MEDIA lobby group, Media Institute of Southern Africa-Zimbabwe (Misa-Zimbabwe) chapter has pleaded with government to consider a media sustainability and rescue package to ensure that media houses do not sink as a result of economic vagaries following the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent national lockdown.
By Staff Reporter
In a letter to Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Misa-Zimbabwe chairperson Golden Maunganidze said government could avoid a complete collapse of media houses by exempting them from taxes and moratoriums on newsprint and other mass media and distribution equipment over a determined period.
“The government should also consider reducing the registration and licencing fees for media houses, as well as doing away with some of the punitive duplicitous levies and fees charged in terms of the country’s regulatory framework,” Maunganidze said in a letter dated May 14.
“These fees are paid to the Zimbabwe Media Commission, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, Transmedia Corporation, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association and National Arts Council over and above, the taxes due to be the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.”
He said the gazetting of media under essential services during the lockdown meant government recognised the important role of the media. Maunganidze also recognised government’s efforts in ending brutality against journalists during the lockdown.
