Entertainment / TV Guide
New TV channels after digitilisation
23 Aug 2014 at 17:28hrs | Views
BROADCASTING Authority of Zimbabwe (Baz) chairman Dr Tafataona Mahoso has said the country will only start inviting applications for television licences after the country has successfully migrated from analogue to digital broadcasting.
Dr Mahoso further stated that licensing of community radios will depend on government's capacity to set up requisite broadcasting infrastructure.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a body which allocates frequency spectrum to member states has set June 2015 as the deadline to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting.
He said: "The difference between community and commercial broadcasters is that commercial applicants are providing some of the infrastructure while with community radios, government will have to provide the infrastructure. That timetable is not controlled by Baz alone but is partly to do with government budget.
"With television the real issue is digitalisation whose deadline is 2015. Without that you cannot start talking about television."
Dr Mahoso was speaking at the sidelines of Ray of Hope's Ya FM public hearing for a local commercial radio station licence for Zvishavane.
Baz has held three public hearings so far in Masvingo, Zvishavane and Gweru.
For Gweru and Masvingo, AB Communications will operate Gogoi FM in Masvingo and Faya FM in Gweru if their licence applications are approved.
The Baz chairman said he was impressed by the turnout of the local community in the three towns.
Baz will be conducting hearings in Mutare on Monday for Zimpapers' Diamond FM before winding up this month's hearings in Kariba for Nyaminyami FM which is under Kingstons on August 29.
The broadcasting services regulatory body will be in Bulawayo at the beginning of September on the same mission where Fair Talk Communications (Pvt) Ltd trading as SKYZ Metro FM, Skies Radio (Pvt) Ltd trading as Skies FM and Carryslot (Pvt) Ltd trading as Skyz FM would present their proposals to the public.
In Harare, Hearings into Carryslot (Pvt) Ltd trading as Capital FM and Yes Frequency Modulation trading as Yes FM hearings will be held on 9 September while Kingstons Holdings which will run KE 100.4 FM would get its chance on 10 September.
Dr Mahoso further stated that licensing of community radios will depend on government's capacity to set up requisite broadcasting infrastructure.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a body which allocates frequency spectrum to member states has set June 2015 as the deadline to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting.
He said: "The difference between community and commercial broadcasters is that commercial applicants are providing some of the infrastructure while with community radios, government will have to provide the infrastructure. That timetable is not controlled by Baz alone but is partly to do with government budget.
"With television the real issue is digitalisation whose deadline is 2015. Without that you cannot start talking about television."
Dr Mahoso was speaking at the sidelines of Ray of Hope's Ya FM public hearing for a local commercial radio station licence for Zvishavane.
Baz has held three public hearings so far in Masvingo, Zvishavane and Gweru.
For Gweru and Masvingo, AB Communications will operate Gogoi FM in Masvingo and Faya FM in Gweru if their licence applications are approved.
The Baz chairman said he was impressed by the turnout of the local community in the three towns.
Baz will be conducting hearings in Mutare on Monday for Zimpapers' Diamond FM before winding up this month's hearings in Kariba for Nyaminyami FM which is under Kingstons on August 29.
The broadcasting services regulatory body will be in Bulawayo at the beginning of September on the same mission where Fair Talk Communications (Pvt) Ltd trading as SKYZ Metro FM, Skies Radio (Pvt) Ltd trading as Skies FM and Carryslot (Pvt) Ltd trading as Skyz FM would present their proposals to the public.
In Harare, Hearings into Carryslot (Pvt) Ltd trading as Capital FM and Yes Frequency Modulation trading as Yes FM hearings will be held on 9 September while Kingstons Holdings which will run KE 100.4 FM would get its chance on 10 September.
Source - chronicle
