SUMMARY
With only a few days left before the International Telecommunications Union deadline of June
17, 2015, it is apparent that Zimbabwe, and a significant number of other African countries, will
not have fully migrated from analogue to digital television broadcasting.
What is even clearer is that information related to the digitisation process remains woefully
inadequate in the country. Of significance is, firstly the setting of an operational understanding
of what compliance implies. Secondly is the lack of public information on the process, and
thirdly inconsistencies of government position and timelines on digitisation. To date the
country has no clear timeline on the process, beyond the ITU set deadline – how long it will
take, and what will happen at which stage with what impact.
However, some critical information of public interest has been shared through parliament such
as the digitisation of the studios of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) which
according to Minister Moyo is still at preparatory stage, and the call for applications for new
and private television players, which had been set for 29 May, 2015.
The transition to digital television should be a more wholesome consultative process. Its
complexities require the involvement of not only the regulators of the sector and the relevant
ministry, but also broadcasting stakeholders that include network operators, retailers of
receivers and other related broadcasting equipment, content producers and the viewers
themselves.
Stakeholder engagement is particularly important for taking into consideration key
technological and economic issues relating to the process. These include among other issues
the relevant equipment for the viewers and the facilitation of a smooth distribution of the
satellite signal for the country with the telecommunications operators who already have the
requisite infrastructure that deploys fiber optic connectivity in the country. Currently, the
telecommunications sector is embroiled in infrastructure sharing debates and it would be
interesting to see how this development unfolds. MISA-Zimbabwe has noted in the past that
key to the digital migration process is the need for a converged regulatory framework for the
country’s broadcasting and telecommunications sector.
MISA-Zimbabwe reiterates its call to the relevant authorities for accessibility, openness and
transparency of information on the digital migration process through regular updates on
Zimbabwe’s digital migration plans and developments.
Issued : 11 June 2015

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