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George Maponga, Masvingo Bureau
The Government is prioritising the attainment of media sovereignty and information ubiquity across the country under the second phase of Zim Digital, to ensure a knowledgeable society, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere has said.
Speaking at the strategic plan review workshop being held by his ministry in Masvingo yesterday, Dr Muswere said the media ecosystem should enable the Government to speak to its citizens and vice versa, to propel Zimbabwe into an upper-middle income society by 2030.
The second phase of Zim Digital seeks to expand the geographic coverage of television and radio. Presently, national television coverage stands at 38 percent while radio is at 62 percent.
“This strategic plan review workshop prioritised Zim Digital 2, which seeks to make sure that we achieve media sovereignty for us as a country and also in terms of national agenda setting,” said Dr Muswere.
“So, some of the items that we deliberated on and managed to pass resolutions, in terms of the media industry, are to ensure that the amendments in terms of legislation take place and at the same time, part of the items in terms of discussions also included how best we can achieve information ubiquity across the country.
“At the same time, we want to ensure that we rekindle and revitalise the broadcasting ecosystem and ensure that we leave no one and no place behind.”
The media should also effectively communicate the economic developments going on in the country, said Dr Muswere.
“This national strategic intent can give us impetus in terms of agriculture, it can give us impetus in terms of road construction in order to allow each and every citizen of our country to be part of Vision 2030, to allow our small to medium scale enterprises to participate in the national economic success stories.
“So, media sovereignty is very key (and) information ubiquity is very key in order for us to build an upper middle income society by the year 2030,” he said.
Dr Muswere said coordination between the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), Transmedia and ZBC, would be prioritised.
He added that the restructuring in the Ministry of Information and State-owned Enterprises under the ministry’s purview, is being finalised.
Among these State-owned Enterprises is ZBC, Transmedia, BAZ and Zimpapers (1980) Limited, among others, which Dr Muswere said were top heavy.
The enterprises have since submitted their strategic plan processes and programmes that would be put in place to support an economic and fully functional media sector in Zimbabwe.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Nick Mangwana, senior directors, officials in the ministry and heads of State-owned Enterprises and media industry stakeholders are attending the workshop that ends today.
Online Reporter