"1998 is the year of Science and Technology," says SABC3 Commissioning Editor, Johann van Staden, "and the channel believes that now, more than ever, technology is transforming the way we live.  Technology also holds fascinating opportunities for South Africa to address some important issues, like education and medical care."

BEYOND ON 3 goes on air on Sundays on SABC3 at 16h30, commencing 15 March, with a repeat broadcast every Tuesday evening at 22h45, after "Business Tonight".

Thirteen half-hour episodes of BEYOND ON 3, running from March to May 1998, will be broadcast on SABC3.

BEYOND ON 3 will be the only local sci-tech series focussing exclusively on New Media, the New Economy, Crucial Technology and the Digital Revolution.

"Think of it as a time capsule into the future," says Producer of the series, Gordon Greaves, "where you can gain a perspective of what it's like to live in the most exciting time ever in the history of civilization."

"It is our good fortune to be smack in the middle of a most remarkable age," says Greaves, "where breakthroughs in communication, education, medical care, commerce happen almost on an hourly basis. 

"But we are also living in a time where the ability to adapt and change is essential for survival.  Economics, commerce, education - every aspect of our lives is about to transform in a way that is so profound, it dwarfs any of the smaller miracles of the past, like Gutenberg's press or the Renaissance.

"Genetic bio-science is redefining the very ethics of human life; the Internet has now locked into society, companies are no longer defined by brick and mortar, and nor are their employees restricted by where or when they work.  Kids are getting cleverer, faster, and adults are more terrified than ever of losing control over a younger generation that is more technologically adroit than they are.  Using remote robotic surgery, a doctor in New York can operate on a patient in the Okavango.  A teacher in Johannesburg can teach a child in Lusikisiki.  A student in Durban can read a report in the Smithsonian Library - and have it instantly translated into Zulu.

"All we know for sure, here at the BEYOND ON 3 production studio, is that the future is going to be weird, it's going to be luminal and it's going to be the best of times to be alive. And that's what we want our viewers to see."

"We want to make BEYOND ON 3 the most successful convergence of TV and web interaction," says Greaves,  "and an irc chatroom, webcasts, streaming video-on-demand and a cyberstore are all in the pipeline."

The Presenter line up has expanded as well.  Stalwarts Pat Pillai and Tracy Going remain, but with the addition of Gloria Moshoeshoe and Greg Melvill-Smith as field reporters.

The production company responsible for the series is "TV Production Company":

Clive Todd is the series Director, Mike Burts SASC and Matthew Mulholland are  the cinematographers, Rian van der Walt is the Avid Supervising editor, assisted by Debbie Walker.  Christina Forman is the Line Producer, assisted by Production Co-ordinator, Julie Christie and Producton Secretary, Billi-Jean Parker.  Contributing writers include James Whyle and Rosie Fiore. 

The website designer is Andre de Villiers of The Cybershoppe. 

Gordon and Sandra Greaves, co-owners of TVPC, are the concept originators and the Producers.

Websites: