PUBLIC hearings into three stations vying for a commercial radio licence in Bulawayo set for July 1 have been postponed for undisclosed reasons. OWN CORRESPONDENT The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) wrote a letter to Skies FM, Skyz Metro and Skyz FM yesterday informing them that the hearings had been postponed.
“The authority wishes to advise you that the public inquiry which was schedule for Tuesday 1 July 2014 at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel will no longer be held on that date due to unforeseen circumstances that have necessitated a change of dates. The authority will formally advise you of a new date in due course,” BAZ’s letter to the prospective stations read.
Skies FM is being bankrolled by Transport minister Obert Mpofu while Skyz Metro is fronted by Qhubani Moyo and Cont Mhlanga and Skyz FM is owned by Alpha Media Holdings, proprietors of Southern Eye, NewsDay, The Standard and Zimbabwe Independent.
Popular DJ Ezra Sibanda, a director of Skies FM, said the postponement was frustrating because they had spent a lot of resources inviting people to come and support their project.
“We were ready for the hearing. Some people were coming from peri-urban areas and some had excused themselves at work to attend the hearing,” he said.
“We don’t see the reason why it was postponed.
“They were supposed to give us reasons why it was postponed instead of saying it was due to unforeseen circumstances.”
Hearings scheduled for Victoria Falls, Gweru, Zvishavane and Masvingo were also postponed.
