Government has described as misleading information from some sections of society that there will be television blackout in the country after the digital migration deadline of 17th June this year.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Godfrey Malama said the country was on course to meet the June 17, 2015 digital migration deadline.
Mr. Malama said the digital migration programme was under way and urged Zambians to ignore lies being peddled by some people that there will be a television blackout in the county.
He said this today when he inspected the first package of the digital migration equipment for phase one which arrived at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka.
Mr. Malama said the arrival of the equipment reaffirms government’s commitment to ensure that the digital migration project comes to fruition.
He explained that the first phase project will be implemented along the line of rail, while the second and the third phase project will be employed in all the districts and the remote parts of the country respectively.
And the digital migration contractor, Star Times Communication Network Group of China, said the remaining equipment for phase one will arrive in the country between 4th and 15th April 2015.
Project Manager Jason Liu further said the installation of the phase one equipment is scheduled to be completed by June, 10, 2015.
Meanwhile, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Director General Richard Mwanza has also described assertions that Zambia may not meet the digital migration deadline as misleading.
Mr. Mwanza said ZNBC currently broadcasts on digital satellite broadcasting system adding that the terrestrial digital migration will only be for television end users.
He further explained that after the June 17, 2015 deadline, ZNBC will continue to broadcast in dual cast.
He has since urged members of the public to buy set-top-box decoders in order for them to receive the digital signal.
So in literal sense, digital migration is at the core of ZNBC payTV drive! If yes then this is an infringement on the right to information for the Zambian populace propagated for by the government through the national broadcaster (a public institution funded by taxpayers money).
But your Boss (CK) told parliament that Zambia will not meet the june deadline period. Who is telling the truth, you or your Boss?
This exercise has caught many african countries off-guard. Our govt shut down all the analogue system and left us in the dark. As you enter into this digital platform, be selective as some companies are charging exorbitant charges between 10-20 USD monthly not to mention their buying price of about 40 USD. This to me is unfair as most africans are now being denied their right.It would have been an optional exercise. Though it has it’s advantages, it would not have been a compulsory exercise. Fortunately payless decorders are now emerging.
It’s MuviTv peddling the lies, don’t beat about the bush.
We shall all migrate to digital and no one should cheat people. ZNBC should know that we pay tax for the sake of making sure that when we migrate we all movew together. there should be free provision of those decoders you are talking about. Just buy the whole country each household a decoder as long as they have a tv set since they have been paying ZMW 3 per month. Cumulatively this must have added to whatever the cost of those decoders is. Life is becoming unbearable in Zambia , especdially after Lungu’s take over. The kwacha is depreciating at some unmentionable rate.
What is TRUE is that there is NO POST OFFICE in Lusaka that is selling the much advertised ZNBC decoders. I have been to Wood lands and Ridgeway Post Offices several times and I have bounced. At Woodlands Post Office, a gentleman I found at the counter told me that even for him despite working at the Post Office, he had no decoder. These decoders appear not be there. Can ZNBC wake up from SLUMBER.