The Sunday Mail
ZBC acting chief executive Patrick Mavhura
This week, Zimbabwe switches off part of its analogue broadcasting system in the first phase of the country’s migration to digital broadcasting.
However, many people are still in the dark concerning the whole process.
Many say they do not know which areas will go digital first, if their television sets are compliant, and where to get set-top boxes for those TVs not in tune with the digital technologies.
A set-top box is a decoder, which converts digital signal back to analogue, and they cost around US$30 each.
The migration process relates to television and not radio broadcasting.
Digital migration, which will facilitate better audio-visual reception and allow broadcasters like ZBC to increase the number of channels they give their customers, is a process led by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
Residents in border areas are likely to be the first to lose analogue broadcasting so that transmitters do not interfere with digital signals in neighbouring countries.
In compliance with the June 17, 2015 ITU deadline, Zimbabwe’s strategy is to start with the periphery and then moving further inland.
That means for some time both analogue and digital broadcasting will be used inside Ziimbabwe.
Transmedia, Zimbabwe’s signal carrier, promised a full-fledged awareness campaign that would include roadshows around the country to raise awareness of the process. But it seems not enough was done.
Acting ZBC chief executive Patrick Mavhura notes that the lack of vigorous awareness campaigns has created problems among viewers.
“Clearly there is a lack of awareness campaigns. There is no clarity on the digitalisation issue and a lot of people do not know what is going on. We (ZBC) are planning to conduct a workshop for reporters so that we help improve information dissemination on digitalisation,” he says.
Further, there is need for greater public awareness of the new subscription-based system ZBC will employ.
For instance, how does this affect viewers who watch ZTV on the DStv platform?
A KPMG forensic audit report presented to Parliament recently recommended that the licence fee be replaced by a subscription fee.
Mavhura is confident of a smooth transition from the licence to the subscription system and official communication regarding this will be made when everything has been finalised.
“We are not sure as yet when the subscription system will start operating. It will only be adopted when we have fully digitalised. As it stands, the conditional access system that allows us to switch off defaulters has not yet been installed,” he said.
“This then means we are currently proceeding with our traditional system of foot soldiers collecting revenue and viewers should not resist paying.”
The digitalisation project started in 2009. And since then Government has built transmission sites in Plumtree and Beitbridge, and others in St Albert’s, Centenary, Mudzi and Victoria Falls in preparation for migration.
In addition to that, 10 sites including Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mutare and Gweru out of the 24 sites for television have been equipped and are now digital ready.
Fourteen have stalled due to lack of funding. Digitalisation of existing sites results shrinking of coverage, meaning more must be created to cover the entire country. This, however, can only be done after identifying areas that will have been affected meaning that this is a gradual process rather than an overnight event. Transmedia hsa said after the transition, they do not anticipate having problems with ensuring everyone has signal reception.
Transmedia chief executive Mrs Florence Sigudu-Matambo says they are working flat-out to make the new technology available to everyone.
“We are trying to bargain to get the price of set-top boxes to be as affordable as possible. We have people that we will work with, people that will do the work on our behalf. The importation of these things has to be properly managed.”
Full digitalisation is expected to be achieved by end of next year.
