The Voice of Zimbabwe was launched from the city Gweru more than a week ago to add to the many radio, television and newspaper empire that has for years been the most dominant single player on the market. The station was reportedly set up in 2007 with its general manager Happison Muchechetere saying they would carry out test runs before the actual programming started. Four years later, it would seem they have finally managed to produce some programming.
Speaking to Newsreel last Thursday the chairman of the local chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Loughty Dube, said: What this means is that in essence there are no new players. What the government has done is to move tentacles into a space which they already occupy. Dube said MISA has called on the coalition government to free the airwaves and allow for the entry of new players in the broadcasting sector, in line with the three-tier broadcasting system stipulated under the African Charter.
He said they should allow community broadcasters, transform the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) from a state to a public broadcaster and also allow commercial broadcasters. While MISA says it welcomes the recent licensing of four newspapers by the Zimbabwe Media Commission, this should be extended to the broadcasting sector. Dube however expressed reservations this would happen with Tafataona Mahoso heading the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), given his history as a media hangman who shut down many newspapers.
Post published in: News