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Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter

Transmedia Corporation has been challenged to be innovative to generate the much-needed revenue so as to continue sustaining its operations, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, said last night.

Speaking during a meeting with the Transmedia board and management, Minister Mutsvangwa said Transmedia should fully exploit all resources at its disposable. 

She was flanked by her deputy, Kindness Paradza, and Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana,

“Digitisation is one of the most urgent projects that we remain seized with for the next three years (2023-2025),” she said.  “I, therefore, implore you to take this seriously and put all hands on the deck to ensure the project is implemented successfully notwithstanding the funding constraints.

“We expect you to begin to think outside the box as a board and management, giving particular attention to collaborative partnerships with others.”

Minister Mutsvangwa added that nothing forbids Transmedia from exploring the public-private-partnerships (PPP) route and that calls for a Board which leverages on strong social capital to unlock dividend from such relationships.

However, she assured Transmedia that her ministry remains committed to assisting them to ensure that together, they realise the dream of leaving no one and no place behind. 

“As some of you are aware, we have an open door policy; everyone is welcome with ideas for the betterment of the corporation in particular and the country in general. 

“Feel free to walk into our offices so that we can discuss the best possible ways of taking transmission to every corner of our country and ensure universal access to information for all,” she said. 

Minister Mutsvangwa also implored Transmedia to consider tapping into the knowledge being generated every day at the country’s institutions of higher learning. 

Through working with universities and colleges around the country, she said, they may discover cost effective ways of even manufacturing transmitters locally. 

“We keep believing that all this is possible through the Education 5.0 policy,” she said. 

While there are areas where Transmedia performed well and others that are lagging behind, Minister Mutsvangwa said the negatives should not outweigh the positives. 

“As we start a new year, let us continue executing our mandate and improve on areas that need progression. 

“President Mnangagwa has emphasised that development initiatives undertaken by Government should leave no one and no place behind,” she said.

Transmedia was implored to strive to ensure it takes transmitters to the people so that its work is in line with Government the expectations and those of every citizenry. 

“Our expectation as a Ministry is for the Board to provide the strategic oversight and ensure Transmedia management fully executes its mandate despite being weighed down by funding constraints.

“It will certainly delight us to know that the Board, working with management, isn’t sitting on its laurels comfortably waiting for financial resources from Treasury, but that it is being innovative by adopting resource mobilisation strategies to plug the funding gap,” she said.

The Government has licensed 14 community radio stations, whose uses vary.

Four of the community radio stations are now operational, although one still has challenges in terms of broadcasting to the required radius.

However, Minister Mutsvangwa said the common thing was that all of them require transmitters for communities to receive radio signals. 

“You are the sole provider of TV and radio signal carrier services in the country and are expected to play the crucial role of installing and maintaining new broadcasting infrastructure to achieve our goal of connecting the whole country as we move towards Vision 2030. 

“This entails having our marginalised communities connected to stable and high quality radio transmitters. Through radio, they can get informed about Government policies, developments and plans for the future,” she said.

During the early days of Covid-19, Minister Mutsvangwa said, there were challenges of misinformation and disinformation.

She reckons if the community radio stations could have made use of technocrats to provide credible information if they were functional.

“We should do our best to make sure that all community radios are operationalised especially now that the harmonised general elections are around the corner,” she said.

Transmedia Board chairperson Ambassador Mary Mubi said while the road network may not be able to reach all corners of Zimbabwe, further investments in Transmedia platforms in all corners of Zimbabwe will ensure that everyone in the country will benefit from knowledge exchange that can take place online.

“As a Board we are aware that we need to institute better mechanisms for constantly tracking progress so that we are better able to meet targets,” she said.

Ambassador Mubi recommended that the classification of Transmedia Corporation only within the social sector be lined up with global trends as ICTs and broadcasting were fast converging.