Communication as factor in the perpetration and prevention of domestic violence against women among the Bemba people of Mwamba's village in Kasama District

Abstract

ZNBC as the national broadcaster had for a long time enjoyed monopoly of broadcasting. Since inception it was considered as a free service and people never paid subscription. Through an act of Parliament number 20 of 2002, ZNBC was mandated to collect TV levy from everyone who owns a TV set in Zambia. From the time the TV license initiative was launched, ZNBC managed to rehabilitate some of the run down studios and turned them into modern studios using revenue raised from TV license fees. Due to the introduction of the television levy, government cut all funding to ZNBC as it was expected that TV levy will improve the financial situation at the Corporation. However, Over 10 years down the line, it appears that TV levy has not been fully embraced by the Zambian public. This is evidenced by the low compliance levels that are now at 20% (ZNBC Research Unit 2013). Of this amount, not more than 400 households are on the ZESCO TV levy plan. ZNBC has continued to face hostility whenever issues of TV levy arise. The public has often times attached the payment of TV levy to high expectations of improved programming on ZNBC. TV levy inspectors have also faced resistance in the course of collecting TV levy. Further research has revealed that TV levy accounts for only 20 % of ZNBC‘s total income. It is evident that there is a communication gap in the way TV levy is run. This research therefore seeks to evaluate the communication strategies that ZNBC is using in TV levy in order to offer a solution to this challenge as well as encourage a buy-in from the public. The TV levy is a national program and communication plays an important role in the overall success. This study evaluates the communication strategies used by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation in the implementation of the Television Levy in Lusaka. The study addressed critical questions such as; what are the communication strategies used by ZNBC in the TV levy? Which channels are used by ZNBC in TV levy? What are the audiences preferred source of communication for messages on TV levy? The study further addresses the communications gap that exists in the TV levy implementation. Data was collected from residents in Kabulonga, Kalingalinga, Chilenje and Chongwe, ZNBC members of staff, and relevant documents on TV levy. Research tools used to collect data were self-administered questionnaires and in depth interviews