MultiChoice Group has promised continued support to local entertainment industry as the continent and the world at large is going through a tumultuous time of the Coronavirus pandemic.
This has been said by the institution’s Chief Executive Officer Calvo Mawela who said their company is acutely aware of the challenges their partners in the industry are facing at this time so they would like to stand by them.
Mawela said every day, various sectors across the continent are adjusting and finding ways to dealing with challenges brought about by the pandemic as it is reported that production has come to a complete halt in South Africa.
He further said MultiChoice Group is likewise seeing disruptions and delays across the continent as the industry and the company is adhering to the national lockdown in South Africa.
However, Mawela said MultiChoice has decided to implement several measures, aimed at safeguarding the incomes of cast, crew, and creatives as well as the sustainability of production houses so as to steer the industry through this pandemic period.
The CEO said the company has set aside R80 million to ensure that current productions are able to pay full salaries of cast ,crew, and creatives for the months of March and April ,so as to keep the industry vibrant.
He said the need to secure salaries of their creatives goes a long way in creating income stability for them and their families.
“We believe this to be critical for the industry and in our view this is simply the right thing to do.
“Our main concern is to ensure as much as possible that we secure the incomes of creatives, cast and crew over this period.
“We want to ensure that they and their families are not negatively impacted as work has come to a standstill,” said Mawela.
As another way of making the industry vibrant Mawele added that through the MultiChoice Talent Factory, they will be launching an online learning portal that will support over 40 000 members of the industry to gain access to courses and online master classes, so they can continue to hone their craft whilst adhering to the public health measures of social distancing and isolation.
Furthermore, the Group has committed to guarantee the incomes of freelancers in SuperSport Productions, who are currently unable to work due to the suspension of sport and the national lockdown.
