Mangwana promises more players in broadcasting

This is regardless of the fact that there has been no re-constitution of the regulatory authority, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) in terms of amendments made to the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) in January of 2008. 

The amendments stipulate that the BAZ must now be reconstituted by the Parliament of Zimbabwe Standing Orders and Rules Committee in collaboration with the President. 

According to a report by the state-controlled daily The Herald, Mangwana met with the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) on Wednesday and noted that many applications made to the authority had failed to meet the requirements stated in the Broadcast Services Act (BSA).

He stated that there was a need to improve the broadcasting standards in the country so that people do not opt for alternative radio stations that broadcast from outside the country. The Zimbabwean government regards these radio stations as illegal pirate radio stations bent on threatening its power – and its stranglehold on information inside the country.  

Currently, only the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts on four radio channels and one television channel. However, the populace turn to alternative broadcasts available on short-wave radio such as Short Wave Radio Africa, Radio Voice of the People and the Voice of America's Studio 7

It is MISA Zimbabwe's view that there must be an independent regulatory authority for broadcasting and telecommunications in Zimbabwe as opposed to a government controlled one, as is the current case.  Further, and due to the transitional nature of Zimbabwean politics, MISA Zimbabwe urges the Parliament of Zimbabwe to urgently reconvene and ensure the re-constitution of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) in line with the amendments made to the BSA. This will prevent incumbent ministers acting outside of the ambit of the law. – MISA