Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
PLANS to establish content hubs in all the country’s 10 provinces are in the pipeline as Government moves to anchor the media industry on heritage-based content that tells the Zimbabwean story.
About US$10 million was set aside for content creation under the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) strategic plan.
The provincial content hubs, expected to be used by filmmakers, musicians and other players in the creative sector, form part of broader efforts to expand television and radio services, as the national broadcaster transitions to heritage-based broadcasting.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, revealed the developments while officiating at a ZBC stakeholder engagement workshop held in Harare on Wednesday last week.
He said the media industry must rise to the occasion by producing content rooted in the country’s history, values and aspirations.
Dr Muswere said the existence of enabling legislative and policy frameworks now places responsibility on producers to build a sustainable media industry grounded in ethics, ethos and honest content.
He said the workshop was meant to generate ideas that would feed into a framework for content creators within the broadcasting ecosystem.
A Film Policy is also in the pipeline, alongside a National Language Policy expected to be tabled before Cabinet in the first quarter of this year.
“The National Arts Council has a database of 3 500 registered players and it is now upon the National Arts Council, independent producers, and many other players to be able to generate the content that we can all be proud of,” he said.
“We all know how broadcasting operates. That viewership follows content. For the public broadcaster to be able to achieve, to create a new and viable film industry, the basis is to be the capacitation of the public broadcaster and I can safely explain to all of you, as delegates here today, that part of the public broadcaster’s budget for the year 2026 is an equivalent of United States dollars, $10 million for the content producers.
“So, we cannot have all citizens of Zimbabwe contributing to the public broadcaster.
“But we do not have Zimbabweans, players, producers, musicians, filmmakers, not benefiting from these funds.
“This is part of the aspirations that we had held last year in terms of the ZBC strategic plan and it is now upon all filmmakers and producers of content to be able to entertain, to educate and inform the people of Zimbabwe and the international community about what Zimbabwe has been able to achieve as we journey towards an upper-middle income society.”
Dr Muswere said amendments to the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act were meant to ensure that content speaks to the nation’s history, contemporary issues and the country’s future within the region and the continent.
He said although ZBC previously faced challenges, including limited resources to pay for content, the legislative and policy reforms implemented last year under the direction of President Mnangagwa had unlocked funding.
“I can safely conclude that ZBC now has the resources, but what we need is the content,” he said.
“The whole framework is to come up with ZBCTV2 and ZBCTV3.
“An expansion in terms of community radio stations, which now number more than 14, which are actively contributing content in terms of heritage-based broadcasting, are fully functional, but for us to be able to launch ZBC international, our 24-hour news channel, for us to be able to launch ZBCTV2 and TV3, television or radio services require content.
“This content is to be coming from you, from all the filmmakers, from all the musicians, from all the players within the broadcasting ecosystem.”
Dr Muswere challenged content creators, including the 3 500 registered under the National Arts Council, to generate content that tells the Zimbabwean story and reflects national aspirations.
He said content producers should document achievements recorded under the Second Republic across various economic sectors. “The new dispensation under the leadership of President E.D Mnangagwa has achieved a lot in terms of infrastructure, in terms of agriculture, be it in terms of power generation, be it in terms of the revival of the broadcasting sector,” said Dr Muswere.
“Vision 2030 is a collective responsibility. Writers, musicians, filmmakers have a responsibility to tell the true story about Zimbabwe.
“We have managed to achieve from 90 000 metric tonnes of wheat to more than 600 000 metric tonnes of wheat.
“We have also managed to revive the mechanical power in terms of agricultural production from less than 2 500 tractors to more than 16 000 tractors.
“We have achieved food sufficiency and nutrition security as well.
“Not only have we managed to be able to bring investment from a total of less than 300 million per annum in terms of investment proposals per year in the First Republic to a minimum of $6 billion per year in terms of investment proposals approved by ZIDA.
“All these are good stories to talk about, to cover, but also, as Government, we are utilising an all-of-government approach.”
Dr Muswere said the media industry should aim to build a resilient and sustainable creative sector capable of generating billions of dollars and creating jobs, contributing to national GDP.
“NDS2 speaks to the creative industry and we believe the National Arts Council should be able to harness all the talent,” he said.
Acting ZBC board chairperson, Mr Tapson Dzvetero, reaffirmed the broadcaster’s commitment to working with content creators.
“The board and management are committed to supporting the outcomes of this process and to ensuring that your contributions translate into tangible change,” he said.
“We are ready to listen, to learn and to act. I, therefore, encourage you to engage freely and honestly over the course of this return, challenge us where necessary, inspire us where possible.
“Together, let us prop up the quality of safe to see content, restore its creative vibrancy and ensure that the national broadcaster once again truly informs, educates and entertains the nation.”
ZBC chief executive officer, Mr Sugar Chagonda, said the broadcaster was open to working with all content producers.
“We want to hear you, we want to work with you, and we want to grow with you,” he said.
“Your support creates an enabling environment for innovation, accountability, and national impact. Colleagues and partners, this is our moment.
“A moment to reimagine content, elevate creativity and shape narratives that reflect the best who we are and who we aspire to be.
“The future of ZBC will be defined by the choices we make today. Bold choices, collaborative choices, and purposeful choices. Let us seize this opportunity.
“Let us create content that matters. And let us tell this marvellous story powerfully, proudly, and on our own terms.”
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