HARARE
—
The
Broadcasting
Authority
of
Zimbabwe
(BAZ)
has
issued
a
directive
to
all
broadcasters,
prohibiting
the
airing
of
advertisements
promoting
prophets,
traditional
healers,
and
traditional
herbs
or
medicines
that
cannot
be
authenticated.
In
a
letter
addressed
to
the
chief
executives
of
Zimbabwe’s
leading
broadcasting
companies,
including
Zimbabwe
Broadcasting
Corporation,
ZiFM,
Star
FM,
and
several
community
radio
stations,
BAZ
reminded
stations
of
their
duty
to
protect
consumers
from
misleading
information.
The
authority
emphasized
that
the
ban
is
in
line
with
Section
23
(a)
&
(b)
of
the
Broadcasting
Services
(Code
of
Conduct
for
Broadcasters)
Regulations,
2023,
as
well
as
Section
27(4)(e)
of
the
Broadcasting
Services
(Licensing
and
Content)
Regulations,
2004.
The
move
aims
to
prevent
the
public
from
being
misled
by
unverified
claims
made
in
advertisements
from
churches
and
traditional
healers.
BAZ,
however,
clarified
that
the
directive
does
not
extend
to
discussions
or
debates
on
these
topics,
as
long
as
they
do
not
contain
advertising
content. Kukurigo