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On Television Malawi
You will have to forgive me for this, but this week I revisit last week theme—monopoly—albeit with reference to a different entity.
Malawi’s sole television broadcaster TVM is probably the most criticised of all public corporations. Verbs that have been used to describe the public broadcaster range from boring, disgusting, comic down to un-creative, vain and distasteful.
I am naturally not a big fan of local television and I would not have added my voice to this public outcry were it not for the events of last Wednesday, when I turned on my telly to see for myself what all this hullabaloo about TVM was all about.
The impression that I got from watching those numerous Presidential Diaries on both sides of the ‘News Bulletin’ on Wednesday evening is that TVM does not give a hoot about its viewers. ‘Afterall, the viewers have no choice but to watch what is fed on them, even if its obsolete Presidential Diaries that belong to the analogues of history.’
I am also told that the World Cup semi-final between Germany and Italy on Tuesday was relayed later than scheduled because TVM was re-broadcasting yet another Presidential Diary.
My opinion of TVM’s antics is that they do what they do because they are a monopoly, which, I mentioned in passing last week, breeds arrogance.
Because, honestly, for what reason, except the most obscene, would TVM broadcast two hours of Presidential Diaries on prime time?
If I may be allowed to ask, does the management at TVM honestly believe that people would sit down to watch those Presidential Diaries? Or, like I have alluded to, they just do not give a damn?
Because there certainly would have been some change if TVM did pay attention to these voices of dissent.
Further to that, TVM has always come under fire for its biased coverage, more recently in Parliament, and blamed its inability to broadcast opposition views to lack of resources.
Not wanting to sound political, I have always wondered what resources avail themselves only when the news coverage is pro-government or pro-DPP and then suddenly disappear when it is the opposition’s time to present their views?
Have they not tired from singing this song over and over again for the last 10-years?
—Feedback: mcbrams@journalist.com
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