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Musicians like Mudiwahood have the potential to change things given the opportunity in the arts sector

Tafadzwa Zimoyo: T V Column

With only three months to go before the curtain comes down on the year 2016, focus is now on who will emerge tops in the various awards categories. The race is on for the top gongs of being Top Businessman of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year, Personality of the Year, Miss Tourism Zimbabwe and Best Musician of the Year, among others.

These are the accolades that have over the years come to characterise the fashion and fabric of local television where esteemed personalities are seen oozing with all smiles and faces of success.

Thanks to the local television broadcaster, ZTV in tandem with their various corporate partners like Delta Beverages through its Coca Cola brand, have been at the forefront of ensuring that local talent is promoted and becomes synonymous with brands like Coca Cola, among others.

Talking of TV and corporate branding, ZTV has this year made enormous strides, judging from the work on the ground.

Without sounding like Coca Cola’s PR person, the corporation has been making efforts to keep abreast with other players in the regional and international realm.

Although it might be too rash to comment on what the local broadcaster has achieved and failed to do so, far, it would on the other hand be fair to say ZBC has lived up to one of its core mandates – that of keeping viewers both informed and entertained.

Taking a broad leaf from neighbouring South Africa as well as Nigeria, the corporation, throughout the year, made sure that viewers followed programmes that were on offer.

This was and still is a positive development considering that ZTV has been and is also still facing competition from outside broadcasters like SABC most of whom offer services which local viewers deem as streets above what our local player offers.

The hey-days of “Parafini”, “Mutirowafanza”, “Gringo”, among others, were rekindled with the introduction of new comedies which are rib-cracking and always leave viewers in stitches.

This observation by ZTV that they are family broadcaster, who used to gel or blend the family together in days of yonder through family programmes, worked out well for them.

ZTV’s partnership with Supersport of South Africa in ensuring that local soccer matches are beamed live and without failure both on Zimbabwean and South African as well as other SADC countries’ televisions might have contributed in elevating the game in Zimbabwe.

Why? Because there are a lot of Zimbabwean soccer players who are playing in the South African League, and a good number of them like Khama Billiat and Knowledge Musona have scored successful stories in putting the two countries on the map.

When the Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 was promulgated by Government, ZTV – CNN-wise – was there to show clips of the scenario that was unravelling at the border post. Even when the skirmishes by the so-called disgruntled protesters under Hashtag This Flag as well as graduates erupted, the broadcaster was there to show and tell it as it was to the populace.

And back to the video musical programmes, it remains to be seen how far those artistes who have released videos will fare.

This time around there were just a few video released compared to last year, a situation which probably translates to why Sungura music icon Alick Macheso is calling the shots together with Jah Prayzah who has since earned himself the “Mudhara Vachauya” tag.

But as it is, there is no need for other artistes to throw in the towel since a lot can happen within this short space of time.

In the past, we would often get surprises in the form of appealing videos just in a short space of time. Ask our compatriots from SA or the US they will vouch for me that such feat is possible.

Our own singers like Mudiwa, Stunner, Mahendere Brothers among others have the magic hand to make such things possible.

However, this should not be an excuse for coming up with half-backed projects, so the wisest advice here is not to rush and do something simply because you take ZTV for granted and think that they can swallow everything and anything that you throw at them.

“Gore rino tichafunda zvakawanda (this is the year of learning many new things),” and I cannot over-emphasise that statement by one of Zimbabwe’s talented Zimdancehall singers, Seh Calaz. Learn now and be competitive next year is the message that is ringing louder.

And on a parting shot, organisations, corporates and other players in the various sectors like modelling, farming, mining, arts, education, power, roads and other basic amenities, should utilize TV as a conduit of interacting on various issues.

Meanwhile on DSTV, there is an outcry not only in Zimbabwe but with other countries too after the announcement of the MTV Africa Music Awards nominees.

It came out that South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana among other countries were dominating. Is it the case that other countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Somalia, Egypt and Cameroon among others have no best musicians or they are not cognisant of the requirements?

We won’t dwell much on the process as it is now a thing of the past considering that with technology everything has been made easy.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed, if they are nominated maybe Zimbabwe will be given a chance to perform or present an award. Alas, VIMN Africa and MTV Base (DStv channel 322) have revealed that Diamond, Emtee, Kwesta and Patoranking are to join the glittering ranks of performers at the MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016.

The MTV Africa Music Awards Johannesburg 2016 is brought to you by Jo’burg Tourism in partnership with Absolute Vodka and Google and in association with MTN and DStv.

Diamond, Emtee, Kwesta and Patoranking join previously announced performers Alikiba, Babes Wodumo, Cassper Nyovest, Nasty C, Ycee and Yemi Alade on the giant purpose-built MAMA stage at the Ticketpro Dome, 22 October 2016.

Till Next Week