Channel O Awards tanked
NO SPONSORSHIP, NO MUSIC FIESTA
M-NET has pulled the plug on this year’s Channel O Africa Music Video Awards.
Lack of sponsorship for the event aimed at celebrating South African and African talent tanked it.
The awards, which are voted for by the public, have been running since 2005 and have never been postponed or cancelled.
Over the 10 years they had become a social calendar highlight as part of the big three music award ceremonies in the country along with the SA Music Awards and MetroFM Music Awards.
In a short statement, Nondumiso Mabece, PR manager at M-Net Local Entertainment Channels, said: “As one can imagine, putting together an awards ceremony of that magnitude every year relies on sponsors coming on board. If we can secure funding then there is no reason why the Channel O Awards shouldn’t continue.”
Industry insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity said the music station was in the middle of restructuring. The changes included cutting the feed to the rest of the continent and restricting it to SADC countries only.
Lance Stehr of Ghetto Ruff label said it was “unbelievable ” that the Channel O Awards were not happening this year.
“That ’ s so sad. We knew every year that the industry would gather at the Channel O Awards to honour and celebrate.
“I would have thought that with their budget, DStv would keep the awards as part of their ongoing strategy.”
Kentridge Tlale, senior product manager at Gallo Records Company, lamented: “It’s unfortunate because it will affect African music as a whole.
“It was a platform where we were introduced to other styles and cultures from the continent and the diaspora. ”
Comedian David Kau, who hosted the awards in 2006, said the awards did a lot to help African artists break into other parts of the continent.
DJ Black Coffee, pictured , applauded the channel for playing it safe.
“I commend them for rather not hosting them than hosting them and they are a joke. They have set a high standard and they have to keep them there,” he said.
One of the highlights last year was the on-stage kiss of the night’s big winner Cassper Nyovest and Amanda du Pont.