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| Entertainment |
| TVM launches new programmes |
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by
Chisomo Kachapila, 30 July 2004
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15:32:20
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The picture on the screens was hazy but the message was clear on Monday as Television Malawi (TVM) launched a set of new programmes: five years after TVM started beaming to the nation. The station’s signs of coming of age were beginning to show.
On Monday evening, the station launched at least eight ambitious programmes to complement old ones before an audience of company chief executives, college professors and others, in a function that was broadcast live from Kwacha Conference hall.
Long accused of broadcasting programmes repetitively and featuring too many international programmes, the launch was seen as a step by the station to switch from five years and two months of crawling to an eternity of walking and running.
Of course, the station’s five years is dodged by tragic history. On March 10 2002, TVM was gutted by fire, which destroyed its main control studio among other things. With this problem, the station was off air for five days before returning. Since then, it found difficulties to reawaken.
“The fire was a major setback,” said Wellington Kuntaja, head of news and current affairs at the station
During the launch, the TVM officially introduced programmes tailored to meet the needs of Malawi’s diversity. For women there is ‘Grab a Tip’ and ‘Women can Do’. A business news programme has also been introduced to serve the more serious minded of society. ‘Algebra Made Easy’ serves the interests of students. While Mwaswera, Mbiri’and On the Scene serve the interests of everyone in the family.
However, despite most of the programmes employing new and interesting features a bit more panel beating needs to be done on some of them like Algebra Made Easy and Grab a Tip and even the news log which is a bit too bright.
Apparently the station which started with using two broadcasting hours has over the years developed into a 24-hour station but with less input.
“We have 24 hours, but we can not fill them all by ourselves, we will need you fill some of those 24 hours,” said director for the station Rodrick Mulonya apparently referring to companies and individuals.
“We are trying to bring TVM where it is supposed to be,” he added.
So far so good but what of the future. Can these ambitious programmes be sustained, let alone improved?
“Of course we are in partnership with the Malawi Institute of Education and Kings multimedia, these will be producing programmes for us. That’s why we are assured that our programmes will be sustainable,” said one of the producers at TVM.
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