We are syncing the Broadcasting Act with international best practices says Govt
Government has revealed that it is making amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act so that it can be in sync with international best practices.
The Act has been blamed for closing the broadcasting space in Zimbabwe. This has seen Zimbabwe having only one television station that is operated by the government.
Speaking in the National Assembly, the Information and Broadcast Deputy Minister Kindness Paradza said the amendment to the Act will also bring sanity to the media sector.
‘’We are currently seized with a raft of amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act for it to be in sync with international best practices.
‘’Not only that, in order to promote sanity within the media industry, this administration is also drafting, together with the relevant stakeholders, the proposed Media Practitioners’ Bill.
‘’This bill is meant to protect professional journalists from chancers, pretenders, and impostors’ who have polluted the media landscape masquerading as professional media practitioners,’’ he said.
Honourable Paradza bemoaned the polarisation and toxicity of the media space, arguing that it is tarnishing the image of the country.
‘’Having said that Honourable Speaker, it is unfortunate that our media is still toxic. There is rampant polarisation in our media sector and this is affecting our national image as a country.
‘’In some instances, professionalism, as we know it, has gone to the dogs. The professional conduct of some of the practitioners has been compromised due to undue influence from both political and business players, resulting in subjective reporting instead of being objective.
‘’In some cases, our journalists have fallen victims to those with money and have been bribed with khaki envelopes. The Committee also observed a number of challenges within the media sector, ranging from poor or unavailability of tools of the trade, lack of funding, general staff welfare in terms of remuneration, issues to do with multiple accreditations, unavailability of an employment council for the media industry, salary disparities and a host of other issues,’’ he said.–
We are syncing the Broadcasting Act with international best practices says Govt
