GauTV stiffens media competition
BARELY three years old, Gauteng’s newcomer, GauTV, is already making waves in an industry traditionally dominated by a few behemoths.
Now its blazing a trail to take prime spot on the airwaves.
When the channel launched in 2015, conditions were changing for a newcomer to make a serious play for regional communities – traditionally too costly to serve because of limited advertising opportunities – in the roll-out of content.
There were opportunities, in other words, for a raft of programming innovations and products that would not have seen the light of day a mere decade ago.
Victor Phume, founder of Zallywood, who produces GauTV, said the emergence of new markets on the back of rising demand for relevant content was one more reason he’s been racing to roll out programmes into a regional mix he hopes will become one of the country’s re-eminent TV and entertainment offerings.
“I always believed that I too can contribute meaningfully to the media landscape in South Africa not only as a broadcaster but also as an employer. I would say the passion I have for the arts in general really was the main deciding factor in deciding to carve a space in the media sector,” he said.
The channel now boasts programmes such as I Design, which focuses on educating viewers about fashion and giving new designers a platform to showcase their talent and products. There is Assertiveness, which homes in on social issues in talk-show format, Thalassa Gospel, which plays inspirational and spiritually uplifting local and international gospel music. There is also an entertainment show called Vibe Zone, with its eclectic mix of local and international music. EVE is a talk show that allows individuals to speak their minds, it leaves them recharged, refuelled, blessed and energised with full of faith. African Inborn, which documents the history of South African tribes and Face to Face which profile leaders from all walks of life to account to you, face to face. The current affairs programme asks questions that have been ignored and gets you answers that you’ve been waiting for and Positive Talk, hosted by popular TV journalist Criselda Dudumashe.
In June last year, the station had tongues wagging and viewers glued to their screens when Love and Matrimony, hosted by singer and actress Kelly Khumalo, made its debut. The show is a riveting exploratory tract that gets stars to reveal their intimate secrets.
But it was not until February this year that the channel sprung to wider prominence when it launched I Was in the Closet; at a star-studded event in Melrose Arch, Joburg. The show’s debut on GauTV was unprecedented.
Its host Dr Teboho Moema described the show as a journey of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) community.
“It’s about “transcending the boxes” and seeing human beings as human beings,” he said at the launch.
“We are hoping finally that it will send a clear message that when all the walls and boxes dividing us as human beings (are removed), what remains is just human.
“From every walk of life, humans have the same needs to live in a community where they can be loved and accepted for whoever they are.”
I Was in the Closet narrates people’s stories of coming out. It is in one sense a social commentary on a sub-culture shielded from social prejudice behind fortified walls.
Says Moema: “the whole show is a safe space for people to share their stories and all the nuances of how they came out and what they experienced”.
“Others shared how they even had families rejecting them but eventually patching up those broken relationships.”
Bridging that divide remains a mainstay of GauTV’s mission. The country’s sudden paroxysm of anger over race, gender and class prejudices and inequalities is partly what has made the type of social commentary and reportage of the channel credible and timely enough to turn no-go zones in public discourse into opportunities for robust debate.
With that has come GauTV’s ability to differentiate its offering, as well as its value proposition to audiences, and adjust its portfolio of programmes to best suit the dynamic markets it serves.
“The fact that we know our target audience and are providing entertainment that they enjoy is what truly sets us apart,” according to Thabo Mashao, head of news and current affairs at GauTV.
“The biggest challenge for any TV station is staying relevant and innovative. You cannot focus on one and leave the other; they are both important. Should we get this right as a station, the opportunities are endless.”
The channel, which covers the greater Gauteng province, has since grown in scale and popularity on certain viewership rating.
The station’s schedule now includes news, sport, soapies, movies, drama series, factual and documentary programming, lifestyle and religion programming as well as kids viewing.
Mashao describes it as a mixture of local programming from different municipalities and townships and the modern high-powered lavish Sandton lifestyles in various languages, including English, Afrikaans, Tswana, Pedi, Venda, Tsonga and Zulu.
“We aim at entertaining, educating and informing by showcasing fresh new talent alongside established household names and telling the unique stories of the people of Gauteng,” says Phume.
A primary objective in South Africa is to overlay the talent pool with black youth who can make their mark as professionals and entrepreneurs and lead the channel from the front.
“Training and developing youth are absolutely mandatory for the station and everyone who represents it,” said Phume.
“This is not something that happens while it happens.
“Seeing young people that we work with grow in their respective fields – no amount of money can buy that,” he said.