Zimbabwe state media to broadcast news in five more local languages

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster has introduced news bulletins in five more local languages in addition to the eight language news bulletins.

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) television will now broadcast news in Chewa, Ndau, Kalanga, Xhosa and Shangaan.

In September last year, the public broadcaster added Venda, Nambya, Sotho and Tonga to the English, Shona, Ndebele and Sign Language news bulletins.

“By introducing on television news bulletins in languages that were previously not broadcast, as a national broadcaster, ZBC is promoting the cultures associated with these languages,” Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Chris Mushohwe said at the launch on Sunday.

“We are giving such languages the respect they deserve as Zimbabwean languages as well as fulfilling the dictates of our constitution, which recognises 16 national languages,” Mushohwe was quoted by local media The Herald.

Zimbabwe has 16 national languages and the Minister assured that the remaining languages – Chibarwe, Tswana and Khoisan – will soon be introduced by the public broadcaster.

“We also want to see current affairs programmes, dramas, comedies and much more in the languages of the bulletins that we have launched today,” he added.