CLAIM: ZBC won the Best Television Award at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF). Source: Various social media posts. VERDICT: FALSE: ZBC did not win any award at the 2021 ZITF. There was no category for “best television station station” among the 21 categories that were awarded. Claims that the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), which currently operates the country’s sole national, free-to-air television station, had been given the “best television award” at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) late last month went viral on both Twitter and Facebook. Various social media accounts, including an imposter “ZBC” on Twitter, pushed the claim. ZBC won the best TV station award at the ZITF this week. The claims drew ridicule for both the ZITF and ZBC, which has a monopoly on broadcast television in the country. Zimbabwe is one of the few countries where the state still has a monopoly on broadcast television. The government issued six television licences in November 2020 and gave the licencees 18 months to start broadcasting. None of the stations has gone live yet. ZITF board chairman Busisa Moyo has refuted the claim that the fair had given a “best television” award to ZBC. “That is fake news, there was no such award given to ZBC,” Moyo told ZimFact. The ZITF has made available, a list of all the winners from this year’s fair. Below is the table of 2021 exhibition competition winners: CONCLUSION: The claim that ZBC won a “best television” award at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair is false. FEATURED