KISS-FM submitted plagiarised SA Broadcasting Corporation's technical plan

State media reports that KISS-FM reportedly lost its bid for a national radio licence after it submitted a plagiarised South African Broadcasting Corporation's technical plan as part of its bid document.

Sources who attended the public hearing said KISS-FM chairman Mr Douglas Munatsi, director Ms Sharon Mugabe and other top company executives failed to explain to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe officials why their digital broadcasting overview sketch had the SABC name on it, instead of the name of their station - KISS-FM.

A BAZ official, who preferred anonymity, yesterday said it was clear the document had been copied from somewhere and they forgot to remove the name SABC in that document.

The source added that the KISS-FM team of Ms Mugabe, Mr Munatsi, Musi Khumalo, Oliver Mtukudzi and Tonderai Ndoro (Tony D) were caught "pants down" for what appeared like pure plagiarism.
"Musi Khumalo tried to explain that they were going to provide part of their signal to the SABC, but it was a pure disaster.

"You cannot be broadcasting in other countries when you apply for a terrestrial national commercial radio licence for Zimbabwe. It was clear she was lying through her teeth," said the source.

A lady who attended the inquiry was heard strongly intimating that KISS-FM's application was most likely an act of plagiarism.

"How can KISS-FM respond that the reference to SABC is an error? They forgot to delete the reference in their submission," whispered the lady.

"This is plagiarism at its best, and a danger associated with copy and paste. You have to be clever to do that. This is not an original application by KISS-FM."

An official at KISS-FM confirmed the document had been produced by their "consultant" Gelfand Kausiyo, a Zimbabwean who works for the technical department of the SABC in South Africa.

Kausiyo was present at the KISS-FM public hearing and could be seen passing notes to the presenters at regular intervals as they were being grilled by the BAZ board and members of the public.

Asked for comment Kiss-FM's Tony D yesterday said: "We have no comment as the matter you are inquiring about is before the courts.

"We do not wish to be seen to prejudice or attempt to influence the honourable courts using the media or in any other manner."

KISS-FM is now challenging the BAZ decision to deny them a licence at the Administrative Court.

In its grounds of appeal KISS-FM argues that BAZ issued licences to applicants who had "Insufficient resources to establish and effectively operate a broadcasting service.

"The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe erred in finding that the appellant's application, which contained full particulars of the directors of the appellant was poorer than that of other applicants in circumstances where winning applicants' did not have full particulars of the directors of the applicants," says KISS-FM.

"BAZ erred in failing to take into account the fact that the financial resources of the other applicants were insufficient to enable them to establish and effectively operate a broadcasting service."

An observer yesterday said in all its efforts to discredit BAZ, KISS-FM had not made any specific reference to a violation by the authority of the licence application process as prescribed by law.

"Section 10 of the Broadcasting Services Act is very clear on the procedures to be followed by BAZ in processing applications. We have not heard KISS-FM, or anybody else for that matter, raising any violation issue," said the observer.

BAZ awarded Zimbabwe Newspapers and AB Communications free-to-air broadcasting national radio licenses.

AB Communications scored 99 out of 106 points, while Zimpapers got 93 points. KISS-FM scored 80 while Vox Media got 70.

The House of Assembly on Thursday adopted a motion nullifying the granting of radio licences to Zimbabwe Newspapers and AB Communications although party chief whips said its adoption had no legal force.

The motion also called for the dissolution of the BAZ board.