ANDREW WORSDALE reports on the gloom at SABC-TV as cutbacks to cultural and religious programmes loom ANDREW WORSDALE reports
WITH SABC-TV’s recent announcements of cutbacks in local programming, in-house producers, independent film-makers and even commissioning editors themselves are treading warily through the corridors of power – the imminent threat of a knife in the back continually on their minds.
Over the past week, Mail & Guardian reporters have attempted to speak to several programme makers and commissioning editors. They were all reluctant to talk out and reporters found themselves referred to the media liaison office. The general vibe is all-pervading doom and gloom.
The most devastating impact of the programme cutbacks has been felt within SABC3, where an arts show like The Works will screen its final episode this coming week. Acting producer of one of the corporation’s most innovative series, Lauren Groenewald, said this week: “Finance is dictating schedules. We have auditors making editorial decisions. The magazine shows are made up of creative people. What’s going to happen now is they’re ending up with print people, not visual ones.”
Clearly depressed that the programme has been axed, she says that it provided an important platform and broke new barriers for local television: “We forced viewers out of their comfort zone.” She believes the lack of consultation on decisions made after the McKinsey report is what irks most producers. “We should have had the opportunity to workshop a new programme,” she said.
Both Arts Unlimited and the series of profiles of local performers and personalities are being axed, all in favour of one 45-minute arts programme which will air once a week.
Louis Raubenheimer, head of SABC3, said this week that the channel is going to make arts more accessible to its core audience and will no longer cater to niche or cult markets. Groenewald counters the belief that the show was commercially unviable because it was deemed avant-garde. “The reason it didn’t attract advertisers was because it was screened at 11.30pm.”
Independent film-maker, Barry Berk, who produced some of the show’s funkiest episodes said: “I think it’s a huge waste. The show was the most exciting forum for emerging film-makers. It increased the visual vocabulary of viewers and it produced better television than anything I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world.”
Alan Auld, producer of Arts Unlimited, who didn’t apply for a retrenchment package and appears to be hanging in for dear life, says that most SABC programme-makers are completely in the dark about any of the new arrangements, but that: “Unions and management are getting their ducks in a row. As for morale, there are a lot of very cheerful people getting dressed up for their execution and there’s going to be a lot of people dressed in designer sackcloths and ashes as they leave at the end of the month.”
Auld, who’s been working at the corporation for 21 years, resolutely refused to accept the retrenchment package. “When you’ve worked at a place for so long and enjoyed making a programme that you believe viewers cherished then you don’t simply surrender.”
The Works’s Groenewald, who accepted the package in the hope not to burn her bridges, believes that it’s tragic that Auld, after his lengthy tenure, was not consulted about the changes in arts programming.
Over at magazines, things are equally stark, and twice as confusing. Commissioning editor of magazines on SABC3, Johan van Staden, said he had no idea what programmes were going to go and that the department was completely unsure of the rescheduling. “But I’ll be very upset when things are cut. I mean what’s going to happen to the local industry?”
SABC-TV’s communications head Enoch Sithole confirmed that in the future all magazine programmes will be sourced from outside the corporation and that Safritel, the in-house production arm previously responsible for them, will be closed down.
As if the confusion and despair among staffers and independents isn’t enough, the broadcasting cuts to religion have added fuel to the fire and brought an enraged public and religious community into the fray.
At the beginning of this month the SABC announced it intended cutting 75% of its religious programming to 106 minutes a week (0,5 % of its total output).
Sithole accused the religion department of issuing false information and added: “It’s not a final recommendation. It is a proposal that has been submitted to the board and it will be discussed.”
But in the June 5 edition of SABC’s in- house publication Intercom, an article states that religious programming will be reduced due to costs and that “the suggestion that programming material should be accepted, free of charge, from some denominations – a practice in the past – is not seen by the corporation as an acceptable alternative.”
Their reasoning is that it would favour certain faiths that could afford TV production and not be in line with the policy of reflecting the wide diversity of faiths in the country.
But with the announcement, diplomatic damage had been done and church groups, members of the public and numerous theological bodies have expressed unmitigated outrage at the proposal to cut religion back.
The Religious Broadcasting Panel, which consists of leaders of all faiths, issued an open letter to the SABC which, in the strongest possible words, castigated the corporation for not consulting either themselves or any members of religious constituencies.
“We are concerned that these decisions are made without any consultation with its own panel and without even informing members of the panel before making the announcements. Is this the practice of a public broadcaster? The action is a sad reflection on the SABC and its ability to understand the requirements of a democratic nation, let alone ordinary decent behaviour toward people with whom you have made an agreement.”
Sithole argues that the SABC was not obliged to consult the panel, especially as it was formed prior to the existence of the new board at the broadcaster: “Technically speaking, it must be reconstituted,” he said.
As for consultation regarding the proposed changes, he counters criticism by saying: “We have a board and management who have to run the SABC. We can’t just have an open- ended situation where we go to town halls and say we don’t have a policy, what do you think?!”
But on the religious front, many other groupings have joined in the condemnation. Reverend Martin Frische, chairperson of the Association of Christian Broadcasters, says: “Never cut a tree on which you sit! The great statesman Daniel Webster warned of the disastrous results if religion is ignored by society. The SABC has ignored the warning of Dr Webster and has done so at a time when there are already signs of deterioration of moral values, and crime in our nation escalates daily.
“Many political leaders are unable to provide a solution … we as a nation are going to pay the bill for this shortsighted and far-reaching decision.”
Dr Ed Cain, acting president of United Christian Action said: “This is obviously a point of concern. When religious bodies are not consulted it shows the SABC is acting with a high-handed, dictatorial attitude. Maybe they’re afraid their jobs are at stake.”
Abie Dawjee, spokesman for Jamiatul Ulama (KwaZulu-Natal), a council of Muslim theologians and a board member of the Independent Religious Broadcasting Forum, said: “We are appalled at this cut. The religious majority, a vast share of the population, will be deprived of broadcasting …
“We need sober ministering of religious broadcasting to appeal to the humanity in the person. After all, we continually see violence graphically illustrated on our screens all the time, fanning the flames of crime and violence in the country.”
As for specific Muslim programming, he said: “The time we are allocated is bad enough. In the past it was nearly all Christian-based and we missed out. Now that we get a little, even that is going to be taken from us.”
But there are some signs of optimism in this continual tale of broadcasting woe. One independent producer contracted to the SABC who wished to remain anonymous, as his contract stipulates no talking to the media said: “Some producers have been stuck in a time-warp. Historically, in-house departments have been staffed by people who are only waiting to see their cheque at the end of the month.”
Another view comes from producer Paul Lindsay responsible for I Believe, You Believe, the box’s best religious show, because it deals with a wide range of spiritual issues in an engaging and informative way.
He agrees that more consultation should have been made but believes the changes might lead to better programming: “Religion isn’t necessarily Wendy Millin putting her hands together in meditation … the BBC has shown this with their series Everyman, which dealt with spirituality across a wide spectrum and screened on prime time. My feeling is that there are some producers who have little vision as programme makers and don’t feel confident enough to be in the private sector finding work. The result is mediocre TV.”
Over the next few months many SABC producers will be setting up their own production companies and pitching along with the independents for programmes ranging from arts to magazines and religion.The painful truth that seems to be emerging, though, is there’s not going to be great deal of work around.