Story by Ropafadzo Mangome
THE Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has reaffirmed its status as a public trust platform and strategic national asset, as Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honourable Zhemu Soda, undertook a familiarisation tour of the corporation’s Pockets Hill headquarters.
Welcoming the Minister, ZBC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sugar Chagonda, described the visit as “a moment of strategic alignment between policy direction and operational execution,” underscoring the broadcaster’s central role in Zimbabwe’s governance and development framework.
“Your presence here represents something fundamental, the convergence of governance oversight and institutional performance,” Mr Chagonda said.
“It signals leadership that seeks firsthand appreciation of the systems, capacities, risks and opportunities shaping Zimbabwe’s public broadcasting architecture.”
The CEO stressed that the engagement was not ceremonial but intended to bridge “policy intent and operational reality”.
Mr Chagonda said ZBC occupies “a unique space in the national ecosystem”, adding: “We are not simply a media house, we are a public trust platform and a strategic national asset.”
He said ZBC’s mandate extends beyond programming to encompass “national identity formation, democratic participation, cultural preservation, economic dialogue and information equity”.
As the country’s public service broadcaster, ZBC is entrusted with informing, educating, and entertaining, while promoting unity and advancing an inclusive national discourse in line with Vision 2030.
During the ongoing tour, the Minister will have an appreciation of the corporation’s operational infrastructure, including television and radio production facilities, newsroom systems and editorial processes, transmission networks and digital transformation initiatives aimed at expanding audience reach through platform convergence.
Mr Chagonda acknowledged that the media is operating in a rapidly evolving broadcasting environment marked by digital migration, technological convergence and shifting audience consumption patterns, alongside heightened competition.
He cited structural challenges such as ageing infrastructure, capital-intensive transmission systems and sustainability pressures on traditional revenue models. However, he maintained that innovation and institutional resilience remain central to its repositioning strategy.
“Yet within these constraints, there is innovation, institutional resilience and a committed workforce determined to reposition ZBC for long-term viability,” he said.
Mr Chagonda identified key priority areas requiring ministerial support, including transmission modernisation and signal integrity strengthening, full digital integration and platform diversification, regulatory alignment that balances competitiveness with national interest and sustainable funding models for public service broadcasting.
“ZBC’s role is strategic and developmental. We are custodians of the national narrative. We are facilitators of dialogue that support economic growth and investment confidence. We are enablers of cultural diplomacy and social cohesion. Above all, we are accountable to the citizens of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We welcome your insights, your guidance, and your support as we continue to reposition ZBC as a governance-compliant, technologically responsive, financially sustainable, and nationally impactful public broadcaster.”
