Interesting question I guess...The reason SA TV is so inspired by Americans..the outside countries are the only that can really sponsor projects with a lot of money without any loopholes or politics involved. South Africa doesn't take much interest in creativity and art. So it raises a question why would American want to invest on something they dont know or undesrtand ? which is our cultural values...? thats why SA creatives than choose to do it the familiar american route.....!!

The day SA writers, poets, film, music and fashion Indusrties is appreciated in SA by SA..Believe me will see SA inspired shows everyday and ur answeres will be answered. Pity I dont see that happening....!! SA is going to the dogs the sooner you axcept it...the better you will enjoy the faking in our SABC and e TV shows. from news to drama to sitcomes even sport. So not only about reality programms only...Everything is just as bad

Our government supports the Film and TV industy more than 100%. Its the people who work for the institutes who abuse its funds.

Broadcasters copy American content 'cause the model is tried and tested - albeit tested in the States.

For a local broadcaster to risk millions on the development of a South African answer to Survivor etc requires a masive leap of faith and lots of money. Is not going to happen any time soon...

Sorry to say that we just don't have people with that sort of vision or courage guiding our local broadcasters.
I say this with respect to our shortform (Advertising etc) industry. Our advertising professionals produce work recognised as amongst the best in the world - why? 'cause their clients are prepared to back innovation.

The same cannot be said for the longform industry where the determining criteria is dependant upon politics as oppossed to placing the desires of the audience first.

Best to imitate, you kno you'll get paid.
To be an innovator tho is very risky...
Safety first.

South Africa cannot compete with America due to lack of creativity and general ability to come up with unique and interesting shows good enough to be deemed entertaining. Hence we replicate American shows which are successful to be safe.

What is amusing is that even when using American shows which have been extremelly successful both abroad and in our very own country, the local version of whatever American show it might be still manages to fall short of the mark. Not only is there an inability for South Africa to produce their own unique and entertaining shows, but it seems that even copying successful American shows locally ends up in failure.

For the same reasons, as much as SA has great talent, we as South Africans support these foreign films and the content and that is how we allow american trends to rub off here.
Why have DSTV, many reasons, main one being nobody wants to watch local is lekker.
Trust me on this one.
Why are we watching MTV, VH1?

Maybe some of the game shows are knock offs of American TV, but as for the rest, they're too busy trying to be culturally relevant and have forgotten about the entertainment factor. Audiences want to be entertained. All those Hollywood critics are just a minority of the population. Check out the box office: Hollywood rules. Everybody watches it because they get entertained. Some broadcasters might give producers checklists on how to construct a great story (based on Hollywood standards) yet everybody continues to miss the plot. Maybe it's time for the whole industry to be injected with new fresh blood - people willing to push the envelope. Please stop numbing us with local content if it can't be improved! Most people who have the option of changing the channel will - because Hollywood entertains...bottom line.

1. Because buying TV is cheaper than making TV, and with only 3 TV providers - SABC, e and Naspers - there's not enough competition to prevent the cheapest option being taken.

2. Because in my experience SA tv executives are dinosaurs, often with very little formal training or overseas experience in programming and talent finding.

3. Because SA tv audiences tend to be stupid and gobble up whatever is chucked in their direction...

The copy-cat mentality is to blame. We import crap from the USA when we could come up with our own original ideas. We are lazy bones who do not want to stretch our brain power.