I have always distanced myself from watching our national broadcaster especially SABC 1 which is branded and marketed to appeal to the young marketed. I am not sure where the head of the content hub or who ever heads the commissioning of local content gets their information from the programs are nothing less than misrepresentation of the targeted market. I don't know where they get the funny ideas that the crap they commission and later play on our screens is what we young South African want to watch. the only relatively good program that graced the SABC1 screen recently was after 9 it portrayed our social reality in a succinct manner.

when Peter Matlara was heading the broadcaster my feelings where shame this African American African boy has lost the plot and maybe he still thinks he is still wherever he studied and exiled himself , then buti Dali came to the helm I immediately got excited then they rebranded and repositioned themselves and I got even more excited then he restructured and brought intelligent people in to head the various units it went with out saying I got extremely excited then bang reality dawned things will never change we will always be subjected to crap or below the line programs that are based on some far fetched ideal hatched by god knows who. all the programs on this youth station are based on some crime, social ill or some misrepresentation of the black man. Sisi Sibongile Khumalo is right we as South Africans need to debrief our mindsets and belief unapologetically that we are good enough and confident of our skill as a black nation as a matter of national urgency.

the country has so much talent and government is investing so much revenue on the local film industry and I wonder then why are we subjected to below standard content. the SABC still needs to be commended on other good programs it has shown on their screens with the likes of the LAB, Isidingo to mention a few which where flighted on SABC 3 which gives and sends out the wrong impression that good quality programs are limited to the more up market channel.

Buti Dali we as young intelligent and highly educated young people of South Africa are crying out show us programs that portray modern south Africa and stop bombarding us with crime and poverty focused content as this does little for national building and pride.

I think much debate has been going on about the SABC more especially SABC1. I really wonder where all our young talent is or are all the funds for young producers landing in the same pockets 'under the table dealings' perhaps? Programmes such as 'City se'la' are amongst the very few programmes that represent true youth culture in our country. One bothering thing is the million re'runs that are broadcast on SABC1 i really don't get it and to top it all off these re-runs are aired on prime time slots and we have to pay tv-license fees? And as for the whole new 'Mzansi 4 sho' thing they have going I 'm really sorry but i dont quite get it too. Its time they went back to the drawing boards and did some research, personally I'm tired of watching shows about HIV/AIDS, crime, poverty, rape. I'm not saying we have to turn a blind eye on the issues that are affecting our communities but really now we know what is happening and not every show has to be about these issues.

TV is about entertainment not every show has to feel like a workshop or seminar! As for Generations, Karabos character needs to die suddenly she is like part of the furniture, The Ntombi and Sbusiso plot is running dry, I still dont understand why everyone in the soap has to share accomodation(budget constraints?), every male character in Generations was a gangster and as for Queen and Pep...hehehe hayi Generations! Perhaps Duma Ndlovu could teach Mfundi a thing or two, if you want to do something you have to do it right and Muvhango is definately doing something right.

There is simply no content on SABC, period.

I fully agree! One would think that with DSTV in competition, SABC would jack up their program choices. Spend some of our licence money and buy QUALITY stuff!

I know, one would think, but then again the masses (or majority) have very little choice - need I say more?

Thank goodness there are many of us who find SABC content nauseating. It's hard to believe the stuff we see is produced by professional journalists. The so-called new-look SABC 3 is even worse than SABC 1. What the hell happens inside the heads of those people in charge. SABC 3 used to be my favourite channel until some bimbo saw it fit to make stupid changes.

doesn't the new SABC3 look feel like a looong lifestyle show/top billing? or am i simply the only one who is getting that feeling. i seriously don't understand what on earth is going on, where are all the creatives gone to?

My brother or sister you are dead right about the "new" SABC 3. It is the worst make-over I have seen in years. They have gone from best to worst in a flash. I mean the programming is still better but the new identity and signature tune are certainly a major flop and total waste of tax payers' money.To think that they unveiled this garbage at a lavish gala evening is beyond me.

Way to go Eagle Eye.

You are so right. It feels so plastic... It looks like one loooong advert for who knows what.... but then again, there's no doubt who the market is (and that's no insult or sour grapes), except the SABC needs to look into their marketing research and starting speak to each member?

There are more egos than brains at the SABC. Why else would they lose brilliant people like Lerato Mbele.

It's yuor feeling that SABC 1 content is irremediably bad, but a million viewers cannot be wrong when they gicve it the thumbs and adverttisers come pouring money that I have argued elsewhere tha SABC 3 should be closed down as it fails to meet its mandaate - commercial viability.

Unfortunately most of the contributors argue from emotion and lack basis of facts and seem utterly ignorant of media. this ignorance reminds me of one contributor sometime last year who pointed out the shocking illiteracy of publicists.

The facts are that SABC 1 is the most watched TV channel. It brings in close to 49% of SABC ad revenue for TV as it makes R1bln of the R2.3 bln made by SABC TV (it was widely publicised on the Business Day and Business Report in April editions as I do not have the specific dates at hand with me).

Recent research, completely unrelated to SABC, but commissioned by UCT to a certain institution whose name escapes me confirms that the growing so-called "black diamonds", over 360 000 persons earning above R8 000 per month, lists SABC as the channel of choice that reflects the reality of their lives. This is the top bracket of income-earners among black people with a spending power that now constitute over 30% of all black spending power. So claims to the contrary to this by various contributors here are mere empty vituperatives, as senseless as the headline suggested by "SABC Content Sucks" - not much reason there, eh?

I personally prefer SABC 1 despite its shortcoming to my taste sometimes; it's the autoimatic choice channel on my TV set. I only surf channels when I'm aware of the good content in the others, otherwise i generally have SABC 1 on. That is, I'm part of the new breed SA who feels that SABC 1 represents their lives well or brings them entertainment that reflects my reality. And I'm backed up by the stats; you can talk all you like - I mean all your nonsense - but you can't argue against numbers: numbers explain the world.

I say this so that you must understand that SABC 1, like SABC 2, falls within PBS, unlike SABC 3 that falls with PCBS. But, as I point out above, SABC 1 makes more money despite that it should not be doing so under the manadates of the National Broadcasting Act. SABC 1 is a family channel that must carry diverse content to appeal to various constitutencies without commercial pressures being brought to bear upon it, that is, it can justifuiably make programmes that do not recoup any financial revenue as long as they are in the public interest. But it has managed to combine programmes that appeal to public wiht commercial success and I think that is the great untold story of SABC 1 and SABC in general. It reminds me of the success of BBC when it invented pop music: mixing industrial art with commercial success. It may simply broadcast content or programmes tha are not to your taste, but it doies not make it a failure: only your immature brain that is uncomprehending of other people's tastes and you think yours are the defining taste for everyone.

For instance, SABC 1 has revolutionised broadcast of documentaries in the country; it treated us to a splendid set of documentaries over the last year; this year it re-introduced with much success the mini-series as one contributor cite After 9 which followed a string of brilliant mini-series, Society, Ubizo, et al.; it has the undisputed success in Zola 7, Khumbul' ekhaya, which ws so emotional it left many viewers dripping with tears as it taught us the value of memory and preserving kinship, an essential tenet of Bantu culture found elsewhere in Africa as well; it has the leading serial drama Generations (though I personally do not like it as I do no like serial drama anyway); it broadcast from time to time brilliant (and not so brilliant) American movies; and treat us to South African made movies from time to time as content is available. More than this it does a lot; it has diver5se youth-oriented content such as Cypher, Jika Majika, the educational science projects, youth issues discussions, and so on and so forth. The SABC Education department has been most effective through SABC 1 as when it brough us Yizo Yizo series, Take 5, various children's programmes. It has industry-recognised social/entertainment programmes such as Selimathunzi that has made many stars of Mzansi; it brings youth games such Friends Like These and Gen Game.

In addition SABC 1 brings football to many living rooms to people who otherwise cannot afford to go to stadia to watch football matches - you make not like the commentary, but only SABC 1 brings football matches on free-to-air channels. Every football fan of the 40 million people who do not have access to DSTV all watch SABC 1 for football matches, it doesn't matter who you are or how rich you are - it's SABc 1 that is yoiur access of information to a football match unless you belong to the 1.2 million subscribers to DSTV.

What I am saying be fair when criticising SABC 1 and SABC TV in general; appreciate that the brothers and sisters who work there are doing the best that they can to satisfy a diverse audience, not only just one taste and age category.

I have criticised SABC TV on various occassion and my criticism since were valid were heeeded, for instance, my continuous gripe agaisnt the poorly performing former Phat Joe Show led to its cancellation. That show was one of the worst ever performing show for its time-slots. I criticised Zola 7 on its launch as it had no proper format until production re-worked the format. I pointed out that Mojo should not have been awarded the TV slot since the producers had made no budget presentation, no sypnosis, no outline or step line of programmes except a vague idea, generally no plan. But this was not heeded by then SABC 1 commissioning editors who were friends with the presenters of the show. But generally I'd like to believe the my constant criticism of SABC commissioning made them to revise the strategy by borrowing hte BBC centralised content hub after several articles I used to write exposing the unfair manner of commissioning editors who were linked with many outside production houses.

The corruption has not ended. As we speak, there are many productions on SABC 1 that were awarded by former commissioning editors who are now part members of thoise production houses. The production house of T.O.M, for instance, is composed of Kgomotso Motsuenyane, who was an SABC 1 commissioning editor when this project was given the brief, and Robbie Thorpe, who at one time became acting commissioning editor for documentaries despite the fact that he was never an SABC employee - how does one come to act in a position of an organisation he is not employee of? - and Akin Omotoso, former Generations actor who formed this company with Motsuenyane whilst she was still an SABC employee. Thorpe was friends with the commissioning editor of documentaries whose her Afrikaner name escapes me now.

Many of the commissioning editors do not do their job properly; in fact, SABC 1 in most cases has young, inexperienced staffers with no media background whatsoever acting as commissioning editors or assistants in these departments.

On the other hand, as contributors you display ignorance when mention a name as high as Adv Dali mpofu whose blunders since taking over SABC are well-known to recount here. But it's General Managers who effect policy with their teams who are now receive their content from hte content hub that issues commissioning briefs and interviews production houses doing pitching. Adv mpofu has got nothibng to do with this as much he is got nothing to do with news which belongs to News and Current Affairs Dr Snuki Zikalala. SABC CE merely gives direction and vision to SABC as a whole, that is, including SABC Radio an dis responsibly for high-profile acquisitions though content Hub makes recommendations for international acquisitions as well. He merely spends there. But though SABC has developed black TV producers such as the R40mln-per-year-generating Generation of Morula Pictures of Mfundi Vundla who had no capital to speak of when he started, some small production houses, but it has yet to be interrogated on whether it develops enough local talent in htat regard to be enough to generate sufficient content. In the meantime, e.TV and M-Net has developed virtually ziltch of black talent in TV producing (M-Net unearth one or two black film directors through its M-Net New Directions but that was it.) Yet we're having ignoramuses praising these station that have shown absolutely no commitment even lip service in developing black talent on TV producing and directing - e.TV has an aversion to black talent that borders on racism.

All i can say for your waffle is that you have very poor taste. You are one of those people who believe black people generally have very low standards. The fact that SABC 1 makes more money is simple to understand. The majority of South Africans are black, the bulk of whom are illiterate hence SABC 1 is their only outlet. You don't need rocket science to fathom this. The outcry is about content. About from generations, what else is there on SABC 1? People watch it for lack of alternatives, period.

You have to be on the payroll of the SABC.

Sorry - I meant: SABC 1 Reflects The Reality of The Black Diamonds and General Black Viewers - Stats

Dude you probably work for the SABC, look half of the country is illiterate, half of the country lives in informal settlements where the only clear channel is SABC 1, duh you are going to get those stats given the situation. SABC 1 is just a waste of airtime, off course advertisers look to make a profit everytime so te first thing thdey will look for is a station with high viewership/large audience and I am not desputing the viewership of the channel i'm questioning the content and the quality of shows that they produce, people get away with murder just with these lousy numbers and percentages because its all about the money at the end of the day....someones gotta get paid! All about the Benjamins SABC1 can have a viewership of 150% for all I care until they do something about the content it will still suck!

i trully enjoy Cypher, it's one of the programmes worth watching on SABC1, quite an improvement, it is cut throat, fresh and empowering. the documentaries on Tuesdays are on point, so Big Up on that. The 7pm comedy on friday is a great choice as well as Generations. otherwise, there's a whole load of work to be done.

Hey there,

I like your point and yes i agree I don't want to pay for poor viewing either and alright all congrats to ETV. Now I watch ETV and I watch SABC3 (very little else) but neither really wets my appetite!

I hope that ETV would use their funds wisely in terms of their programme selection. I'm really tired of WWE and that sometimes seems to be all that's on ETV.

I'm not entirely a fan of the public broadcaster but I must hand it to them, ETV's movie are not 80% better than that of the SABC- even their oldies are hotter than ETV's movies. (And get a load of those, I like ETV more than SABC.

I think ETV's strengths lies in its news, actuality and journalism programmes. I think the Showbiz Report is absolutely great and that maybe it would be a good idea to arrange its programmes on something more along those lines or with a similar format? I think as soon as ETV works on some form of identity or brand image which includes the kinds of programmes it offers (both locally produced and internationally) it may in fact get better ratings and perhaps more sponsorship.

there is enough stress in life without having it shoved down our throats on sabc. who doesn't want to come home and
watch great movies after slogging all day at work? but pleeeeeeze.... spare us the 'mussels from brussels' oldies already! and whats with ' the dragon...' martial arts movies? sabc 1 is like the B GRADE movie channel.

as for sabc 3 news...now that...is bad. you need help!!!

so here is what you need to do...
more sitcoms...(african american and white american) at least americans know how to entertain.
more movies...and try some made in this millenium.
more entertainment people....

we come home to chill and enjoy!!!!or why do you think people put their tv's on?

would those brainwave editors at sabc (they must be men)absolutely stop!!! putting in ad breaks exactly at the time the on screen lovers are about to engage in their first kiss. or second or third for that matter. what is wrong with you ??? you do it again and again and again? are you embarrassed about 2 people kissing that you have to ruin it for the rest of us girls? leave it alone... wait a few seconds... i'm sure your advertisers won't wet their pants for a few seconds. but everytime? you do it everytime?? its just not right. everything in a story leads up to that first kiss. c mon girls you know what i'm talking about. you guys are soooooooo irritating. stop it !!!!

While the SABC provides a shocking lack of original South African content what pisses me off even more are those who are commissioned are always crying about what little budget they have and that’s the reason why their shows stink. That’s a load of bull … they know the nature of the beast and must stop with the crying they have made their beds and must lie in them. A bad worker always blames their tools…. Creativity if fact flourishes under the most extreme circumstances stop pretending to love what you do cause when you whine like stuck pigs it shows that you part of the “I work in TV crowd” that does it to get laid.