AudiencScapes

by Tawanda Karombo

Harare, Zimbabwe- Developments in recent months suggest there may be cracks in Zimbabwe’s tightly controlled media environment. Four new newspapers have been licensed and one of these, NewsDay, has already started publishing. In mid-June, the opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change, launched the country’s first audio-news platform on mobile phones and on its website (www.mdc.co.zw).

Although the MDC’s audio service is likely to carry a partisan perspective, its arrival in Zimbabwe is significant because it is the first audio-news service in the country that is not controlled by the government. The “Voice of Real Change” radio news service is accessible to most mobile phone subscribers and internet users.

Telecom Companies Wary of State Reprisals

The new platform -- the first of its kind by any political party in the Southern African region -- was initially offered through mobile lines from all three of Zimbabwe’s telecommunications operators, Econet, NetOne and Telecel. Under pressure from the Zanu PF government officials, Econet reportedly dropped out of the “Voice of Real Change” program. It is believed the company withdrew from the program based on fear the government would not renew its operating license.

The service works by allowing the mobile phone user to call one of a set of numbers, which are “answered” by the operator in the form of pre-loaded news reports. After listening to instructions, the user chooses whether to listen to a message from President Morgan Tsvangirai or opt for general news reports. There is also a feedback option that enables listeners to post messages to the party.

Sources from the MDC’s information department said the audio service had so far been “positively received” by Zimbabweans. Some estimates put the number of people who registered for the service on its first day of operation at 100,000.

No New Broadcast Licenses

Currently, Zimbabwe has no private radio or television stations. The broadcast media arena is dominated by four state-controlled radio stations and two television stations. Despite the establishment of the Zimbabwe Media Commission, the government has issued no new media licenses to broadcast companies -- only to print media companies. The ZMC said earlier this month that no prospective companies had applied for broadcast licenses, yet according to informed observers and commentators, the statutory regulatory board had restricted applications to “only the print media.”

“This is just a cover-up story that no one applied, they just called for print media applications,” said one broadcast media player who asked not to be named. He added that his company will soon be submitting its application for a radio station.

It appears that the MDC, now a part of the country’s inclusive government , launched its audio service after delays by the ZMC to grant licenses to private radio and television operators. Whether the MDC received a license for its platform is not known. Law firm sources familiar with the regulatory framework believe that no regulatory approval was needed because the service was largely an in-house initiative and because it is being delivered through already registered telecommunications operators.

Incentive to Open the Airwaves?

As the withdrawal of Econet shows, the survival of the MDC news service is questionable. Speaking on Short Wave Radio Africa, MDC spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, said: “This service is being threatened by ZANU PF people who have threatened the regulatory authority. They have also threatened various (mobile phone) operators as a way to impose an iron curtain on information.”

Independent media analysts have lamented the lack of alternative broadcast outlets in Zimbabwe. Yet many believe that the initiative by the MDC could advance the cause of independent journalism in Zimbabwe. There is hope the new MDC service will spur the government to open up the airwaves by rapidly issuing a call for applications from private companies to operate electronic mass media outlets.

Tawanda Karombo is a journalist living in Zimbabwe.

Other Blog Posts by Tawanda:
Zimbabwe: Government to Sell Telecoms Company NetOne
Zimbabwe: New Dailies Launch, Usher in New Era for Print Media
Zimbabwe: ICT Bill Raises Hopes, Despite Governmental Risks
Is Zimbabwe's Media Sector Poised for Renaissance?, We'll Know in July

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