The running of Bay TV, the Empangeni-based community television network, will now be in the hands of Committed Artists which is the company owned by the well known composer and producer Mbongeni Ngema (Asinamali, Sarafina, Township Fever, The Zulu, House of Shaka, The Freedom Fighter and Lion of the East). The new arrangement took effect from 1 April 2010.
The station, which first went on air on 15 October 2009, presently covers a wide area of northern and central KwaZulu-Natal. Its current span ranges along the KZN coastline, from Richards Bay to Stanger and KwaMashu near Durban, and reaches inland to the Drakensberg, and other regions including Ladysmith, Nkandla and Pongola.
Ngema was initially approached by Bay TV prior to the station’s going on air last year, to assist with funding to pay SANTECH for its broadcasting licence. In the light of Bay TV’s subsequent financial struggle to sustain its operations, it again approached Ngema, and he agreed to take over the full-time running of the station under his company, Committed Artists.
Ngema said the take-over will see a name-change from “Bay TV’ to “Zulu TV’ as the new station’s envisaged programme content will aim for an approximate 70/30 split in isiZulu and English respectively.
“We are applying to extend our coverage to embrace the whole of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as reaching the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland. To ensure the feasibility of this expansion, we will need to increase our broadcast capacity by acquiring 10 transmitters. The station currently operates with just one transmitter.’
“We plan to devote 80% of our broadcast material to local content, with a strong focus on material relating to KwaZulu-Natal. Demographically the province has a rich cultural mix, given its population of Zulu-speakers, Indian communities and whites. To ensure a degree of international coverage, we will also be linking up with Voice of America and other networks, and we have approached Multichoice to include Zulu TV as part of its DSTV bouquet options.’
Besides programming talk shows and music and news items, Ngema says his plans for Zulu TV also include the introduction of television drama productions, again focusing largely on the work of local artists.
On the music front Ngema has spearheaded the newly formed state-of-art recording studio KZN Music House, with backing from the Departments of Economic Development and Tourism, and Arts and Culture.
The synergy between Committed Artists, KZN Music House and Zulu TV is expected to have a great impact, as the latter will afford a platform for local practitioners in all fields of the performing arts to be nurtured while gaining exposure in the public eye.
