News / National
Zimbabwe's independent TV station fails to launch
20 Jul 2013 at 08:17hrs | Views
PIRATE TV station 1st TV failed to launch last night after the South African parastatal, Sentech that carries the SABC signal refused to host the station's transmission.
ZBC chief executive officer Mr Happison Muchechetere, who had been in talks with Sentech over having ZBCTv carry some of the SABC programmes, last night said he had received assurance from Sentech that it had declined to carry the Ist TV signal.
The station was scheduled to launch at 6pm last night.
In a letter to Mr Muchechetere, Sentech chief executive Dr Setumo Mohapi said his organisation was not working with "1st Tv/VOA. We completely distance ourselves".
He said Sentech had not had any contact with any other broadcaster other than ZBC with regards to broadcasting in Zimbabwe. He said Sentech was still interested in fulfilling its deal with ZBC.
Mr Muchechetere said he had been in touch with Sentech since Thursday and had been receiving information to the effect that the company had declined to work with Ist TV/VOA.
Government, on Wednesday, said it would engage GPA facilitator South African President Jacob Zuma in the wake of the intensification of pirate broadcasts into Zimbabwe that had sucked in Sentech.
ZBC chief executive officer Mr Happison Muchechetere, who had been in talks with Sentech over having ZBCTv carry some of the SABC programmes, last night said he had received assurance from Sentech that it had declined to carry the Ist TV signal.
The station was scheduled to launch at 6pm last night.
He said Sentech had not had any contact with any other broadcaster other than ZBC with regards to broadcasting in Zimbabwe. He said Sentech was still interested in fulfilling its deal with ZBC.
Mr Muchechetere said he had been in touch with Sentech since Thursday and had been receiving information to the effect that the company had declined to work with Ist TV/VOA.
Government, on Wednesday, said it would engage GPA facilitator South African President Jacob Zuma in the wake of the intensification of pirate broadcasts into Zimbabwe that had sucked in Sentech.
Source - herald
