ZBC not a parastatal but a commercial station, says Manheru

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, George Charamba said the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation (ZBC) is now a commercial broadcasting station as it ceased to be a parastatal after the government stopped giving the entity grants.

Responding to queries on how the ZBC should conduct itself as a public entity during a stakeholders dialogue on the election resource center petition on parliament, Charamba took the opportunity to educate Zimbabweans on how the state broadcaster has since ceased to be a government parastatal after it was commercialised.

The commercialisation of the ZBC has seen the state broadcaster pursuing policies that bring business to the institution making it immune to policies that govern the operations of parastatals.

On the laws that govern the media environment in the country, Charamba said AIPPA is a good law that is meant to protect journalists to get information from public officials while highlighting the need to transform the Broadcasting Services Act in line with technological advancement.

Responding to queries on the Public Order and Security Act, Zimbabwe Republic Police deputy director for legal affairs, Assistant Commissioner Naison Chivhayo defended the piece of legislation which he said is essential in promoting peace in the country.

Civic society organisations have been on record denouncing AIPPA and POSA saying the laws infringe on people's rights while an interpretation of the laws reveals otherwise.