SABC Video Entertainment invited Television Production Companies/Independent Producers and Creatives to an Information Sharing Roadshow at SABC offices in Mahikeng on Monday, 24 October 2022. The Provincial Roadshow was organised by Raymond Makgopa, SABC Regional Operations Manager in the North West, Lala Tuku, SABC Head of Local Productions, David Makunyane, SABC Head of Platforms, Merlin Naicker, SABC Group Executive, and Jerry Baily with the goal of educating the industry about the SABC's content strategies.
Raymond Makgopa addressed the dynamics of local producers and creatives within the North West province. “Since 1996 when broadcasting was incorporated into the SABC, there has been a decline and non-existence of local content production creation within the North West province. This is concerning, as the North West province is well-known for its rich talent of creative artists,” said Makgopa. SABC Video Entertainment, led by Mr. Merlin Naicker aims to revitalise the sector. The SABC provincial is revitalising and repurposing of TV facilities in partnership with their technology division.
The North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation and the Mmabana Foundation have partnered with the regional initiative to assist in the creation of local content for the region. Head of Local Productions Lala Tuku gave a presentation on the SABC's content, stating that the organisation creates a variety of genres and works with creators and producers.
We want to be a preferred broadcaster within our communities through entertaining, educating, and compelling content. The SABC spent about 1.3 billion rands in the past ¬fiscal year, in only local content, which is really a huge amount. We have drama, entertainment, education and children, factual and religion,” expressed Tuku. The roadshow provided information on budgeting, compliance issues, and the genres local creators should concentrate on to them. Public broadcasting is being revitalised by local productions.
The SABC wants to make sure that they continue to be relevant to the people of South Africa by purchasing television shows that are: artistically inspired; economically viable; regionally and internationally competitive; and carry a public broadcasting ethos. In order to expand the reach of their local content, SABC wants to partner with other platforms and be a vital player in the production sector when it comes to creating new content for their platforms.
The purpose of the month-long road show was to inform the industry on the SABC's content strategies, content requirements, and re-engineered way of doing business in the following cities: Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Bloemfontein, Gqeberha, East London, Cape Town, Mahikeng, and Polokwane.
