adminEntertainment Correspondent
Viewers have welcomed the move by ZBC to engage South African signal career Sentech to provide for a channel that will screen Zimbabwean and SABC’s programmes. In a survey, people said the move was welcome as ZBC has no money to access quality programmes. “It is a good move since we will continue to watch our favourite soaps only that we will be doing it legally,” said Tackmore Ncube.
Others who could not afford to pay for pay-per-view bouquets like DStv said the new channel will make ZBC more entertaining than it is at the moment.
“Of late, I only use my television set to watch movies. I think if ZBC partner SABC most people will be able to watch their favourite channels,” said one a woman who identified herself as Mai Taku.
The majority of the people said they were left in the cold since the free-to-air decoders had become useless.
“We are struggling to have food on the table and I can’t afford to subscribe to DStv, we had invested in setting up the decoders and satellite dishes,” said another viewer.
Others however, felt ZBC should not rely on foreign broadcasters to entertain Zimbabweans.
“It’s a national broadcaster and its sole mandate is to educate, inform and entertain members of the public since it is run by tax payers’ money. Roping in the South Africans means that they have failed and heads should roll at the institution,” said Kumbirai Fodya.
Other people said watching SABC was causing cultural decay. Gogo Mudzamiri said some of SABC’s programming encouraged immorality.
“ZBC should return to its old glory days when people could take pride in local dramas such as Mukadota, Mutirowafanza, Gringo’ and Paraffin, among others. This Generations programme promotes homosexuality,” she said.
Zimbabwean viewers who for many years had relied on SABC channels through free-to-air decoders were affected after Sentech changed its encryption software making their SABC channels 1, 2 and 3 inaccessible in southern Africa.
Online Reporter