New licence fees for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Services, both radio and Television (TV) have been announced in United States Dollars (USD). Pindula News presents the notice.
Broadcasting (Listener’s Licenses) (Amendment) Regulations. 2021 (No. 4)
4. The Broadcasting (Listeners’ Licences) Regulations 2003 are amended by the insertion of the following Schedule and the existing Schedule is renumbered accordingly—
SECOND SCHEDULE
CLASSIFICATION OF LISTENERS’ LICENSES FEE (USDS) 1. Sound- – Rural $5.00. per quarter 2. Sound- – Urban $10.00. per quarter 3. Sound and Television $25.00. per quarter 4. Sound- – Business Premises $100.00. per year 5. Television – Business Premises $200.00. per year 6. Sound – Private Vehicle $23.00. per quarter 7. Sound – Employer-Owned Vehicle $50,00, per quarter 8. Sound and Television-Vehicle $200.00. per year 9. Concessionary License NIL Explanatory Note: The fees stipulated in the Second Schedule above may be payable in local currency at the foreign currency auction rate in terms of the Exchange Control (Exclusive use of Zimbabwe dollar for Domestic Transactions) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020, published in Statutory Instrument 185 of 2020.
5. The Broadcasting (Listeners’ Licences) (Fees) Notice. 2021, published in Statutory Instrument 23 of 2021, is hereby repealed.
Some said the broadcaster should try other means including making its services prepaid so that those who want to have access to them have to pay first.
Some suggested a partnership with other service providers including Multichoice (DStv) saying many people who have access to ZTV do so via DStv.
There has been concern over the quality of content from the state-controlled broadcaster which is also accused of publishing propaganda.
Viewers have been calling for media reforms to ensure that more TV channels are opened.