Generally, we don't care

Maya Roze | Friday January 24, 2014 12:08

With regards to our national broadcaster, that remains a debatable subject. There are nice people at the place, but there are also those with imbecilic tendencies, or is it ignorance, is it intimidation, or is it jut insecurities at play – who knows but the devil itself.

The human mind and personality is crafted in such a manner that renders Tswana Breed brothers and sisters from other mothers bi-polar or some mental condition that is evidently in need of a title.

Generally speaking, that place is just plain useless, and my homies that work there are in need of sympathy, blessed still, they have a fluent understanding of our father tongue so they may be our only hope that some change will take place.

The General Purpose Studios (GPS), which has been open to national public access has not been operational for a year now. It is in need of some software, so any plans to use them are on hold after recording two ‘people’ only. So what is happening is that you take your project proposal there only for it to be filed – we reckon they are chucked into a cauldron to produces Harriet Hormones and her homies’ breed brew.

On the positive side, you need not worry about your idea being stolen – they do not care. I mean that – well, Harriet does. Why? Well, because you are identified, or shall I say categorized as an outsider and our national broadcaster wants stuff for the national public. Not your stuff- they do not give two rats asses about commercial value (which defeats the purpose of our grass-roots style of projects) and most importantly, viewership. ‘We do not care about viewership’, said Harriet.

So, if you have any weird aspiration of diversifying television content for the pleasure and enlightenment of the national public – drop them. It makes you wonder what the mandate of the national broadcaster is – given there are modern time, and it is okay to look cool about your information dissemination and community enrichment, it is okay to engage your audience, become interactive and just looking and sounding nice – not under-researched and rustic.

Basically, you have to put in work and produce your project, all 13 episodes (a season-size package), or you can wait for the tender season; meaning that whatever your proposal must fall within the next financial year. It is April, in case you did not know and no, there are no guidelines for you to prepare yourself besides the commissioning pack. It is readily available, however, they do it their way, you must fall in line with all calendar days targeting the national public.

There is no electricity, no water, no service at health service providers, no gender equality, no broadcasting means associated with new age or professional youth, no support, nothing to console ourselves with. Nothing!

Am I making sense? Are they making sense? Even the arts industry remains politicized and the role of the citizenry to an artist is questionable. Are you telling me that there is no way we can contribute to the development and management of cultural identity for our youth in this country Harriet? When they say national public, who exactly are they talking about, since we (you and me, dear artist practitioner and fan) are the outsiders? Why is there software missing though the studios were launched, why after 24 months, has nothing been done? Financial year warawara?!?! How are we being represented when the place is filled with Harriet Hormone and many other incompetent hens blocking us with mental short circuit due to their lack of comprehension? Whose frame of reference are they using since clearly they are not looking at us? Whose identity, whose skill and whose standard?

Will the arts live, will they grow and are they ever gonna be free? I don’t know bafwethu, but ALUTA MOCHITO!