Wishing the creative industry a Happy Human Rights Day, SABC Acting Group Executive Video Entertainment Lala Tuku praised the industry for working tirelessly to showcase stories that can change minds and perceptions.
Speaking to IOL Entertainment, Tuku acknowledged that a lot is going on in the industry and the public broadcaster’s policies still needing to be amended in terms of making sure that it is a viable industry.
“We just want to say keep going, and as policymakers we know the cries of the industry, We’re passionate about the industry and we’ve got to make it a viable, equitable industry.”
In February the National Assembly passed the Copyright Amendment Bill, and the next step is for the president to sign the bill into law.
The SABC rebroadcasts content meaning that there is a repeat usage of content. Tuku shared that the public broadcaster is in the process of engaging with the industry on what it needs.
“The SABC as a national broadcaster has the right to broadcast the content they had commissioned but equally so it’s also important that the industry is then remunerated accordingly.
“We want industry to be a part of the conversation because we take them as business partners and valuable stakeholders in the process.”
As South Africa heads to the election, the public broadcaster has the task of ensuring fair messaging and also creating awareness that the public will participate in the elections on May 29.
“The road to the elections is very important as South Africa is celebrating 30 years of democracy, so it’s a big year for the country and us as the national broadcaster. We are very intentional about the messaging that we showcase”.
“We are not blind to the fact that the youth are no longer interested in politics, so as we profile our programming we have to speak through the youth to make sure that we can resonate with them.”
Tuku hinted that viewers can expect to see various thought leaders on programmes, leading up to the elections.
IOL Entertainment