A broadcasters’ bid. That’s what Midi believes won it the right to run South Africa’s new private television station.
Other bids may have been stronger on business plans (Midi’s plans were criticised for changing after the closing date) and legal agreements (other bidders suggest that they still haven’t yet seen a watertight shareholders agreement from the winners).
But the team who will run e.tv highlight their scheduling and programming content.
A three-year schedule – which the Independent Broadcasting Authority will hold them to – has already been planned and they will introduce local content incrementally. In the first year, between 20% and 25% of the material on e.tv will be local, which suggests boom times ahead for independent producers.
A normal day on the new service will start at five in the morning with news bulletins for early risers. Between 6am and 8am, a breakfast show with a news and current affairs bent will air, with reporters stationed around the country.
At mid-morning it will run repeat broadcasts (probably of soaps) and education programmes aimed at distance learners. Prime-time will include longer news bulletins and current affairs programmes as well as local soaps, dramas (with a crime-fighting bent) and a televised version of Madam and Eve, already well on the way to production. Midi’s core team will be small (it will employ about 200 full-time staffers); they plan to commission everything except news and current affairs.