ZBC equipment older than Mugabe

MDC-T Kuwadzana East legislator Nelson Chamisa says some of the equipment at ZBC is older than the ageing President Robert Mugabe.

Chamisa was part of a parliamentary committee that toured the state broadcaster recently to assess challenges faced by the news organisation.

"We also as we were touring these facilities, particularly at ZBC, we observed that most of the equipment being used by our DJs and our various engineers is equipment that is very old - not necessarily obsolete but very old," said Chamisa.

" In fact, some of the material is older than 1924, Mr. Speaker Sir, and you know that 1924 is very symbolic to our country when you benchmark issues of development."

1924 is the year Mugabe was born.

"It is very important that we understand that the technology we are using is old and antiquated," said Chamisa.

"We need to make sure that we bring the technology forward so that we help our DJs in terms of the quality of their broadcasting and in terms of the improvement of the services that are being given to the nation."

Chamisa said they also observed, "that the remuneration, the money that we are giving to our DJs, the money that we are giving to our radio personalities is not commensurate with the kind of dignity that is expected of people of their stature.

"We want to urge Government to do something within their power, to look at the remuneration levels, to look at issues of conditions of service to do with our media practitioners who are doing all their best to discharge of their patriotic duty.

" We realise that the money that they are getting is not sufficient, yet they try to do what is good and necessary in terms of advancing the agenda of our country."