Government amending the Broadcasting Services Act to attract foreign investments

The government says it will amend the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) to ease the entry of potential investors into the broadcasting arena.

Speaking during the launch of Keyonatv in Bulawayo over the weekend,deputy minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Kindness Paradza, said that the government would amend the Broadcasting Services Act to  attract foreign investments.
“We have decided to amend the Broadcasting Services Act. It prevents investment in the broadcasting services sector.

In terms of those who wish to start up provincial radio stations we are going to issue them and for those who wish to start community television stations we will give them.Out of the 14 community radio stations given licences half of them are from Matabeleland.

From 2018 we are in a marathon to catch up with those countries with many radio and television stations,”he said.

Zimbabwe has been lagging behind in terms of investments in filming due to the BSA act.

The act bars foreign funding and investment in the otherwise capital intensive broadcasting sector,slowing down the growth of Zimbabwean conent creation.

No private players had been licensed to enter the broadcasting arena since the enactment of the BSA in 2001 until recently when the government awarded tv licences to 6 commercial tv stations.This year alone saw 3Ktv,ZTN Prime and recently Keyona tv going on air.