Radio licence race heats up

....as Byo community rallies behind Amakhosi's Skyz Metro FM

HUNDREDS of people from Bulawayo thronged Rainbow Hotel in the morning today to support a bid by Fairtalk Communications trading as Skyz Metro FM to get a radio licence during public interviews conducted by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ).

The station fronted by Qhubani Moyo said the objective of the station was to advocate for the development of Matabeleland through the recognition of the "diversity of the city".

"The station will come in handy in terms of addressing the unique diverse and cultural needs of Bulawayo which are made unique by its ethnic demography which includes a whole cocktail of different languages amongst them Ndebele, Tonga, Kalanga, Venda, Shona and English," said Moyo the station's chief executive officer.

Moyo also stated that the station was going to provide an opportunity for a discourse on the government blueprint Zim Asset. "...this station is key to the provision of that space for discourse hence the promoters of the station's attempt to provide the people of Bulawayo with that voice and cement national cohesion," Moyo said BAZ led by its chairman Dr. Tafataona Mahoso and the licensing institution's commissioners also took turns to interrogate the applicants on their concept.

The station was urged to give monority languages an allocation of 10 percent in line with the Broadcasting Act of Zimbabwe. The station in its application had proposed 30 mins allocation for minority language excluding Kalanga which the station cites as one of its prime languages of broadcasting.

This afternoon Skies Radio (Pvt) Ltd trading as Skies FM and fronted by Ezra Tshisa Sibanda will make a presentation before the public and BAZ while Carryslot (Pvt) Ltd trading as Skyz FM and fronted by Media Mogul Trevor Ncube will make a presenation tomorrow.