The Government has said ZANU PF pays the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Services (ZBC) for all rallies that are broadcast LIVE on ZBCtv.
Ndavaningi Mangwana, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services said the opposition CCC party should pay ZBC for live coverage of its rallies.
He made the remarks while responding o a statement issued by CCC on Tuesday, 25 July alleging State media bias in covering political events. Said Mangwana:
ZANU PF pays for all the rallies that are aired live on television.
Govt itself pays for the National Heroes Galas that also benefit from live broadcasts.
We call upon everyone to support our National institutions in their commercial efforts to avoid turning into fiscal burdens to the taxpayer.
Mangwana repeated the claim on Wednesday as he responded to journalist Mduduzi Mathuthu who had queried why ZBC refuses to broadcast CCC rallies. Said Mangwana:
If they pay for live broadcasts, the broadcaster will oblige the request. It’s a commercial arrangement.
Mathuthu responded by saying that in neighbouring South Africa, SABC does not charge the ruling ANC party, or opposition parties such as EFF and DA to show their live rallies. He said:
That’s where the “public broadcaster” comes in. SABC does not charge EFF, DA or ANC to show their live rallies. You will remember that ZBC forces us to pay the licence fee, and in turn, the public – in their varied interests – expect the ZBC to be fair and balanced, which they are not.
On Saturday, 24 June, CCC leader Nelson Chamisa’s rally in South Africa was broadcast live on SABC’s news channel, SABC News.
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