The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is preparing to implement a revised radio licensing regime as the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act of 2025 moves towards coming into force.
The broadcaster has begun strengthening its licensing operations, recently putting licensing officers through a workshop focused on customer experience, professional ethics, road safety and the consistent application of standard operating procedures.
The preparation comes as the amended legislation introduces a significant change to how radio receiver licensing will be enforced. Under the new framework, motor-vehicle licensing and insurance will be linked to possession of a valid radio licence or an exemption certificate.
This potentially expands radio licence enforcement beyond conventional collection activities, placing ZBC licensing officers in more direct contact with motorists and members of the public through roadside and door-to-door enforcement.
Addressing the workshop, ZBC board chairperson Helliate Rushwaya stressed the importance of public-facing conduct in the implementation of the new regime, saying: “Law provides authority; our conduct must provide legitimacy.”
ZBC chief executive officer Sugar Chagonda similarly emphasised the need for knowledgeable personnel and coordinated systems to support implementation.
The choice of workshop facilitators also points to the operational challenges surrounding the new licensing framework. Participants received input from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, the Customer Experience Association of Zimbabwe and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe.
The focus on ethics and customer experience reflects the broader public-facing responsibilities that will accompany enforcement of the revised licensing system, while road safety training is particularly relevant given the link between radio licensing and motor-vehicle processes.
However, key commercial details remain unclear. ZBC has not publicly released a new fee schedule or detailed penalty structure for the revised licensing regime.
The development highlights a wider challenge facing public broadcasters across Africa: creating effective and sustainable mechanisms for collecting licence-related revenue. Linking a broadcasting licence to an existing statutory motor-vehicle requirement represents a more direct approach to improving compliance, but its effectiveness will depend on how the system is implemented and received by the public.
