Mutsvangwa launches rebranded Platinum FM

Chinhoyi (New Ziana) – The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa on Saturday urged newly rebranded Mashonaland West-based Platinum F.M. to help people of the region make informed decisions through dissemination of accurate news and information.

She made the remarks in Chinhoyi at a joint ceremony to launch the rebranded regional ratio station, and mark its re-location from Kariba to Chinhoyi.

Until now, Platinum FM was known as Nyami Nyami FM, and operated from the resort town of Kariba.

“We believe that the station will tell the Mashonaland West story and not only help the government to disseminate information but also assist in gathering information that will help us make informed decisions,” Mutsvangwa said.

“The station’s content must put Zimbabwe first through the lenses of the people of Mashonaland West. The station must honor and protect the rich culture of the area it broadcasts in,” she said.

She also implored the radio station, which is run by the Zimpapers media group, to help government and the country as a whole to drive the national development agenda.

Mutsvangwa said the station’s rebranding to Platinum FM was befitting given the commercial appeal the new name instilled in listeners.

“The change of name from culturally Nyami Nyami FM to the commercially appropriate Platinum FM gives the station a new and exciting flavor,” she said.

“Platinum depicts the highest level of service achievement in the mining industry and other areas. This coincides with the fact that the province hosts the largest deposits of platinum mineral and is at the center of our goal to achieve a US$12 billion mining industry,” she said.

She applauded Zimpapers for investing in state-of-the-art studios at Platinum FM, and expanding the station’s coverage area.

From initially only covering 200 000 people, the radio station now has an audience of about one million, including in big regional population centres as Banket, Rafingora, Chegutu, Lions Den and Mhangura.

Mutsvangwa said the expanded coverage could not have come at a better time than now when the country was heading for a general election in a few months’ time in which the electorate would want accurate and verified information.

“As we are heading for elections, I also call for every one of us to observe peace. Zimbabweans are known for being peaceful people, let’s uphold that and not import a culture that we do not have,” she said.

Since the Second Republic came into office in 2017, 14 community, seven campus, 10 provincial and six national radio stations have been licenced and some are already operating terrestrially and via the internet.

New national television stations have also been licenced, and some have began operating as government pushes ahead with reforming and liberalising the country’s media landscape.

New Ziana