Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE Government has launched an initiative to revitalise the domestic creative arts and film industry – with a goal to generate thousands of jobs – predicated on the expertise gained by local professionals who have been working in Nigeria’s Nollywood, and will soon be deployed to India’s Bollywood and Hollywood in the United States of America.
Speaking at the official opening of his ministry’s strategic planning and review workshop in Vumba yesterday (Thursday), Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said additional teams will be sent to Bollywood and Hollywood to acquire hands-on experience from these thriving industries.
“The vision and mission of our ministry is to create a new fully fledged creative industry based on arts and film industry, and to work together with the National Arts Council to generate content that reflects our values as a people. But this new creative industry will create jobs for millions of people.
“We have already sent teams to Nigeria. The next batch will be going to India, and the other team should be going to Hollywood. This is a low hanging fruit that can create jobs and generate income for our country. It will also be able to transform the arts industry in our country,” said Dr Muswere.
Dr Muswere said the ZimDigital Phase 2 will be accelerated next year with the aim, among others, to have outdoor televisions and digital screens across the country, including at all growth points and administrative wards.
“The amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act have brought a lot of revenue to Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, and the rest of the ecosystem. This is a success story that we have achieved working together as a team. In 2026, we should accelerate the implementation of ZimDigital Phase 2, with more responsibilities related to how best we can provide outdoor televisions and digital screens across the entirety of our country, at every growth point and ward.
“We need to ensure that every citizen in our country is well informed about what is taking place in the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, in terms of what is taking place in the transformation of value chains, in terms of the agricultural information management systems, and how best our people can participate in the economy. This is the role of the ministry. I believe working together with all teams we will be in a position to ensure that each and every voice contributes towards the success of Vision 2030,” he said.
Dr Muswere said the success of national programmes and policies also hinge on the Government’s ability to keep citizens informed.
“We are now moving from national Development Strategy (NDS1) to NDS2 in terms of the digital economy and utilisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Science and Data Analytics in two-way communication platforms. This should be able to power us to redefine and combat misinformation and disinformation. The more our people are informed, the more they contribute to the national discourse, the more empowered and successful Vision 2030 becomes,” he said.
Dr Muswere said Government media institutions that have reached the end of their lifecycles must be modernised, streamlined and restructured.
“The New ZIANA has reached the end of its productive cycle. As you sit, discuss and brainstorm at this strategic planning and review workshop, you should be able to come up with new solutions that relate to how best we can modernise New ZIANA as an institution, and ensure national progress through information ubiquity. Institutions that have reached the end of their lifecycles should be modernised, streamlined and restructured to ensure that the role of the parent ministry continues to serve its constitutional mandate in terms of its functions,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the Government remains committed to increase the number of community radio stations across the country.
“The utilisation of Rapid Results Management Systems, the 100-Day Cycle Report has indicated positive progress for us as a country. But how best can we expand, in terms of the mandate that BAZ has, in terms of more community radio stations, because we need to ensure that we continue to promote our local languages as a people? This is who we are, this is our identity, these are our values, and this is our heritage. Solutions to these and other issues must come from this important gathering,” he said.
The week-long Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services strategic review and planning workshop will end today (Friday).
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