Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
Directors of broadcasting entities in Zimbabwe and all broadcasting licence holders will all have to be citizens as under the present law, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere told the National Assembly yesterday.
He said this while responding to issues raised by parliamentarians during the Second Reading debate of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill.
“I will move to the second issue that allows up to 40 percent in terms of foreign ownership in broadcasting licences, which has a lot of impact in terms of local media control.
“We have taken note of this, and as I’ve already indicated, that there will not be any changes to the particular section. It will remain as it is to the effect that no person, rather than the citizen of Zimbabwe, shall be director of a licensee. This relates to the territorial integrity in the governance of the nation, in that media sovereignty is very key. What we broadcast relates to what we have. The media sector is a very sensitive security issue, which can create a lot of instability in any nation. So, by virtue of that, there won’t be any amendments to this particular section.”
The Minister had taken note of suggestions that there be a provision in the Bill to take into account technological developments and convergence in the media.
“I move to item 4, that there be a provision in the Bill to cater for convergence in broadcasting that is, to the merging of different types of mass media, such as joint media, broadcast media, new media, and the internet as well as portable and highly interactive technologies through digital media. We have taken note of that”
Dr Muswere defended the reduction of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe board from 12 to seven saying this was meant to streamline its composition in line with its mandate and institutions it superintends.
“The board composition, the board size, should reflect to the practises, to the reality in terms of organisational management, it should reflect in terms of the unit of command, it should reflect in terms of the span of order, it should reflect in terms of organisational efficiency, and it should also reflect in terms of the constitutional obligations that are before us,” Dr Muswere said.
On whether there was need to clarify the role of community radio stations in terms of covering political issues, Dr Muswere said the law was clear.
“Community radio stations are clearly defined in terms of the Broadcasting Services Act and also in terms of the Statutory Instrument that supports the establishment of community stations. The importance of community radio stations is that they mainly focus on the indigenous language broadcasting.”
