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Radio
licences: PM, President agree
Patience
Nyangove, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
May 29, 2011
http://www.thestandard.co.zw/local/29838-radio-licences-pm-president-agree.html
President Robert
Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai agreed recently that
the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) must be reconstituted,
raising fears that last week's offer for two commercial radio
licences was not genuine. Sources said Mugabe and Tsvangirai agreed
that a new board should be set up since the unilateral appointment
of the current members by Information and Publicity minister Webster
Shamu two years ago violated the Global
Political Agreement (GPA).
Zanu PF apologist
and known opponent of a free media, Tafataona Mahoso chairs the
BAZ board.
Last week the
authority invited applications for two commercial radio licences,
a move that was described as piecemeal by free media lobby groups.
The groups questioned why applications were not being called for
community radio and television licences.
Tsvangirai's
spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka Friday confirmed that the PM and
Mugabe had agreed that a new board must be appointed so that it
can open up the broadcasting industry where the partisan Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Cooperation enjoys a monopoly.
Tamborinyoka
also accused Zanu PF of trying to fool Sadc by pretending to be
implementing media reforms.
Sadc will convene
a special summit on Zimbabwe early next month to discuss a proposed
election roadmap that also calls for urgent media reforms. "This
is unbridled pretence and cheap political drama on the eve of the
Sadc summit," he said.
"It is
a ruse to hoodwink Sadc and the people of Zimbabwe that there are
genuine media reforms in line with the GPA.
"We all
know that this illegal board has failed to free the airwaves and
it can't suddenly do so on the eve of the Sadc summit."
BAZ has in the
past called for applications for radio licences but none have been
licenced. In 2007 BAZ said none of the applicants had met the "stringent"
criteria.
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