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Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter
THE media should actively promote the country’s cultural heritage, national character and identity, as these are key enablers not only in nation-building, but the attainment of an upper-middle class economy by 2030.
This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere while officiating at the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ)’s board members’ induction in Harare yesterday.
Dr Muswere said the Government was pulling out all the stops in ensuring information dissemination throughout the length and breadth of the country.
This, he said, was important in enhancing Brand Zimbabwe.
“What is precisely taking place here today is an induction workshop and part of the responsibility of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe is to license new players that reflect on our cultural heritage, that reflect on our national character, our identity as a people and at the same time ensuring that we focus primarily on nation building,” Dr Muswere said.
“Nation building in terms of our heritage, nation building in terms of vision, and also nation building in terms of the preservation and maintenance of our languages, our culture as a people.
“So, part of the board of directors’ responsibility is to license new players, commercial, private players and other new community radio stations so that we ensure that there is information ubiquity across the country, thereby ensuring that we leave no one and no place behind”.
The BAZ board members also signed one year performance contracts yesterday, with Dr Muswere telling them to hit the ground running in the discharge of their duties.
He said more local broadcasters would be licensed in the next few months.
“And part of the added responsibility in terms of a numerical achievable outcome and output that we expect the board to be able to deliver is the utilisation of technologically advanced broadcasting, tracking and surveillance systems that are going to ensure that broadcasting sovereignty is achieved in terms of the dissemination of information, and that we are in compliance with our customs, traditions, and culture, and also that the correct information, which also promotes national cohesion, is broadcast across the country,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the utilisation and tracking of broadcasters in terms of the content that is being generated should reflect the correct picture about Zimbabwe.
“We must ensure that each and every Zimbabwean has a part to play towards Vision 2030 in nation building,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the performance contracts signed by the BAZ board members would ensure that they deliver on their mandate.
“So they signed performance contracts, which is part of the New Dispensation, because what gets measured gets done. So, the contracts also have that numerical pattern in terms of deliverables, because we want to grow the broadcasting sector in our country and we want to achieve information sovereignty in our country”.
BAZ chairman Mr Valentine Mutatu said the board would ensure that BAZ operates optimally and meets set goals and targets.
“We wish to encourage experimentation and risk-taking to drive new ideas and solutions and also to collaborate with industry partners, academia and startups to identify emerging strengths and opportunities.
“We also wish to enhance efficiency within the organisation by embarking on a thorough review of BAZ’s operations to identify areas for improvement. We also wish to implement cost-saving measures and optimise resource allocation,” he said.
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