By Mako Jerera
Government has approved the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill, a piece of legislation aimed at modernizing the country’s broadcasting sector and aligning it with constitutional principles.
Speaking at the Post Cabinet briefing yesterday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said the bill seeks to amend several sections of the Broadcasting Services Act
[Chapter 12:06] to ensure compliance with the Constitution and the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act.
One of the key changes proposed in the bill is to redefine the role of the Broadcasting Services of Zimbabwe (BSZ) from controlling broadcasting service bands to regulating and managing them for sustainability.
Additionally, the bill introduces a new provision requiring individuals to obtain a current radio license or exemption certificate from the BSZ before purchasing a motor vehicle license or insurance policy, unless the vehicle is not equipped with a radio signal receiver.
To promote local content, the bill mandates the National Broadcaster to broadcast 75% of its content in local languages. Furthermore, it requires licensees with sports channels to broadcast 50% local sports content, recognizing the commercial value that international sporting events can bring to the sector.
The enactment of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill is expected to have a significant impact on the broadcasting industry in Zimbabwe, fostering greater local content production and ensuring that the sector operates in line with modern governance standards.
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