SECTOR 3 3.7 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from arbitrary interference through its budget and from all commercial pressure. The ZBC is supposed to receive a grant from government and additional funding is derived from licence fees and advertising. The government grant is not forthcoming. All vehicle owners in Zimbabwe who own car radios are expected to pay an annual ZBC licence fee of US$30 for private cars and US$80 for commercial vehicles. All television owners in Zimbabwe are required to pay an annual licence fee whether they are tuned in to ZBC or the satellite service DSTV. It is not clear whether these fees are then handed over to ZBC. In any case, the amount collected through fees is described as “insignificant”. The largest portion of ZBC’s budget comes from advertising. As the ZBC still has the television monopoly in the country, clients are keen to buy airtime – they have no power to exercise commercial pressure. It is unlikely, however, that the ZBC would carry stories that are detrimental to their big advertisers, especially when this is where the bulk of its revenue is sourced. 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: 1.5 (2010:1.1; 2008:n/a; 2006:n/a) 3.8 The state/public broadcaster is technically accessible in the entire country. It is difficult to access ZBC television throughout the country, and in remote regions the reception is extremely poor. The channel is now also available through the satellite subscription service DSTV - for people who can afford to pay the subscription fee. The reach of radio signals is said to cover 30 to 35 per cent of the country. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2012 43