HARARE - Cash stripped Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is demanding listeners and viewers licences from people wishing to participate in its on-air promotional programs.ZBC gets its revenue from radio and television licences, as well as money from advertisers. Presenters were heard making announcements at the beginning of each promotional programme that all participants had to prove that they held valid listeners and viewers licences before they could participate in any competition aired on either radio or television.
The latest programme in which the state broadcaster asked for viewers licences as an entry point was the Pick your Box show which started recently. ZBC has also deployed its personnel at police road blocks where they are arresting motorists with vehicles bearing radios without listeners licenses.
ZBC is demanding US$50 per television set per house hold and US$40 for radio license. People have resisted paying the license fees, saying do not watch or listen to its programmes.