daniel chigunwe
Talent Gore
INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere has rallied Transmedia Corporation to ramp up efforts to make sure Zimbabwe completes the transition from analogue to digital.
In his address at Transmedia’s strategic planning workshop in Harare yesterday, Dr Muswere said the country was lagging behind in going digital.
“The 2006 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) decision requires us to ensure that we transition from analogue to digital,” he said.
“And, the cut-off date was 2015.
“Now, we are nine years behind in terms of the implementation of the transition.
“I hope and trust this strategic planning review workshop will focus primarily on ensuring that as a country we transition from analogue to digital.”
Min Muswere added:
“Some of the challenges that we face currently are that we have 38 percent of television coverage in our country and we have 62 percent radio coverage which means Transmedia as the signal carrier has compromised media sovereignty.
“We trust and believe that this workshop is not going to allow intellectual laziness amongst everyone here, this brainstorming is going to allow Transmedia as an institution to achieve media sovereignty across the country.”
Min Muswere said there was a need for Transmedia to cut some of the costs so that they would be able to rehabilitate their headquarters.
“Part of the cost cutting also includes ensuring that we leave this business of sleeping in hotels, we should be able to pour our resources to correct priorities,” he said.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter