ZimPapers TV Network & KeYonna TV shortlisted for TV licences by BAZ

Remember those 12 TV channels that were supposed to start airing content this in August? Well, August is here (about to end actually) and the airwaves have not been lit up by new channels.

By the end of the year, in fact, by August, our aim is to have at least six independent television channels.

We are also availing six channels for the national broadcaster, ZBC, so, all in all, we will be having 12 television channels.

Nick Mangwana in February

Enter ZTN & KeYonna TV

The most recent update we’ve gotten regarding the licencing is as follows. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) is considering 2 players for licencing. BAZ has shortlisted ZimPapers Television Network (ZTN) and Fair Talk Communications (KeYonna Tv) for interviewing. If issued, the broadcasting licences will be valid for 10 years.

We’ve been shortlisted and are looking forward to the public inquiry. Zimpapers has been preparing for this for the past couple of years

Zimpapers public relations and corporate affairs manager Beatrice Tonhodzayi

ZTN is a subsidiary of ZimPapers and has embraced an online model sharing content via Facebook and YouTube.

The other applicant, Fair Talk Communications is also the parent company of Skyz Metro FM and Breeze FM. KeYonna TV doesn’t have a pre-existing footprint on or offline like ZTN.

Since Fair Talk has no experience broadcasting on TV, questions arise at how they will execute if awarded a licence. Their CEO isn’t too worried;

With the experience and brand, we have developed with our radio programming business, we’re certainly a competitive player. Our performance in the public hearings stage will show that we are a serious player worthy to receive a licence from BAZ.

Fair Talk Communications CEO Godwin Phiri said if they are awarded the licence KeYonna TV will be based in Bulawayo:

We believe that we submitted a very competitive bid and we certainly look forward to participating in the public hearings. If we get the licence, our TV station will be based in Bulawayo, although it will be a national licence…

Don’t hold your breath

There are no suggestions of how long it will take BAZ to go from shortlisting to completing the interviews. Hopefully, this will not be as painstakingly slow as the rest of the process which has been talked about since 2015.