SECTOR 3

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator.

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score: 			

1.3

(2008: 1.1 ; 2006:10.)

3.2
Broadcasting is regulated by an independent
body adequately protected by law against interference
whose board is appointed - in an open way - involving
civil society and not dominated by any particular
political party.
Analysis:

The Broadcasting Services Act 2001 in its section 3 establishes the Broadcasting
Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) as the regulatory and licensing authority for the
sector. An Amendment Act 2003 gives the BAZ the power to grant licenses.
The authority’s board consists of twelve members, appointed by the President after
consultation with the minister in charge of broadcasting and (to some extent) on
the basis of a list submitted by parliament’s Committee on Standing Rules and
Orders.
When this committee interviewed candidates nominated for the Zimbabwe
Media Commission in August 2009 (see above under indicator 1.5) it drew up
a list of names for the board of the BAZ from the same pool of nominations –
without any previous announcement or tender. Protests from media organisations,
pointing out that ZMC and BAZ boards are established through separate pieces
of legislation and therefore must be appointed in separate processes, were ignored
and the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity, Webster Shamu (ZANU
PF), appointed the new board in September 2009. The former chair of the Media
and Information Commission, Dr Tafataona Mahoso, was announced as head
of the BAZ with Dr Primrose Kurasha, the Zimbabwe Open University Vice
Chancellor, as his deputy.

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2010

45

Select target paragraph3