Wenslus Murape
Mathew Masinge
Information Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere has urged the new Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) board to quickly foster compliance and deal with misinformation.
Minister Muswere was speaking during an induction workshop for the new board of directors at its offices in Harare.
The Minister said the Government is concerned with the level of misinformation by herbalists and prophets who have flooded the public domain advertising their products.
Some of the broadcasted messages include getting rich instantly, bringing back lost lovers, and telling congregants to pin their hopes on wristbands.
“We can’t allow our people to be manipulated by agents of misinformation who are targeting the unsuspecting members of the public.
“BAZ has the mandate to correct the narrative and build the nation based on our heritage as a people.
“Our people have to work hard with their own hands while BAZ corrects the content being broadcasted under its watch,” said Minister Muswere.
The Minister said he is looking forward to seeing growth in the Zimbabwean broadcasting sector.
“We expect the new board of directors to license new players for commercial, private, and community radio stations so that there is information dissemination across the country.
“We also urge them to adopt us of technologically advanced tools for broadcasting, tracking, and surveillance systems to achieve broadcasting sovereignty,” he said.
Minister Muswere said BAZ’s monitoring role on local broadcasters must reflect the correct picture about Zimbabwe ensuring that every citizen has a part to play towards vision 2030.
BAZ board chairperson Valentine Mutatu pledged to preserve the Zimbabwean identity through his leadership.
“We intend to implement ethical conduct within our scope of work and complaints within the organization.
“We wish to foster an environment for innovation and creativity at BAZ, to collaborate with industry partners and implement cost-cutting measures and leverage technology and improve efficiency,” said Mutatu.
He said they will soon foster a conducive environment to lure foreign investors into the local broadcasting industry.
Other members that make up the board of directors are Saliwe Njolomole, Munyaradzi Hwengwere, Melody Mbira Harry, Maggie Chiramwira, and Joshua Murire.
Part of the added responsibility is to correct information that is broadcasted across the country and the tracking of information by all broadcasters.
The board of directors has also signed a one-year performance contract and are expected to sign new players in the next five months.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter