PARLIAMENT has called for nominations of people to sit on the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) board.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
The Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders (SROC), in a notice on the Parliament website, said the nominees must be Zimbabwean citizens, chosen for their integrity and experience and for their competence in broadcasting matters.
“The Committee on Standing Rules and Orders of the Parliament of Zimbabwe is mandated in terms of section 4(2)(b) of the Broadcasting Services Act [Chapter 12:06], to nominate candidates for appointment by His Excellency, the President, to serve as members of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe board,” read the notice by the SROC.
“A list of six candidates shall be submitted to the President from which three persons shall be appointed to the board.”
Some of the functions of the BAZ board will include planning and advising on the allocation and distribution of available frequency spectrum, and to advise the Information minister on the adoption and establishment of standards and codes relating to equipment attached to broadcasting systems.
“The board will receive, evaluate and consider applications for the issue of any broadcasting licence or signal carrier licence, and monitor tariffs charged by broadcasting licensees with a view to eliminating unfair business practices among such licensees and to protect the interests of consumers,” SROC said.
The BAZ board is also expected to improve and promote a regulatory environment that will facilitate the development of the broadcasting industry that is efficient, competitive and responsive to audience needs and the national interest, as well as to encourage diversity in the control of broadcasting services.
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It must also ensure that Zimbabweans have effective control of broadcasting services or systems.
“The BAZ board must ensure the role of broadcasting services and systems in developing and reflecting a sense of Zimbabwean identity, character and cultural diversity, and promote the provision of high quality and innovative programming by providers of broadcasting services.”
Other duties include ensuring the need for fair and accurate coverage of matters of public interest, ensuring providers of broadcasting services and systems respect community standards and values, protecting children from exposure of programming that can be harmful to them, among other duties.
The nomination has to be a typewritten submission of not more than two A4 pages stating why the person nominated is a suitable candidate together with a completed nomination form.
