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Ray Bande in MUTARE
THE launch of Zimpapers-owned Diamond FM here must serve as a wake-up call to recipients of radio licences who are still holding onto them for speculative reasons, a Cabinet minister has said.

Speaking during the colourful official launch of Diamond FM and the unveiling of the new-look Manica Post Building yesterday, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe said Government wanted all the eight recipients of radio licences to start operating.

“It will be recalled that Ya FM of Zvishavane was the first local commercial radio station to be launched in the country in September last year. This followed the licensing of eight local commercial radio stations by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) in 2014.

“Let me emphasise that eight commercial radio stations were licensed but only two are now operational. I think this is a befitting warning to other six recipients of radio licences that they should start operating or else return the licences.

“Government would not want recipients of radio licences to keep holding onto the licences for speculative reasons. While today we are celebrating this initiative in Mutare, I am looking forward to seeing other stations starting operations in other areas around the country,” said Dr Mushohwe.

He urged Diamond FM to effectively play the role of uniting the people of Manicaland while promoting the social, economic and cultural well-being of the province.

Zimpapers chief executive Mr Pikirayi Deketeke said the listed company was now focusing on having the television broadcast venture operational this year.

“I am happy that in line with our five year plan, we met our targeted timeframe to have Diamond FM, which to us is really a metro station, operating by December 2015.

“Television will be our next big venture and we hope that in line with our plan, we will have this fully operational this year. Our plan is to ensure that as Zimpapers, we are covered across the whole spectrum, voice, video and print by 2016 and we are on course,” said Mr Deketeke.

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Mandi Chimene, commended Zimpapers for choosing Mutare as host for its first regional station.

“We are proud as a people of Mutare to be host for Zimpapers’ first regional station. Mutare is a city in desperate need of investment and this is exactly the reason we are creating a conducive environment for investment. We are extremely happy that Zimpapers has shown confidence in us,” she said.

Several local traditional leaders, civic and Government officials and Zimpapers board members and management graced the occasion.