Viewers snub Mugabe propaganda TV

Viewers snub Mugabe propaganda TV

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWEAN television viewers are deserting the state-run ZTV and opting for foreign networks via satellite, a government newspaper revealed.

The revelations were made by the state-run Herald newspaper -- a zealous defender of President Robert Mugabe's regime.

According to the paper, television viewers are opting to pay millions of Zimbabwe dollars monthly to view South Africa-headquartered MultiChoice's DStv programmes or invest similarly huge amounts in special decoders giving free access to foreign television stations.

Although the paper fingured "uneconomic" licence fees as the push factor, that excuse does not stand up given that foreign television subscriptions cost more than local TV licences.

Zimbabwean listeners were now preferring regional television stations like Botswana Television (Btv), South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) channels and e.tv, it was reported.

Those who watch SABC and e.tv do so via special decoders such as Vivid, Pace and Fortec Star, which are being imported from South Africa and Dubai and sold for anything above Z$4-million in Zimbabwe.

A flip through the classified-advertisement pages of leading daily and weekly newspapers reveals a roaring trade in decoders and satellites and their installation.

Although DStv has about 20 000 subscribers in Zimbabwe, this figure does not reflect the total number of people who view free channels accessed on satellite dishes.

According to The Herald's survey, Zimbabweans are now opting to tune in to Btv because it is free and has a wide variety of local and foreign programmes, including popular Western soap operas.

Government opponents have complained about ZTV's alleged abuse of its charter by pursuing partial interests in support of the ruling Zanu PF. The station enjoys a monopoly and the government recently turned out a licence application by a private company.
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