GENERAL NEWS

‘Digital migration policy finalised’ – Kapeya

16/11/2013

MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Mwansa Kapeya told Parliament yesterday that Government has finalised formulating the digital migration policy, which will soon be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
And Monze Central member of Parliament (MP)Jack Mwiimbu (UPND) called on Government to ensure security of tenure for public media heads in the country.
Commenting on the K89.1 million estimates of expenditure allocated to his ministry in the 2014 budget, Mr Kapeya said Cabinet has also approved the technical standards and project proposal to facilitate the migration process of the country from analogue to digital.
“In this regard, my ministry has allocated over K1.1 million for operations of the task force on digital migration and K2.7 million for branding, advertising and public awareness,” he said.
Mr Kapeya also said the ministry has set aside K1.7 million in the 2014 budget as public media support funds.
He said to strengthen operations of the public media, support to the media has been focused on revamping their operations through recapitalisation.
Mr Kapeya also said Government will raise K4.5 million from the sale of holograms and that this will also benefit artists.
He also said Government has set aside K9.7 million for operations of the Independent Broadcasting Authority and that 80 broadcasting institutions have been issued with licences.
And in supporting the budget, Mr Mwiimbu called for the security of tenure for public media heads.
Mr Mwiimbu said this will enable them to execute their duties professionally and in line with the public expectations.
“Media heads in public institutions must have security of tenure so that they start executing their duties effectively,” he said.
Mr Mwiimbu also urged Government to in future consider advertising positions of media heads in all the public institutions.
Mr Mwiimbu also called on Government to expedite the process of appointing the board of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.
And Paliament on Thursday approved K353.2 million budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development.
The House also unanimously approved the allocation of K97.8 million to the Ministry of Tourism and Arts in the 2014 national budget.
Minister of Tourism and Arts Sylvia Masebo said the K97.8 million allocation will enable her ministry to put in place mechanisms that will help the country’s tourism sector to be among the top five destinations of choice in Africa by 2030.