Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings CEO Henry Muradzikwa will in the next 24 hours announce a number of new appointments, New Zimbabwe.com sources said. Among them, Robson Mhandu, a former sports presenter, will move to Gweru to head a new radio station called 247 SW which will broadcast on shortwave in direct competition with the Voice of America’s Studio 7 and SW Radio Africa which broadcasts from London.
The project was the brainchild of former Information Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo. Following Moyo’s departure from government in February 2005, the project - like several others - stalled. A source said: “There is state-of-the-art equipment for 247 SW in Gweru acquired while Moyo was still in government. The station is an attempt to really take the game to the shortwave frequency and challenge SW Radio Africa and the Voice of America whose broadcasts are viewed as propaganda by authorities here.”
(Source: New Zimbabwe.com/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)