by Christopher Makaza

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa has today commissioned a high definition studio at ZBC Pocketshill for independent producers’ content production.

Addressing the gathering Minister Mutsvangwa revealed that Zimbabwe is going to see the emergence of at least six independent television channels within the next few months adding that licensing should be completed before August 2020.

Minister Mutsvangwa highlighted that the vision is to have media and creative industry being the major economic drive toward the attainment of an upper middle-income status by year 2030.

She applauded ZBC for investing in ensuring that its competitors have access to facilities that will enable them to play a diverse and critical role in the broadcasting industry.

Meanwhile Government continues to show its commitment to media reforms and has gone a step further by gazetting various licence fees in the broadcasting sector.

The new dispensation is reviewing media laws to see how they can be improved to achieve best international practices and to align them with the Constitution.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), which many thought was too restrictive, was repealed and is now being replaced by at least three other Bills — Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill, Data/Information Protection Bill, Freedom of Information and the Broadcasting Services Act Amendment Bill.

Government is already working on establishing 10 new community radio stations countrywide to empower marginalised communities through universal access to information.