(b) Television SINCE the introduction of TV services in the country in 1960, the government owns and controls only one local free-toair television channel. In November 2020, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) granted freeto-air, national commercial TV broadcasting licences to six private companies after shortlisting 14 applicants, breaking the national broadcaster’s 60-year-old TV monopoly. The regulator gave the six successful applicants to 18 months to begin broadcasting. TV stations that were awarded licences are the Bulawayobased FairTalk Communications’ KeYona TV, Zimpapers Limited’s ZTN (Zimpapers Television Network) (now known as ZTN Prime), Rusununguko Media’s NRTV (Nkululeko Rusununguko Television), Jester Media’s 3K TV (now known as 3Ktv), Acacia Media Group’s Kumba TV and Channel Dzimbahwe’s Channel D. digitised. However, none of these six new stations are broadcasting on free-to-air at the moment. They are relying on satellite platforms. Of the 48 transmitters in the countries, only 18 have Despite having one functional free-to-air commercial broadcasting television station, access to television remains significantly low in all the 10 provinces, with all below a third of the surveyed respondents. (17%), Mashonaland East (13%), Bulawayo (11%), Mashonaland West (9%), Midlands (8%) and Matabeleland North (6%). Mashonaland Central (3%), Masvingo, and Matabeleland South (2%) have least everyday access to television. Therefore, those with smart televisions in the areas with digitised transmitters, such as Harare, can access the other five stations. They also rely on streaming on internet-based social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and others on satellite platforms such as DSTV and AZAM TV. Figure 9: TV access every day Survey data indicates that Harare has the highest daily access to television at 29%. This is followed by Manicaland 13