By Ashley Moyo
THE country’s first independent national television station, 3Ktv, has launched its eleventh season, which the channel says is “the best to date”.
3Ktv’s Head of Programming, Lucia Kanyongo, told the Daily News yesterday that the fast-growing station would offer “even more gripping and more varied content, and the most thrilling entertainment on the silver screen in Zimbabwe” as from this month.
“We are continuing to work hard to meet the needs of our ever expectant audiences, as well as our own popular and on the mark motto that we represent and offer ‘The Best of Zimbabwe’.
Media Services, Pilate Machadu, looks on. PIC: ANNIE MPALUME (File Pic)
“It’s almost unbelievable that we are now already on our 11th season, and that we have cloaked a solid two-and-half years of non-stop live broadcasting since we went live in February 2022.
“We have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the jam-packed new season will see our popular station continuing to set the pace in the local broadcasting industry,” Kanyongo said.
Apart from locally produced programming, 3Ktv would continue to offer riveting shows from abroad — including the very best of South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, the Korea Republic and the United States of America.
“Viewers should get ready for more action, scandal, comedy and even betrayal in our new dramas and drama sub genres.
“Among other shows, 3ktv will unveil a new romantic drama series from the City of Kings and Queens titled Village 4, which tracks the lives of two teenage lovers who fight to keep their relationship despite their families being at war.
“We will also have new shows that include a teen drama series, a reality show, an all men’s talk show and the return of the Zimsec national schools debate,” Kanyongo said.
“The teen drama series, titled Prefects, follows the story of a group of Lower Sixth students who unite forces to curb bullying and other ills in schools.
“3ktv will also play host to veteran broadcaster Hugo Ribatika, who will come on board to host an all men’s talk show, titled Man to Man.
“It will unveil and touch on all socio-economic and health issues that affect men, and which they don’t often talk about,” Kanyongo added.
“The station will also, in conjunction with its key partner Multichoice, launch an exciting dating reality show starting on October 3 at 7pm, which will follow couples on their journey to rekindling lost love.
“I would like to thank Zimbabweans for supporting us in a big way and for continuing to walk with us as we change the local broadcasting landscape,” she said further.
3Ktv is a free-to-air (FTA), digital terrestrial television (DTT) station, which means that contrary to social media babble anyone with the right equipment — such as a digital TV set or suitable set-top box — can receive its programming for free wherever the signal is available.
However, 3Ktv’s feed is also available through other platforms for which subscription fees may be payable, which explains the station’s key partnership with MultiChoice — which has seen it also hosted on DStv’s channel 293.
Licensed in November 2020 after coming up tops in a competitive, open bidding process, the station went live amid palpable excitement in the country on February 28, 2022.
In the process, the most watched local channel on satellite made history and became the first private station to operate legally in Zimbabwe since television was first introduced in the then Southern Rhodesia in November 1960.
Zweli Sibanda, the Managing Director of Jester Media Services (JMS), the owners and operators of 3Ktv, told the Daily News on Friday last week that the station was continuing to perform well ahead of all forecasts and projections — including with regards to its viewership numbers and advertising volumes.
“This is all thanks to Zimbabweans and our business partners who continue to give us incredible support.
“Similarly, we owe all our staff across the JMS Group who are ensuring that 3Ktv remains at the top of the pile a debt of gratitude.
“We do not take the amazing support that we are getting from all our key stakeholders for granted, and we pledge that we will continue to aspire to do even better going forward,” Sibanda said.
He added that 3Ktv had become a boon for business, as it offered commerce and industry the much-needed marketing choice on the silver screen that had been missing for decades.
“Advertising on television, and on 3Ktv in particular, is very effective in terms of reaching large audiences frequently and quickly — given the ubiquitousness of TV sets in the country.
“Another one of 3Ktv’s advantages for our business partners is that we are also on MultiChoice’s DStv platform which has very high engagement rates.
“Our rich programming menu also offers the benefit of excellent audience targeting, which has long been a part of TV marketing — such as advertising at certain times of the day and on certain programmes to make sure that one hits the people who are likely to be watching 3Ktv at a particular time,” Sibanda said further.
3Ktv is a JMS sister operation to the country’s most influential newspaper, the Daily News, the Daily News On Sunday, Zimbabwe’s prime publication for commerce and industry — The Financial Gazette — and e-newsletter Business Live.