{{The Zimbabwe Government has threatened to cripple a new television station that was expected to start broadcasting from neighbouring South Africa on Saturday.}}<\/p>\n
Sponsors of the new station \u2014 1st TV \u2014 said it will be accessible to Zimbabweans through the free-to-air satellite platform.<\/p>\n
The station has promised to \u201cprovide impartial, factual news to the people of Zimbabwe as well as broadcasting popular films, soap operas and comedies\u201d.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe only has one state broadcaster, which controls two television channels and four radio stations.<\/p>\n
Two commercial radio stations were licensed last year but they have close links with President Robert Mugabe\u2019s Zanu PF party.<\/p>\n
Zanu PF also maintains a tight grip on the state broadcaster that has been accused of spreading hate speech against the party\u2019s opponents.<\/p>\n
President Mugabe\u2019s spokesman today told state media that the government was exploring ways of crippling the new television station.<\/p>\n
He said the government would also engage the South African government over the matter, which he said was against Zimbabwe\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be taking decisions mindful of the need to cripple this pirate television broadcast station,\u201d Mr George Charamba said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been aware of the technical corroboration between VOA (Voice of America) and Sentech. What we did not expect was this expansion of the corroboration.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso we are not very sure if the South African Government is aware of what its parastatal is doing to hurt Zimbabwean interests.\u201d<\/p>\n
VOA hosts a radio station \u2014 Studio 7 \u2014 that beams into Zimbabwe through shortwave and is run by journalists forced out of the southern African country by repressive media laws.<\/p>\n
There are two other \u201cpirate\u201d radio stations operating from South Africa and the United Kingdom, which broadcast into Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n
Zanu PF claims that the stations are sponsored by governments that want to topple President Mugabe from power.<\/p>\n
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