3Ktv, Pink Paper continuing to grow from strength to strength

INDEPENDENT research has confirmed that privately-owned national commercial television station, 3Ktv, is now the most-watched Zimbabwean channel by the country’s key middle and upper classes.

At the same time, The Financial Gazette — Zimbabwe’s number one business publication — also continues to be the news medium of choice for the country’s top business and public sector decision makers.

This is according to the latest report of the Zimbabwe All Media and Products Survey (ZAMPS) for the first six months of 2022 to end June, which was finalised when 3Ktv was just three months old.

Zweli Sibanda, Jester Media Services’ Managing Director

ZAMPS is a continuous local media study that is commissioned by the Zimbabwe Advertising Research Foundation (ZARF). It gathers data on the consumption and usage of different media platforms and commercially-produced products for use by advertisers and other interested parties.

In addition to showing that 3Ktv is the most watched local television station on satellite, the ZAMPS report also confirmed that the six-month old channel is already more popular overall in Zimbabwe than South African channels, which include those under the stable of the giant South African Broadcasting Corporation.

In terms of total television viewership in the country, ZTV — which enjoyed a monopoly for six decades until 3Ktv was launched at the end of February this year — still leads the market, with 3Ktv in second place, and breathing down the neck of the State broadcaster.
On the satellite platform, which is where 3Ktv is currently mostly available, ZTV only has a 0,46 percent overall market share — while 3Ktv has two percent.

Zweli Sibanda, Jester Media Services (JMS)’s managing director for the group’s Broadcasting Division — the operators of 3Ktv — told The Financial Gazette yesterday that the channel continued to be well ahead of all the projected viewership and advertising figures at this point.
“3Ktv is enjoying phenomenal support from Zimbabweans, which is reflected in the latest ZAMPS report and the station’s all-round solid performance.

“The support that we are getting from both viewers and our business partners also continues to surpass all our projections.
“Not surprisingly, as a result, we are seeing more and more corporates coming on board to showcase their products and services on the station,” Sibanda said.

The fast-growing free-to-air station, which is also available on DStv’s Channel 293, was licensed in November 2020, after coming tops in a competitive and public bidding process.
It went on air on February 28, becoming the first licensed private commercial station to operate in the country since television was first introduced in the then Southern Rhodesia in November 1960.

3Ktv is a sister venture to Zimbabwe’s iconic and number one business newspaper, The Financial Gazette, as well as the inimitable Daily News and the Daily News On Sunday.
The station recently notched a major milestone when it struck a partnership with OK Zimbabwe to broadcast live this year’s mega OK Grand Challenge, which further underlined 3Ktv’s burgeoning reputation in the market as a capable, trusted and effective marketing vehicle.

“The partnership with OK Zimbabwe was indeed another feather in the cap for 3Ktv. To be trusted by a leading corporate like OK Zimbabwe on this massive event spoke volumes about the progress that we continue to make as a station.
“In the meantime, 3Ktv embarked on its third season last week, and Zimbabweans can look forward to even better and improved programming.
“There is more local content, more analysis about developments in our country and more varied content covering a broad spectrum of issues worth knowing, including business.

“Our business partners will also be happy to know that 3Ktv has ramped up its collaboration with its sister media offerings, including the Daily News and The Financial Gazette, so that we can offer them a comprehensive and optimal branding and marketing solution on TV, in print and online,” Sibanda said.

Meanwhile, the same ZAMPS report also showed that the Daily News is the only national daily newspaper that is growing in the country — with The Herald, NewsDay, The Chronicle and H-Metro all registering declines in readership during the study period.
Commenting on the latest research, a buoyant Guthrie Munyuki, the Group Editor-in-Chief for JMS, said he was not surprised that all of the group’s products continued to lead the market despite the tough operating environment.

“We have been very consistent in our covenant with our valued readers, viewers and advertisers — where we tell the Zimbabwean story truthfully, impartially and like it is, without any fear or favour.
“Indeed, the latest ZAMPS survey affirms our professionalism which is anchored on honest, fair and credible journalism,” he said.

“With regards to The Financial Gazette, it remains the largest and most influential business publication in Zimbabwe, which is read by C-level executives, business owners, company directors, managers and other professionals.
“These readers are highly influential at the places that they work, and are responsible for a range of strategic decisions there, in addition to being extremely influential in their households.

“This is why the Pink Paper is so important in the life of the country and its economy, which is also why it continues to be the perfect place to advertise B2B and B2C brands, products and services, as many of Zimbabwe’s leading organisations choose to do,” the managing director of Modus Media, Lewis Chikurunhe, weighed in.