GREETINGS from Kasama where I have made a brief stop-over en route to the newly-established Nsama District on a marathon tour of Government projects with Dr Mutaba Mwali, the deputy minister of Works and Supply.
Despite the tight schedule at hand, business must go on.
I am actually with one Misheck Moyo, who is probably known for his unique signature voice, especially when ending his report packages and his colleague, the argumentative Andrew Mapandamwike.
Now getting into the main topic for today, a new channel will be born on ZNBC, making it a third channel for the national broadcaster.
The advert of the same channel that has been named TV3 Christian Channel grabbed my attention, especially when I tried hard to marry the message in the advert with the content of the channel.
The message in the advert song, which is supposed to be for a scriptural channel, sounds rather off and sending a different message altogether. Take time and listen to the song in the advert and maybe help me understand.
Nevertheless, the advert concept in colourful and brilliant but only leaves a question mark on the message on the song in it.
Still on changes, after few years of experimenting the challenge of duo casting, the national broadcaster has reverted to single casting.
One wonders why it was introduced in the first place if sustainability was to be a challenge.
This is so because I remember Chibamba Kanyama, the former director general of ZNBC responding to my critic when I noticed some inconsistency on the number of people of the new desk.
He said the national broadcaster had a challenge with a switcher and was in the process of procuring a new one.
Though this change might look like a mere resting the way of casting news, the hidden fact might be beyond what meets the eye.
Most viewers say the duo casting was interesting and somewhat added colour to the news desk, while others say it is better with the one caster.
Whatever the case, this platform believes there might just be a problem with the switcher because not long ago, there was a time Jack Mwale cast the entire news alone.
However, ZNBC’s corporate affairs manager Masuzyo Ndlovu wrote to this platform to respond to a number of issues we raised and shared in the corporation’s highlights of the year 2015.
He writes:
Hi Sam,
Sorry I wrote this some weeks ago and hope it is useful. What is important to note is that we now have started single casting of the news as a way of responding. We will get back to you tomorrow as a response to the last edition.
We thank God for 2016. The year 2015 was a roller coaster for us as individuals and at corporate level. Our prayer is that God may grant us his abundant blessings.
I apologise for the delay in responding to the many queries coming from your end. Let me now make an attempt to respond to them.
Branded Sunday will soon be back in a bigger and brighter way. The Corporation has plans of introducing a 24 hours news channel in 2016 which will give diverse content in our news.
The major highlights of the year were the coverage of the Presidential by-election in January and where we had to cover 11 presidential candidates.
The test trial of the Digital Terrestrial Transmission was on 5th January and this set the tone for the digital migration to which Zambia successfully migrated on the 17th June, 2015 with phase one along the line of rail.
The next phases will be 2 and 3 which will involve upgrading of our studio facilities and coverage of the TV signal to cover all parts of the country.
The TV2 signal on DSTV is another great achievement and this means those on DSTV in any part of the country can watch TV2 on channel 276.
Our successful coverage of the local league using our technical and production staff has been another great highlight as this was introduced in the first half of this year.
To the hard working staff of ZNBC, continue being smart; the nation expects much more from us and there is need for you to up the game for the good of our audiences we serve. We are introducing a new channel TV3 starting on 22nd January, 2016.
Finally let me end by commending you Sam for the weekly TV reviews which has made us be on our toes every single day.
God bless
Masuzyo Ndhlovu
ZNBC Corporate Affairs Manager
Thanks Masuzyo for especially the announcements of the other new programming and channels coming on ZNBC.
The 24 hour news channel is a brilliant idea; this is one of the most challenging undertakings and a highly ambitious step you have taken.
Wish you all the best, especially on the 24 hour news channel.
On a lighter note, let me make a special welcome to Mary Mwikisa on the news desk from her sweetest leave ever.
Last time when this platform sent its congratulatory message on her colourful wedding held in Livingstone, we addressed her by her surname waiting for her return to the news desk.
Now that she is back, it is clear that she has decided to adopt her husband’s surname though she has maintained her own surname Kasoka.
I remember there was a time when ZNBC had standardised how newscasters should introduce themselves by choosing only two names and not three.
If that rule was to be re-introduced, I don’t know which surname Mary and her counterpart Claudette Sindaza Jonga would choose.
Let’s end here today, continue sending your opinions to samphiri77@gmail.com or 0962215687