Online Reporter
Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has given Transmedia Corporation a deadline to complete a raft of transmission projects before the 2027 Independence Day celebrations in Masvingo.
This comes as the national signal carrier moves to expand radio coverage to 85 percent and television reach to 43 percent.
The projects will extend broadcasting services to underserved areas including Gokwe, Chivi, Gutu, Rutenga and Chikombedzi, with Government saying it expects all legacy projects earmarked for the 2027 celebrations to be completed next year.
The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services is already being required to provide Cabinet with progress reports on the projects, putting pressure on Transmedia to accelerate implementation.
Speaking at Transmedia’s Performance Review and Improvement Training Workshop in Harare yesterday, Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana, in a speech read on his behalf by Director of Media and Information Services Mr George Chisoko, said the projects had to be completed before the national celebrations.
“As a Ministry, our encouragement to Transmedia is that all the projects promised for 2027 must be completed before Independence Day 2027,” said Mr Mangwana.
“This is the message coming from all the meetings we are attending, including Cabinet meetings, where we are asked to report on progress with these projects.”
Mr Mangwana said the Office of the President and Cabinet had requested the submission of legacy projects for the 2027 Independence celebrations, with Transmedia submitting several projects for consideration.
Transmedia chief executive Engineer Adonia Mushosho said the parastatal was targeting a significant improvement in national broadcasting coverage, with radio coverage currently standing at 81.5 percent and expected to reach 85 percent by the end of the current financial year.
“We will start with radio coverage, which is the most commonly used service, especially in remote and underserved areas,” Eng Mushosho said.
One of the immediate projects is the upgrade of the Montrose transmitter in Bulawayo, which Eng Mushosho said would be completed within the next 10 days.
Gokwe is among the areas expected to benefit from the cascading of the equipment, while Mount Darwin is next in line, with contracts already signed and payments made.
The transmitter cascading programme is designed to allow equipment replaced at major transmission sites to be redeployed to areas where coverage remains weak, helping Transmedia expand its footprint without relying entirely on new equipment for every site.
For the Masvingo 2027 Independence legacy projects, Transmedia plans to install FM transmitters at Rutenga for National FM and Radio Zimbabwe.
New projects are also planned for Gutu Community Radio Station and a digital television transmitter in Gutu during the first quarter of 2027, while a Chikombedzi FM transmitter is expected to be completed before the end of this year.
The projects are expected to improve access to broadcasting services in communities that have historically experienced limited coverage.
On television, Eng Mushosho said Transmedia planned to install five digital terrestrial television transmitters this year. The equipment has already been procured and is expected to arrive in October.
The television signal transmitter rollout will raise national digital terrestrial television coverage from the current 38 percent to 43 percent, according to Transmedia.
Transmedia Board chair Engineer Lawrence Nkala said the corporation’s performance review workshop sought to help the organisation improve execution and ensure that its plans translated into results.
