How safe is bongo star search’s future?

Rita Paulsens founder and chief judge of Bongo Star Search congratulates Kayumba after he was declared winner.
Cover photo courtesy of Osei Sinare

What you need to know:

The talent search show celebrates its tenth  
anniversary  this year  at a time when many shows of its type
are facing problems with funding.

Dar es Salaam. It has been a bad year as far as the awards ceremonies and talent search shows are concerned and the future for some is indeed very bleak.
There are still some 16 weeks to the end of the year and some might say there is still time for organisers to stage something but time doesn’t seem to be on their side.
Shows such as Tusker Project Fame and Big Brother Africa are running into the third and second successive seasons respectively without any wind of what is happening.
Locally, the possibility of holding Miss Tanzania which was once upon a time one of the hottest dates on the entertainment calendar remains quite a guess ever since Sitti Mtemvu abdicated her crown.
The events that followed plus legal wrangles among the franchise holders threw the contest into disarray.
Organizers have continued to struggle with funding leaving the institution’s underbelly badly exposed and as many have put it, theirs was a self inflicted pain.
As for the case of Kilimanjaro Music Awards which was once the most consistent awards ceremony in the region, not much can be said as officials remain tight lipped as the event is shrouded in mystery.
 It has now become a lengthy narrative that keeps changing its form on a regular basis with different versions of what everyone calls the truth.
This plus others like the failure of the Tanzania Film federations to hold the second awards night have been mind boggling in many ways.  These stories are not refreshing at all by any means!

Where is BSS?
But as we are about to wind up one question pops up, can Bongo Star Search beat the odds to prevail where others seem to have scored dismally?
The show which marks its 10th anniversary this year is equally on the wrong side of the clock but insiders argue that they are still looking forward to what could be the greatest show.
 “No not at all, we at a stage where we are about to reveal something has never happened in the talent search shows in this country,” says one insider.
The source further confided in this reporter saying that what the brains behind BSS are thinking of this time around is to do an East African show, especially with the production house’s recent association with media giants Azam TV.
“They are planning on holding auditions in the three cities of Nairobi, Kampala and then finalise with Dar es Salaam before they embark on a boot camp!” says the source.
This according to our sources will increase the show’s visibility across the region and add more glamour as the blending of different contestants from different cultural backgrounds will raise the stakes.
“They are trying to be smart in order to beat the bad wind that has plagued such shows especially this year by holding the finals in another other than Dar es Salaam,” adds the source.
This, however, according to BSS diehards will take the show away from the original objective which was to harness local talent into stardom.

Rita Paulsen’s response
Even with the rumours flying left and right, Rita Paulsen the founder of the Bongo Star Search has remained tight lipped on whether the 10th anniversary will actually take place.
She neither admits nor denies the claims that are being put at her doorstep on almost a daily basis.
“By the way who gave you that information? Wait when the time is right we shall use the proper channels to announce as we have always done,” says Rita in a rather bemused tone.
Some of the critics of the show argue that since the founder has since found a new show ‘Rita Paulsen Show’, she will therefore fail to handle all these assignments. In a recent interview she maintained that ‘she can chew gum and walk’ at the same time saying handling one extra show cannot be a source of distraction at all!
“The production requirements of these shows are extremely different and so is the team, so I don’t see how these rumours come into perspective,” says Rita Paulsen.
She remains adamant that the remaining days are quite enough to rally her production team to put up a great show that suits the 10th anniversary.

What others say
With almost a decade of the show’s existence it remains popular amongst the youth who see it as a platform into the limelight.
Though the show is yet to produce a star to dominate the industry those that have been part of it say it is only an avenue that one is supposed to use and what you do thereafter is what matters.
Amina Mohammed, 19, is a Form Four leaver who believes she is talented and can make it to greater levels in the industry but she lacks the platform to showcase her talent. “There is always a reason why young people enter that contest but as far as I am concerned it is the only place where I can show Tanzania that I have something to give,” says the 19-year-old.
She is looking forward to the auditions this year anxiously.
“Even if they stage it in Mbeya as long as they make the announcements in time, I have already saved some money to take me wherever it will be held,” she says with determination.
She represents thousands across the country who are looking forward to the auditions which are yet to be announced with some saying it is set for mid September.
Dar es Salaam
It has been a bad year as far as the awards ceremonies and talent search shows are concerned and the future for some is indeed very bleak.
There are still some 16 weeks to the end of the year and some might say there is still time for organisers to stage something but time doesn’t seem to be on their side.
Shows such as Tusker Project Fame and Big Brother Africa are running into the third and second successive seasons respectively without any wind of what is happening.
Locally, the possibility of holding Miss Tanzania which was once upon a time one of the hottest dates on the entertainment calendar remains quite a guess ever since Sitti Mtemvu abdicated her crown.
The events that followed plus legal wrangles among the franchise holders threw the contest into disarray.
Organizers have continued to struggle with funding leaving the institution’s underbelly badly exposed and as many have put it, theirs was a self inflicted pain.
As for the case of Kilimanjaro Music Awards which was once the most consistent awards ceremony in the region, not much can be said as officials remain tight lipped as the event is shrouded in mystery.
 It has now become a lengthy narrative that keeps changing its form on a regular basis with different versions of what everyone calls the truth.
This plus others like the failure of the Tanzania Film federations to hold the second awards night have been mind boggling in many ways.  These stories are not refreshing at all by any means!

Where is BSS?
But as we are about to wind up one question pops up, can Bongo Star Search beat the odds to prevail where others seem to have scored dismally?
The show which marks its 10th anniversary this year is equally on the wrong side of the clock but insiders argue that they are still looking forward to what could be the greatest show.
 “No not at all, we at a stage where we are about to reveal something has never happened in the talent search shows in this country,” says one insider.
The source further confided in this reporter saying that what the brains behind BSS are thinking of this time around is to do an East African show, especially with the production house’s recent association with media giants Azam TV.
“They are planning on holding auditions in the three cities of Nairobi, Kampala and then finalise with Dar es Salaam before they embark on a boot camp!” says the source.
This according to our sources will increase the show’s visibility across the region and add more glamour as the blending of different contestants from different cultural backgrounds will raise the stakes.
“They are trying to be smart in order to beat the bad wind that has plagued such shows especially this year by holding the finals in another other than Dar es Salaam,” adds the source.
This, however, according to BSS diehards will take the show away from the original objective which was to harness local talent into stardom.

Rita Paulsen’s response
Even with the rumours flying left and right, Rita Paulsen the founder of the Bongo Star Search has remained tight lipped on whether the 10th anniversary will actually take place.
She neither admits nor denies the claims that are being put at her doorstep on almost a daily basis.
“By the way who gave you that information? Wait when the time is right we shall use the proper channels to announce as we have always done,” says Rita in a rather bemused tone.
Some of the critics of the show argue that since the founder has since found a new show ‘Rita Paulsen Show’, she will therefore fail to handle all these assignments. In a recent interview she maintained that ‘she can chew gum and walk’ at the same time saying handling one extra show cannot be a source of distraction at all!
“The production requirements of these shows are extremely different and so is the team, so I don’t see how these rumours come into perspective,” says Rita Paulsen.
She remains adamant that the remaining days are quite enough to rally her production team to put up a great show that suits the 10th anniversary.

What others say
With almost a decade of the show’s existence it remains popular amongst the youth who see it as a platform into the limelight.
Though the show is yet to produce a star to dominate the industry those that have been part of it say it is only an avenue that one is supposed to use and what you do thereafter is what matters.
Amina Mohammed, 19, is a Form Four leaver who believes she is talented and can make it to greater levels in the industry but she lacks the platform to showcase her talent. “There is always a reason why young people enter that contest but as far as I am concerned it is the only place where I can show Tanzania that I have something to give,” says the 19-year-old.
She is looking forward to the auditions this year anxiously.
“Even if they stage it in Mbeya as long as they make the announcements in time, I have already saved some money to take me wherever it will be held,” she says with determination.
She represents thousands across the country who are looking forward to the auditions which are yet to be announced with some saying it is set for mid September.