INDEPENDENT national television station, 3Ktv, continues to carry all before it — 20 months after its history-making launch.
This comes as 3Ktv remains Zimbabwe’s most watched television station on satellite. It also comes as the free-to-air station, which is also carried on giant broadcast satellite service DStv’s channel 293, has just received the most nominations in the prestigious Zimbabwe Annual Film and Television Awards (ZAFTAs).
The awards, which are organised by the Cinema Society of Zimbabwe (CSZ), recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of actors, directors, producers, writers, presenters, technicians and other industry players.
The awards gala will be held in Harare on December 2. 3Ktv’s popular productions — that include Jangano, Maliwe, Faking it, Amanxeba, Tangled, Hakata and Bundu — have all been nominated for the top gongs. At the same time, one of the station’s star presenters, Edith Marwiro — who is better known as Mazwi on the silver screen — has also been nominated in the ‘Outstanding TV Presenter’ category. In addition, various actors and actresses from 3Ktv’s telenovelas and documentaries have been nominated across a range of categories.
The Outstanding TV actress category has among the nominees thespians from 3Ktv productions, including Charlene Mangweni (Tangled), Gamu Denenga (Faking It) and Sipilisiwe Kaikeni (Jangano). In the Outstanding TV Actor category, Tendai Madzviti (Bundu) and Lucian T David (Faking It) made the cut. Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, 3Ktv’s head of programming, Lucia Kanyongo, said she was very pleased that the station continued to do very well. “Thanks to our viewers, we continue to lead the industry on virtually every measure.
“In that regard, we are not that surprised by the dominance that 3Ktv has scored in the ZAFTAs nominations. “Indeed, many of our programmes, including our revamped news and current affairs offerings, have received many accolades over the past 20 months,” Kanyongo said.
“We have had a fantastic time on air since we became the first licensed and independent television station to launch in the country, and things continue to get better for the channel. “Our viewership figures and reach, as well as the station’s commercial sustainability, continue to outpace all our initial projections.
“This has seen 3Ktv — a mass medium that reaches a large audience — becoming an increasing and effective channel of choice for many businesses who wish to promote their products and services,” Kanyongo further told the Daily News. 3Ktv was licensed in November 2020, after coming tops in a competitive and public bidding process.
It went on air on February 28 last year, becoming the first licensed private commercial station to operate in the country since television was first introduced in the then Southern Rhodesia in November 1960. 3Ktv gives advertisers the ability to target specific audiences and demographics, which means that advertising materials can be tailored to reach the audiences that are most interested in the advertised products and services.
Advertisements on 3Ktv can also be adjusted to fit different budgets, timeframes and advertising goals. Advertisers can also choose the most appropriate time slots and running times.
“Advertising on 3Ktv adds much credibility to products and services, by associating them with a deeply trusted outlet that is part of a large and diversified media group with a proven audience base and track record, and which offers business partners a 360 degree ability to reach all their targeted stakeholders,” Kanyongo concluded.
3Ktv is a sister venture to Zimbabwe’s number one business publication, The Financial Gazette, as well as the iconic Daily News and the Daily News On Sunday.
