Zimbabwe to have six or more television stations

Zimbabwe is to have six or more television stations as the Ministry of Information wants viewers to have a wide variety as well as competition in the industry which is currently monopolised by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

This was said by Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa in response to a question by Senator Jane Chifamba who wanted to know why Zimbabwe did not have a multiplicity of players.

“As the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, in the next 100 days our mandate is to issue out licences to private television operators or players,” she said.

“We are looking forward to about 6 more television stations coming on board so that we give our viewers variety and that there is competition in that industry which will culminate in quality viewing and content that helps our people in learning a lot of things.  It is an issue that we are seriously looking at in the second republic so that we open up our airwaves.”

Asked if the television operators are going to be independent and not be under ZBC, Mutsvangwa said: “I would like to tell Hon. Chifamba that at present our Ministry is not interfering with what is occurring at ZBC.  We only give policy which guides them.  There are editors who ensure that the type of news that comes through ZBC is in line with the policy.  It is not the duty of government to force television stations to broadcast what government wants, but to broadcast what the people of Zimbabwe want.”

Q &A:

*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA:  Thank you Madam President.  May the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services inform us as to why Zimbabwe as a country that became independent in 1980, has a single television station.  Why do we not have a multiplicity of television players?  I thank you.

*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND BROADCASTING SERVICES (HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA):  Thank you Madam President.  I believe if she once read she might have observed that as the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, in the next 100 days our mandate is to issue out licences to private television operators or players.  We are looking forward to about 6 more television stations coming on board so that we give our viewers variety and that there is competition in that industry which will culminate in quality viewing and content that helps our people in learning a lot of things.  It is an issue that we are seriously looking at in the second republic so that we open up our airwaves.  I thank you.

*HON. SEN. CHIFAMBA:   Are these television operators going to be independent and not be under ZBC, that they will be free to air their own programming.

*HON. SEN. MUTSVANGWA:  I would like to tell Hon. Chifamba that at present our Ministry is not interfering with what is occurring at ZBC.  We only give policy which guides them.  There are editors who ensure that the type of news that comes through ZBC is in line with the policy.  It is not the duty of Government to force television stations to broadcast what Government wants, but to broadcast what the people of Zimbabwe want.  I thank you.

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