The Government of the Republic of Zambia, through its Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting responded to calls for a new TV channel that would
be used to create a platform for local film and television producers, create
additional air space for commercials messages and to generally decongest the
main ZNBC channel, hence the advent of TV2.
The launch of this second broadcast channel under the auspices of
ZNBC was well received among the film and television society seeing as for the
first time in a long time, the public broadcaster ZNBC was commissioning local
producers and thus created employment opportunities for the youth.
In proceeding months, there was an influx of production houses and
local content flooding the channels, the broadcaster successfully creating
capacity and began to harness the local film industry.
With the passing of time, the local film and television society were
horrified to learn that the then Commissioning Editor Henry Ngilazi had been
relieved of his duties and they had every reason because his replacement was a
Mampi Musweu.
In the months that followed, commissioned content was cut and
producers sent back to the streets, languishing in poverty and depression. The
few producers who remained have all since been frustrated with the exception of
the ‘elite’ few.
Reasons given were that the cost of the local content is high
compared to the price at which the corporation was acquiring foreign content.
Worse off, there were some producers were advanced funds by the broadcaster but
have not delivered the desired quality to date.
Granted, most of the content that was on air was poor, however
there were a few producers that did produce quality content despite the tight
budgets on offer.
Most of the cream of Zambian film producers have since weaned off
commissioning with ZNBC opting for private funded independent film productions
and other commercial productions i.e. music videos, TV commercial and sponsored
TV content.
In the midst of the radical shift in perspective came an outcry in
the film and television society with the likes of Chala Tumelo producer of the
famous TV Series ‘Loose Ends’ shouting from the roof top while most of us
cowardly whispered our indignation the dark corners for fear of persecution and
abuse.
As time went on, we heard of how many people where horrified by
their commissioning experience with ZNBC and how they felt that the Commissioning
Editor was not as inspiring as the former, that they in fact felt demoralized.
Many in fact went on to conjure various theories, often
questioning how a film academic without significant film making experience and
one who is understood to have a vested interest being an upcoming film and
television producer himself, was given this weighty responsibility to manage
important affairs such as commissioning.
It was perhaps a capital mistake for me to ignore calls for his
removal and not to support the campaign to have him transferred to another
department and replaced with someone impartial, qualified, experienced and
suitable with and no vested interests.
Having come into close proximity with Mampi Musweu, I have come to
learn with deep shock and disappointment that he inexperience; lack of
knowledge, tented reputation among filmmakers is in the way of progress. It is
the reason why most prominent and respected film and television producers have
shunned the commissioning office leaving ZNBC with no choice but to continuously
air foreign content on both channels in preference to export quality local
productions.
Shame!
Mampi Musweu is the reason why ZNBC have not been able to attract
high quality local content that the TV license paying Zambian public grieve
for, he is the reason why we have been denied an opportunity to share our
stories and celebrate our culture in our
own country! Twachula pafula!
We must be careful now and make responsible decisions as a
country. Ignoring the obvious and allowing foreign content to reign over local
content is hazardous to the development of our country at so many levels.
If left unchecked, the prevailing situation where the local film
and television producers continue to be frustrated by the antics of an
individual and the foreign content is promoted ahead of our own, not only we
risk inhibiting the growth of an industry with the potential to create
thousands of jobs for the youth but we will also ultimately lose a sense of
pride and identity as a nation!
