SABC3 Sabotaging Own Line-Up With Arthur Mafokate Hosted Talkshow

Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate has a new talk show that has been picked up by the SABC. A Date with Arthur is a South African celebrity talk show and lifestyle series in which the singer interviews celebrities at his home in Midrand.

A Date With Arthur, which Mafokate is also an executive producer of, is said to be part celebrity chat show and part music and lifestyle. Viewers will get to see Arthur interview movers and shakers in South African society to find out how they are doing.

It was heated earlier on at my house shooting #ADateWithArthur #ADWA

A photo posted by Arthur Mafokate (@arthurmafokate) on Oct 6, 2016 at 1:11pm PDT

How is this show different from Anele's show, Real Talk With Anele? Nothing against Arthur, but why would anyone at SABC approve a talkshow with a celebrity theme when the channel already has 3 shows that focus on celebrity interviews. 

With Expresso, Top Billing, Real Talk With Anele and Afternoon Express ... and in some way Trending SA and Weekend Edition, all having celebrity interviews and covering celebrity lifestyle, is SABC 3 surprised that their new shows are performing poorly with viewers. 

Does SABC 3 need another talkshow with celebrity interviews? Yeah one can argue that A Date With Arthur will focus mainly on the music but at the end of the day, viewers will see just another celebrity talkshow. 

Is South Africa really devoid of creativity that we have to rehash and recycle tv show concepts? Is this what 80% local is going to be now... give everyone talkshows on SABC3?

I have been in this business for decade and it never seizes to amaze me how people who are supposedly learnered make such silly mistakes. Look at this from a business perspective, it makes no sense.

Been friends with @blackbarbielish for almost 20 years now 🙉 #ADateWithArthur #ADWA

A photo posted by Arthur Mafokate (@arthurmafokate) on Oct 7, 2016 at 11:21am PDT

With the new block of shows SABC3 introduced in July, one would think the channel would want to build support around the ones that are getting good review. For instance, Real Talk With Anele may not be performing all the well in the rating but clearly it is well received by viewers. The issue raised has been timeslot.

Now, instead of finding a way to help Real Talk and build an audience around that show, the channel will sabotage it by introducing yet another talkshow. And we wonder why SA viewers do not care about local content. You haven't even given them a chance to be invested in the new shows and you are already pitting them against new competition.  How does this make sense to the bosses at SABC?

It is so frustrating! Amateurish moves in an industry that could now be making waves around the continent. We have the resources. Unfortunately we seem to not grasp the mechanisation of how to run an entertainment industry. Sabotaging your own shows?! This is beyond silly.

You can't blame Arthur Mafokate for using his connections and influence to get ahead. He is a businessman and let's face it 999 Music is not really a major player in the music scene anymore. Arthur, being the smart businessman he is, needed a platform to promote his company and its music. This is a vehicle for him to push that. Kudos to him.

A Date With Arthur is produced under his company Roadshow Marketing, which previously developed and produced the SABC1 music reality show, U Can Do It. 

Catch A Date With Arthur, Saturdays at 18h00 on SABC3.