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Date:          Mon, 24 Feb 1997 18:30:07 -0500 (EST)
From:          ifex@web.net (IFEX)
To:            pressrelease@web.net, safricaactions@web.net
Subject:       Zimbabwe press release

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression
community
_________________________________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE - ZIMBABWE

24 February 1997

MISA Zimbabwe and Panos hold National Forum on the Future of
Broadcasting

SOURCE: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek

(MISA/IFEX) - The National Forum on the Future of Broadcasting in
Zimbabwe, jointly organised by the Zimbabwe branch of the Media
Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) and the Panos Institute's Southern
Africa regional office, was held in the wake of a government declared
commitment to broadcasting reforms in Zimbabwe. It took place from 12
to 16 February 1997 in Nyanga.

Participants discussed what the implications of liberalising
broadcasting meant for Zimbabwe with thought-provoking
presentations, says MISA. Speakers from South Africa were the
National Community Radio Forum (NCRF/AMARC) and Soweto Community
Radio, who described the relevance of community radio to their
society. They emphasised the role of community radio in South
Africa in empowering previously disadvantaged groups. National
speakers were from the Affirmative Action Group, the Catholic
Church, Federation of African Media Women Zimbabwe (FAMWZ), and
the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & Telecommunications,
the director of which spoke of the government's commitment to
media reforms.

The national event, which was attended by broadcasters,
journalists and members of the NGO community was funded by the
Norwegian development agency (NORAD) and the Danish development
agency (DANIDA). It stimulated debate on current and future
trends in broadcasting in Zimbabwe involving members of civil
society organisations.

The following recommendations were presented to the Ministry of
Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications:

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. State of Broadcasting

It was recognised that the state of broadcasting as stipulated in
section 27 of the Broadcasting Act states: "no person other than the
corporation shall carry on broadcasting service in Zimbabwe."
Recalling the Zimbabwe government's commitment to the liberalisation
of broadcasting, a decision made by Cabinet in 1995, participants
recommended:

1. The formulation of a new Broadcasting Act that allows
equitable pluralism of the airwaves, with safeguards through an
appropriate regulatory mechanism.

2. That the new Act should recognise and also be based on the
advent of new communication technologies and the convergence of
telecommunications and broadcasting.

3. That any Act which is introduced, repealing section 27, and
effectively de-monopolising broadcasting should strive to serve
the interest of Zimbabweans by offering public, community and
commercial broadcasting.

4. That ZBC should be restructured to become a true public
service broadcaster, for the purposes of surviving in a
competitive environment and legitimately serving public needs.

B. Legal and Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting

On the legal and regulatory framework for broadcasting, the group
generally observed that the existing Broadcasting Act should be
amended extensively in line with the new dispensation of
liberalisation in order to transform ZBC from a state/party-run entity
into a public service broadcaster and further recommends that:

1. Freedom of the press and access to information should be
entrenched in the Constitution in specified terms.

2. There is a need to enact legislation to create an Independent
Broadcasting Regulator that can allocate licences to all
broadcasters allocate frequencies monitor operations and where
necessary revoke licences for failure to comply with laid out
standards and conditions of the licences.

3. The Act needs to clearly state the procedure of appointment of
regulators, whereby all civil society organisations can nominate
candidates through, if possible an All-Party Parliamentary Committee
in a transparent manner.

4. Half the number of regulators appointed should have sound and
practical experience in telecommunications, communications, law
and finance.

5. Taking a leaf from the South African experience, there should
be eight regulators appointed, three of whom should be women,
with a quorum of five.

6. Regulators should elect a chairperson from within the eight,
and in the absence of the chairman, the regulators should elect
someone to act as chairperson.

7. The regulatory body should be accountable to civil society
through Parliament.

8. The term of office of regulators should be five years, and
re-appointments should be for a second term only.

9. The regulatory body should be funded by Parliament and charged onto
the Consolidated Revenue Fund, whereby the minister responsible for
broadcasting will present financial budgets  in Parliament on behalf
of the body.

10. The Act should be specific and spell out principles that
guide regulators in issuing licences:
a) to Zimbabwean citizens only;
b) priority has to be given to previously disadvantaged groups;
c) on partnerships, the controlling share-holders should be from
previously disadvantaged communities, especially in the community
broadcasting sector; d) priority should be given to community
broadcasting as opposed to commercial broadcasting; e) duration of a
licence shall not exceed five years but can be reviewed upon
re-application; f) each licensee should be obligated to devote a
specified amount of time to social service broadcasting at a
convenient listening time; g) each licensee should be obligated to
devote a specified proportion of time to local programmes; h)
government or political parties should not own or control a
broadcasting service.

C. Community Broadcasting

On community broadcasting, the participants observed that the
definition of "community" be considered either in geographical
terms or be defined within common interests. Community
broadcasting should be defined as a project owned and controlled
by members of the community, registered under the relevant act.
Furthermore it was recommended that:

1. A body representing the interests of community broadcasting be
established, creating an enabling mechanism for broadcasters, sourcing
local and international funding for the sector.

2. The public service broadcaster should be seen as the natural
partner to community broadcasting and should be obligated to
assisting the sector.

3. Participants stressed the need for members organisations in
civil society to lobby political leaders on the creation of
community broadcasting.

4. Funding for community broadcasting (radio) should be provided
by the government, given the limited funding opportunities and
should be a vehicle for government development initiatives.

5. Encourage broadcast equipment manufacturers to initiate a
human resources development programme that can develop technical
capabilities on the ground.

6. There is a need to guard against foreigners dominating the
community broadcasting sector.

D. Funding/technical Aspects

In recognising the importance of this event and being the
first-ever broadcasting seminar in Zimbabwe, participants
observed that the seminar report be circulated to all
stake-holders including government. Participants also urged the
Zimbabwean government to avail the recently completed consultancy
report on broadcasting to the public, whereby both document could
serve to stimulate further debate, create awareness and that more
public input be encouraged on the area of broadcasting in Zimbabwe.

The seminar also acknowledged the presence of an organisational
infrastructure that could support the deregulation and
liberalisation process for community broadcasting, in particular
through the Radio Listening Clubs, Farm Radio Network, and ZBC.

Funding Broadcasting

On funding options in relation to public and community
broadcasting it was recognised that in a deregulated and
liberalised era, broadcasting should have a strong financial base
through:

1. Sourcing of funds can come from donations, grants and through
donor funding, noting that a criteria should be developed by
donors and players for deserving cases; that donors should be
informed by needs determined by Zimbabweans and that donor
expectations should be realistic.

2. Other sources of funding can be obtained through
subscriptions, licence fees, membership fees and community
levies.

3. Also additional sources can be found through sponsorships and
advertising.

4. Government subsidies and other funding raising activities
should be encouraged to sustain both public and community
broadcasting.

Technical Aspects

On technical options observed the need for a strong base for
broadcasting equipment manufacturing and:

1. Urged that VHF and FM be considered during liberalisation.

2. That the frequency spectrum be re-planned given the new
regulatory framework.

3. That frequency planning should conducted through a public
process.

4. Duty on imported broadcasting equipment be lifted for public
and community broadcasters.

5. Broadcasters be given the option of leasing facilities
through an independent public network as well as owning their own
signal distribution system with clear management and maintenance
strategies.

6. That satellite broadcasting and telecommunications should also be
regulated.

7. Public signal distributors and independent public networks
should be funded (or kick-started) with help from the government.

8. That users should be allowed to lease facilities at reasonable
affordable rates to recoup capital costs.

For further information, contact David Lush or David Nthengwe at
MISA, Private Bag 13386, Windhoek, Namibia, tel:+264 61 232975,
fax:+264 61 248016, e-mail: dlush@ingrid.misa.org.na,
research@misa.org.na.

The information contained in this press release is the sole
responsibility of MISA. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit MISA.
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