ZBC started airing the unpopular Zanu PF jingles and defied protests from MDC-T that they amounted to hate speech.
Results of the Zimbabwe All Media Products and Services Survey (Zamps) released on Tuesday showed that viewership of ZBC TVI slumped from 34% of the population to 24% in the last quarter of 2010.
The news hour programme, which airs during prime time, led the decline with viewership falling from 30 % in the previous quarter to 26 % although it remained the favourite programme among viewers.
ZBC Channel 2, which entered the market with 14% viewership, is now watched by just 10% of the population.
Satellite viewership remained constant at 46% as Zimbabweans continue to resort to foreign TV stations that provide better content.
The latest statistics come at a time when ZBC is suing The Standard for US$10 million after it reported that viewers and listeners were deserting its stations because of partisan programming.
ZBC has also taken offence with claims that towards the end of last year it was failing to pay its workers on time.
In a letter of complaint to The Standard, ZBC CEO Happison Muchechetere said the fact that most Zimbabweans were opting for satellite television was because of “technological advances and variety of choice in broadcast viewership.”
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He also dismissed reports that management was giving itself “obscene allowances” while ordinary workers were being given little and that ZBC was a Zanu PF propaganda tool.
The Standard has in its possession ZBC pay slips that show low level journalists earning as little as US$350 a month.
The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai recently wrote to Muchechetere complaining that ZBC had “displayed open bias against our party, its officials and their activities.”
Listenership of ZBC’s radio stations also fell sharply during the quarter under review.
A fortnight ago, ZBC demanded questions in writing when The Standard sought its response to the story detailing its multifaceted problems that has been dismissed by Muchechetere as malicious.
But after the questions were sent to Elliot Kasu, the finance and administration manager said they would not respond because the paper had delayed in addressing their complaint.
The ZBC CEO said the top of the range cars being driven by his senior management were “commensurate with performance contracts approval (sic) by the board and consistence (sic) with similar organisations.”
ZBC is the only broadcaster in Zimbabwe. He said The Standard report was meant to “permanently impair the good will and standing of ZBC and its management.”
The MDC-T the Zanu PF jingles had a “poisonous impact.” The letter was copied to the Media, Information and Publicity minister Webster Shamu, the Zimbabwe Media Commission, Jomic, the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation, President Mugabe and South African president Jacob Zuma.
Standard readership soars
THE readership of the new look Standard grew by 75 % between October and December last year, a recent survey has revealed.
According to the Zimbabwe All Media Products and Services Survey, The Standard now enjoys a 7% market share, making it one of the most read independently owned weekly newspapers.
The results also showed that The Standard’s sister paper NewsDay enjoyed a 23% share when it entered the market last year.
Readership of the Zimbabwe Independent has also risen to 5%.
