News / National
Bulawayo ready for own TV station
21 Jul 2017 at 03:45hrs | Views
AFTER overseeing the city's campaign for its own radio station that culminated in the birth of Skyz Metro FM, Bulawayo arts doyen Cont Mhlanga believes that the city is now ready for its own TV station.
Mhlanga said Zimpapers' live stream of the recently held Bulawayo Arts Awards had convinced him that after radio, TV was the next piece of the puzzle to turn Bulawayo back to the arts and culture hub it was a few years ago.
"That (live stream) showed the hunger people have for local content and what is needed is a platform that can take such images directly into people's homes. That's the missing link," said Mhlanga.
He added that radio, through the advent of Skyz Metro, had played its role in promoting the local showbiz scene in Bulawayo, as the people's interest in Bulawayo was at a record high.
"Radio should make stars and TV would cement that. At least now the people have a solid reference point. We've got genuine rising stars that people actually know about because their content is available on the radio. That's something that was lacking," said Mhlanga.
The veteran arts practitioner said that he and others might not live to see the promised land as it was the duty of others to now carry on the fight of bringing the showbiz scene to its full glory.
"The liberation war destroyed all the effort that was put in the 20s, 30s and 40s because people had to go to war. So the duty fell on us, the generation that came after 1980, to rebuild the foundation. All the guys that are on the scene now are building the walls. However, the generation that will build the roof is yet to come," he said.
Mhlanga said Zimpapers' live stream of the recently held Bulawayo Arts Awards had convinced him that after radio, TV was the next piece of the puzzle to turn Bulawayo back to the arts and culture hub it was a few years ago.
"That (live stream) showed the hunger people have for local content and what is needed is a platform that can take such images directly into people's homes. That's the missing link," said Mhlanga.
He added that radio, through the advent of Skyz Metro, had played its role in promoting the local showbiz scene in Bulawayo, as the people's interest in Bulawayo was at a record high.
"Radio should make stars and TV would cement that. At least now the people have a solid reference point. We've got genuine rising stars that people actually know about because their content is available on the radio. That's something that was lacking," said Mhlanga.
The veteran arts practitioner said that he and others might not live to see the promised land as it was the duty of others to now carry on the fight of bringing the showbiz scene to its full glory.
"The liberation war destroyed all the effort that was put in the 20s, 30s and 40s because people had to go to war. So the duty fell on us, the generation that came after 1980, to rebuild the foundation. All the guys that are on the scene now are building the walls. However, the generation that will build the roof is yet to come," he said.
Source - bmetro
