Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, is hopeful that the media in the country will be ready to digitalize by 2015 to meet the global broadcasting technological transfer from analogue to digital.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha has since urged the media industry to expeditiously put in place programmes that will avert possible collapse of the system in view of the switch from analogue to digital by 2015.
Lt Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Chief Government spokesperson, said this in Lusaka today during his continued familiarisation tour of private radio stations.
He also called on media owners to improve the conditions of service and offer better remuneration for their workers in order for the industry to progress and retain skillful personnel.
Lt Gen. Shikapwasha bemoaned the current conditions of service being offered by both the public and private media saying there is need to change the obtaining scenario if media personnel are to be motivated.
And Radio Yatsani Director, Edwin Mumba, appealed to government to consider assisting community radio stations in acquiring modern equipment in line with the global trend of digitalizing the media.
Father Mumba said the media is crucial in entrenching the tenets of democracy and good governance in the nation.
Earlier, Radio Yatsani Senior Technician, John Mulenga , asked government to put in place stringent measures in a bid to protect community radio stations from being exploited by bogus businessmen dealing in technical equipment.
Mr. Mulenga said lack of government protection will leave the media houses at the mercy of businessmen who may supply them with counterfeit equipments.
Lt Gen. Shikapwasha toured Radio Yatsani, Hone radio and television station and Radio Phoenix.
ZANIS
Its about time.
I didnt know that now Evelyn Hone has a TV station.Good move.Iam so happy being a former hone student (Honolulu).Keep it up.I just left a radio station(Hone FM)
The media are not the only stakeholders in this digital migration, in fact they can’t do much without governemnt first creating a conducive environment. So Shikapwasha should also be discussing the migration in terms of government’s responsibilty to create a suitable policy and legal environment and also sourcing funding because it’s an expensive venture. And the issue should not just be about catching up with other countries as he’s putting it, the terms should be made relevant to our own situation or else it will backfire and simply worsen the digital divide between the rich and poor Zambians.
Impressive, but when are you Mr Minister Shikapwasha informing us Zambians about the issues surrounding problems at ZNBC? How far have you gone in reading the ZNBC SAGA Auditor General’s report?
Have a pleasant day all.
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Matthew 6:33 + KJV Bible
good idea but with 6 billion kwacha at loss kaya! can someone scream CORRUPTION!
never,
Hi bloggers. Any one with info as in regards to the current TV sets, someone told me that with the digitalisation, most sets will not be able to function. How true is this?
The real dora siliya, Most old tv sets will not function because they only have analogue receivers , new tv’s (more expensive) have built in digital receivers. It’s like the year 2000 windows cash making scheme to make Tv manufacturers richer by making us all change tv’s. I don’t think the minister has factored in costs to digital change over . The average costs in the Uk for change over is £132 per house and per Tv statition is an even collosal amount. I think this is just another statement common by ministers where they have seen or heard about digital TV change over and think we should follow suite
This digital nonsense will not happen in Zed. It is a costly venture with little benefits. the south african govt is currently spending billions to susbdise the poor so that they can switch over. since sabc , etv and multichoice have gone digital in preparation for 2010. i dont see our govt spending that kind of money on subsidy. if we cant even host All africa games why should we spend all this money. and frankly i havent seen any difference btween digital and analogue
The suggested move will be good, you don’t need to get a new TV as almost any TV can be converted with a digital box, even black and white ones and televisions without scart sockets. Your television needs to have either a scart or RF input. Unfortunately if your television does not have either of these inputs it cannot be converted to receive digital television.
#8 and #9, you dont need to buy new TVs, the only thing that will change is the cables uesd to receive the digital signals. If the TV does not have a scart socket, you can purchase a digital box that connects to the RF input (aerial socket) on your television.