ZBC to become subscription service

WITH Zimbabwe moving full steam ahead with its digitisation programme, viewers might soon have to fork out subscription fees to watch some ZBC channels when the national broadcaster rolls out its new channels.

The national broadcaster, which has been promising to increase the number of channels it offers for years, recently announced that it was looking to add an array of channels that include a security services television channel, wildlife and history channel among others.

“We will increase our channels and hope to have a security services television channel, wildlife, history of our country and Africa among other channels . . . We will have a full spectrum channel to carry a variety of content and then news and current affairs, sports, music, tourism and nature channels initially,’’ ZBC CEO Patrick Mavhura.

According to a report by nextvafrica.com the new channels will see, “viewers likely have to pay subscription fees as once noted by ZBC’s CEO. On the other hand, with the digital migration project, the proposed channels would be aired in High Definition”.

All this is supposed to happen after the realisation of digital migration.

Previously, viewers only had to pay for TV and radio license fees for access to the country’s broadcaster.

The migration towards digital from analogue is also expected to kick-start a film and television revolution in Zimbabwe, with special attention paid to local stories that bring to light the lives of Zimbabweans, especially those in remote areas.

“There are so many activities on the dry Limpopo or Vhembe, the world wants to know that story and it’s upon the people if Beitbridge to tell the world through the various television channels we seek to have now,” said Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Ministry Permanent Secretary George Charamba recently.