Mushrooming radio stations in SP impress Govt
Tue, 02 May 2017 10:27:04 +0000
By Sandra Machima
GOVERNMENT is impressed with the increasing number of commercial and community radio stations now on air in Livingstone and Southern Province as a whole, says Minister of Information and Broadcasting Kampamba Mulenga.
Ms Mulenga said digital migration among other things, entails an almost bottomless demand for content to satisfy the multiple channels that come with this technology.
She urged the media to reciprocate this gesture by publicising Livingstone as Zambia’s prime tourist destination to the outside world.
Ms Mulenga urged the private sector, media houses, musicians and other entrepreneurs, to take advantage of this business opportunity to invest in content generation for sale to television stations.
She aid Zambia like other countries in the world, was currently migrating from analogue to digital television broadcasting. “I wish to stress that the media need to realise that they sit on one of the most strategic sectors of the country’s economy, Livingstone as the tourist capital,” she said.
Ms Mulenga was speaking during the cocktail held in Livingstone to commemorate World Press Freedom day which falls on 3rd May to be celebrated under the theme, “Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies”.
She said the Victoria Falls was one of the unique and irresistible tourist attractions in the world, saying Government wanted to see the media play a more forceful role in publicising one of the Seven Wonders of the World to enhance tourist arrivals in the country.
“Government is also impressed with the increasing number of commercial and community radio stations now on air in Livingstone and Southern Province as a whole.
“And this is commendable and in line with Government’s agenda to encourage private sector involvement and investment in growing the media industry. “Livingstone, in particular, is well placed for such a business venture considering its vast tourism attractions such as wildlife, the Victoria Falls, the museum and several other attractions upon which a lot of television content can be generated, thereby contributing to the much needed job and wealth creation,” she said.