The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
MANICALAND is giving challenges to the on-going digitalisation of broadcasting services because of its mountainous nature that is inhibiting the smooth distribution of signals to every household.
Speaking in Honde Valley on Wednesday during a tour of a transmission site at Gwiriri, the Permanent Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Cde George Charamba, said Government would install more transmission sites than earlier planned in order to cover the whole province.
He said he was impressed with the work done on the Honde Valley transmission site where the concrete footings that support the tower had been completed.
“This is one of the sites that have passed and we are ready to do the super structure. Manicaland is beautiful in terms of tourism because its scenic, but the province is giving us a challenge when it comes to broadcasting. The mountainous nature of Manicaland is such that we cannot rely on one site to service the people because the site cannot provide service across the mountain ranges. To that extent Manicaland gives us a very formidable challenge. It is just not Honde Valley, we have Nyanga, Chimanimani, and of course Chipinge. These are very difficult areas. In the case of Chimanimani, we have a very good site around Gwindingwi area, but the area which is near that site which is Biririri they cannot access a resource which is a stone’s throw away. In that case we have to develop what are called gap fillers.”
Cde Charamba urged content producers to up their game and produce material to meet increased broadcast hours that will be made available through digitalisation.
Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe chief executive officer, Mr Obert Muganyura, revealed during the tour that Treasury had released $16, 2 million to fund the on-going digitalisation of broadcasting services that is set to revolutionise television transmission by providing high quality services and improved reception.
He said $8 million was released on Tuesday, while another $8,2 million would be availed next week.
Mr Muganyura said the money would be used to pay arrears amounting to more than $20 million being owed to a Chinese company that was contracted to roll out the digitalisation programme, while some would be used to purchase set-top-boxes to be used by households in receiving digital transmission.
“We have just received $8 million and we are expecting another $8, 2 million sometime next week. This is good for the project. It is good for us because with those funds we expect to see some progress on the ground. We had come to a point where we had exhausted all the equipment and resources but with these funds we are going to receive more resources.
“We have some sites like Kamativi, Mutare, Nyanga, Bulawayo and Harare that have been completed and, so, in order to generate some revenue we are going to purchase some set-top-boxes and provide services to the people. However, we still need more funds because in order to complete the whole project we need about $142 million. If the funds are made available as and when they are required, we will be able to complete the project by the end of 2017,” he said.
Cde Charamba commended Government for releasing funds at a time when the economy is not doing well.
“Government has done its bit. Can you imagine this is a very difficult year, I am having to compete with the Ministry of Labour and Social Services which is minding the stomach of the nation to get allocation for digitalisation. It takes a great, far-seeing mind to allocate resources in such a difficult year to digitalisation when in fact the stomach needs lots of support. So really, that is a huge sacrifice we have made and I think our creative industry must show an appreciation of that sacrifice by playing ball.
They must produce content. Fortunately the year is promising and we hope that as the farmer tends to the crop the content producer is also tending to their own creativity,” he said.
Cde Charamba said the released funds would restore faith between Government and the contractor because the country was lagging behind in payments.
“We were lagging behind in payments to the contractor and the contractor was beginning to wonder whether the Government of Zimbabwe was committed to the project, but when that disbursement comes about it becomes a ringing statement that indeed there is commitment,” he said.
Transmedia chief executive officer, Ms Florence Sigudu Matambo, said she was delighted with the disbursement of the funds as progress had slowed down.
“Funds were released yesterday (Tuesday) and we must make arrangements to purchase set-top-boxes and enable viewers to receive digital signals. Possibly by the end of the first quarter of next year we hope to have set-top-boxes for distribution to the people,” she said.
A total of 51 sites will be erected across the country and gap fillers installed where necessary to ensure optimal distribution of digital transmission across the country.
