MUTARE- Zimbabwe will this year commemorate World Radio Day in the border town of
Beitbridge with the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting welcoming on board
Shashi Community Radio Station as the Second Republic continues to open up airwaves.
World Radio Day is commemorated on February 13 every year across the world.
Addressing a press conference in Mutare recently, Minister of Information, Publicity and
Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa described this year’s commemorations as uniquely
fitting into the country’s socio-economic climate with the commemoration’s theme running in
tandem with the gospel of peace ahead of the harmonised elections set for later this year.
“This year’s World Radio Day theme, ‘Radio and Peace’ is a perfect fit for Zimbabwe as we go
into harmonised elections later this year. As such His Excellency President Emmerson
Mnangagwa, churches and citizens are calling all of us to forever remain peaceful as we build
the economy brick by brick,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The Second Republic has done a lot in opening up the media landscape following the licensing
of Star Fm under Zimbabwe Newspapers Limited (Zimpapers) and ZiFM under AB
Communications as well as campus radio stations at universities.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the coming on board of 14 community radio stations in the country
was a reflection of the Second Republic’s commitment to increase information sharing and
provision of platforms for youths to showcase their talent.
“Radio is no longer limited to being an audio streaming platform but all radio channels now have
a presence of social media and have digitilised themselves. With the advent of digital
transformation and digital rights, radio just like other forms of media has undergone a digital
evolution. A plethora of podcasts, digitalised IPs and social media platforms have made radio
accessible to wider audience in Zimbabwe and worldwide. Indeed radio does not leave anyone
and any place behind.
“We believe this milestone achievement which we have done in the last 4 years of the Second
Republic of licensing 14 radio stations is worth celebrating at Shashi Fm. The coming on board
of these 14 radio stations has increased info sharing opportunities at grass root level and has
added a platform for youth talent to showcase their skills,” she said.
Despite being over 100 years old, radio is one of the most popular ways to exchange information,
provide social discourse and educate people all over the world.
Radio can fuel conflict but professional radio moderates conflicts or tensions, preventing their
escalation or bringing about reconciliation and reconstruction talks.
In contexts of distant or immediate tension, relevant programmes and news reporting provide the
foundation for sustainable democracy and good governance by informing citizens and explaining
what is at stake and brokering dialogue among different groups of society.
To date, 94 percent of adults listen to the radio weekly for radio is a universal medium of
communication.
World Radio Day was set aside by the United Nations to observe and mark the role and
contribution of radio in human life. It started in November 2011 and is celebrated globally by
UN member countries on February 13.
