10 July 2009
INFORMATION and Broadcasting Services Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, has advised media institutions to ensure they start using digital equipment by 2015.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha, who was speaking after touring various media houses in Lusaka yesterday, said the world was changing in its technological set up, hence the need for the media to go digital.
"We are living in a world of changing technology and the media should adapt to these changes and start using digital equipment by the year 2015. "People are now acquiring better technological equipment, so there is need for us to also change in the way we broadcast programmes in our stations so that you deliver better programmes," he said.
Gen Shikapwasha, who is chief Government spokesperson, said he undertook the familiarisation tour of the media houses to learn the challenges they faced in their operations.
The minister toured Yatsani Community Radio station, Hone FM and Radio Phoenix. He said the Government would try to support the institutions in order to develop the standards of the media in Zambia, especially on the digital campaign by 2015.
He also appealed to managements of all media houses to improve conditions of services of their workers saying this would encourage them to work harder and improve their stations.
He said the Government was aware of calls by some institutions to expand operations but he said, at the moment, it was difficult unless the Information and Broadcasting Authority policy was changed. Yatsani Community Radio station managing director, Edwin Mumba, appealed to the Government to help media houses acquire funds from such institutions as Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission to enable them to expand their catchment areas.
Evelyn Hone principal, Sam Kangwa told the minister that several of printing equipment were old and the key printing machine called galantine required about US$30,000 for rehabilitation.
In response, Gen Shikapwasha urged the institution to submit a strategic plan so that the Government could negotiate with donors to mobilise the resources.
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