Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has revised fees for broadcasting licences that were previously pegged in United States dollars and set them in the local currency and allowed colleges, universities and other educational institutions to operate radio stations.
The initial application fee for a Free to Air National Radio Broadcasting Service is now $42 500, which is non-refundable while the application fee for public inquiry is $127 500 (non-refundable). The new regulations are contained in Statutory Instrument 27 of 2020, titled Broadcasting Services (Licensing and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (No3).
SI27/20 was made in terms of the Broadcasting Services (Licensing and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2004, published in SI 185 of 2004 and had the approval of the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.
“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services has, in terms of section 46 of the Broadcasting Services Act (Chapter 12:06) approved the following regulations made by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) Board: These regulations may be cited as the Broadcasting Services (Licensing and Content) (Amendment) Regulations. 2020 (No. 3) …” read part of the new regulations.
SI27/20 also takes into account the need for colleges, universities and other educational institutions to operate radio stations whose programming should be exclusively by students and mainly for educational programmes in media and broadcasting studies.
“In addition to the classes of broadcasting services that a licensee may be permitted to provide in terms of section 7 of the Act, a broadcasting licence may authorise the licensee to provide a Campus Radio Station, which means a broadcasting service run and owned by a college, university or other educational institution whose programming is exclusively by students and broadcast mainly educational programmes for the training of students in media and broadcasting studies,” it said.
Government is already working on establishing 10 new community radio stations countrywide in the country to empower marginalised communities through universal access to information.
The pilot project is targeting communities whose languages are not at present “on air”, with Binga and Hwange being the only two districts to benefit in Matabeleland North.
Other stations will be in Plumtree and Gwanda in Matabeleland South as well as stations in Shamva, Chikombedzi, Chipinge, Nyanga and Chimanimani.
Government will assist communities with radio infrastructure and support for operations and training.
The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services and the BAZ are currently hosting community radio sensitisation workshops.
BAZ has been waiting for the gazetting of the new regulations and revision of the broadcasting frequency plan before the licensing authority starts calling for applications. — @mashnets
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