ZTV, spare us the torture

IN the past 21 days, television has become an integral part of most people’s entertainment.

Yes, we have social media but the small screen is supposed to be a cheap and reliable source of fun and information.

After all, it is not like there is much of an option!

Our usual night binges are currently frozen due to the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

One just has to learn to make the most of the amusement at their disposal.

But the guys at Pockets Hill should stop taking us for granted.

Not many have access to satellite television, thus the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation-Television ( ZTV) is a sole television option for many.

Sadly, ZTV is proving to be a great letdown.

Like the guinea pig in a Ferris wheel, peddling hard, so are ZTV clients when it comes to programming.

Every day they wake up to the same programmes.

Fetid!

Honestly, how do you explain repeating the same programme/movie five or more times in a single week?

We are now at a point where we can recite word-for-word most of the lines in the productions.

Repeats are a norm by most, if not all, channels world over, but certainly they are not done the ZTV way.

In the past month, they have been juggling about six movies.

If an average movie runs for approximately two hours, how many hours do we have starting from midnight up to morning — the period they usually show the movies?

Do the maths using an average of 35 hours and six movies per week. Repeats are not only limited to movies. It is almost the same with every other programme.

We understand foreign programmes might be too expensive.

However, what is the justification of showing a single episode of a locally produced drama like “Paraffin” a countless times?

Loyalists of the channel say this torture has been ongoing for years now.

Some of us just got exposed to this because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is not our usual thing to keenly follow television programming for obvious reasons.

Yes, drinks and socialising always come first.

By the time we get home there is little or no time for the small screen.

It is only sports and National Geographic channels that add value in our imbibing hubs.

Please ZTV, can you invest more in creating value for money for your viewers by creating quality programming that incorporates new, diverse and exciting programmes.

If you are struggle with this single channel, we shudder to think what will become of you after the digitisation programme adds more channels.

We are told there is a lot of content that has been amassed over the years intended for the new channels.

It would not do any harm if some of it finds its way to your station as we wait for the new channels.