Story by Tamuka Charakupa
GOVERNMENT is set to license additional community radio stations as part of efforts to promote access to information across the country.
Issues around creating a conducive working environment for community radio stations, their funding mechanisms and the need to fast-track the completion of the Zim Digital Project dominated proceedings during the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe’s strategic review meeting currently underway in Kadoma.
BAZ authorities revealed that at least 10 more community radio station licenses are now due for gazetting, amid calls for current license holders to pay their subscriptions which are reportedly overdue and neglected.
“We are very delighted with the progress we have made so far in terms of licensing of community radio stations. We are finalising on gazetting ten community radio licenses on top of the fourteen which we have already issued. We are also considering reducing our license fees so that we improve compliance especially with commercial radio stations who are lagging behind,” said Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, Board Chairperson, Mr Valentine Mutate.
“Among other things we are discussing on ways to find alternative funding so that the national project is completed for the benefit of all citizens. We are also looking at community radio stations, we have the first fourteen running and we are actually picking lessons from that and it is our hope that those reflections will assist us in the next phase of licensing,” noted Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, CEO Mr Tendai Kapumha.
Representatives of community radio stations also reflected on some of the issues under discussion.
“We are very appreciative of the opportunity to advertise on our platforms but regardless we are facing challenges because of the confinements within our operations. We are taking this platform to engage government to at least provide an alternative funding so that there is sustainability because right now the majority of community radio stations are surviving on hand outs,” explained National Associations of Community Broadcasters Coordinator, Ms Yvonne Buzwane.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honourable Omphile Marupi said government will continue to open broadcasting spaces to enhance access to information across the country.
“The participation of our communities is hinged and on our linguistic and cultural background that is carried in our NDS1 and Vision 2030. From a technical perspective I think we are on track because we are here to review what we had actually put in place the previous year and now going forward,” he said.
Government, through the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has since issued licenses over 10 community radio stations, with campus radio stations also being licensed.
