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MABC denied licence
MISA-Zimbabwe
September 16, 2005

Munhumutapa African Broadcasting Corporation (MABC) has been denied a licence to operate a commercial television station after the licensing authority ruled that it failed to demonstrate that it had the financial muscle to launch the project.

The government-appointed Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) wrote to the MABC last month informing them of its decision not to grant them a licence.

MABC chief executive Oscar Kubara told MISA-Zimbabwe on 16 September 2005 that the BAZ had also ruled that they should not be licensed because they owed the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH) Z$20 million dollars.

The state-controlled ZBH enjoys monopoly of the country’s airwaves as no private players have been licensed to enter the broadcasting sector since the enactment of the Broadcasting Services Act in 2001.

The deputy minister of Information Bright Matonga, told the privately owned Zimbabwe Independent that the BAZ would be making a presentation to the ministry on why MABC had not been granted a licence.

Matonga reiterated that the ministry was willing to amend the BSA if it is too restrictive to the entry of private players.

"We want to emphasise that we need more players in the broadcasting sector. We cannot continue to have a situation where ZTV is the only television station.

"It would be hypocritical for us to say we want more players when the regulations are too restrictive," he said.

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