The
SAFTAs have been plagued by a multitude of problems since the recent announcement of the
2011 nominees. Most specifically,
criticism of the nominee list, of the organisation of the event and the overall credibility of the awards - an issue that comes up each year.
The latest fiasco to hit them: neither of the two ceremonies will be airing on TV.
No jokes.
The "biggest" TV awards won't be on TV. The situation makes a much better Best Comedy nominee than City Ses'la or any of the other nominees in the category.
As you probably know, SABC2 has been the broadcaster of the event in previous years. This year they won't be airing it for two reasons: the first is the usual reason - the lack of cash.
A live broadcast is costly and the channel can't afford to do it. It's a problematic, rantworthy situation but it's also the reality.
Word from the channel is that another reason is that the SABC doesn't own the SAFTAs. They've hosted them on-air for four years and because they don't own the event and didn't establish the awards, the channel feels that another channel or broadcaster could do it too i.e. it isn't their sole responsibility.
They didn't use the word "responsibility" specifically but this is essentially what the situation boils down to. To cut a long story short, it turns out that it's the best thing to happen for the awards in the long-term because it opens them up to become a true national TV event, embracing all channels and shows.
Which could be broadcast on Mzansi Magic on DStv next year. According to M-Net's Lani Lombard, Mzansi Magic would have aired the event this year but they were approached too late, without enough time to make it happen.
According to Lombard: "We're very willing to do it, we would love to do them. " She went on to add that the channel would be keen to air them as a live broadcast and to become their home because of how Mzansi Magic is providing a platform and opportunity for local productions and the industry.
The pros of this: it would open up the nominee list to include more pay TV shows. So long as the nominees were balanced among all broadcasters it would give the awards much more credibility. M-Net and DStv shows are currently virtually non-existent in the nominee list.
The cons: not everyone in South Africa will see them (an increasingly difficult problem to solve with SABC's financial woes), their credibility might still be questioned by being exclusive annually and the glam-factor of multiple broadcasters won't happen.
I'm 100% convinced that the best thing for the event is for them to air on different broadcasters each year. With this in mind I got in touch with both e.tv and TopTV to see how they feel about it.
This from e.tv's Vasili Vass: "e.tv was approached very late to be the broadcaster for the SAFTAs. Broadcasting the awards ceremony is something we can look at in the future, should it be a viable business proposition.
e.tv is happy to have a number of its actors and shows nominated. Some of these shows include - Scandal, Rhythm City, 4Play."
This from TopTV's Elouise Kelly: "No approaches were made to me about airing them and I haven’t heard about it from any of my colleagues. We would consider it if it made sense from a content and budgetary perspective."
As you can see, neither of them are anti the idea.
In my ideal world: Mzansi Magic airs them next year, then another broadcaster the next year, then another the next, then SABC has money again and so on.
This would solve many of the nominee and credibility problems surrounding them as everyone would be involved. It would help in making them what they
should be.
They'd also need an excellent director to chop them to half the time, with wow factor on stage. It could become an annual "thing": what will this year's channel dish up?
If this doesn't happen, then I reckon Mzansi Magic could be a good home. What do you think?