Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is Zimbabwe’s state-owned broadcaster. It began in 1963 as the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation and became ZBC in 1980 after independence. It has often been accused of acting as a government mouthpiece with little editorial independence.
Radio started in the 1930s, with the first professional broadcaster in 1941. Over time, separate services were created for different communities. Television arrived in 1960 with Rhodesia Television (RTV), which was later brought under government control and eventually became part of ZBC.
After independence in 1980, ZBC reorganized radio into three networks: Radio One (English), Radio Two (Shona and Ndebele), and Radio Three (for younger listeners). An educational channel, Radio Four, was added in 1982. TV expanded slowly, with colour broadcasts starting in 1984 and a second Harare-only channel appearing in 1986.
In the 1990s, ZBC modernized some equipment and briefly considered a subscription TV service, but this was not pursued. In 2001, ZBC restructured into six units: Newsnet, Kidznet, Sportsnet, Radio Services, Production Services, and Television Services.
Today ZBC runs several radio networks and the main TV channel, ZBC TV. It launched Channel 2 in 2010, which was closed in 2015, and Zimbabwe’s youth channel Jive TV began in 2022. In 2025, a new law was passed requiring motorists to pay a radio tax to fund ZBC when renewing driver licences and vehicle registrations.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:32 (CET).