Bulawayo (ZBC) Montrose Studios can be easily turned into a Museum!

"The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's equipment is still in the 1960s," -David Coltart.

One would certainly agree with me when I say that the Bulawayo (ZBC) Montrose Studios can be easily turned into a Museum. Actually, I on a real experience thought the studio was a Museum when I went on a University tour some two years back. I would say it really felt like the era of the Smith Regime, even though I was never there in Smith's era.

I was even more, or should I say 'extremely' disappointed...or rather flabbergasted to see that the ZBC Pockets Hill station (The main station) in Harare was also in the same condition. Both the Radio and Television broadcast equipment were so old that I, on some instances thought the old monitors were some pieces of art-work stamped on the wall. I would just excuse the Television broadcast equipment which was some-what better, though I can say that it is still not up to standard as I can still see spider webs when I switch on to ZBC TV at home.

"You just have to spend 2 minutes in the foyer to see that it is more like a museum than a broadcasting studio – it literally is a cast back to the 1970s, in fact possibly even the 1960s, because the Rhodesian Front regime was subjected to sanctions itself and so did not have up to date equipment," read some comments on the Herald newspaper.

I have always and I still believe that the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation is a public company which is funded and serviced by the licenses and taxes that we (the citizens) pay. Where then do our monies go since there seems to be no improvement at all on all the ZBC stations I have visited. I would even assume that the new equipment that was installed at Pockets Hill was out of pity donated by the Chinese,,,'donated' not bought. 

I just wonder if the equipment is ever going to improve at all ZBC stations even though I sincerely doubt. What makes me doubt even more is the rumor that the Bulawayo and Gweru ZBC stations will soon be relocated to Harare. I would suggest that they turn those two stations into Museums,,,they NEVER had hope anyway.

So whilst I welcome the move to transform ZBC’s equipment from analogue to digital, until we have an equally digital transformation of its mindset and ethic, it will remain a moribund Stalinist institution which will continue to retard Zimbabwe’s development and transformation into a vibrant, democratic Nation. – David Coltart

WE SHALL SEE!!!