The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) is a Zambian television and radio station, formerly state owned, now technically a statutory body but still essentially under government control. It is the oldest, widest, and largest radio and television service provider in Zambia. It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1987, which was passed to transform the Zambia Broadcasting Services from being a Government Department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services into a statutory body called the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.
History Introduction of radio It was not until World War II that Zambia, then Northern Rhodesia, acquired a radio service. In 1941 the Government's Information Department installed a 300 watt transmitter in Lusaka, the capital.Horizon: The Magazine of the Rhodesian Selection Trust Group of Companies, Volume 7, 1965, page 21 Known as Radio Lusaka, this station was built for the purpose of disseminating war-related information.EBU Review: Radio and Television Programmes, Administration, Law, Issue 83, Administrative Office of the European Broadcasting Union, 1964, page 27 From the outset, the Lusaka station addressed programs to Africans in their own languages, becoming the pioneer in the field of local vernacular broadcasting in Africa.African Broadcast Cultures: Radio in Transition, Richard Fardon, Graham Furniss, James Currey Publishers, 2000, page 23 In 1945, Harry Franklin, Director of the Information Department, proposed that Radio Lusaka be developed into a fully-fledged station broadcasting exclusively to Africans.Wayaleshi, Pierre Fraenkel, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, page 195 Since Northern Rhodesia could not afford such a specialized service on its own, the administrations of Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland were persuaded to share in the operating costs, while the British Government agreed to provide capital funds. Broadcasting in Africa: A Continental Survey of Radio and Television, Sydney W. Head, Temple University Press, 1974, pages 125-127 Thus, the Central African Broadcasting Station (CABS) came into being.World Broadcasting: A Comparative View, Alan Wells, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996, pages 157-159
Among the by-products of this effort were the world's most extensive collection of ethnic African music, and a breakthrough in that most formidable barrier to audience growth, the lack of a receiver which Africans could afford to buy. Franklin tried for three years in the late 1940s to persuade British manufacturers that a potential mass market existed among Africans for a very simple inexpensive battery operated short wave receiver, in the era before transistors, before finally persuading a battery company to invest in the research and development of the idea.Friends for Life, Friends for Death: Cohorts and Consciousness Among the Lunda-Ndembu, James Anthony Pritchett, University of Virginia Press, 2007, page 115 One of the early models was mounted experimentally in a 9-inch diameter aluminum housing originally intended as a saucepan. Thus was born in 1949 the famous "Saucepan Special", a 4-tube tropicalized short wave receiver.A note on the ‘Saucepan Special’: the people's radio of Central Africa, Rosaleen Smyth, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Volume 4, 1984 - Issue 2, pages 195-201 This succeeded even beyond Franklin's expectations. It cost five pounds Sterling, and the battery, which lasted 300 hours, an additional one-pound five shillings. Within the first three months 1,500 of the Saucepan Specials had been sold, and in the next few years, 50,000 sets were imported. Franklin had hopes of capitalising on a world market for the sets, but within a few years the transistor radio came into mass production and so turned his brainchild into a mere historical curiosity.
Federation In 1953, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was established, with Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) as its capital, and the Southern Rhodesian Broadcasting Service, which catered for European listeners, became the Federal Broadcasting Service (FBS).E.B.U. Review: General and legal. B, Issues 71-76, Administrative Office of the E.B.U., 1962, page 12 The CABS, still based in Lusaka, continued to use African languages as well as English.The Statesman's Year-Book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1957, S. Steinberg, Springer, page 286
In 1955, a Federal Commission of Enquiry into the organisation of broadcasting in the Federation proposed the creation of a new broadcasting organisation, to be called the "Rhodesia and Nyasaland Broadcasting Corporation", which was to be established in 1956.BBC Handbook, BBC, 1956, page 132 However, it was not until 1958 that the FBS and CABS would be merged into the Federal Broadcasting Corporation (FBC).Africa Media Review, Volumes 3-4, page 75
Introduction of television In 1961, a television service, which had been introduced in the Salisbury and Bulawayo areas, became available in the Copper Belt of Northern Rhodesia.The Statesman's Year-Book 1964-65, S. Steinberg, Springer, page 472 Operated by Rhodesia Television (RTV), the service's headquarters later moved to Lusaka.Listening, Looking and Learning: Report on a National Mass Media Audience Survey in Zambia (1970-73), Graham Mytton, Institute for African Studies, University of Zambia, 1974, page 33 In the early 70s, ZBS TV broadcast on three transmitters. In Kitwe, educational programming was carried in the mornings.
Independence However, disagreements between the three constituent territories of the Federation led to its break-up in 1964, after which Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland would gain independence as Zambia and Malawi. The former FBC station in Lusaka became the Northern Rhodesia Broadcasting Corporation, which following independence later that year, was renamed the Zambia Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).EBU Review: Radio and Television Programmes, Administration, Law, Issue 83, Administrative Office of the European Broadcasting Union, 1965, page 27 This, in turn, was succeeded by the Zambia Broadcasting Service (ZBS) in 1966.Africa Media Review, Volumes 3-4, African Council on Communication Education, page 75 In the same year, the government also took control of television services, with Television Zambia becoming part of the ZBS in 1967.Area Handbook for Zambia, Volume 550, Issue 75, Irving Kaplan, American University (Washington, D.C.). Foreign Area Studies U.S. Government Printing Office, 1969, page 255 At the end of 1988, the ZBS was replaced by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), a government department under the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism.Zambia, John P. Sangwa, Article 19, Freedom of Expression Institute, Media Institute of Southern Africa, 1998, pages 10-11
Broadcasting services
There are three domestic services. Radio 1 is carried over 8 FM transmitters, broadcasting in the seven major languages of Bemba, Nyanja, Lozi, Tonga, Kaonde, Lunda and Luvale. These are used in rotation to ensure a prime time audience for each group. Radio 2 is also broadcast by 8 FM transmitters in English, while Radio 4 is broadcast in English over 5 FM transmitters. The now defunct Radio 3 was the international service.Handbook of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, Secretariat, Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, 1988, page 147 Used mainly by liberation movements in other countries in the region, it closed in 1992, having been considered to have outlived its usefulness.
Programs include news, public affairs, light entertainment, sport, religion and education. School broadcasts are carried during school semesters. Agricultural programs for farmers cover all the country areas. Listening is encouraged by free provision of receivers for farm radio forums, of which there are more than 600. An annual licence fee is payable but many receivers are not licensed.
The principal activity of the corporation is to provide information, entertainment and education to the people of Zambia.
Journalists Some of the journalists who have worked for ZNBC include: ZNBC Lusaka Studios
Hector Simfukwe Brian Mwale Masautso Mukwayaya Lucky Phiri Fortune Malata Patricia Banda Joshua Jere Henry Ngilazi Dora Siliya Masuzyo Ndhlovu Claudet Sindaza Musonda Lombe Chansa Kunda Patricia Mapiki Wilson Mulinda
ZNBC Kitwe Studios Paul Monde Shalala Clinton Masumba Queen Chungu Malama Ravizaria Musakanya Mushota Mpundu Lupindula Mwewa Obinato Saili Chansa Mayani Victor Sakala
Television programming Current News ZNBC News TV2 News
Former International Children's 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd Andy Robson Betty's Bunch Big Blue Marble The Boy from Andromeda The Boy Who Won the Pools Bozo the Clown Byker Grove Cyberkidz The Huggabug Club H.R. Pufnstuf Kaboodle Kids Incorporated The Kids of Degrassi Street Kids TV Lamb Chop's Play-Along Pinky and Perky Press Gang Richard the Lionheart Sesame Street Steel Riders Stingray The Electric Company Thunderbirds Woof!
Animation ALF: The Animated Series Amigo and Friends Atom Ant Birdman and the Galaxy Trio Bob Morane Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown The Care Bears Family CBS Storybreak Code Lyoko Corduroy Count Duckula Cyberchase C.L.Y.D.E. Denver, the Last Dinosaur DuckTales Eckhart Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids The Flintstones Flipper & Lopaka Franklin The Fruitties Ghostbusters Groovie Goolies Harlem Globetrotters The Harveytoons Show Heathcliff He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Highlander: The Animated Series Iron Man Jackson 5ive Jem Jonny Quest Josie and the Pussycats Kid Power Kit and Kaboodle Laurel and Hardy The Littles Madeline Medabots Muppet Babies The Mysterious Cities of Gold My Favorite Martians The New 3 Stooges Nilus the Sandman The Pink Panther Show The Raccoons The Road Runner Show Roger Ramjet Rude Dog and the Dweebs Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! She-Ra: Princess of Power Sinbad Jr. and His Magic Belt Space Ghost and Dino Boy Speed Racer Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends Sport Billy Supa Strikas Team Galaxy Thundarr the Barbarian Thunderbirds 2086 Timothy Goes to School The Transformers Top Cat Voltron The Woody Woodpecker Show Zazoo U
Anthology Hammer House of Horror The Wonderful World of Disney
Sci-Fi Earth: Final Conflict Seven Days
Drama The Adventures of William Tell African Skies Airwolf The A-Team Barrier Reef Beastmaster Burke's Law CHiPS Counterstrike The Crow: Stairway to Heaven Danger Man Doctor Who Egoli: Place of Gold ER The Fugitive Hunter Inspector Morse Knight Rider Lady Blue The Long Way Home MacGyver The Mod Squad Queen of Swords Run for Your Life Shoestring Sirens Touched by an Angel
Documentary Airport All Our Yesterdays Man Alive Secrets & Mysteries
Current Affairs World in Action
Christian The World Tomorrow
Comedy ALF Amen Becker Better Days Bewitched The Brady Bunch Cosby Dad's Army Dear John Diff'rent Strokes Everybody Loves Raymond Family Matters Fawlty Towers The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air The Good Guys The Goodies Hugh and I The Hughleys In Living Color Keeping Up Appearances Learning the Ropes The Monkees Mr. Bean The Muppet Show My Wife and Kids No Place Like Home Parenthood The Patty Duke Show Sidekicks Sykes and a... Waiting for God Yes, Prime Minister
Soap Opera Another Life Generations Isidingo Take the High Road Passions No One But You My 3 Sisters Sad Love Story
Horror Werewolf
References
External links Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Zambian Broadcasting