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Zimbabwe to launch new radio station
Zim-Online
April 09, 2005

http://www.zimonline.co.za/printme.asp?ID=9498

HARARE - The government of Zimbabwe will soon launch a new 24-hour propaganda shortwave radio station to counter negative coverage from independent radio stations broadcasting from outside the country.

New Ziana's Electronic Services Business Unit boss, Happison Muchechetere, confirmed to ZimOnline that the government will launch the station, to be called Radio 24-7, in the next three weeks to counter United Kingdom and United States-based radio stations targeting Zimbabweans.

"On short wave, we will be accessible to people within Zimbabwe and those abroad where our signal will reach," said Muchechetere.

SWAfrica Radio and the United States-based Studio 7, are the only independent radio stations targeting Zimbabweans. There are no independent radio stations operating in Zimbabwe were the Harare authorities keep a tight leash on the media.

Critics accuse the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) of churning out virulent propaganda against the government's perceived political opponents.

The new radio station, is expected to take Zimbabwe's propaganda war to a new foreign arena against the two independent radio stations. There have already been attempts to clog SWAfrica Radio's network with the station complaining last month that the Zimbabwe government had jammed its transmission networks from London.

Zimbabwe has always described the two stations as"pirate radio" aimed at creating divisions in the country. - ZimOnline

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