admin
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for attempting to undermine its application for a national radio licence when he told Parliament on Wednesday that “we cannot have the same people who are controlling the print media want again to go into radio”.
Zimpapers chairman Dr Paul Chimedza yesterday said the Prime Minister’s utterances were meant to negatively influence the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe against issuing a radio licence to Zimpapers.
“It is our prayer and hope that BAZ will adjudicate our application in a free and fair manner and will disregard all these other comments,” said Dr Chimedza.
According to the then repealed Section 19 of the Broadcasting Services Act, no broadcasting licensee was allowed to own or control a newspaper or own more than 10 percent of the securities (shares) in a board corporate owning or controlling a newspaper.
However, that particular provision was repealed in 2007 by the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act number 19 of 2007, meaning that companies like Zimbabwe Newspapers or Alpha Media qualify to apply, own or operate a radio or television station.
The amendment was supported and agreed to by the three main political parties to the current Global Political Agreement (Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC) to allow cross ownership between the print and electronic media.
ALSO SEE
“We find Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s comments baffling indeed as his party was part of the process that allowed all eligible companies and individuals to be licensed to offer broadcasting services. One is left to speculate which companies did the Prime Minister want to be allowed to have cross-ownership and which did he want shackled?” asked Dr Chimedza.
The Zimpapers application for a radio licence has sent shockwaves among some opposition newspapers, their foreign-funded compatriots and non-governmental organisations who feel threatened by the newspaper
group’s capacity to launch a successful radio station.
Misa opposed the application even before the company went for a public hearing.
Dr Chimedza said it was a common trend throughout the world and in most developing African countries such as Kenya and South Africa for newspaper companies to operate radio and television stations.
He said: “Zimpapers is moving with these space age trends and refuses to be boxed by a stone age mentality on what we should or should not do.”
In Kenya, the country’s biggest newspaper company the Nation Media Group – which is a public-listed company, owns several radio and television stations. Its brands include the Daily Nation, Business Daily, The East African, Africa Review, Monitor in Uganda, Citizen in Tanzania, NTV, NTV Uganda and Easy FM, 99.3KFM, Mobile Sites – Daily Nation, Africa Review, Business Daily, Syndication Site and Mobile Apps, E papers – Paid Products, Mobile Alerts Service, Mobile Interactive Services – Opinion Polls, Radio Engagement and TV shows.
In South Africa, public-quoted media companies such as Naspers, better known as Media24, own both electronic media and print media.
The electronic media arm of Naspers is MIH Holdings and controls Naspers’ pay-television notably DSTV, MultiChoice and SuperSport, internet and related technology activities. MIH Holdings either owns or operates pay-television and internet subscriber platforms in Africa, Greece, Cyprus, Thailand and China.
The print media arm of Naspers is Media24, which controls Naspers’ newspaper and magazine publishing as well as printing activities but also includes the internet activities of Media24 Digital.
Media24 is Africa’s largest publisher, printer and distributor of magazines and related products as well as one of its largest newspaper publishers. Its newspaper titles include: Rapport, Beeld, City Press, Daily Sun, Die Burger, The Witness and Volksblad.
Another listed media company in South Africa, Avusa, owns over 13 newspapers and magazines as well as Summit TV.
Dr Chimedza said Zimpapers, with over 600 shareholders who range from individual Zimbabweans across the political and colour line, insurance companies, statutory bodies, among others, was legally entitled to expand its business in all facets.
“What we believe at Zimpapers is that we continually create new value for our shareholders through innovation, dedication, passion and creativity. We will not shy away from tapping into other areas to grow our portfolio and enhance our profitability and we will never apologise for that,” said Dr Chimedza.
“Every Zimbabwean has the opportunity to be a shareholder of Zimpapers by buying shares on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, thereby participating in our various business ventures including owning a radio should we get the licence.
“We should be judged in the marketplace where we will either make it or fail.
“Instead of encouraging investment in the media industry, the Prime Minister is actually discouraging companies with the capacity to expand this industry and creating new jobs for journalists and others from doing so. I suppose the Prime Minister is only happy when investors are foreign, this is very strange indeed. The Prime Minister is not even an applicant for a radio licence, I wonder why he is crying more than the bereaved.
“Allow me to let everyone know whether they wish us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the preservation and increase of shareholder value and the success of Zimpapers as a group.”
Online Reporter