TABANI MOYO, director with top media rights lobby, Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa-Zimbabwe), says government was using technical barriers, among them the law and steep licensing fees to freeze out prospective players from the country\u2019s broadcasting space.<\/p>\n
His comments follow a call for applications for radio and television licences by government this week.<\/p>\n
Up for grabs are six free to air television station licences, 10 community radio stations out of cities and towns and campus radio stations for universities to be used for studies.<\/p>\n
Application for these will cost $8 500 and if awarded the licence will be for 10 years, at a cost of $17 000\/year.<\/p>\n
The Zanu PF led government has in the past been accused of keeping a stranglehold on the country\u2019s broadcasting space, only issuing out licences to individuals and companies with close links to the ruling party.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the latest call for licences, Moyo said authorities were also using \u201cprotectionism and narrow political interests\u201d to protect the country\u2019s broadcasting industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are trying to hoodwink the international community that \u2018we are breaking with the dark past\u2019, yet in essence, it\u2019s a consolidation of the dark past through technically protecting narrow interests of the ruling elite in the broadcasting industry,\u201d Moyo told NewZimbabwe.com.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is well calculated to mislead the outside eyes that there is reform happening on the ground, yet the more things change, the more they remain the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernment is opening up broadcasting space but technically shutting it\u2026if you look at these six services that are being offered free to air service and the licence fees required, it\u2019s a non-starter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll this in statutory obligation. Just, the application process, this is quite a lot money as one needs to invest in studios also.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe draft bill says there won\u2019t be more than 20% in this industry which entails that the government is technically knocking out potential investors in the industry and protecting the small click of players who are already inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, they are increasing the barriers to entry through the law.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat they have simply done is to say if you were not in already, it will be difficult for you to raise the funds because you will only have leeway to raise the funds on top of yours only up to 20%.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went on to say that government is controlling the media through ZBC television and its six radio stations and with Zimpapers radio stations around the country.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026What it simply tells you is that they have ring-fenced broadcasting through the law,\u201d Moyo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this whole process of advertising will raise a facade of opening up yet we know, technically, no one will be entertained to apply since they can\u2019t raise adequate capital to invest in this whole process.<\/p>\n
Commenting on rural community radio licences call, Moyo said government is trying to extend ZBC monopoly in rural areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat they have done is to tell you that we have already identified areas where we are going to license, so this is now an academic process because if you apply and you are not within this geographical space it means that you are wasting your time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarare is not spaced for community radio broadcasting, Bulawayo is not spaced, all-metro are not spaced yet there are communities of interest within these towns and cities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TABANI MOYO, director with top media rights lobby, Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa-Zimbabwe), says government was using technical barriers, among them the law and steep licensing fees to freeze out prospective players from the country\u2019s broadcasting space. His comments follow a call for applications for radio and television licences by government this week. Up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":19830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[800,1342],"class_list":{"0":"post-19828","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-policy","9":"tag-government-of-zimbabwe","10":"tag-tabani-moyo"},"yoast_head":"\n