WATCH: Revamping of FM network in Gwanda progresses

Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Senior Reporter
THE country’s ongoing digitalisation project will see the revamping of the FM network in Gwanda through high-powered transmitters which will cover a radius of about 80 to 120km.

Currently, the services in Gwanda cover a 40km radius.

Speaking on the sidelines of a transmission site tour by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services in Gwanda yesterday, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) acting chief executive officer Mr Matthew Chakanyuka said one of the mandates of BAZ was to make sure that people have universal access to broadcasting services.

“What we’ve done to address the issue of coverage is to make sure that communities residing towards the border areas where there are challenges of reception of radio and television services get coverage. As a regulator, we checked for those communities and decided to give them licences of a community nature that’s why in this area, we’ve made sure that there’s a community radio station for the Ntepe-Manama area.

Secondly, under the digitalisation project, we’re going to revamp the FM network. Currently, the services in Gwanda cover a radius of 40km. Under the digitalisation project, we’re going to put high powered transmitters which will cover a radius of about 80 to 120km depending on terrain,” said Mr Chakanyuka.

The migration from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television began in 2015.

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services chairperson Mrs Sipho Ndlovu-Mokone said there was a need to speed up the digitalisation process.

“The main objective of the visit was centred on the digitalisation programme that began in 2015. As you know, the digitalisation programme began in 2015 with the aim of finishing it in 2017 but so far, we’re 43 percent to completion. That’s why we came to these sites so that we assess the progress that has been made so far,” said Mrs Ndlovu-Mokone.

She said the project has been moving at a very slow pace and there was a need for Treasury to disburse more funds to the project so that it is done timeously.

“Set-top boxes will help us in this move from analogue to digital because it’s the main key in the digitalisation programme. As the committee, we have to prioritise getting these set-top boxes so that people get good quality transmission in their houses,” said Mrs Ndlovu-Mokone.

Transmedia chief operations officer Mr Rufaro Zaranyika said due to the availability of a digital transmitter in Gwanda, viewers will be able to receive high-definition television services.

“The Gwanda transmission site, which is responsible for propagating transmission in areas around Gwanda, covers a radius of 50km. The good news for the people of Gwanda is that we now have a digital transmitter for this area, which means viewers in and around Gwanda will be able to receive high-definition television services. They’ll only need to ensure that they have the appropriate receiving equipment; the set-top box and the associated antenna system. But we still have a challenge with radio services in Gwanda,” said Mr Zaranyika.

He said the current transmitters are outdated and are no longer able to cover the required area.

“Under the digitalisation project, we’re going to install new radio transmitters for Gwanda and we’re hoping that with the allocations we were promised from the 2022 budget, this site will be prioritised. The other challenge we have is the availability of power. We need grid power to ensure that our transmitters are constantly powered. We’re experiencing frequent outages in this area. Fortunately, we have a good back up system; the generators which you can see but they also come with a challenge; they need to be fueled, the resources which are not there,” said Mr Zaranyika.

He said his organisation is conducting research on how renewable energy can be used to power the transmitters.

“If we get the required funding, we’ll be able to deploy a solar system at this site so that we can enjoy uninterrupted coverage of radio and television services,” said Mr Zaranyika. — @Yolisswa.