HARARE – Motorists in Zimbabwe will soon be required to obtain a radio licence from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) before they can acquire a vehicle licence or insurance cover.
This new requirement, part of a wider effort to modernise the broadcasting sector, was announced by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, following a Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The announcement comes as the government seeks to align the Broadcasting Services Act with the Constitution and the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act. The Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill, presented by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, aims to modernise the Act and empower the broadcasting sector.
“The enactment of the legislation will amend several sections of the Broadcasting Services Act. Of particular importance is the amendment of section 2A, which will see the Broadcasting Services of Zimbabwe shift from a controlling role to a more sustainable approach to managing broadcasting service bands,” Dr Muswere explained.
The Bill introduces a new provision that will prevent the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) and motor insurance companies from issuing vehicle licences and insurance policies to individuals without a valid radio licence from the ZBC. The only exception to this rule is for vehicles that are not equipped with a radio signal receiver.
“The Bill mandates the national broadcaster to broadcast 75 percent in local content,” Dr Muswere continued.
“Furthermore, it will require licencees with a sports channel to broadcast 50 percent local sports content, recognising the universal appeal of sporting events and the potential commercial value they can bring to licencees.”
Dr Muswere clarified that the ZBC will conduct inspections to ensure compliance with the new regulations. He emphasised the importance of the national broadcaster generating revenue through licence fees, as it is legally obligated to broadcast national events and matters of public interest.
“This is different from commercial broadcasting stations, which are not legally obliged to broadcast national events such as the burial of national heroes, awareness programmes on pandemics, or parliamentary sittings,” he explained.
The Second Republic has been actively working to reform the media landscape in Zimbabwe, encouraging the entry of new players to promote media diversity and pluralism. The Media Practitioners Bill, currently under consideration, seeks to ensure uniformity in the training of media professionals.
