Zimpapers got TV content distribution licence: BAZ

THE Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has not issued a television licence to Zimpapers as earlier reported, it has been learnt.

BAZ chief executive Mr Obert Muganyura told our Harare Bureau yesterday that apart from the national broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Authority, no other applicant has been issued with such a licence.

Mr Muganyura said Zimpapers applied for a content distribution licence, which was approved by the authority but the media group was yet to pay the required statutory fees for it to be issued with the licence. “We have not issued any television broadcasting service licence other than the one issued to public broadcaster ZTV,” he said.

“Early this year we flighted an advertisement inviting those intending to provide broadcasting services that do not require frequency allocation to submit their applications to the authority. We gave examples of such services as content distribution, webcasting and video on demand.

“That advertisement excluded applications for terrestrial television licences which in any case use frequencies. Zimpapers applied for a content distribution licence which essentially entails the distribution of content aggregated within or outside Zimbabwe and the delivery of that content is via satellite. Essentially what Zimpapers applied for is a licence to provide services like Dstv and Kwese which is different from terrestrial television broadcasting licence.”

Mr Muganyura said BAZ was waiting for Zimpapers to meet its statutory obligations after which they would issue the content distribution licence. “Following the assessment of its content distribution application, we have advised Zimpapers that their application for a content distribution licence has been successful and upon payment of the requisite statutory fees, that content distribution licence will be issued,” he said.

Mr Muganyura said yesterday’s report gave an impression that Zimpapers was issued with a licence similar to that of ZTV.

He said they had not even invited such applications as they were still working on the digitisation programme and purchase of set top boxes.

Zimpapers had already set up Zimpapers Television Network as a production house.

ZTN is headed by journalist Nomsa Nkala.