly said that MultiChoice and M-Net must censor episodes of Lusaka Hustle and must censor the alleged gayness away.

Chanda Kasolo said that this is the medium-term solution that Zambia's homophobic government has agreed upon with MultiChoice Zambia.

Chanda Kasolo in the interview that Zambia's government in the long-term will decide what restrictions exiting laws impose in terms of censorship of TV programming in Zambia, and that the promotion and practice of homosexuality through television programming is illegal in Zambia.

MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net were asked whether it agreed to edit, make changes and censor episodes of Lusaka Hustle as has been reportedly demanded by the Zambian government but MultiChoice Zambia didn't answer the specific question put to it by TVwithThinus in a media enquiry.

MultiChoice Zambia in a statement to TVwithThinus only says "MultiChoice Zambia is thankful to the IBA board for convening a multi-stakeholder forum to assess concerns about the Lusaka Hustle show."

"We are pleased to confirm the immediate lifting of the suspension and the board’s confirmation that upcoming episodes contain no controversial elements that violate any Zambian law. MultiChoice Zambia has engaged Zambezi Magic to resume the scheduling of the show on Thursday, 21 February 2019."

M-Net's Zambezi Magic in a statement says "Zambezi Magic is delighted to advise fans of Lusaka Hustle that their favourite reality show will resume on DStv on Thursday, 21 February 2019. Zambezi Magic, together with the cast and crew, wish to thank the viewers for their patience and understanding during this process."

Growing authoritarian censorship threat for TV content in Africa

It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.

In November 2017 the show Talk with Kwangu was censored and pulled off the air on Zambezi Magic, following Zambian government interference and pressure.

Zambezi Magic is aimed at helping producers in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini to get their original content from their countries on the air for local DStv audiences to enjoy.

Zambia's latest TV censorship is not just raising questions around the clampdown of freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the country, but is also worrying Zambian TV and film producers who don't feel that their local work is valued in their own country, with more and more producers looking across borders and outside of Zambia to pitch their projects.

The biggest concern around the ban that was emposed on Lusaka Hustle, however, revolves around how draconian censorship of TV content in just one African country will once again that the censored show will become unavailable to millions of viewers and DStv subscribers in multiple other countries.

Similar to a growing and ongoing trend of recent TV censorship in Nigeria and Kenya ranging from lifestyle and reality shows to even kids animation programming on the Disney Channel and Viacom Africa's Nickelodeon, shows on channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform ordered blocked there by local regulators in one country, means that when these shows are removed, they are censored for everyone.

MultiChoice carries only one channel feed for Africa - in some cases two - from a channel distributor, meaning that content on a channel - for instance E! Entertainment (DStv 124) or Disney Channel (DStv 303)  - ordered to be censored and dumped in for instance Kenya, makes it unavailable in South Africa and a range of other African countries outside of where the censorship takes place.

Censor out the gay from the Lusaka Hustle reality show before its allowed back on Zambezi Magic, Zambia's information ministry tells MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net.

Censor out the gay and re-edit the Lusaka Hustle reality show before it's allowed back on the Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel, Zambia's information ministry is telling MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net in the growing, controversial and latest Africa TV censorship brouhaha that has erupted in the homophobic country.

Lusaka Hustle has been yanked off the air, unwillingly, by MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel to comply with the head-scratching order from Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), that ordered Lusaka Hustle off the air, over allegedly showing and promoting "gay tendencies".

Now Zambia's information ministry also wants the apparent gayness censored out of Lusaka Hustle before MultiChoice and M-Net can put the show back on Zambezi Magic for viewers in that country and multiple other pan-African nations.

Removing the show from Zambezi Magic - that has only one channel feed - means that Lusaka Hustle has been removed not just for DStv subscribers in Zambia but for MultiChoice's customers across the whole of Southern Africa in multiple countries except for South Africa where the channel isn't available.

In an interview on Zambia's QTV News, Chanda Kasolo, Zambia's information and broadcasting services secretary, reportedly said that MultiChoice and M-Net must censor episodes of Lusaka Hustle and get rid of the purported gayness portrayed.

Chanda Kasolo said that this is the medium-term solution that Zambia's homophobic government has agreed upon with MultiChoice Zambia. It's not immediately clear if MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic packaged channel indeed agreed to self-censorship of its own artistic TV work.

Chanda Kasolo in the QTV News interview, said Zambia's government in the long-term will decide what restrictions exiting laws impose in terms of censorship of TV programming in Zambia, and that the promotion and practice of homosexuality through television programming is illegal in Zambia.


Zambezi Magic: Still unclear what show parts violate law
Lusaka Hustle that started on 24 January, initially got in the crosshairs Godfridah Sumaili, Zambia's minister for religious affairs and national guidance, who complained that Lusaka Hustle features a character with "gay tendencies" and wearing a dress - a complaint that went viral on social media.

Social media amplified the outrage about the programme that follows three local, flamboyant Zambian celebrities and their drama-filled daily lives - Thandi Vundamina, Cleo Ice Queen and the singer Kuni (Mukuni Godfrey Mulundika), with Kuni who appears in Lusaka Hustle's promotional poster art in a flowing white robe.

Some viewers were disturbed that Kuni wore a dress in a recent episode while doing a spa day in Lusaka.

It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.

In November 2017 the show Talk with Kwangu was censored and pulled off the air on Zambezi Magic, following Zambian government interference and pressure.

Zambezi Magic is aimed at helping producers in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini to get their original content from their countries on the air for local DStv audiences to enjoy.

On Friday Timothy Okwaro, head of Zambezi Magic, in response to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus said that "Zambezi Magic wishes to inform viewers of our decision to temporarily suspend scheduling the show Lusaka Hustle".

"We are proud to be associated with the show, which aimed to bring great reality television to Zambia audiences."

"All our programming is rigorously checked, and we are still unclear about which aspects of the show contravene Zambian law. Zambezi Magic, together with the cast and crew, wishes to thank our viewers for all their support and we look forward to returning to our normal scheduling soon."

MultiChoice Zambia in a statement to TVwithThinus on Friday said that "with regret MultiChoice Zambia has engaged channel provider Zambezi Magic, to suspend scheduling of the Lusaka Hustle show until further notice".

"MultiChoice Zambia received a formal directive from the IBA on 12 February 2019 to suspend the show, with immediate effect, for promoting 'ideas and a lifestyle that the authority doesn't want Zambians to be exposed to' ".

"We are facilitating compliance with the directive but will follow the appeal procedure set out in the Independent  Broadcasting Authority Act to get clarity on the correct interpretation of the law. We remain committed to the promotion of local content and respect for the law."

Zambia's IBA didn't respond to emailed media enquiries.

M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel and MultiChoice Zambia pull Lusaka Hustle show as ordered by Zambia's regulator for allegedly promoting 'gay tendencies'; pay-TV operator says it's still unclear about what in the show contravenes Zambian law.

M-Net's Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel has now - begrudingly - removed the controversial Lusaka Hustle reality show from its schedule, as ordered by Zambia's broadcasting regulator over allegedly promoting "gay tendencies", with the pay-TV operator saying it will appeal and that it is still unclear about what in the TV show contravenes Zambian law.

The removal of Lusaka Hustle is effectively censoring and barring the programme for DStv subscribers in countries across the entire Southern Africa region, not just Zambia.

It's the latest example of Africa's encroaching television censorship creep, with the latest TV ban coming from Zambia's broadcasting regulator,  the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), that ordered Lusaka Hustle off the air, over allegedly showing and promoting "gay tendencies".

Lusaka Hustle that started on 24 January, initially got in the crosshairs Godfridah Sumaili, Zambia's minister for religious affairs and national guidance, who complained that Lusaka Hustle features a character with "gay tendencies" and wearing a dress - a complaint that went viral on social media.

Social media amplified the outrage about the programme that follows three local, flamboyant Zambian celebrities and their drama-filled daily lives - Thandi Vundamina, Cleo Ice Queen and the singer Kuni (Mukuni Godfrey Mulundika), with Kuni who appears in Lusaka Hustle's promotional poster art in a flowing white robe.

Some viewers were disturbed that Kuni wore a dress in a recent episode while doing a spa day in Lusaka.

It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.

In November 2017 the show Talk with Kwangu was censored and pulled off the air on Zambezi Magic, following Zambian government interference and pressure.

Zambezi Magic is aimed at helping producers in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini to get their original content from their countries on the air for local DStv audiences to enjoy.

MultiChoice carries only one channel feed for Africa - in some cases two - from a channel distributor, meaning that content on a channel - for instance E! Entertainment (DStv 124) or Disney Channel (DStv 303)  - ordered to be censored and dumped in for instance Kenya, makes it unavailable in South Africa and a range of other African countries outside of where the censorship takes place.

With Lusaka Hustle now removed on Zambezi Magic for Zambia's DStv subscribers, it becomes unavailable for viewers in every other country where Zambezi Magic is carried since it's the same single channel feed viewed in all the countries.

Timothy Okwaro, head of Zambezi Magic, in response to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus on Friday morning said that "Zambezi Magic wishes to inform viewers of our decision to temporarily suspend scheduling the show Lusaka Hustle".

"We are proud to be associated with the show, which aimed to bring great reality television to Zambia audiences."

"All our programming is rigorously checked, and we are still unclear about which aspects of the show contravene Zambian law. Zambezi Magic, together with the cast and crew, wishes to thank our viewers for all their support and we look forward to returning to our normal scheduling soon."

MultiChoice Zambia in a statement to TVwithThinus says that "with regret MultiChoice Zambia has engaged channel provider Zambezi Magic, to suspend scheduling of the Lusaka Hustle show until further notice".

"MultiChoice Zambia received a formal directive from the IBA on 12 February 2019 to suspend the show, with immediate effect, for promoting 'ideas and a lifestyle that the authority doesn't want Zambians to be exposed to' ".

"We are facilitating compliance with the directive but will follow the appeal procedure set out in the Independent  Broadcasting Authority Act to get clarity on the correct interpretation of the law. We remain committed to the promotion of local content and respect for the law."

Zambia's IBA didn't respond to emailed media enquiries.

Zambia censors TV show over 'gay tendencies' as banned reality series, Lusaka Hustle, is ordered off air on Zambezi Magic for DStv subscribers in the entire Southern Africa.

Africa's encroaching television censorship creep continues with the latest TV ban coming from Zambia's broadcasting regulator, censoring a show over alleged "gay tendencies" that it wants off television and that will see the locally-produced reality show, Lusaka Hustle, going dark on Zambezi Magic - not just for DStv subscribers in Zambia but across multiple countries for all viewers across Southern Africa.

Zambia's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has abruptly banned the Zambian produced reality show, Lusaka Hustle that started on 24 January on M-Net's Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel available in Southern Africa, for allegedly promoting "gay tendencies".

Zambia's broadcasting regulator hasn't watched the show but is "responding to public outcries", after Zambia's Godfridah Sumaili, the country's minister for religious affairs and national guidance, complained that Lusaka Hustle features a character with "gay tendencies" and wearing a dress.

Social media amplified the outrage about the programme that follows three local, flamboyant Zambian celebrities and their drama-filled daily lives - Thandi Vundamina, Cleo Ice Queen and the singer Kuni (Mukuni Godfrey Mulundika), with Kuni who appears in Lusaka Hustle's promotional poster art in a flowing white robe.

Some viewers were disturbed that Kuni wore a dress in a recent episode while doing a spa day in Lusaka.

It is the second censorship of content on Zambezi Magic since the debut of the M-Net packaged and produced channel that is meant as a Southern African version of South Africa's successful Mzansi Magic channel.

In November 2017 the show Talk with Kwangu was censored and pulled off the air on Zambezi Magic, following Zambian government interference and pressure.

Zambezi Magic is aimed at helping producers in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini to get their original content from their countries on the air for local DStv audiences to enjoy.

Zambia's latest TV censorship is not just raising questions around the clampdown of freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the country, but is also worrying Zambian TV and film producers who don't feel that their local work is valued in their own country, with more and more producers looking across borders and outside of Zambia to pitch their projects.

The biggest concern around the ban on Lusaka Hustle however revolves around how draconian censorship of TV content in just one African country will once again that the censored show will become unavailable to millions of viewers and DStv subscribers in multiple other countries.

Similar to a growing and ongoing trend of recent TV censorship in Nigeria and Kenya ranging from lifestyle and reality shows to even kids animation programming on the Disney Channel and Viacom Africa's Nickelodeon, shows on channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform ordered blocked there by local regulators in one country, means that when these shows are removed, they are censored for everyone.

MultiChoice carries only one channel feed for Africa - in some cases two - from a channel distributor, meaning that content on a channel - for instance E! Entertainment (DStv 124) or Disney Channel (DStv 303)  - ordered to be censored and dumped in for instance Kenya, makes it unavailable in South Africa and a range of other African countries outside of where the censorship takes place.

When Lusaka Hustle is removed on Zambezi Magic for Zambia's DStv subscribers, it becomes unavailable for viewers in every other country where Zambezi Magic is carried since it's the same single channel feed viewed in all the countries.

Josephine Mapona, IBA director-general in Zambia, in a statement, said it is ordering MultiChoice Zambia to "suspend the Lusaka Hustle reality show on the Zambezi Magic channel on DStv".

"This follows public outcries that the Lusaka Hustle reality show promotes a lifestyle contrary to our Zambian values and culture." The IBA says it urges Zambian producers of local content "to produce content that reflect the Zambian culture".

Zambia's IBA in media enquiries was asked what specifically is wrong with Lusaka Hustle and why the IBA censor and removes TV shows as opposed to classifying and issuing advisories, what the IBA's message is to TV and film producers in Zambia and whether they should rather pitch local content for audiences outside of Zambia.

The regulator was also asked how the IBA sees freedom of speech and expression in terms of TV content and to what degree the IBA feels that that exists for Zambian television.

The IBA didn't respond to these media enquiries this week from TVwithThinus.


DStv: Show prejudged on social media, cast deeply distressed
Both MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net's Zambezi Magic channel responded to media enquiries seeking comment.

MultiChoice Zambia told TVwithThinus that "MultiChoice Zambia has noted the public commentary about Lusaka Hustle on the Zambezi Magic channel. We are concerned that the programme has been misrepresented on social media and to address these misrepresentations, we will be facilitating a viewing session with our key stakeholders to allow for an assessment of the programme".

"MultiChoice remains committed to the promotion of local content and respect for the law".

Timothy Okwaro, head of Zambezi Magic tells TVwithThinus that Lusaka Hustle "is a locally-produced reality show which follows the lives of three Zambian celebrities who regularly appear on television".

"The show has been prejudged in social media without an informed assessment of the content or a clear indication of which aspects of the show are unlawful. The cast and crew of Lusaka Hustle have been deeply distressed by the misleading representation of the content".

Zambezi Magic says M-Net and the channel are "respectful of Zambian values and culture. We are working with MultiChoice Zambia to resolve this matter in a constructive way and will join key stakeholders for a viewing session of upcoming episodes".

MultiChoice Uganda adds Pearl Magic, packaged by M-Net, as a new DStv Uganda and GOtv channel to help promote localised Uganda TV content production.

MultiChoice Uganda on Monday launched Pearl Magic as a new TV channel on DStv Uganda and GOtv Uganda, packaged by M-Net, to broadcast local Uganda entertainment content and to help with the promotion and creation of local TV content in the African nation.

Pearl Magic follows Zambezi Magic that MultiChoice Africa launched in July 2015 for Southern African viewers, excluding South Africa.

Similar to Zambezi Magic, M-Net will buy and broadcast series and films from Uganda filmmakers and producers if it meets passable technical requirements. A lot of producers and filmmakers in Uganda however still have a huge struggle to produce anything near adequate content for TV broadcast.

MultiChoice Uganda will also have to be careful not to upset the Uganda government and censors in the country with MultiChoice Zambia that self-censored and caved under pressure from the Zambian government in November 2017 and yanked one of the local shows made specifically for the channel, Talk with Kwangu, off the air.

Pearl Magic available on DStv Uganda on channel 161 and on GOtv on channel 304 will show music, reality shows, films and telenovelas.

Programming on Pearl Magic will include localised shows like the music programmes Beyond the Beat, The Code and Jechilli; TV series like Mistakes Girls Do, 5@Home, Love Makanika, the reality show Jangu Tulye, as well as Indian telenovelas dubbed into Luganda like Doli Armaanko Ki.

"Pearl Magic will include everything that is Ugandan," says Albert Nga, MultiChoice Uganda marketing manager.

"It will showcase what we are made of and are able to produce. Bring the content and we shall schedule and load it. We had to start from somewhere and we shall continue to push Ugandan content".

Gerald Sserunjoji who heads up the Association of Producers in Uganda says "this is something we have waited for for several years. The industry applauds MultiChoice for such an opportunity they have extended to us."

Scandal hits M-Net's Date My Family Zambia spin-off on DStv's Zambezi Magic channel as multiple participants are exposed as frauds; MultiChoice Zambia admits proper pre-checks were never done and says it will now ensure 'a stricter vetting process'.

M-Net's Zambian spin-off version of Date My Family Zambia, following after the hugely successful South African version on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), has been hit by scandal following revelations over fake participants used in the show.

MultiChoice Africa and M-Net broadcast the Zambia version of Date My Family on M-Net's Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) channel in Southern Africa, excluding South Africa.

Looking to cash in on the immense popularity of the show's format in South Africa, M-Net greenlit a spin-off version for Zambezi Magic, but the fake spin-off version somehow failed to adhere to the strict production values and guidelines followed by the South African version.

The producers of Date My Family Zambia failed to properly vet the participants beforehand, resulting in a faked show as viewers discovered.

Date My Family Zambia is executive produced by Catherine Phiri, Mary Phiri and Natasha Phiri and produced by Media365.

The Date my Family Zambia scandal has compromising the integrity of the show, M-Net and Zambezi Magic where Mosibudi Pheeda is the channel head, after shocking revelations that several couples who have appeared on the show have cheated by having known each other already, and that in several cases they had already been in established romantic relationships before they "met" in episodes.

M-Net and Date My Family Zambia moved their burden to pre-check contestants, to viewers.

Viewers quickly started pointing out, using simply social media platforms that can be easily reached and used by anyone, that participants have known each other before and have already been in romantic relationships.

The embarrassing revelations damaged the reputation of Date My Family Zambia and M-Net and DStv's Zambezi Magic channel over putting an entertainment reality dating show on the air that isn't quite so true.

There's no way that DStv subscribers watching the show on Zambezi Magic can trust that what they're seeing in Date My Family Zambia is actually real and whether the so-called single people looking for love are really single or haven't already met and dated each other. 

Weirdly MultiChoice Zambia and M-Net are now trying to distance themselves from the mistakes with blame-shifting, saying the producers on Date My Family Zambia relies on the participants and the information they provide to the show.

Banks, hospitals, courts, schools and other institutions of course don't just rely on the information provided by people and actually carry out checks to verify the accuracy and authenticity.

"For this purpose, our show producers rely heavily on the honesty of the applicants and full disclosure thereof," says MultiChoice Zambia in a statement, not explaining why proper vetting of contestants on a M-Net reality show didn't take place before viewers started spotted the truth and called the show out publicly.

"However, due to misrepresentation by several participants of recent episodes, we have endeavoured to ensure a stricter vetting process so that our valued DStv customers can continue to enjoy an authentic entertainment experience with real honest conversations," says MultiChoice Zambia.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 6 July 2015.

True TRASH TV: How rivals SuperSport and StarTimes fought behind the scenes.
- First the truly trashy Sam Keengu Nyamweya, the president of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) signed a sponsorship deal with StarTimes as new media partner, then alleging that StarTimes will now show a soccer match between Kenya and Ethiopia in Nairobi.
- The only problem was that SuperSport had the rights to show it on DStv.
- Yet StarTimes blocked SuperSport from the stadium with armed police, and the former SuperSport executive and now StarTimes sport boss Gary Rathbone blatantly lied and said StarTimes would show the match. Gary Rathbone kept lying on social media to fans. The trashy Chinese StarTimes even bought full-page newspaper ads advertising they will show the match.
- Then SportFive, the sole marketing agent, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) got involved, blatantly telling StarTimes to back off, since SuperSport has the exclusive broadcasting rights, and threatening Kenya with expulsion from CHAN.
- And finally FKF and StarTimes backed off after having lied to subscribers with a trashy apology of suddenly "the CHAN rights are held by CAF as opposed to FKF".
- Now StarTimes wants to renegotiate its contract with FKF because "the integrity of the partnership is now compromised".

Truly TV trash you can't make up.


Can Frans Matlala, the new SABC CEO, save the SABC?
- "I was a bit worried about hearing media reports of him saying 'yes, we're going to broadcast the truth but we want to balance that'. How do you balance the truth?" Listen to the whole CapeTalk interview here with Kate Skinner from the SOS Coalition.

- Interestingly, the SABC's controversial and famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng is holding the hand of Frans Matlala and is accompanying him to media interviews, asserting his control, like to an interview on 702 radio. Is that really necessary?
- Hlaudi Motsoeneng continues his awkward statements at the SABC's announcement of Frans Matlala as new SABC CEO.


Botched on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) renewed.
The reality series about Hollywood plastic surgeons trying to fix horrific plastic surgery mistakes renewed fir a 3rd season.


It's 25 years since Star Trek The Next Generation's "The Best of Both Worlds" cliffhanger.
A fascinating behind-the-scenes oral history of how the cliffhanger changed the show forever, and other interesting facts you never knew.
And Forbes reveals the intricate shared rights issues and complex rights problems which is keeping a new TV series of Star Trek off the air - while next year will be its 50th anniversary.


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The TV industry "is hideously middle-class," says British TV producer.
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SACP wants the scrapping of the controversial MultiChoice and SABC archives deal.
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M-Net's new Zambezi Magic TV channel on DStv just South African soapies.
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Africa's TV and film industry needs to stop making mediocre productions, says producer, and improve the quality.
South Africa's Connie and Shona Ferguson also went to the Zambezi Magic launch and also said producers need to up their game.


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Viacom is having a midlife crisis.
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Some problem with MultiChoice's set-top boxes in Zambia.
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New Pay-TV player Siyaya TV and the SAFA fighting.
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How television won the internet.
The New York Times on how television as a "tired" technology is taking over the internet and how its TV which is making people willing to pay for digital content online.

Soon you'll be able to to build your own Game of Thrones.
The fantasy drama series on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) is coming out with its own amazing construction sets - from the Iron Throne room to Attack on the Wall, and even a Mother of Dragons set.

MultiChoice adds new M-Net supplied channel Zambezi Magic from 1 July as a new Southern Africa channel; won't be available in South Africa.

Tomorrow at 20:00 MultiChoice will launch a new channel, Zambezi Magic (DStv 160) on DStv for viewers in Southern Africa outside of South Afric.

Zambezi Magic will give DStv viewers access to South Africa's popular soaps from the SABC ranging from SABC1's Generations and SABC3's Isidingo to SABC2's Muvhango, as well as other curated content from the SABC's archives as well as from the M-Net and Mzansi Magic shelves.

Zambesi Magic, a channel run and managed by M-Net for MultiChoice's DStv, aims to become a showcase of "quality programming from the southern tip of Africa" and a catalyst for the production of new regionalised content from this region.

By showing the SABC soaps, Zambezi Magic will also try and curb the growing and lucrative black market in pirate copies of shows smuggled daily and weekly across South Africa's borders to neighbouring countries where viewers who can't watch these daily melodramas on TV pay for DVDs with burnt episodes.

Zambezi Magic will not however show the most recent episodes of these SABC soaps - the new channel which will not be accessible to DStv subscribers in South Africa will show the soaps starting from previous seasons.

Zambezi Magic will be available to DStv Premium, DStv Compact and DStv Compact Plus subscribers in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi and Swaziland.

"Zambezi Magic will offer the most sought-after archive content that has so far not been available outside of South Africa," says Addiel Dzinoreva, the head of the Zambezi Magic channel.

"The channel will also build regional entertainment brands by showcasing entertainment productions from the various Southern African countries," says Addiel Dzinoreva.

Besides the SABC soaps, and as part of MultiChoice's deal with the SABC for exclusive rights to archive content from the public broadcaster, Zambezi Magic acquired a large number of SABC shows for its channel line-up.

In addition to the SABC soaps, Zambezi Magic will also broadcast other SABC fare, including youth dramas like SABC1's Zone 14, Intersexions and Yizo-Yizo dealing with issues like HIV/Aids, as well as Khumbul'ekhaya, City Ses'La and SABC2 sitcom Stokvel.

M-Net and Mzansi Magic's Jacob's Cross and Cooking with Siba with Siba Mtongana, reality show Our Perfect Wedding, comedies like The Coconuts, Skwizas and Kota Life Crisis and It's For Life are also on the programming line-up for Zambezi Magic as part of repurposed TV fare, along with lifestyle shows like Goal Diggerz and Forever Young.

Zambezi Magic will broadcast the new Lusaka based lifestyle magazine show The Kool Roc Show and the channel says going forward many more local shows from other Southern African countries will be added to the channel.

"Our ultimate goal is to be the go-to channel for quality Southern African produced shows and to provide viewers with a channel they can trust to bring local stories made in their own backyards," says Addiel Dzinoreva.

"The launch of Zambezi Magic to the DStv platform is a significant one for us because this is proof that we listen to our viewers' requests for content that is closer to home," says Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice Africa CEO.

"Adding a channel that includes local productions also strengthens our association with the burgeoning entertainment industry in Southern Africa and reinforces our role in developing and supporting African production companies," says Tim Jacobs.