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Silver Screen with Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Music brings joy to everyone’s heart.

We believe you enjoyed the weekend which was fun-filled with activities let alone the TV programmes to watch.

This week, Zimbabwe goes digital broadcasting and still the question on everyone’s lips is, are we ready for it?

Do we understand the concept, process and which area goes first; that is if the television set is compliant?

Well, digital migration, which some have said will facilitate better audio-visual reception and allow broadcasters like ZBC to increase the number of channels they give their customers, is a process led by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The deadline for all this is tomorrow.

I won’t dwell too much on this as we all wait and see how this is going to be achieved but, believe you me, whoever said progress was a slow process, they were not referring to Zimbabwe.

We are now moving with the times.

Still in that basket of moving with time, like I said before we all love music and again this week I have dedicated this column on all music channels including our own Music Qalabash which is also beamed on national television.

For a start ZBC TV is trying to entertain us with music but with the generation that we now have, I suggest we have different music segments rather than having all music genres in one basket.

Imagine listening and watching to Winky D’s latest video then after that we have a song by the late Biggie Tembo.

It’s not a problem, but since they also have a library, why can’t they categorise their shows? By doing this they increase viewership because many would be glued to the television because of their favourite programmes.

Again they also need to check on their presenters. I salute their choice on Coke on the Beat show which is sometimes presented by GoodChild and Miss Red who are young and vibrant.

Having them presenting to us on songs by stars like Chris Brown, Beyonce and Dej Loaf we have no problem because they have all the information on their fingertips.

Another disaster ZBC TV are making is flighting such programmes and music videos at night yet sometimes most youths will be home early.

Remember prime time is for the parents mostly, so it would be difficult to have such shows not because they have nudity or what but have some music for all. On to DStv music channels like Trace, MTV, MTV Base, Channel O, Mzansi and ETV have continued to play a major role in promoting music as far as I am concerned. However, it is just that some channels don’t censor their videos and during one of the MTV content workshop I once attended they defended this saying that it is part of their nature.

These channels compete for freshness and dopest videos. Our local artistes have failed to submit their videos because they somehow lack the requirements needed but all the same then submit to our local station and please those in charge, kindly play our local content more.

Now the MTV Africa Music awards dubbed the MAMAs are upon us and those videos we have been voting for and liking have made their way on the nomination list. Too bad, Zimbabwe with such talent still has got a long way to go or some might say they are biased.

Celebrating the extraordinary evolution of African achievement, this year’s MAMA recognises contemporary artistes and trailblazers in a range of music and lifestyle categories including Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration and Personality of the Year.

A total of 70 nominees were revealed at the event, across 13 different categories. Applauding music and achievement all over the continent, the MAMA recognises the contribution of both enduring icons on the African music scene, and new and emerging talents of the future.

Competing in the prestigious Best Male act category are AKA (South Africa), Davido (Nigeria), Diamond (Tanzania) and Sarkodie (Ghana), while female artistes making their mark in the Best Female category include Bucie (SA), Busiswa (SA), Seyi Shay (Nigeria), Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania) and Yemi Alade (Nigeria). The inspiring cross-cultural creative exchange of African musicians is measured in the Best Collaboration category, where AKA, Burna Boy, Da LES & JR compete against Davido featuring Uhuru & DJ Buckz (Nigeria/SA), Toofan & DJ Arafat (Togo/Ivory Coast), Diamond & Iyanya (Kenya/Nigeria), and Stanley Enow & Sarkodie (Cameroon/Ghana).

The enduring popularity of hip-hop on the continent is captured in the hotly contested Best Hip Hop category, where Cassper Nyovest (South Africa) is battling it out with K.O. (South Africa), Olamide (Nigeria), Phyno (Nigeria) and Youssoupha (DRC). Recognising the contribution of new talent on the continent, Best New Act: Transformed Today by Absolut gave nods to nominees from around the continent including, Cassper Nyovest (South Africa), Anna Joyce (Angola), Duncan (South Africa), Patoranking (Nigeria) and Stonebwoy (Ghana). After losing out to Lupita Nyong’o in the same category last year, @MTVBaseAfrica made a Twitter announcement prior to the event that stand-up comedian and new Daily Show host Trevor Noah (South Africa), was nominated for the second year running as Personality of the Year – where he goes up against fellow comic Basketmouth (Nigeria), TV personality and reality star Bonang Matheba (South Africa), actor O.C. Ukeje (Nigeria) and Manchester City/Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast).

Last year’s Video of the Year winner Clarence Peters (Nigeria) is hoping to repeat his 2014 success with a second nomination in this category for Bebe Cool’s music video “Love You Everyday”, competing against fellow directors Sesan (“The Sound”: Davido Featuring Uhuru & DJ Buckz), Adriaan Louw (“Nafukwa”: Riky Rick), Meji Alabi (“Crazy”: Seyi Shay Featuring Wizkid) and Ryan Kruger (“Doors”: Prime Circle).

MTV Base (DStv channel 322), MTV (DStv channel 130) and BET (DStv channel 129) on Saturday July 18 at 21:00 CAT. The show will also be transmitted worldwide on partner stations and content platforms including BET International from July 18. In addition, a special MAMA-themed edition of MTV’s acclaimed World Stage franchise will air globally on MTV channels around the world on August 27.

Till next week don’t forget to touch that remote.