News / National
ZiFM Stereo hits back at Jonathan Moyo
10 Feb 2016 at 07:17hrs | Views
Privately owned ZiFM Stereo radio has hit back at Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo who accused the station of pulling out an interview to discuss the recently launched scholarship programme.
ZiFM Stereo said the interview with Moyo was deferred due to a clash of schedules.
ZiFM said in radio and in media, it was not a crime to postpone a programme and it was not unusual to double book guests to a show — although it should be avoided.
"That such a clash of schedules happened is regrettable and the station did apologise to the Hon Prof Moyo when it advised of the postponement 19 hours before the interview was to take place," said ZiFM.
ZiFM was responding to media reports in which Moyo was quoted savaging the commercial radio station for allegedly pulling out of an interview that it had granted him to discuss his ministry's proposed Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) scholarship programme.
Moyo was quoted in the media suggesting that political machinations were behind the station's last-minute decision to decline to host him after it aired an interview with Presidential spokesman Mr George Charamba last week in which he slammed successionists challenging leaders appointed by President Mugabe at the zanu-pf Sixth National People's Congress.
"We are surprised that the postponement of a radio interview to discuss a non-political Government programme would attract such vitriol," the radio station said.
"We believe in the freedom of the media and that this freedom includes freedom to postpone programmes and sometimes freedom not to publish. We believe in balance and fairness in all our current affairs programmes and this is why on Monday, February 8 2016 we agreed to grant Hon Prof Moyo the right of reply to an interview with Presidential spokesman and secretary for information Mr George Charamba."
In a string of tweets, Moyo on Monday castigated ZiFM for abruptly deciding not to air an interview with him.
Below are Moyo's comments.
1/9: @ZiFMStereo plz have the decency of at least trying to sound professional in your handling of a clearly difficult political situation!
2/9: Truth is you 'postponed' the STEM program tonight under pressure from a successionist who feared the program would stray into politics!
3/9: As @ZiFMStereo you aware that the program was on STEM & that it was initially scheduled for last week but was delayed as I had exams!
4/9: Even as @ZiFMStereo knew the program was on STEM you were forced to conclude there was an elephant in the studio that you can't handle!
5/9: You then decided to "postpone" the program falsely citing a clash of schedules while knowing that this is not the true reason at all!
6/9: It would have been true & professional for @ZiFMStereo to say it is unable to broadcast the program due to reasons beyond its control!
7/9: What is unprofessional & unacceptable is @ZiFMStereo broadcast a defamatory interview with Charamba without giving me a right of reply!
8/9: When I was Minister of Information in 2015 I reprimanded @ZiFMStereo for suspending a presenter on account of a Midlands politician!
9/9: It's a pity @ZiFMStereo didn't learn anything professional or useful from that ugly incident. I feel for your audiences & advertisers!
Source- HERALD additional reporting by Bulawayo24.com
ZiFM Stereo said the interview with Moyo was deferred due to a clash of schedules.
ZiFM said in radio and in media, it was not a crime to postpone a programme and it was not unusual to double book guests to a show — although it should be avoided.
"That such a clash of schedules happened is regrettable and the station did apologise to the Hon Prof Moyo when it advised of the postponement 19 hours before the interview was to take place," said ZiFM.
ZiFM was responding to media reports in which Moyo was quoted savaging the commercial radio station for allegedly pulling out of an interview that it had granted him to discuss his ministry's proposed Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) scholarship programme.
Moyo was quoted in the media suggesting that political machinations were behind the station's last-minute decision to decline to host him after it aired an interview with Presidential spokesman Mr George Charamba last week in which he slammed successionists challenging leaders appointed by President Mugabe at the zanu-pf Sixth National People's Congress.
"We are surprised that the postponement of a radio interview to discuss a non-political Government programme would attract such vitriol," the radio station said.
"We believe in the freedom of the media and that this freedom includes freedom to postpone programmes and sometimes freedom not to publish. We believe in balance and fairness in all our current affairs programmes and this is why on Monday, February 8 2016 we agreed to grant Hon Prof Moyo the right of reply to an interview with Presidential spokesman and secretary for information Mr George Charamba."
In a string of tweets, Moyo on Monday castigated ZiFM for abruptly deciding not to air an interview with him.
Below are Moyo's comments.
2/9: Truth is you 'postponed' the STEM program tonight under pressure from a successionist who feared the program would stray into politics!
3/9: As @ZiFMStereo you aware that the program was on STEM & that it was initially scheduled for last week but was delayed as I had exams!
4/9: Even as @ZiFMStereo knew the program was on STEM you were forced to conclude there was an elephant in the studio that you can't handle!
5/9: You then decided to "postpone" the program falsely citing a clash of schedules while knowing that this is not the true reason at all!
6/9: It would have been true & professional for @ZiFMStereo to say it is unable to broadcast the program due to reasons beyond its control!
7/9: What is unprofessional & unacceptable is @ZiFMStereo broadcast a defamatory interview with Charamba without giving me a right of reply!
8/9: When I was Minister of Information in 2015 I reprimanded @ZiFMStereo for suspending a presenter on account of a Midlands politician!
9/9: It's a pity @ZiFMStereo didn't learn anything professional or useful from that ugly incident. I feel for your audiences & advertisers!
Source- HERALD additional reporting by Bulawayo24.com
Source - HERALD additional reporting by Bulawayo24.com
