The launch by the Zimbabwean government of a new shortwave radio service has once again been “postponed indefinitely”, according to The Zimbabwe Times, a US-based internet news service. The new station had been due to launch on 25 May, Africa Day.
The Zimbabwe Times said on 25 May that sources at the Ministry of Information and Publicity could not explain the postponement. “The launch of the radio station which was expected to take place tomorrow [25 May] has been cancelled,” said a source who requested anonymity. The source also said the launch could have been postponed because of the technical problems currently being encountered by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
Happison Muchechetere, an experienced journalist with both ZBC and the state news agency New Ziana, will head the station, which aims to represent Zimbabwean interests to a Zimbabwean and world audience.
ZBC Chief Executive Officer, Henry Muradzikwa, said the new station was designed to counter the hostile propaganda of foreign-based radio stations by “providing factual information about the reality on the ground in Zimbabwe”.
The government accuses SW Radio Africa, based in London, and Voice of America’s Studio 7 of broadcasting propaganda aimed at inciting Zimbabweans to rise against the government. The authorities attempt to jam these shortwave stations.
On 24 May, state-run ZTV television had said that the new channel, “Voice of Zimbabwe”, would be launched at a ceremony the following day in Gweru (central Zimbabwe) presided over by Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu. The TV report, however, also said the “official opening” of the radio station would not take place until “a later date”.
Plans for the new service were first revealed in 2000, but previously-announced launch dates have not been met. Originally to have been called Studio 24/7, this was later changed to News24 and then to Voice of Zimbabwe. This latest name deliberately evokes broadcasts by a clandestine radio of the same name during the so-called Chimurenga (liberation war) fought against the Rhodesian authorities before independence in 1980.
In early April 2007 Information Minister Ndlovu said the new station would be on the air on the 18th of that month to mark the anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence. But that date also passed without a launch.
Voice of Zimbabwe will be run by Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH), the state-owned umbrella that holds a monopoly on broadcasting within the country. ZBH - still widely referred to by its former name, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) - already operates four FM radio networks and one TV channel.
One of these networks, Radio Zimbabwe, is relayed on a single shortwave transmitter (currently 6045 kHz during the daytime and 3396 kHz at night). Despite the operation of these relays, Zimbabwean officials have stated on a number of occasions that the new Voice of Zimbabwe will be revitalizing the use of shortwave, implying that shortwave is not at present used by ZBH and that the station will be operating from new transmitters.
(Source: BBC Monitoring research 25 May 07)
The launch by the Zimbabwean government of a new shortwave radio service has once again been “postponed indefinitely”, according to The Zimbabwe Times, a US-based internet news service. The new station had been due to launch on 25 May, Africa Day.
The Zimbabwe Times said on 25 May that sources at the Ministry of Information and Publicity could not explain the postponement. “The launch of the radio station which was expected to take place tomorrow [25 May] has been cancelled,” said a source who requested anonymity. The source also said the launch could have been postponed because of the technical problems currently being encountered by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
Happison Muchechetere, an experienced journalist with both ZBC and the state news agency New Ziana, will head the station, which aims to represent Zimbabwean interests to a Zimbabwean and world audience.
ZBC Chief Executive Officer, Henry Muradzikwa, said the new station was designed to counter the hostile propaganda of foreign-based radio stations by “providing factual information about the reality on the ground in Zimbabwe”.
The government accuses SW Radio Africa, based in London, and Voice of America’s Studio 7 of broadcasting propaganda aimed at inciting Zimbabweans to rise against the government. The authorities attempt to jam these shortwave stations.
On 24 May, state-run ZTV television had said that the new channel, “Voice of Zimbabwe”, would be launched at a ceremony the following day in Gweru (central Zimbabwe) presided over by Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu. The TV report, however, also said the “official opening” of the radio station would not take place until “a later date”.
Plans for the new service were first revealed in 2000, but previously-announced launch dates have not been met. Originally to have been called Studio 24/7, this was later changed to News24 and then to Voice of Zimbabwe. This latest name deliberately evokes broadcasts by a clandestine radio of the same name during the so-called Chimurenga (liberation war) fought against the Rhodesian authorities before independence in 1980.
In early April 2007 Information Minister Ndlovu said the new station would be on the air on the 18th of that month to mark the anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence. But that date also passed without a launch.
Voice of Zimbabwe will be run by Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH), the state-owned umbrella that holds a monopoly on broadcasting within the country. ZBH - still widely referred to by its former name, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) - already operates four FM radio networks and one TV channel.
One of these networks, Radio Zimbabwe, is relayed on a single shortwave transmitter (currently 6045 kHz during the daytime and 3396 kHz at night). Despite the operation of these relays, Zimbabwean officials have stated on a number of occasions that the new Voice of Zimbabwe will be revitalizing the use of shortwave, implying that shortwave is not at present used by ZBH and that the station will be operating from new transmitters.
(Source: BBC Monitoring research 25 May 07/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
