HARARE - In South Africa they say local is lekker (slang for nice or good). Unfortunately Zimbabweans cannot say the same about its local television. (Pictured: Most Harare residents watch foreign television stations because they say ZBC has failed to deliver)
Most people say they find local television very boring hence they have turned to foreign stations for provision of quality entertainment. Harare is now awash with satellite dishes as viewers shun TV programmes churned out by the only state- run broadcaster in the country, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), in search for quality television entertainment.
A random survey byThe Zimbabwean on Sunday showed that even loyalists of President Robert Mugabe did not watch television programmes by the broadcaster which has held a monopoly of the airwaves since independence in 1980.
In the rural areas where most people cannot afford to own TV sets, it is now common to see crowds listening to short wave radios where they can tune to foreign radio stations as they search for more entertainment and informative news. Some local viewers informed The Zimbabwean on Sunday that ZBC-TV was losing credibility and trust from its audience as it had been hijacked and turned into a Zanu (PF) mouthpiece and propaganda machinery.
Watching SABC or DSTV is far much better than being exposed to a television station that is highly politicised. It has been four years since I last watched ZBC, said a local viewer. The viewer said it was surprising that the inclusive Government had failed to change the ZBC as it still behaved in the same manner it did when Jonathan Moyo was Information Minister and churning out Zanu (PF) propaganda jingles.
Others lamented the poor standards of programming and poor transmission in most parts of the country. Watching ZBC is painful. There is always one blunder after another followed by endless apologies. The programmes are either half backed or they are repeats. We watch outdated programmes from the 1980s, said Lawrence Mareya who had just bought a satellite dish. Some remote areas such as Chavhanga in Mutasa North, Kazozo in Nyanga, Checheche, Mareya, Tamandaya, Mount Selinda in Chipinge, Gachekache in Kariba, Mount Darwin and Beitbridge do not receive any radio or television signals.
Post published in: Opinions