Silver Screen: Something to discover on Discovery channel

With Tafadzwa Zimoyo
We are almost half-way through the year and we hope by now, you’ve managed to stick to most of your resolutions. If not, you still have some more six months to fulfil the promise.

How was the weekend and June 20, this year will go down in history as the coldest day on our calendar.

The television programmes haven’t been that “cold”, boring I presume just that there was nothing new and fancy to run by.

I tuned in to Animal Planet, one of the channels offered on Discovery channel on DStv, well if you haven’t been watching you have been missing real action real facts – reality with nature.

I am not a fan of animals but I enjoyed some of the scenes I watched like knowing the geography of Africa, how many different species are there in Africa yet alone in the world.

Did you know grapes and raisins even in small amounts can cause kidney failure in dogs?

We all love our pets but you also need to know something, let alone discover.

Still on the reality game, we say congrats to the Polikem, who got married over the weekend, African style and we wait for the white wedding.

This then poses a question, what happened to the reality show they were said to be filming? It would be interesting to watch the lobola episode but we keep our fingers crossed then.

Enough of that, some interesting news from M-Net is that it is adding another new channel called Zambezi Magic onto DStv 160.

Yes, many channels the better but the question still rises, for how long and when will we continue to be entertained by South Africans, Nigerians and Ghanaians among others since the latest addition is set to dazzle viewers with quality Southern African stories?

I don’t agree with some critics who say that we don’t have the content. Zimbabwe has talent with creative actors and producers, maybe the problem is that they are so ignorant.

This is the time to shine.

Some sources said a handful of producers handed their content to MultiChoice Zimbabwe.

I say good luck but we need to up the game.

The new channel, Zambezi Magic, will be on our TV screens on July 1 with Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe, saying it would be “the home of Southern African TV entertainment” and right from its launch will treat DStv Premium, Compact Plus and Compact subscribers in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries with a variety of quality programming from the southern tip of Africa.

“We are told this channel has been created solely with the Southern African viewer in mind and will offer the most sought-after archive content that has so far not been available outside of South Africa.

“ It will bring viewers in Southern Africa the kind of content they have been asking for, and the channel will also build regional entertainment brands by showcasing productions from various Southern African countries,” she said.

Zambezi Magic will entertain viewers with riveting plots on award-winning soapies “Generations”, “Muvhango”, “Isidingo”, “Zone 14”, and “Jacob’s Cross” while getting a healthy dose of critically acclaimed edutainment TV series, “Intersexions” and “Yizo Yizo” that explore various societal issues and have sparked debates around issues like the HIV/Aids epidemic, love and relationships.

Fans of lifestyle shows will access a range of programmes varied in style and genre.

Viewers will learn how to create scrumptious meals alongside the vivacious Siba Mtongana, the host of “Cooking with Siba” and watch as long-lost family and friends are reunited on the heart-warming “Khumbul’ekhaya” show dubbed, “the truth and reconciliation of the soul’.

Sitcoms like “Stokvel”, “City Ses’La”, “The Coconuts”, “Kota Life Crisis”, “Skwizas” and “It’s For Life” will tickle viewers’ funny bones with their cheeky humour and dialogues packed with a razor-sharp wit.

Other shows that will be popular include “Our Perfect Wedding”, which will get viewers into the wedding spirit the African way, while football fans with score their way into the private lifestyles of the rich and famous African football stars on “Goal Diggerz”.

The trio hosting “Forever Young”, Lungile Radu, Siyabonga Ngwekazi and Thomas Gumede will showcase what it’s like to be a young go-getter in the world of entertainment.

Zambezi Magic will also feature exciting films from the Lokshin Bioskop film library with titles like “Mama Stole My Hunk”, “Poppy, Mampara”, “Our House”, “When Love Hurts”, “Uthando Ongapheli”, “Mamoruti” and “Tin City”, all of which will run in July.

Viewers will also get a chance to get interactive on social media with a trendy, new lifestyle show, “The Kool Roc Show” from Zambia

“Going forward, there will be many more local shows from other Southern African countries added to the channel, which is very exciting for local audiences and film and television programme makers,” said Ms Dziva.

“The 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, many made in their own backyards,” she said.

Zambezi Magic will go live at 8pm on Wednesday July 1 on DStv Channel 160 and will be open to DStv Premium, Compact Plus and Compact subscribers.

Till the next episode.