80% local content on TV next – Motsoeneng

SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng on Sunday vowed to usher in a change to the content on television.

Speaking to City Press, he said he wanted 80% local movies and soapies that offered more than a cultural angle. He wants authenticity, where shows are produced in actual locations and not exclusively in SABC studios.

“It is painful for me when we go and interact with filmmakers. They tell me they [avoid working with] the SABC. We want to be at a place where South Africans can produce their own movies in their own languages and in English, so that we can compete internationally,” he told the paper.

This follows the SABC’s decision to play 90% local music across its radio stations as of last week Thursday. In a statement, the public broadcaster announced it had met with various stakeholders in a bid to ensure the prioritisation of more local content that reflected the diversity of South African cultures.

The 90% was for all genres, with a specific focus on kwaito, jazz, reggae and gospel – a decision that was hailed by local artists.