As Mzansi Magic's ratings of Idols season 18 cratered in 2022 and its DStv viewership tanked so did MultiChoice's promises to improve media relations and communication around the show.

by Thinus Ferreira

In February this year MultiChoice's head of programming, Nomsa Philiso, promised the media ahead of the start of the 18th season of Idols, that MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic's public relations and its communication with the journalists and publications covering the show, will improve.

Nothing came from these promises.

Mzansi Magic had shockingly bad and basically non-existent communications in 2021 around Idols, resulting in less coverage and reporting, fewer articles and much-depleted media engagement. Ratings also tanked.

Nomsa Philiso's promises to improve how MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic communicate with the media about Idols were made at a press briefing held at Urban Brew Studios in Johannesburg in mid-February, where the pay-TV operator and pay-TV channel assured the media that MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic were going to work better when it comes to interacting with the press, and to do more when it comes to communicating about Idols after a bad 2021.

Over the past 8 months, MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic's communication and press relations around the [SIC] Entertainment-produced show however worsened further in 2022.

Mzansi Magic and The Duma Collective PR firm, responsible for publicity and interacting with the press about Idols, engaged even less with the media in 2022 about the show - as viewership for the latest season of Idols on Mzansi Magic nosedived right from its debut, with ratings sinking lower and lower every month.

For the 18th season, the Fremantle-format show fired Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi as judges who were replaced by artist Thembi Seete and rapper-producer JR Bogopa.

Gavin Wratten as director and co-executive producer, along with Anneke de Ridder and ProVerb (Tebogo Thekisho) as co-producers and with ProVerb also being the host, decided as well to bring back Somizi Mhlongo who left after a scandal-engulfed year in 2021.

Idols shed hundreds of thousands of viewers the past few months in an ongoing ratings collapse, with hundreds of thousands of DStv subscribers who have abandoned the Sunday evening show on Mzansi Magic compared to a year ago when ratings also started to plummet from what the show pulled in earlier seasons.

Mzansi Magic didn't respond to a media query made Friday about Idols and questions around the season 18 post-show press conference, if there would be one on Sunday night, and the media's opportunity to pose questions to the winner, runner-up, as well as show and M-Net executives.

Phoned on Sunday, Boitumelo Tsele, a PR specialist at Duma Collective paid by Mzansi Magic to communicate about Idols on behalf of Mzansi Magic and to liaise with media, said she'll call back. She never did.

In February, TVwithThinus at the press briefing asked specifically what happened last year that the media were largely shunned when it came to Idols, about Mzansi Magic's media communications, as well as what the way forward is going to be from M-Net's side following the bad PR and lack of attention to properly communicate with the press around Idols in 2021.

In 2021 Mzansi Magic failed to engage South Africa's national media around the "Hell Week" period as it used to in the past, Mzansi Magic canned the long-running Idols post-show press conference at the end and didn't bother to even do it virtually, while media interaction all through the 17th season was atrociously lacking and was judged the worse it's been in the show's 17th season history.

Making things worse, is that Mzansi Magic couldn't be bothered to tell media that it had decided to dump the communications and press relations interaction that used to happen around Idols in previous years. 

Media were left hanging, having to guess - or constantly having to discover belatedly afterwards - that this and that and the post-show media conference for Idols in 2021 wouldn't be taking place.

Besides getting less coverage for Idols season 17 in the media in 2021, Mzansi Magic also unceremoniously dumped the Mzansi Magic Top 12 contestants in-person media briefings it held in the past, and jettisoned regional radio stations and even community media and radio stations that used to be invited to media briefings in Johannesburg.

All of these interactions that used to signal that Idols was important and mattered were scuppered - either due to Mzansi Magic budget cuts, lack of know-how or lack of interest, with the end result that the eventual Idols winner and runner-up of 2021 got less media attention than their counterparts of previous seasons - something which is one of the overall aims of the show.

Fell through the cracks

"There's no doubt that the partnership with the media is important to us. I think with specific reference to last year, I think there were a lot of things that fell through the cracks in terms of the communication process itself," Nomsa Philiso told journalists at the media briefing in February.

"You'll remember that in 2020 we did have a virtual Idols press conference. But yes, something did go off last year," she said.

"You were one of the people who raised it, to say 'What happened?'. So we are deliberately going to make sure that the media is kept abreast, that we walk the path together with the media as we've always done," Nomsa Philiso said.

"For media who got a raw deal last year we apologise, but it's something that we're going to fix."

From bad to worse

Unfortunately Mzansi Magic didn't fix anything as Nomsa Philiso promised would happen.

In 2022, media got even less communication around Idols for the 18th season, with even less interaction and media engagement happening around the show during this past year than in the already diminished 2021 season.

With the season 18 finale of Idols taking place on Sunday, there's again been an abject lack of media engagement and communication throughout the season with the media trying to cover the show.

Between a smattering of sometimes-sent, often-not, press releases and precious little else from the Mzansi Magic and Duma Collective publicists supposed to engage, interact and communicate with the press about the show, media interest in Idols waned further similar to the show's ratings.

After a new Idols winner is announced on Sunday night there will be an in-person, post-show media briefing. 

It's predominantly for Johannesburg media only, although around 5 journalists from outside of Johannesburg have been flown to the city, further underscoring how Idols has shrunk in its press engagement from what it used to be and used to do, further marginalising the perception in media's minds that Idols - and covering it - mattered.

Are budget cuts to blame? Is a constant turnover of here-this-month-gone-next-month publicists to blame? Is it a lack of institutional history around proper/past media engagement and what Idols used to do before? 

Media outside of Johannesburg have once again been left wondering what's happening with Idols on Sunday, as has been the case throughout this season.

While Idols once again became smaller in stature in 2022 journalists across South Africa have been wondering among themselves the past few months about Idols' future.

As the show has an ongoing struggle to properly communicate with media, Idols is once again ending on Sunday without any heads-up as to what's happening regarding a post-show media briefing.

As Idols season 18 concludes its latest season on Sunday - and if there's a season 19 - it would be even more difficult for Mzansi Magic to try and get media buy-in next year from a press contingent wondering why they should still be devoting any time and effort to cover a show that has not just lost half its audience but apparently its willingness to signal that Idols still matters.

ALSO READ: Recording contract of Mzansi Magic's Idols winner reduced from album to just an EP.

Season 18 of Idols on Mzansi Magic narrows down the top group to 12 contestants for the live performances.

by Thinus Ferreira

For its current 18th season Idols has chosen a smaller top group, with only 12 instead of the usual 16 hopeful singers who will compete in the weekly live performances starting from Sunday 28 August, and with the top group including multiple musicians who can play instruments as well as gospel singers.

In Sunday's episode on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) the remaining top 32 contestants were culled to just 12 after the gruelling so-called "theatre week", and not 16 as in previous years.

In the group of 12 there are seven contestants who have entered Idols in previous seasons, and several who can play instruments and who have now made it through to the top group.

Ranging in age from 18 to 29, the top 12 contestants will now compete for votes from DStv subscribers in live performances taking place at Pretoria's Heartfelt Arena.

Here are the top 12:

Ceejay (24), Stranger

Third time lucky – that saying applies to Ceejay, the musician who didn't receive a golden ticket in season 16 before narrowly missing out on a place in the top 16 during season 17.

Growing up in a musical family (his parents were in a band together) he spends his time singing, making beats on his computer and playing instruments.

Hope (23), Pretoria

Having started singing at the age of five and participated in a lot of plays at school, Hope says joining the Midlands Youth Choir opened a new avenue of what music could sound like.

After years of thinking about entering, Hope decided that now was the perfect time. "I wasn't ready earlier than this," she says, having just completed studying musical theatre at Tshwane University of Technology. 

She says viewers can expect soul – and more – from her musical performances: “I know that the way I perform and translate music to people will leave a beautiful mark."

Kabelo (24), Pietermaritzburg

Kabelo is no stranger to the Idols stage, having previously entered in season 16. After being eliminated during the group stages, he says he is back to prove a point.

His musical journey began at 15 when he and his twin brother learned how to play the guitar and keyboard through YouTube videos.

During the live shows, he hopes to beat the nerves and articulate the emotions of each song without holding back. "I also want to connect with the crowd. My aim is to give it my all every Sunday and to have fun, too," he says.

Lerato (27), Johannesburg

It's been several years since Lerato first entered Idols, and after a period of losing confidence in her capabilities as a singer, she is back with a bang.

"This year, I had the courage and bravery to enter again," she says. She has found her second time on Idols to be a fun process that she’s grateful for.

"I want to inspire people to know that you shouldn't let your dreams die. Don't give up on your dreams. Even if it takes forever, it can actually happen for you one day."

Mpilwenhle (23), Johannesburg

After spending years honing her sound and gaining more understanding of herself as a musician, Mpilwenhle felt that now was finally the time to enter Idols.

About her Idols journey so far, she says "It's taught me to always be prepared for anything. You have to bring your A-game. It's showing us flames, but it's the flames that I like."

While she's nervous about the live performances, she's more thrilled than anything. "I am excited to get on the stage, pour my heart out and leave it on the stage."

Nandi (21), Johannesburg

"Music is my life. It is a part of me," says Nandi of her passion.

Her love of music began at an early age, thanks to her musical hero – her father – who is also a musician. It was through spending time with him in the studio that she initially found an appreciation for the art. 

Nandi is no stranger to the stage as she has been performing from a young age as part of her church choir, then later on at the Market Theatre. Describing herself as a fearless performer, she says viewers can expect to see "something different" when she takes the stage.

Noxolo (25), Durban

Noxolo began singing at age of five, playing music with her dad, and she cemented her relationship with music through church.

Humbled to have reached the top 12, she says she believes she has a gift that the world will finally get to see. She is most excited about the upcoming live performances and hopes the audience will get to connect with her.

Noxolo says viewers can expect her live performances to be unique, rare and spiritual.

Nozi (27), Durban

Nozi first entered Idols in 2016 but did not make it beyond the first cut. This year she is back on a mission and is looking forward to proving her talent. 

Nozi says viewers can expect "joy and excellence" when she hits the stage. She plans to set the stage alight, and hopes that the viewers will resonate with her performances.

Like her musical heroes, former American Idol contestants Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia, she hopes for the competition to catapult her to the top.

Tesmin-Robyn (23), Johannesburg

Tesmin's resilience has seen her enter Idols three times. Having made it as far as the top 16 previously, this year she hopes to make it all the way to the end.

Describing herself as an ambivert who comes alive on stage, music has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember – she's been singing since she was a toddler.

She hopes for the competition to help her build a firm foundation for her future, and the opportunity to network with other artists.

Thapelo (29), Pretoria

The self-confessed perfectionist Thapelo has spent the past few years honing his musical skills. In 2012, he joined a gospel group as a backing vocalist but is now ready to take the lead.  

After a few attempts at making a mark in the music business, he relishes being part of Idols, an experience he describes as the "biggest stage" he has been on.

While he is open to trying out different genres, his passion lies in soul music. One of his musical heroes is Michael Bolton. "I'm all about love, and his personality is all about love," he says.

Ty (21), Johannesburg

Ty had no idea he had entered Idols a second time until he received a phone call – turns out his girlfriend had secretly sent in a video "just to if the show would call back".

Describing himself as a woke dreamer who appreciates life, Ty’s musical journey started at a very young age – he comes from a very musical family. He realised he could sing in grade three, and it has been his passion since.

What can we expect when he hits the stage? "Viewers can expect a show. I will treat every performance as if it's a gig. I will give it my all."

Zee (18), Cape Town

This year's youngest live show contestant began singing in grade 2, after she joined the choir.

As an Idols fan, the teenager decided to enter this year after matriculating last year – her mother's conditions were that she could enter the show after finishing school and getting good grades.

When she is onstage, Zee says her voice takes over. She hopes to win the show but is relishing the overall opportunity to perform. She plans to give viewers her best. "It’s literally my heart that will be on that stage. I hope people feel that."