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Samuel Kadungure in Mutare
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services yesterday toured Diamond FM and was impressed by its operations.

The parliamentary portfolio committee, led by Cde William Dehwa, is touring commercial radio stations that were recently awarded operating licences by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Authority (BAZ) to ascertain the challenges being faced and get recommendations on policy improvement.

Diamond FM is housed at The Manica Post Building and is Zimpapers’ second radio station. Station manager Mr Leander Kandiero said Diamond FM was out of the incubatory phase and meeting set budget targets.

“Last year was a challenge in attracting advertising agencies, but 2017 has proved to be better as the brand grows.

‘‘Local promotions and support is growing and we have been able to meet budget targets and we started making profits in the last three months,” said Mr Kandiero.

“When we began, we met challenges where the signal was not stable and due to continuous engagements with Transmedia, our signal stabilised and has been stable. We applaud Transmedia for working closely with us.

‘‘We are only left with a few pockets where our signal is either not clear or not even there. This is largely because of the terrain,” said Mr Kandiero.

Mr Kandiero said Diamond FM commands 97 percent of listenership in Mutare and demand was high for it to spread its tentacles to every corner of Manicaland.

“Our licence limits us to broadcast within the 40km radius, but the demand on the ground is that we cover the whole of Manicaland.

‘‘We will be satisfied with a provincial licence because we will want everywhere and everyone that identifies with Manicaland to be covered and catered for,” said Mr Kandiero, adding that one of the challenges faced was the misconception that Diamond FM was a community when it was a commercial station that thrives on advertising revenue.

The Manica Post editorial team was applauded for helping the station with news content.

Cde Dehwa said the station was meeting its mandate and his committee would recommend to Parliament that its licence be upgraded or amended to broadcast throughout the province.

“We want to create an environment that ensures that there is sustainability in the long run in running this kind of project. Of concern to us is the type of licence that limits them to 40km radius.

‘‘You will find out that there is an outcry from the communities that are not being covered at the moment which want the service to be extended to them,” said Cde Dehwa.

Cde Dehwa said Transmedia, a State-owned broadcast and digital media entity that provides TV and radio signals to all broadcasters in the country should address signal gaps resulting in some pockets within the station’s mandatory 40km radius failing to receive signal.

Manicaland is giving challenges to the on-going digitalisation of broadcasting services because of its mountainous terrain which inhibits the smooth and even distribution of signals to every household.

BAZ technical director, Mr Mathias Chakanyuka, who was accompanying the committee, said the problem was rectifiable.

“There are two ways to do it; either you can raise the antenna height of the transmitter and try to cover that. The quickest way, but expensive, is to put a small gap filler radiating within that area that is not covered,” said Mr Chakanyuka.

The legislators also recommended that the station premises be declared a protected zone and be manned by armed security personnel.