Back to Index

ZACRAS statement on the awarding of commercial broadcasting licenses
Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS)
November 25, 2011

The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations is appalled by the granting of free-to-air national commercial radio broadcasting licenses to Zimbabwe Newspapers (ZimPapers Talk Radio) and AB Communications

The Chronicle of 25 November 2011 reported that the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe's (BAZ) Chairperson, Dr Tafataona Mahoso, had stated that out of a total of 106 points, the shortlisted applicants scored the following points; AB Communications had 99 points; ZimPapers got 93 points; Hot media scored 80 points while Vox Media got 70 points.

The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) recognizes and commends the Government of Zimbabwe, through BAZ, on its effort to create a 3 tier broadcasting system comprising of public, commercial and community broadcasting, as envisaged in the African Charter on Broadcasting.

However, ZACRAS believes that BAZ's awarding of licenses to ZimPapers and AB Communications is questionable and shrouded in suspicion. In a spirit of transparency and accountability, ZACRAS calls for rigorous scrutiny of the adjudication process and publicizing of the qualifications and requirements which BAZ considered in awarding licenses to the two successful applicants.

This will allay fears of corruption and "substantiate" Dr Mahoso's statement that, the two applicants were granted licenses after "having complied with the Qualifications Process as prescribed by law and having scored the highest number of points in terms of the objectives of the Act in the Selection Process".

In print media, ZimPapers is widely known for spewing ZANU-PF propaganda .On the other hand, AB Communications' Chief Executive Officer, Supa Mandiwanzira, who is believed to be aligned to ZANU-PF, was introduced at a ZANU PF rally in Nyanga North as a potential parliamentary candidate for the area.

As it stands, it is inevitable for an average Zimbabwean to suspect that BAZ awarded licenses to their kith and kin. This is moreso in light of the current composition of the regulatory authority Board which comprises of political party appointees, a situation which justifies ZACRAS' consistent calls for a balanced and more representative BAZ Board.

In the past, the Media, Information and Communication Technology Portfolio Committee has described BAZ's licensing requirements as being stringent and a stumbling block towards the liberalisation of the airwaves. In ZACRAS' view, these licensing requirements are even more stringent with regards to truly private entities.

ZACRAS calls upon the President of Zimbabwe, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity and the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders to expedite the process of appointing a properly constituted BAZ, if a truly diversified media environment is to be realized in Zimbabwe. The awarding of licenses to ZimPapers and AB Communications is not only a blow to the media fraternity, but Zimbabwe as a whole.

Visit the ZACRAS fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP