In an exciting turn of events the country’s prestigious music awards, the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) and the Botswana Music and Entertainment Week (BMEW) have bagged new sponsorships with the leading entertainment brand, MTV Base and homegrown subscription-based streaming service UPIC TV. Organizers of the weeklong BMEW that will be wrapped up with the BOMU awards have commended the newly introduced sponsors who will further cement the legacy created by Botswana artists on the music night.
The organizer of the music awards and founder of Total Music Group (TMG), Seabelo Modibe has revealed that UPIC TV has committed P150 000, which will directly go towards paying part of the venue costs and flight tickets for the confirmed speakers. MTV Base is the event’s media partner and they will flight advertisements and cover the events of the entire music week and the awards ceremony.
“The awards this year will be a top-notch classy event. The plan is to make sure that in 2023 we retain all the sponsors we have and grow with them,” Modibe said.
Modibe further lauded other sponsors of the awards who include the Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) and the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture (MYSC) for their contribution in supporting the music industry that is determined to cross boundaries with their home-grown talent.
This year’s installation of the BOMU awards slated for December 3rd at the Gaborone International Convention Center (GICC) will for the first time become a part of the weeklong music and creative festivities of the Botswana Music and Entertainment Week. The schedule will feature the BOMU awards, Botswana International Music Conference, the first ever Women of Song Workshop, various talent showcases and the awards Pre and After Parties.
Modibe said: “We are urging other sponsors to hop onboard, there is still a lot of opportunities in the music week. Over and above the speakers that we have announced on our social media platforms we are confirming the MD of Viacom/Paramount Africa (MTV Base, BET, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon).”
About MTV Base and UPICTV
MTV Base is the leading youth entertainment brand and the best place to watch original series, and stay up to date on today’s celebrity news and music. UPIC TV is a homegrown subscription-based streaming service that hosts a bouquet of local and international titles that has a particular focus on locally produced dramas, movies, comedies, and continuity programs. The digital content platform’s purpose is to showcase the best that Botswana has to offer, with an emphasis on diverse, locally sourced, and produced content that pays homage to local traditions, document realities, and invent new ways of honoring Batswana.