SABC isn’t playing fair
SADLY, there was another horrific Protea choke in a major international knockout cricket tournament, after going into the competition as clear favourites, by being the No 1 ranked national team. Until we bravely face up to the reality of choke status and address it, we will never escape that crippling psyche in our national cricket team.
However, the Protea debacle pales into insignificance compared to the SABC’s humongous broadcasting choke. Or should I say, lack of broadcasting?
The SABC has shamefully declined to broadcast the ICC Champions Trophy in the UK on television or even its Radio 2000 platform.
To say I am furious would be to greatly understate my feelings.
Auntie SABC has again woefully failed in its mandate as a public broadcaster. It seems to support only soccer, with a massive budget. Television viewers and radio listeners who are cricket fans always get the crumbs of the sporting pie.
Not only does the broadcaster provide ultra-boring fare, crammed with penny-pinching el-cheapo, wall-to-wall repeat screenings, but the sport coverage is putrid. I suppose the programming managers can afford to watch DStv and thus never endure what we long-suffering SABC viewers have to.
It is appalling that cash-strapped viewers such as pensioners, who have supported the SABC with a lifetime of licence fees and can’t afford to subscribe to the exorbitantly priced, contract-encrypted television services, are treated with such disdain. For many of us the SABC is, unfortunately, our sole source of entertainment.
By providing such a meagre coverage of minority sports such as rugby, cricket and netball, it is also neglecting a large portion of the African population, many of whom are potential supporters of the sidelined sporting codes. It’s pointless complaining that there is minimal progress in transformation in such sports if they get minimal coverage.
I am sure many companies would jump at the chance of sponsoring a major international knockout cricket series on telly which would ensure huge viewership. Maybe the SABC should confer with the National Cricket Board which could advise them on which companies they could approach. Malvern, Joburg