Special Freedom Day Boradcasts

As we celebrate 20 years of Freedom in our country, various channels are planning special programming to commemorate the event, our first without our first democartically elected president Nelson Mandela.

As expected, SABC News will be carrying the carrying the 'official proceedings' live from the Union Buildings at 10am, simulcast on SABC 2.

eNCA will be re-airing the documentary The Blood Miracle at 1pm and again at 9pm. Their special coverage starts at 8am with special guests and senior anchors being brought in.

All three local news channels will have special coverage throughout the day.

Carte Blanche (Mnet, 7pm) will be airing Carte Blanche: 20 Years of Democracy. The synopsis is as follows :"
In the run up to the first democratic elections in 1994, a fearless breed of young photojournalists roamed the townships of Tokoza and Katlehong on Johannesburg’s East Rand, documenting a civil war that caused hundreds of deaths and displacement. 

Now, two decades later, these middle-aged and hardened lens-men remember that pivotal era of transition and the man who led the pack. 

Ken Oosterbroek died in a hail of bullets in the streets of Tokoza just days before the election, leaving a legacy of definitive photographs of those dark and dangerous days. This Sunday Carte Blanche looks back at a time etched in blood. "

Mzansi Magic has the documentary Countdown to Freedom at various times on Sunday and throughout the week on their group of channels. The synopsis is as follows: "Countdown To Freedom, a ground breaking documentary which was filmed 20 years ago in April 1994 at the personal invitation of then President in Waiting, Nelson Mandela, will be broadcast for the first time on television on Freedom Day, Sunday, 27 April on Mzansi Magic at 16:00. "

Kyknet has various special editions of their programs Jukebox (focussing on music in a free South Africa), Toks 'n  Tjops (Focusing on Sport in the new South Africa) and Robinsons Regstreeks (focussing on the upcoming elections).

 PERSONAL ANALYSIS: The Mzansi group of channels along with Vuzu, all local channels, all have special on air idents celebrating 20 years of freedom. I find that it is quite eyebrow raising that not one of the local channels that do not have primarily black target markets have on air logos like these channels. These include Kyknet and MNet, all of which have versions exculsive to the South African market. Do viewers of these channels not celebrate Freedom Day? The excuse that those channels are broadcast in other countries does not stand considering that we often see on air idents celebrating freedom in other countries on the Africa Magic channels yet here they seem to be 'protecting' the rest of the continent from knowing that South Africa is celebrating Freedom Day.