Metro FM finalises list of broadcasters

SKYZ METRO FM has selected 16 radio presenters and disc jockeys that will undergo two-month training session before Bulawayo’s first commercial radio station starts broadcasting in September.
Qhubani Moyo
Qhubani Moyo

SKYZ METRO FM has selected 16 radio presenters and disc jockeys that will undergo two-month training session before Bulawayo’s first commercial radio station starts broadcasting in September.

BY BENSON DUBE

The 16 were selected from 400 potential presenters before a further screening was conducted to reduce the number to 16.

Fair Talk Communications chief executive officer Qhubani Moyo said it was not easy to arrive at the final list of 16, as nearly 50 out of 400 had qualified for the jobs.

“It was difficult to pick the 16 out of 50 because they all qualified for the jobs and we had to bring in other screening methods that included voice projection, tonal considerations and ability to work with a team in the studio,” Moyo told Southern Eye.

Moyo said station programming will target mainly the youth.

Selected radio presenters will have the opportunity to work with celebrities that include Babongile Sikhonjwa, Greg Friends, Arthur Evans and Samantha Tshuma, Moyo added.

Skyz Metro FM is one of eight commercial radio stations licensed by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) countrywide.

Licensing of radio stations, though welcomed by many to break the ZBC stranglehold on the broadcasting sector, saw concerns being raised by media organisations who said it did not reflect any media diversity since the same players linked to the State and Zanu PF had been given licences. BAZ for example, named the State Zimpapers and AB Communications owned by Information Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira among five companies that had been awarded radio broadcasting licences.

Mandiwanzira is a Zanu PF MP and his AB Communications company and State Zimpapers stable had already been awarded initial commercial broadcasting licences the previous year. Mandiwanzira’s AB Communications won two licences Gogogoi and Faya FM to broadcast in Masvingo and Gweru respectively, Zimpapers (Diamond FM in Mutare),

Fair Talk Communications (Skyz Metro FM for Bulawayo and Breeze FM for Victoria Falls), Kingstons (Nyaminyami FM and KE100.4) for Kariba and Harare respectively and Ray of Hope (YA FM) in Zvishavane.