The Sunday News
Arts Focus, Raisedon Baya Like many Zimbabweans living in this country I’m really not a serious fan of local television. This is not because I think the content is too poor and very boring to watch — well, not really. Of course local content, the one that we see every day, leaves a lot to be desired. I could go into a lot of reasons why ours is poor — reasons like lack of resources, being produced by untrained people, lack of collaborations and sharing responsibilities among the creative themselves — I could go on but this is not what today’s article is about.
I also believe that not all local content is bad. I believe that within its current programming ZBCtv has potentially explosive films and programmess. To be honest I’m one of the many that migrated to DStv long back yet in so many instances I find myself crawling back to our one and only national broadcaster for content that I can completely relate to.
In the past two weeks alone I have found myself going back to ZBCtv more than I can remember. A few friends of mine have certain programs on air and have asked me to watch them and give an opinion. I have done so. However, I must say I have been generally surprised by the picture quality of some of the programmess. Sound though has been bad, terrible at times.
Perhaps the best excuse here is that ZBC is not yet digital and therefore cannot and should not be compared with stations and channels that have gone digital. (Again let’s leave the issue of quality aside. After all, this article is not about quality.) After watching ZBCtv for weeks I have been left wondering. Why does the national broadcaster continue to air programmes that are not subtitled? Is it not now standard for a station beaming its programmes to a multi-cultural viewership to have ALL its programmes subtitled?
How is the national broadcaster showing its respect for diversity? How is it promoting and even celebrating diversity?
Zimbabwe has 16 languages that are now constitutionally recognised. However, with the current set up it would be stupid to expect to see television programmes in all 16 languages. To at least ensure those that watch its channels feel respected ZBCtv must make it a standard rule that all its programmes or anything it airs is subtitled. Subtitling helps those that do not understand the original language of the film/programme by offering an alternative. Subtitling is also very helpful to those that have hearing problems, it allows them to follow the program or story by looking at the pictures and reading the written dialogue or explanation at the bottom of the screen. In other words films or programmes aired by our national broadcaster that are not subtitled are actually supporting or perpetuating discrimination — discrimination against those that do not understand the original language and discrimination against those that have a hearing disability.
In case some of you (I know it’s a very few of you) are wondering what subtitling is. Well, a loose definition is that subtitling is “a written communication in a second language that has the same meaning as first language. “For most films or television programmes it is usually printed dialogue that appears at the bottom of the screen. My biggest worry, which obviously led to this article, is ZBCtv apparent disregard of this important issue. All films in indigenous language need to be subtitled. There is a serious tendency that Shona/Ndebele films do not need to be subtitled since the majority of people in the country understand Shona/Ndebele. Well, if truth be told, these films and programmes also need to be subtitled to allow those, even if they are very few, that do not understand these languages to also enjoy what will be on air at any given time. Subtitling only needs minimum resources and there should be no excuse from local filmmakers for not subtitling their products.
