Zimbabwe to merge regulators

The Zimbabwe government has approved the merger of the country’s media and communications watchdogs to create a single converged regulator. The government plans to combine the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) with the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ). The Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, George Charamba, is quoted by The Herlad as saying: ‘The rationale behind merging BAZ and POTRAZ is simple; we are dealing with an industry that has been reconfirmed by technology and we are talking of technological convergence in an area that historically has been distinct.’ He added: ‘[By] merging we will not have any walls between the two entities. It means as you regulate the telecoms [sector] you must be mindful of what is happening in the broadcasting [sector], so the best way would be to have one regulatory authority, so that decisions are done in a way that encompasses the whole sector.’