LAST time this column discussed the importance of captions to identify the subject in the video clips. So much time has passed since the topic was discussed but two things seem to be unchanged about this so important aspect of television broadcasting.
Some television stations continue relying on the subject being identified in the voice over while others have not paid much attention to captions at all. The case in point is Muvi TV which rarely puts captions on their news packages.
ZNBC on the other hand, is doing better with the captions but half the times, people’s names are obscured by the headlines bar that runs at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes the names are visible but not their titles.
What I have seen nowadays is that most television stations are more concerned with putting the by-line of their reporter and the camera person but neglect to identify the people in the packages even if there is still a stand up to crown it all.
Captions are just as important as the all too famous stand up which has become almost a must for all stories on television today. Granted feature stories that the journalists are now doing are a detailed, so too are the captions.
Even the Mobi TV way of doing it by merely saying Chawama resident or project beneficiary can suffice. The bottom line is that captions are very important to identify people so that even if somebody walks into the TV room they can be up to speed with what is obtaining.
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I have followed the build up to Master Chimbala’s Ready for Marriage programme in the weeks since he announced that the programme would attract men who have never had sex in their lives.
The enthusiasm with which I have followed the build-up is obviously the same as Muvi TV strongman Mabvuto Phiri with whom I shared my reservations on how easy it will be to find such men, much less to prove it.
Chimbala must have known the controversy he stirred with his programme going by what he said in the news last week that a machine had been procured to test the gentlemen, it surely seems to be an unbelievable programme.
This must put to bed the disquiet that was caused last time Chimbala featured reformed sex workers when some sections of society felt he was rewarding people for wrong-doing at the expense of those who had kept their chastity.
It is important also that these programmes retain their original concept. After watching Chimbala talking about the launch of the programme, I was left thinking to myself that the last presenter of the programme Augustine Lungu must be turning in his grave seeing that his idea has grown from strength to strength.
On the other hand, I am more than shocked with the negativity among viewers on the possibility of finding men who have never engaged in sexual ****
It was dissapointing last week that ZNBC did not show UEFA Champions League matches and neither did what we have become accustomed to as our partners in the competition Muvi TV.
After seeing that both stations were not showing the Champions League matches, I was skeptical about checking through other channels to see if Mobi TV and TBN would by the grace of God televise Europe’s elite competition.
Then a thought struck me that if Muvi TV and ZNBC have found it so easy to televise the telenovelas from South America, why havent they used the same goodwill to get rights for the South American Champions League which is as exciting as the UEFA version.
Better still, our television could start showing the various sports disciplines sponsored under the Sumsung Challenge at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC).
I have watched boxing and table tennis and recently chain store giants agreed to sponsor the netball league at OYDC and these youngsters are the best to watch seeing that they play with their hearts.
It is from these initiatives that Zambia is beginning to reap medals including the latest feat scored by 16-year-old Sydney Siame at the Nainjing Youth Olympics which turned out to be Zambia’s first Olympic gold medal.
If the media could get on board to nurture this raw talent, Zambia can take its place in the annuls of history as a sporting giant on the continent and beyond.
From the mailbag I pulled out these two concerns,
Dear Editor,
Why is it that most of our television stations are only concerned about giving a good signal to viewers in Lusaka as if they are the only ones who pay TV Levy?
Here in Luangwa which is only a few kilometres from ZNBC headquarters in Lusaka our reception is bad, all we see are showers. ZNBC should explain to us if the money paid by Lusaka viewers is better than what we pay ourselves.
We are not able to watch any other station but from what I read in your column, Muvi TV and other stations there in Lusaka are giving very good competition to ZNBC but we don’t get the benefits. Mlauzi Alec, Luangwa
Attention Xavier,
What programmes have our television stations got to interact with their viewers so that we can tell them whether their programming good or bad? I say so because we have so many complaints to make to Muvi TV and ZNBC but they keep telling us to do so on their Facebook page yet some of us are not on Facebook. Mukatimui, Lusaka.
For more comments manchishi@gmail.com