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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Stakeholders in the media industry have hailed the Second Republic for opening up the country’s airwaves, a development they say is a boon for socio-economic development, while also creating a vibrant broadcasting industry.
Since the advent of the Second Republic, 14 community radio stations have been given licences to go on air, while six commercial television stations were also licenced to start broadcasting.
Chiredzi-based Avuxeni FM community radio, which broadcasts in Shangaan, the language that is predominant in the Lowveld, became the first to go on air and was commissioned by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Sunday.
Giving solidarity messages during World Radio Day celebrations at Tshovani Stadium after witnessing the commissioning of Avuxeni FM, stakeholders in the media hailed President Mnangagwa’s administration for promoting media plurality.
Great Zimbabwe University Campus Radio director Mr Golden Maunganidze said like-minded universities were prepared to work with community radio stations to train journalists and equip them with basic media skills.
He said universities would train volunteers who work for community radio stations, adding that the advent of the stations was an opportunity for aspiring journalists to hone their skills in a real work environment.
Mr Kelvin Jakachira of AB Communications hailed the Second Republic and Minister Mutsvangwa for flexibility to engender diversity in the media industry.
He described Minister Mutsvangwa as the best to have lead the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services in post-independent Zimbabwe.
Mr Jakachira described Minister Mutsvangwa as “a gift from God” for tirelessly working to grow the media industry and ensuring harmony prevailed.
He called for further training for personnel at community radio stations, saying the stations could be tools for destabilisation if not handled well.
Mr Jakachira citing the example of Rwanda where some radio stations were used to promote disharmony that led to the death and injury of many in the 1990s.
Mr Nigel Nyamutumbu, who represented the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, hailed Government for the work it is doing to promote plurality and diversity in the media industry.
Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) representative Mr Mlondozi Ndlovu appealed to Government, through Minister Mutsvangwa, to tweak the law and allow community radio stations to flight adverts to enable them to generate revenue, which is critical to meet costs of day to day operations.
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive Ms Adelaide Chikunguru said the coming in of community radio stations such as Avuxeni were a boon for a vibrant and competitive media industry, while also being a major source of content for national radio stations.
Community radio stations such as Avuxeni FM are staffed by volunteers, mainly young people drawn from the local community and mostly use local languages for broadcasting.
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