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Deputy Minister Mathuthu

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE is in the throes of an exciting new revolution in broadcasting whose hallmark would be the migration from analogue to digital television as well as the addition of at least six new TV stations with quality high definition output.

The government has made tremendous progress in the digitisation programme which is expected to see the country achieving universal television and radio coverage, with the creation of thousands of new jobs, the Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Thokozile Mathuthu said yesterday.

Mathuthu said the digitisation process was expensive, costing in excess of $200 million, but had enormous potential for new economic opportunities. A March deadline has been set for the switch-over.

“Considerable progress on the primary stage of the digitilisation programme has been made and I want to assure the nation that our engineers and contractors are working round the clock to ensure that work is completed at the earliest possible time,” she said while addressing players in the film industry at a content production workshop in Bulawayo.

She added: “In many countries that are ahead of us in this respect, the content industry employs thousands and thousands of people and generates billions of dollars in earnings while positioning those countries on a competitive edge in a world where a knowledge society is the kingpin of sustainable development.”

She said the government was counting on players in the film industry to be the pioneers of quality production.

“We’re counting on our local talent and creative skills in our quest to create sufficient local content for the emerging market so that by the time we launch our digital television, we’ll do so with a bang and build further on that as we go along into the broadcasting future.

“As a result of our hardwork and quality output, Zimbabweans should be able to say that this is what they’ve been waiting for and it was worth waiting for. It’s an expensive industry but it has enormous potential for contributing to the growth of our economy.”

She acknowledged the challenges faced by broadcasters, saying the government was committed to working with players in the film industry to address them.

The deputy minister said some of the challenges include failure to access appropriate equipment and technology. She said the government had purchased some digital-compliant equipment.

“We are, however, fully aware that what we’ve acquired so far is only a drop in an ocean given the diverse specialised needs that are required,” said Mathuthu.

She implored the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe to come up with regulations commensurate with a digitased era to guarantee standards for quality productions.

“BAZ should, however, enforce the standards in an incremental manner,” she said.

“Step by step, we should be able to reach the zenith of quality productions by streamlining quality control in our processes in a manner that is fully cognisant of our context.”