The commission’s chief executive officer, Tafataona Mahoso, known to many in the media as a hangman, wrote a letter to media houses last week threatening them with heavy penalties if they do not pay their levies to the commission.
“This letter serves to remind all mass media service providers operating in 2011 to pay the prescribed statutory annual levy for the year by 31 March 2012.
“According to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) as read with Statutory Instrument 169C of 2002 and Statutory Instrument No. 10 of 2004, every registered mass media service provider is required to pay 0,5 percent levy of its audited gross annual turnover not later than the end of a period of 90 days ending 31 December of each year,” wrote Mahoso.
“A penalty of double the amount payable will be charged for failure to pay the amount before the due date which is 31 March 2012.”
The letter is accompanied by a Third schedule Form AP6 (Media and Information Levy Form) which spells out the media house’s registration number, number of publications, number of journalists and the gross turnover audited in terms of Section 10 of AIPPA.
The letter did not state the names of the media houses that have not yet paid the levy to ZMC.
The ZMC is a media regulatory body established through an act of parliament. It regulates the work of journalists and is run by commissioners, Godfrey Majonga, Nqobile Nyathi, Swithan Mombeshora, Lawton Hikwa, Chris Mutsangwa, Matthew Takaona, Henry Muradzikwa, M Sibanda and Chris Mhike.
Post published in: News