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Bulawayo Bureau
RADIO BuKalanga, a community radio station recently licenced by Government, has taken delivery of its broadcasting equipment and is set to go on air soon.
For the first time since independence, the country’s provinces now enjoy media plurality and freedom of expression through their community radio channels.
The licencing of these radio stations seeks to enhance access to critical information by communities.
Most of the areas where community radio stations are being established do not get signals from national radio or television stations, making it difficult for communities to access information about Government programmes and other such vital information.
Radio BuKalanga, which serves Bulilima and Mangwe districts, including Plumtree Town, was licenced together with 14 other radio stations by the Second Republic as part of measures to open up the air waves.
Some of the stations which were licenced include Ntepe-Manama (Manama, Gwanda), Lyeja FM (Hwange), Ingqanga FM (Mbembesi), Bayethe FM (Matobo), Lotsha FM (Beitbridge) and Twasumbuka FM (Binga).
Already, a number of licenced community radio stations, among them Lotsha FM and Ntepe- Manama FM, have gone on air.
Radio BuKalanga station manager Ms Yvonne Tjedu Buzwane said they started playing music last week and they were using one frequency.
“The studio equipment is here and we are left with a few touch-ups in the studio for us to be able to install the equipment,” she said. “Right now we are playing music on 100,9 FM as our studio is not yet ready for broadcasting.
“We do not have a date for the official launch given that there are things that have to be taken into account. We have been training our team and sent some for apprenticeships to other radio stations.”
Ms Buzwane said the chief engineer from the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and his team conducted a five-day training programme.
“The hope is that by the time we launch our station, our presenters will be ready for the job. We were allocated three broadcasting frequencies for the two districts and Plumtree Town, but at the moment we are using just one frequency for the test run,” she said.
Ms Buzwane said Transmedia will determine how many frequencies were needed to reach all TjiKalanga speaking areas.
“We have three frequencies, each one for Bulilima, Mangwe, and Plumtree, but for now we are using one transmitter for the 100.9FM. We are getting feedback from areas such as Masendu, part of Botswana, Mangwe areas, and Bulawayo,” she said.
“We will go on air with that one frequency and see how far it will cover after which Transmedia will determine how many more are required. We have to reach Makorokoro, Makhulela, and all the areas of BuKalanga.”
Meanwhile, the founding trustee for Matopo Community Radio Trust, which is behind Bayethe FM, Mr Zenzo Ncube, said they managed to secure premises for the station.
He said they were now renovating the building, which they were leasing from ZimPost.
“We struggled to get premises because in Maphisa-Kezi there is not much in terms of the availability of commercial space. We managed to secure premises from ZimPost two months ago,” said Mr Ncube.
“What used to be the Old Kezi Post Office in Kezi is now the Matopo Community Broadcasting Centre and that is where the radio station is going to operate from. We have engaged ZESA to connect power.”
Mr Ncube said they had since engaged NetOne to use their transmitter since it is located near the broadcasting site.
He said the studio equipment which will be supplied by BAZ is already in Harare.
“We are chasing a tight deadline to be on the air and in the next few weeks we should be able to give direction in that regard. We continue to appeal to our community both locally and in the diaspora to come on board and assist with funding,” said Mr Ncube.
“We have two frequencies that we will use because of the rugged terrain, but we are working on modalities to address the challenge. The station will broadcast in IsiNdebele, TjiKalanga, and Birwa languages.”
Ingqanga FM committee member Mr Veti Tshuma said they were working with BAZ to get their studios ready.
“So far all is going well and we are working with BAZ and the local community to meet deadlines. We secured a building for the studio and work is ongoing and water is also available while we are working on having electricity,” he said.
Online Reporter