The government has just passed the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill, which now means that if you want to renew your motor vehicle licence or get motor insurance, you’ll have to show proof that you’ve paid for a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) radio licence.
Sounds good in theory, right? Supporting our national broadcaster and all. But there’s a massive elephant in the room, so big you might need a bigger car just to dodge it. And that elephant is shouting: What about the people who don’t even listen to the radio?
Let’s Talk Cars (and Radios)
First things first, Zimbabwe is Ex-Jap Nation. Most cars you see on the road are second-hand imports from Japan and trust me—I’ll die on this hill. They’re affordable, reliable, but there’s one catch: the radios in these cars are not great. These things only go up to 90.0 MHz, meaning the average driver isn’t even able to pick up a ZBC station unless they start tampering with their car’s head unit. The only station that most of these folks can catch is StarFM at 89.7 MHz in Harare — which, surprise, isn’t even a ZBC channel. (Sidebar: we need to talk about how this has made StarFM an actual monopoly on another day).
Now, I’m not saying the new law has blind spots, but it does feel like someone forgot not all radios are made the same. So, what’s the deal here? Are people with these low-frequency radios expected to pay for ZBC access they can’t even get? Or maybe they should get an “FM pass” as compensation for their troubles? Right now, it seems the answer is, “Sorry, but you still gotta pay.”
Streaming Into The Future
Let’s talk about the other elephant in the room—people like me who never tune into terrestrial radio anymore. I’m glued to Spotify, where DJ X seems to read my mind and serve up exactly the music I want to hear (sorry, local DJs, but I’m not into endless chatter). I honestly can’t even remember the last time I listened to regular FM radio. And when I do, it’s usually just a bunch of noise and very little music and I am being very generous.
The world has moved on from traditional radio. We’ve got Netflix, YouTube and TikTok—terrestrial analogue radio is kind of like trying to get your news from smoke signals. Why should I be forced to pay for a service I don’t use? It’s like being charged for a subscription I never asked for which we already do and its called 3rd party insurance. Thanks, but no thanks.
And I know I’m not alone. More and more people are switching to streaming platforms, podcasts, or simply enjoying the sweet silence of their drives. Forcing people to pay for a ZBC licence when they don’t even listen to the radio is like charging for horse feed when you drive a car.
We’re A Little Behind, Aren’t We?
Here’s the kicker: Zimbabwe, bless our hearts, is still a bit behind the times. The world has already moved on from good old FM and AM broadcasts. Some of the latest car models don’t even come with FM radios anymore—they’re designed for digital radio or internet streaming. Meanwhile, we’re still trying to make sure we can even catch a signal. And let’s not forget how impossible it is to stream internet radio on Zimbabwe’s mobile networks. You’ll run out of data before the first song ends.
Now, I’m not an audiophile. I’ve got a $15 head unit I bought from High Glen and honestly, if I had gone to the Chinese shops, I probably could’ve gotten it for half the price. But here’s the thing: the one feature I actually use on that radio is Bluetooth. Between Spotify and YouTube Music, I’m set. Sure, my head unit has an FM receiver, but ZBC doesn’t care about my use case I’ll just be paying for something I’ll never use.
But here’s where it gets interesting—hop on Amazon and search for Bluetooth Car Amplifier. My heart, soul and Ecocash VCN are already set on the AUDIOZERONE Marine Amplifier Bluetooth (yes, here’s the link: AUDIOZERONE’s Marine Amplifier Bluetooth). It does one thing and one thing only: receive Bluetooth. That means I can pair my phone, or better yet, get myself a cheap chimbudzi iPhone like an X (time to let go bruv) and turn it into my own mini smart iPod.
With this setup, I’m happily driving to my Spotify playlists without ever tuning into terrestrial radio. And that brings us back to the question: Why should I have to pay for a ZBC licence if the only waves I’m tuning into are digital?
Wrapping It Up
At the end of the day, the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill seems like it’s trying to squeeze a little extra cash out of every motorist, whether they listen to ZBC or not. But the truth is, for many of us, ZBC is just background noise—if we can even tune in at all. So, why not rethink this whole radio licence thing? Maybe the national broadcaster could focus on improving its digital game, instead of making people pay for a service they don’t use and can’t access.
But hey, who am I to judge? I’m just a guy with a car, a taste for niche tunes and no desire to pay for a service I’ve long since outgrown. Over to you, ZBC—are you going to tune in to modern times, or will motorists be stuck paying for a service that’s gone off the dial?
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