No more soapies on SABC?
2009-05-18 09:02
Cape Town - TV producers are to hold an urgent meeting on Monday to decide what to do regarding the SABC's outstanding payments of millions of rands, which is threatening to derail the production of several TV programmes.
It is estimated that the SABC's debt is more than R40m.
Some of the country's most popular programmes - including Generations, 7de Laan, Isidingo and series such as Emzini Wezinsizwa and Home Affairs - could disappear from TV screens within weeks, to be replaced by repeat broadcasts, if the SABC can't find the money to pay its outstanding bills for programmes which have already been delivered to the broadcaster.
Local producers refuse to hand over any new video material to the SABC until the broadcaster pays the outstanding debts.
Generations - South Africa's most popular daily soap opera - has debts of R9m. The last new episodes of Generations will be shown at the start of June, with no new episodes to follow.
Brink of collapse
"I'm very concerned about the SABC," said Generations producer Frederick Stark on Sunday.
"It is on the brink of collapse and I don't know how the SABC was permitted to reach this desperate point."
The SABC's financial woes are not unique, with several American, European and other broadcasters experiencing serious cash-flow problems due to the credit crunch. The SABC, however, is in an even more precarious financial position, due to various managerial factors.
The SABC would not confirm to Die Burger whether the rumours that it would ask the Treasury for a bailout of R1.5bn are true.
"I'm not saying we're asking for money, but we are having talks. The SABC has a problem," said SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
He did not want to say how large the outstanding amount that is owed to TV producers is, but he did say the SABC's income has dropped, which makes payments even more difficult.
"When the economy weakens, the first place companies cut is their marketing budget. This has an impact on broadcasters throughout the world."