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Bulawayo Bureau
ZBC chief executive, Ms Adelaide Chikunguru, has pleaded with the Government to fund content producers as demand is now high.
She said this during the launch of ZBC’s Jive TV, the country’s first entertainment channel.
The predominantly music channel that will cater to youths was launched in Bulawayo at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair on Wednesday evening.
Sixty percent of the music played on the channel will be from local artistes, 25 percent will be from other countries, while the remaining 15 percent will be international content.
“Launching a whole entertainment channel is a huge feat because it’s an extremely difficult thing to do in the current environment considering that content producers are coming out of a period of Covid-19 where nothing much was happening for almost two to three years.
“Now, we have new channels launching, but our content producers are not funded so I want to appeal to the Government to find a way and means to promote content and fund content producers because as we launch these channels, there’s definitely going to be a need for content so we’re definitely going to need good quality productions,” said Ms Chikunguru.
Having worked with renowned producers, Daves Guzha and Walter Muparutsa in arts promotion in the past, Chikunguru said she was well aware that content production is not easy hence the need to support the arts industry.
If supported, she said the local art scene which is actually a way and means of creating employment, especially for youths, had the potential to produce content that can be exported.
“If you look at big industries like Nollywood, Bollywood, and Hollywood, you’ll realise that they’re producing massive content and that content is being exported. So we can actually export our content. It’s important to support the industry for it to be viable,” Ms Chikunguru said.
Having been appointed as ZBCs substantive CEO last year, Ms Chikunguru said she was happy that they managed to launch the channel that they hope will be a game-changer.
She said the channel was initiated following the realisation that there were a lot of young up-and-coming musicians who were producing music but had nowhere to showcase it.
“We’re happy to be launching Jive TV where a lot of these musicians that are coming up will now have platforms to share their music and content. If you go to the high-density suburbs, you’ll realise that there are a lot of young musicians there that don’t have platforms to share this music.
“We’re happy as ZBC to be launching Jive as a lot of these young musicians and dancers will now have platforms to share their music and content.”
Among those who attended the launch were Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, Deputy Minister Kindness Paradza, Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana, Zimpapers CEO Mr Pikirayi Deketeke, CEOs of various companies and numerous artistes.
Minister Mutsvangwa said she was pleased to launch the channel as the event marked another milestone as the government continues to fulfil its promise of opening up the airwaves.
“To date, the government has licensed six free-to-air private television stations and the launch of Jive TV is cause for celebration as His Excellency, President Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind comes to life,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said the channel’s bias towards local content will give local musicians and artists in Zimbabwe a dedicated platform to showcase their talent to the Zimbabwean and global audience thus creating employment for talented youths.
Minister Mutsvangwa went on to emphasise the need for content producers to be paid for their works.
“We have wonderful talent out there. Content creators can now come up with a lot more content as we’re providing a platform and they need to be paid. They need to live a life and this is precisely what the government is doing through the national broadcaster that is carrying out its mandate to provide platforms.”
On the promotion of local content, Minister Mutsvangwa said: “It’s very important for our youth to be proud of who they are and it’s important for our Zimbabweans to enjoy local content. We’ve been watching movies coming from Nollywood in Nigeria and our children spend a lot of time, consuming content on Facebook and Twitter. We’re saying as Zimbabweans, we can actually come up with content that will carry our people through. This is the legacy which we can leave our young people with as it’s always good to know who you are, where you’re coming from and that way, we can chart the right way for our future.”
The channel, according to the Minister, will also contribute significantly to the Digital economy theme as envisioned in the National Development Strategy 1.
“This is one of the milestones of the government of opening up airwaves. It’s important and we’re sticking to what is now enshrined in our constitution and we’re saying we need to bring everybody on board, don’t leave anybody behind and that’s precisely what the Second Republic is speaking to.”
With more national events being held in Bulawayo, the country’s cultural hub, the Minister said it was befitting for the channel to have been launched in the city.
“I’m happy to launch this channel here in Bulawayo, Matabeleland, the home of arts and culture. I believe Bulawayo has a lot of entertainment content for this channel,” she said while encouraging creatives to utilise this platform that has been created for them.
Minister Mutsvangwa also told artistes who were in attendance that she knew the challenges they were facing and encouraged them not to give up.
“I know the challenges that content creators have, more so, the effects of Covid-19 that changed our way of life for the last two years. I want to encourage you not to give up, but to take advantage of the ongoing digital transformation led by President Mnangagwa.”
Content producers were further urged to produce quality, exciting and patriotic content that will speak to the values and ethos of the Zimbabwean people.
“Our liberation war heroes fought for this country’s freedom and so, let us enjoy this freedom through producing content that signifies our diverse culture, peace, and unity as a people. Let’s always serve the national interest.”
Artistes in attendance included Qeqe Mntambo, Novuyo Seagirl and Vuyo Brown. They had the rare opportunity to perform at the launch with Novuyo leaving no prisoners behind with her performance that saw her engaging guests.
Online Reporter