Chief Government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti has said it would not be prudent for government to bail out the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) with the K4 billion shortfall to beam the Africa Cup live when the country was experiencing floods in most parts of the country.
He told parliament in a ministerial statment today over the failure by the national broadcaster to beam live the on going MTN Ghana Africa Cup of nations, that government was also sourcing the funds to mitigate effects of the floods and ease the suffering of flood victims.
Mr. Mulongoti said the amount required by ZNBC to air live the Africa Cup of Nations matches can go a long way in assisting people affected by the floods.
Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services minister, said the demand in the two weeks has increased on the repair of damaged bridges due to heavy rains and the relocation of people displaced by floods.
“we do not however think it proper that such huge amounts of money should be spent on one activity lasting only a few weeks and benefiting only a few people with television sets at a time when there is a greater demand on government funds for social services,” he said.
The Minister added that the money, which the ZNBC raises from television levies could better be spent on expanding radio and television reception with an additional television channel other than spending on airing the matches, which have short term benefits.
He said currently ZNBC collects about K4.8 billion annually from TV licence fees adding that compliance levels from members of the public was still low.
He said Zambia like many other countries in the region have failured to broadcast the matches due to the exorbitant fees charged by the vendor’s rights MTN Africa Cup of Nations 2008 and MTN Confederation Africa Football (CAF) champions league 2008.
Mr. Mulongoti noted that ZNBC,s ability to air live matches including the English Premier League and local league was as a result of sponsorship by private companies.
He said in 2006, government had to bail out the national broadcaster with K3.1 billion after the corporation failed to raise K3.7 billion requested by the Vendor.
So far the corporation has been able to raise K800 million from advertising and campaigns and a further K130 million from the SMS competition it had been running for a month.
“In this respect, the last World Cup held in Germany in 2006 was screened in its entirety by ZNBC because of the reasonable cost that was placed by the vendors of the rights,” he added.
He said the current vendors of the rights to the Africa Cup of Nations have hiked the cost to amounts of K6 billion an amount that ZNBC cannot realistically raise.
He said ZNBC, insipte making attempts to get the vendor to reduce the fees, received no co-operation from MTN .
Mr. Mulongoti added that the partnership failed to materialise with MUVI regarding the matter because of the conditions that the private television station offered, which would have been unethical and unprofessional.
He disclosed that MUVI TV, among other conditions, proposed to have their own entertainment programmes run on ZNBC as a way of payment and that the two stations run a joint SMS competition that would raise K5 billion in three days.
“The corporation also rejected MUVI TV proposal that their members of staff be allowed to conduct their telephone SMS competition and promotion on ZNBC TV as one channel.
He said the proposal was unethical as MUVI was going to run the programmes nationally while their license restricts them to only Lusaka.
The Minister has since expressed sadness at false reports linking Muvi TV to have offered to fund the beaming of the games live.
He said the falsehood, which is a smear campaign against the national broadcaster, has incited people protest gainst ZBNC for having hindered MUVI from facilitating live broadcasts of the Ghana tournament.
Chilubi MP Obius Chisala asked government why the corporation failed to engage in fundraising ventures earlier having known about the event way back.
Munali MP Josephine Mumbi questioned government why it has failed to mobilize K4 billion when it has managed to mobilize resources for the Constitution making process.
Kalomo MP Request Muntnga wondered why the broadcaster failed to negotiate for airing matches that Zambia would play, to which the minister said the vendor refused as he was uncorporative.
Luapula MP Peter Machungwa wondered why government could not get K4 billion from the K900 billion which remained unused at the end of the year.
the govt will pay for znbc when the team reaches the final
The reason given by Mulongoti is good, though the national boaster should have planned ahead and started fundraising long before. It shuold not depend entirely on government to bail out, becoz it is capable of raising money through competitions and other means if only they can start early enough.
Mulongoti you are not just a soccer fan, you are busy bribing poor chiefs to support Maureen Mwanawasa for MMD presidency.where are you getting the monies from? for NCC money is not an issue.
This explains why people don’t want to pay TV license because it benefits no one.its only soccer we can watch on znbc, the rest is trash.
As unethical as teaming up with a private TV station might sound, it is imprudent for Govt to bail out ZNBC just to broadcast live the matches. All these problems at ZNBC, like in many other quasi-governmental organisations, are linked to rusted management skills. We need a shake up and measurable transformations in these public institutions.
It makes more sense not to bail out ZNBC, One would ask what is happening to the money ZNBC has been making through TV licences and one would have an impression that ZNBC should be providing a better service than smaller TV companies like Muvi Tv which I personnally feel is providing a better service. What is the use of pay for a TV licence, when the services provided are so pathetic, should we subsidise the salary for the workers at ZNBC, I think this is not right.
The behaviour of MUVI TV presenters leaves much to be desired.
Mulongoti you are HIV POSITIVE thats why you cant think properly.
am stigmatizing you Mulongoti . baba mukufa. you POSITIVE!!!!!!
mulongoti is full of verbal diarrhoea.I doubt if he has a loopback system to listen to himself, otherwise it is always heart breaking listening to his unintelligible press statements
mulongoti is watching africa cup through sattelite…common zambians who cannot afford to…TOUGH!!!!!!!!this is the way of the world
why do you ask us to pay TV license when dont even watch your absolete station. Do i have to pay just because i own tv. to hell this animal called Mulongoti
I just feel ashemed to associate with people who exibit animal behavior as Zambians.peolpe in govt practicing politic of stone age and primitive societies. in my view, these are enemies development as they benefit from keeping other in poverty. please mulongoti and your fellow messless creatures, this is not animal kingdom where you should impose law of the jungle. You are obsolete to development needs of the people.
it is now time to go mulongoti, you have over lived your usefulness.This is not stigma but gospel truth andno one can refute it. pliz, eat while you still have life. may Satana the Mudyelekezi himself welcome you to hell.
Ba mulongoti think b4 u talk
>:):-@x(
STINKING AND USELES MANNER AVER OTHER PIPO .S CHOICES NOT GOOD AT ALL MR MULONGOTI.