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Harare Bureau
The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Professor Jonathan Moyo yesterday met the Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Lin Lin and discussed issues affecting the media industry. The meeting was held at Prof Moyo’s Munhumutapa Offices.
Sources that attended the meeting told reporters that Prof Moyo shared with Ambassador Lin the printing challenges in Bulawayo.
The source said Prof Moyo highlighted challenges being faced by media houses in importing newsprint from South Africa.
The minister is said to have proposed that newsprint be imported from China on better terms and to have a Chinese company providing a printing press for Bulawayo.
“Minister Moyo pointed out that Bulawayo is badly serviced in terms of printing,” said the source.
“Minister Moyo said Harare is better serviced especially following the acquisition of new state-of-the-art printing press by Zimpapers.”
The source said Prof Moyo paid tribute to the Chinese government for donating a high technological digital outside broadcasting van to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
He said Prof Moyo indicated that the OB van was the first of its kind in the region and countries such as South Africa and Tanzania were keen to hire it.
The source said Prof Moyo said although ZBC was privileged to have such modern equipment, he expressed dissatisfaction on the state of the national broadcaster’s studios which are still using analogue transmission.
“He (Prof Moyo) expressed disappointment that ZBC was still to digitalise its studios. As such, he said what people watch on ZTV was still of poor quality adding that people were still to see the benefits of the high technological equipment donated by China.”
The source said Prof Moyo highlighted that next year Zimbabwe would assume the chairmanship of Sadc and as such, it would be expected to meet the 2015 digitalisation deadline set by the International Telecommunication Union during its chairmanship of the regional body.
He said Prof Moyo said the country needed 48 sites for it to be fully on digital platform and that Prof Moyo indicated that the country was still lagging behind in terms of digital transmission.
The source said Prof Moyo also briefed Ambassador Lin on the new economic blueprint adopted by Government which is known as Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (Zim Asset).
The source said Prof Moyo said the document was still with the printers and it might be launched by President Mugabe sometime next week.
“The minister took Ambassador Lin through the various clusters in that framework and challenges that are there in the area of infrastructural development,” said the source.
“He (Prof Moyo) also indicated that Finance Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa was keen to visit his Chinese counterpart before presenting his 2014 National Budget with a view to mobilise resources.”
The source said Ambassador Lin confirmed that everything seemed to be well on course regarding Minister Chinamasa’s visit.
He said Ambassador Lin welcomed Zanu-PF’s resounding victory in the 31 July harmonised elections as it collapsed policy discord manifested by the inclusive Government.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Ambassador Lin said Beijing was ready to work with Zimbabwe.
“In the area of information and media, we can provide some support to the Zimbabwe side,” he said.
“We have provided the OB van for ZBC and we are discussing further some assistance in other areas. For example, we are going to give some assistance for providing printing equipment for Zimpapers.”
Online Reporter