Victoria Falls radio ready to go live

PROPRIETORS of Victoria Falls' first ever radio station, Breeze FM say they are ready to go live on air before end of month.

Fairtalk Communications chief executive Qhubani Moyo said they have done their part and are waiting for clearance to connect to a security base station to start broadcasting.

"As Breeze FM we have no financial or human resource problems. The only challenge is the nature of connection to be done as we are supposed to connect from the station to TelOne in town and then to a satellite base in Chidobe," he said.

Available on 90.1 FM, the station is expected to cover a transmission radius of 40km, signalling the entrance of local programming for the resort town and surrounding communities which have over the years been exposed to foreign stations from Zambia and Botswana.

However, the radio still has to get security clearance to connect to Chidobe Base Station near Victoria Falls International Airport, a process expected to be done within the next one week, Moyo said.

"We have done our part and the only outstanding issue is clearance which we think will be coming our way in the next week or so according to engagements we have done."

Breeze FM's engineers have to be cleared via TelOne to access Chidobe Base Station where the radio station would get its signal from.

TelOne's chief technician in Victoria Falls Collins Ndlovu, who is dealing with the issue referred questions to the parastatal's spokesperson who couldn't be reached in Harare.

Breeze FM station manager Mgcini Moyo said their technicians had already connected the station to signal carriers and only await to be linked via satellite.

"We are in the final stages of preparation and setting up of live broadcast. Our technicians have connected to the signal carriers and we expect to go live in a week and a half if all technicalities are sorted," he said.

About 20 current affairs presenters and newsreaders in all beats such as sport and entertainment have been engaged and are busy doing trial runs in preparation for the live broadcast.

The station will broadcast in English as well as in local languages-Nambya, Tonga and Ndebele while some programmes will also be in Shona.

Programming will be varied, the station manager said.

Residents and artistes said they were eagerly waiting for the station.

"This is actually our station and we are eagerly waiting for it. It's our opportunity to market ourselves through airplay which we haven't been getting.

Zimbabwe will now get to know us while promoters haven't been taking us seriously because our songs aren't known," said artiste Chris Ozzy, real name Owen Ndlovu.

Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association chairman Morgan Dube said: "We have waited long and we think it will go a long way in giving us the much needed voice."