ZBC TV

ZBC TV, also known as ZTV is the only free to air Zimbabwean television network. The station broadcasts nationwide. It is owned by the country's public broadcaster, ZBC .[1]

ZBC TV
Launched16 November 1960
Owned byZBC
Picture format16:9 576i SDTV
CountryZimbabwe
LanguageEnglish, Ndebele, Shona
Broadcast areaZimbabwe free to air and DStv, worldwide via website
HeadquartersPockets Hill Studios, Higlands, Harare
Formerly calledRhodesian Television (RTV)
Sister channel(s)ZBC TV 2 (defunct), National Television or NTV (never launched), Channel 2 (defunct)
Websitewww.zbc.co.zw
DSTVChannel 280

History

In the country, television was introduced in 1960, making it the second country after Nigeria to launch such services in the Sub Saharan Africa [2] and the first in Southern Africa. It was operated by a private company called Rhodesian Television (RTV) with its major shareholders being South African companies.

RTV was taken over by the government and became part of the then state broadcaster, Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation (RBC) in 1976.

Television was mainly accessible in major cities of the country and mostly to the white population. Soon after the launch in 1960, television became available in Salisbury now Harare and months later became available in Bulawayo. Back then, the station was broadcasting in black and white until 1982, when it upgraded to full colour using PAL B system.

After the country's independence on 18 April 1980,[3] RTV became ZBC TV and RBC became ZBC. This followed after the country changed its name from Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia to Independent Zimbabwe. The station is sometimes called ZTV, abbreviation for Zimbabwe Television, a name that was officially used in the 2000s.

In the late 90s, the country's main opposition party MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai was launched. This saw the majority of the opposition supporters, local independent media houses, non governmental organisations and international media monitors accusing the state broadcaster for only reporting biased news favouring the ruling ZANU PF.

Other TV stations

In July 1998, Joy TV, a private TV station was launched in the capital, but was later closed down on 31 May 2002 [4] when ZBC refused to renew its licence. In December 2018, ZBC announced the return of Joy TV.[5]

In 2004, ZBC announced a new TV channel called National Television or NTV, a brainchild of the then information minister, Jonathan Moyo and was said that it will be broadcasting from Montrose Studios in Bulawayo. The launch of the station was delayed despite the fact that the transmitter was already installed. In 2005, Minister Moyo was fired and the project collapsed. In 2015 when he was reappointed as the information minister, Moyo promised to revive the NTV project but that never happened.

On 1 May 2010, ZBC reported the successful launch of another TV channel called Channel 2.[6] The TV channel transmitted on 199.5 MHz within an 80 km (50 mile) radius of Harare. The station was later closed in 2015.[7]

Programming

General entertainment and news

75% of the broadcast content is locally produced. International and regional content from the neighbouring South Africa, USA, UK, Australia, Korea is also available.

The news covered are mainly local and partly regional and international. News Hour is the hour-long news bulletin that is broadcast daily from 8 PM. Nhau / Indaba is another news bulletin that is split between Shona (Nhau) and Ndebele (Indaba) with each receiving 30 minutes time slot. Good Morning Zimbabwe is the daily morning news bulletin then there is also Lunch Time News.

Other popular TV shows include the Ezomgido, a local and regional musical show, Coke on the Beat which is a pop musical show, Studio 263, the country's first soap opera and other various local shows including current affairs and gospel shows.

Iconic locally produced content include;

  • Mukadota
  • Ezomgido
  • Stitsha
  • Kukhulwa Kokuphela
  • Tiriparwendo
  • Studio 263
  • Amakorokoza
  • Sinjalo
  • Timmy naBonzo
  • Gringo

Sports

The station also broadcasts various live sports tournaments from around the country and some major tournaments around the world, including the FIFA World Cup, Olympics and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Due to lack of finances which is believed to be caused by poor management and the corrupt board, the station is struggling to broadcast locally loved sport events like the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and many others.

Many local viewers are complaining about the station's poor broadcasting standard and are ditching it for foreign content distributors like Netflix and DStv.

Imported Programmes

Current

Children's programming

Animated

Comedy

Drama

Education

Documentary

Cooking

Former

Children's programming

Animated

Drama

Comedy

Soap Opera

Military

Game Shows

Variety

Wrestling

Studios and location

ZBC TV broadcasts mainly from the studios in Pockets Hill, in a suburb of Highlands, in Harare. It has another studio located in Bulawayo, in a suburb of Montrose.

The broadcasting centre in Pockets Hill was commissioned in 1970, while the new building was commissioned by the former president, Robert Mugabe in 1994.

References
  1. "Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation". Pindula.
  2. EBU Review: Programmes, Administration, Law, Volume 71, Administrative Office of the European Broadcasting Union, 1962, page 12
  3. 'MuckRaker: ZBC has taken over the RBC's mantle', Zimbabwe Independent, 16 February 2012
  4. Curtain comes down on Joy TV, Pamabazuka, 6 June 2002
  5. Joy TV retuns, ZBC News, 12 December 2018
  6. Zimbabwe: ZBC to Launch Channel Two, The Herald, 13 April 2010
  7. ZBC fires hundreds, closes TV station, Daily News, 12 August 2015
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