Constraints of Local Film and Television Producers in Growing Capacity and Providing High Quality Local Content– Open letter to ZNBC DG Chibamba Kanyama

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!