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Bruce Ndlovu
The onset of digitalisation will also see an end to the era of free access to the national broadcaster ZBC, as it looks for more efficient ways of revenue collection.
The national broadcaster has in the past struggled with its revenue collection system, with the door to door collection of licence fees proving an inefficient and cumbersome endeavour.
Transmedia chief executive officer Florence Sigudu-Matambo said that the fees they were expecting viewers to pay would be reasonable, with the amount dependent on the service that a viewer required.
a�?The fees that viewers will be required to pay range from $3 to $5 a month. The modes of payment are simple modes of payment like EcoCash, Telecash or banks.
a�?That is if they have paid for the free-to-air product which is simple access or if you are going for a subscription which also is in place. We dona��t want a situation where people just watch television and dona��t pay,a�? she said.
With the race on for content producers to come up with products that will prop a hopefully new and improved ZBC, Sigudu-Matambo said that the challenge was coming up with a system that ensured that TV programme producers would get value for their money.
a�?If we have the equipment, the content and its creators but not an efficient way of collecting revenue then we wona��t have enough resources poured into this project which the Government has invested so much on,a�? she said.
Sigudu-Matambo said that the new Head End system that would be introduced with digitalisation would help in replacing the obsolete system of door to door fee collection.
a�?As of now we collect licence fees physically from door to door. The Head End system will facilitate better collection of licence fees and access fees. At the Head End that is where we will grant access to viewers if they have paid,a�? she said. .
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