Government is set to combine terrestrial and satellite services to ensure Gokwe North district, which was not receiving radio and TV services since it was in the shadow, starts receiving 100 percent broadcast coverage.
The decision to combine satellite and terrestrial services was reached after realization that two transmitters in the area were not adequate to cover the entire district which has not been receiving broadcast way before independence.
One transmitter was erected in Sengwa and covers parts of Gokwe North and Binga while another one is yet to be erected at Nyamuroro mountain in Nembudziya.
Speaking at Nyamuroro mountain where the digitalization team had gone to site, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, George Charamba said for the first time they will combine terrestrial and satellite services to ensure Gokwe North district achieves 100% coverage of broadcast services.
He said “erecting a second transmitter at Nyamuroro is still not enough to ensure total coverage of the district, hence the blending of satellite and terrestrial services. We still have a long way to go but we are happy that the tower is complete and engineers are now working on the final touches.
Charamba also visited Sengwa to assess progress at the transmission site which has just been completed and he expressed enthusiasm over the progress made so far.
However, Charamba said although he was happy with the progress so far on the digitalization programme, the non-payment of US$29 million to the contractor was now dampening the drive.
He indicated they have exhausted the goodwill shared between Zimbabwe and the contractor who has since frozen them out meaning nothing short of releasing new money will give the project the momentum required to complete it.
Community leadership from Gokwe North commended government for taking their concerns seriously.
