Maridadi says no radio station in Zimbabwe is making a profit

Let me talk about Capitalk, Capitalk is supposed to transmit within a 40 km radius of Harare.  In the same city of Harare, there is ZBC with four radio stations; Zimpapers with another radio station, so we have about seven radio stations that are fighting for the same listener.  It is different from what ZBC was like in 1992 when it was the only broadcasting station.  It had 4 million people listening at any given time.  Those 4 million people had no choice but to listen to ZBC but it was a question of whether they were listening to radio two, three or radio one but all of them were listening to ZBC at any time. 

I remember there was a time when ZBC would then transmit news which is ready in one studio and it is transmitted to all four radio station.  So, what it means is that listeners at one point at the top of the hour would listen to ZBC without choice because it was the only broadcasting institution which was transmitting. Now, having said that Mr. Speaker, the BAZ must cast their net wide.  We cannot have a country that has only four people operating radio stations.  We cannot have that.  In South Africa, they have community radio stations where in Soweto alone, you have more than ten radio stations operating.  In other countries, you have a community radio station operating, covering only four lines and people will have to dial the radio stations they want but in Zimbabwe that is not the case.  I do not understand why Mr. Speaker, all radio stations should be run by the Zimpapers, AB Communications and the ZBC, as if these are the only people with monopoly of knowledge of how to run the radio stations.  This is a very dangerous situation.

I am imagining a situation where these three owners of radio stations collude and one day they go on radio stations and say, no, the current President is no longer President, we have a new President.  There will be chaos in this country.  No one will contest them because those are the only three people that own radio stations.  Mr. Speaker, the issue of Minister approaching RBZ on behalf of radio stations, to me is not sustainable.  The role of the Minister is to come up with policy governing the way radio stations operate and to come up with an environment that enables radio stations to operate.  The Minister cannot get involved in sourcing foreign currency on behalf of radio stations.  In any case, when you apply for a licence to start a radio station, you must be able to know what is in it for you.  You must be able to know that you are getting into a business, when you get into a business, there is a risk and one of the risks of getting into broadcasting is that you might not get foreign currency to procure equipment for you to be able to transmit. 

My recommendations Mr. Speaker are that; firstly, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe needs to change the area of transmission of a radio station.  Secondly, they need to cast their net wide in terms of those that are able to run radio stations.  I can guarantee you Mr. Speaker, they can give licences to as many people as possible but very few people will be able to transmit because operating radio station is not a ‘stroll in the park on a Sunday morning’.  It is very expensive because you need advertising revenue.  Without advertising revenue, you will not be able to survive.  Mr. Speaker, with those few words, I rest my case and thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to debate.  I thank you. 

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