Zimbabwe’s state-run radio stations are now streaming live on the Internet, just months after state television also launched on JumpTV – a Dubai-based distributor of live international television and sports programmes over the Internet. The country’s four radio stations - Power FM, National FM, Radio Zimbabwe and SFM - all run by the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings, went live on 12 October.
“The stations’ programmes are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and form part of the Zimbabwe package on JumpTV.com for US$10.95 per month,” JumpTV announced in a statement today.
ZBC TV was launched on JumpTV.com in May this year and is one of the highest viewed television channels from Africa on JumpTV’s online television network which streams over 300 channels from 85 countries, the company said.
“ZBC’s radio stations enhance our content offering from Zimbabwe, giving our subscribers full access to news and entertainment from home”, said Douglas Ames, JumpTV’s General Manager for Africa & Europe.
Henry Muradzikwa, Chief Executive Officer of ZBC said: “We began streaming ZBC TV with JumpTV earlier this year and the feedback from subscribers has been overwhelmingly positive. We welcome the addition of our radio programmes on the Internet”.
Zimbabwe’s radio stations make it a total of 10 radio stations streamed live from Africa on JumpTV.com in addition to over 35 live television channels. Uganda’s top five radio stations were the first radio to be added to JumpTV’s platform from Africa in September 2007.
ZBC is expected to share revenue raised from subscriptions to the channel. Millions of Zimbabweans have left the country, fleeing an unprecedented economic collapse and rising poverty. JumpTV officials are aiming to tap into that market, although media analysts believe many will subscribe simply for nostalgic purposes, pointing to the political bias of ZBC programmes.
(Source: NewZimbabwe.com/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Photo: ZBC QSL/Archive Collection