Madziwa FM Ready To Go On Air

By Bindura Bureau

Mashonaland Central’s only licensed community radio station, Madziwa FM is likely to beat the 18 April deadline set by government for it to be on air, Nhau/Indaba has learnt.

Covering a radius of 80km from Madziwa where it will be operating from, the station will stick to 75 percent local content.

With less than 60 days for the station to resume operations, Madziwa FM vice-chairperson, Jackie Soko said much is now in place including the required studio equipment.

He said they are currently working on getting sound proof carpets.

Soko lauded efforts made by three chiefs in Shamva for the station construction to progress well especially Chief Madziwa whom they appointed as patron.

He said plans are also afoot to establish another standby studio in Shamva, resources permitting, in the event of power cuts in Madziwa.

The radio station will assist the community leadership in relaying important messages to their subjects as well as the business community through advertising of their products and services.

It will also create employment in the Shamva community through its citizen journalists’ desk.

According to Shivhoman, a local Zim dancehall artist based in Madziwa, the radio station carries his gate pass to bigger and better promoters.

He said despite possessing vast artistic talent, the Madziwa community is not visible because of the centralisation of radio stations in bigger cities.

With more than 95 songs under his belt, the 30-year-old Madziwa dancehall artist said his talent has been lacking exposure.

“I have hope on this radio station, l am optimistic that it will help market my name as well as sell my music.

We can’t all migrate to Harare to get air play, l would like to thank the government for this local station, at least we now have our own platform on which we are guaranteed to receive airplay as long as we have clean content that is good for listeners,” he said.

 The young star is currently working on a 10-track album expected to be launched around April when the station gets on air.

He said his main problem was finding a recording studio and appealed to music lovers and promoters to establish a state of the art studio in the township assist upcoming youths with potential to make hits.

However, Soko assured youths like him that Madziwa FM is going to establish a recording studio within its premises to cater for that. Nhau/Indaba