Strides made in freeing airwaves

Herald Reporter 

Giant strides have been made by the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services under the 100-Day Cycle which has seen 14 community radio stations being licensed and the completion of some digital terrestrial television projects which now await commissioning. 

Speaking at a post Cabinet media briefing yesterday Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said progress had been made in her sector. 

She said the Chimanimani Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV) project which targeted upgrades and pilot home installations among other works was completed and now awaiting commissioning. 

The Gokwe DTTV is also ready for launching. 

“Under the Nyangani Community Radio Station Installation project, the relevant works are at advanced stages of completion and the station is expected to go on air before the end of the 8th 100-Day Cycle. 

“Eight community radio stations were licensed, bringing the total number of community radio stations licensed across the country so far to 14. In related language-based community broadcasting matters, equipment donated by UNICEF for the operationalisation of the Chimanimani Community Radio Station was handed over on 27 September, 2021, and civil works for the Station are underway,” she said. 

Minister Mutsvangwa said for the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Campus Radio Station Installation project, the antenna system and transmitters were put in place and studio renovations and civil works for the installation proper of the campus radio station were on-going. 

“Under the targeted modernisation of the Radio Zimbabwe Studio project, an air conditioning system and console desk for the station’s Studio E were installed, while ancillary equipment was also purchased using ZBC’s own funds. 

“Under the National Awareness Audio-visual Productions project, two of the targeted five programmes were produced during the 8th 100-Day Cycle under the “Zimbabwe in Motion” television programme. To date, eight episodes of the programme that were produced during the 7th 100-Day Cycle have been aired on Zimbabwe Television (ZTV),” she said. 

The Second Republic adopted the 100-day cycle programme to increase effectiveness of its operations and create operational efficiencies in the implementation of national priority projects.