By Beaven Dhliwayo
Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South) – Government should urgently address the issue of the absence of licensed community radio stations in the country, according to Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) belated statement on World Press Freedom Day.
ZACRAS said the fact that Government has not prioritised licensing of community radios is evidence that it is viewed as a peripheral issue which does not need to be urgently addressed.
“This unfortunately curtails citizen participation and access to information through utilising locally available platforms needed for promoting citizen driven local development,” read the statement in part.
According to ZACRAS in March 2015, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) licensed eight local commercial stations.
ZACRAS said it was however worrying to note that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, George Charamba, was reported in The Herald of March 4 2017 as having said that Government responded to calls for community broadcasting by licensing several stations, with more coming on board soon and that should “bury” the debate on community radio stations.
It also said that it is of the conviction that one can never equate a local commercial station to a community radio because the two serve different purposes.
“Commercial stations have a profit motive and community radio is people centred and development oriented, hence, there is still a need to license community radios.
“Zimbabwe is faced with challenges such as climate change induced disasters, poverty and various health related problems.
“Community radio therefore remains not only a critical tool for mobilising communities towards the generation of home grown solutions, but also a tool for promoting socio-economic and political inclusion,” it said.
ZACRAS added that it is worrisome that at a time that Zimbabwe’s neighbour, Zambia, is celebrating an increase in the number of licensed community and commercial radios in the southern part of Zambia, the Government of Zimbabwe continues to frown upon licensing community radios.
“As we commemorate the 2017 World Press Freedom Day, ZACRAS calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe to expedite the licensing of community radios, cease victimisation and intimidation of community radio practitioners, create a good environment where community radios can flourish and serve communities and provide a democratic regulatory framework for community broadcasting,” it added.
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