Sunday Mail Reporter
THE Government will continue investing in the media sector to ensure Zimbabweans tell their own stories from their own perspectives, as information sovereignty is critical to the country’s socio-economic development and the attainment of Vision 2030, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere at the commissioning of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC)’s new studio infrastructure at Montrose Studios in Bulawayo on Friday.
Investment in modern information dissemination infrastructure, the President Mnangagwa said, was not only about upgrading equipment, but also preserving national identity and empowering citizens.
“The modernisation of Montrose Studios we are witnessing today is therefore not just about infrastructure and equipment. It’s also about the preservation of our national identity and empowerment by adapting to technology advancement,” he said.
“Through information and capacity to expand our broadcasting services, our people must continue to tell our own story from own perspectives, insights and experiences.”
President Mnangagwa said it was significant that the modernisation of the public broadcaster was taking place at the beginning of the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), describing the recapitalisation of the public broadcaster as a key milestone towards the realisation of Vision 2030.
In the rapidly evolving digital era, he added, it was important to ensure that information about Zimbabwe remains accurate, relevant and secure from misinformation and misleading external narratives.
“It must ensure timely, accurate and relevant information to safeguard our culture and heritage, and to stand as a barricade against misinformation, disinformation and external narratives that don’t reflect the true Zimbabwean story,” he said
President Mnangagwa said the modernisation project also reflected the Second Republic’s commitment to harnessing technological innovation as a driver of growth and greater impact across all sectors of the economy.
“This thrust has become an urgent imperative given the fast-changing global space and need to scale up our country’s competitiveness in every area,” he said.
“In this respect, the role of media, information and broadcasting remains central to Zimbabwe’s development journey. I commend the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services for the role it continues to play for the recapitalisation of ZBC.”
The upgrades, implemented under the Zim Digital Phase Two Project, include two state-of-the-art television studios, eight modern radio studios, a fully integrated play-out centre, a media asset management system and a data centre.
ZBC also commissioned Luzibo Radio, an education channel operated in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to deliver curriculum-based learning content to schoolchildren across the country.
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