Musician Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi is entirely exasperated after being denied a commercial private radio licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ). Tuku is a director in Kiss FM that was seeking one of the two licences to operate a commercial radio station in a country where the state Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation dominates the airwaves.
“Our presentations (Kiss FM) at the public hearings for the interviews for the licences were absolutely substantial and convincing and the outcome that we have been denied a licence is very sad news. I am at a loss of words and disappointed,” Tuku told Radio VOP. Nevertheless Tuku said he is not giving up on radio but would look into the option of a community radio station if and when the opportunity arises.
Artists were backing Tuku’s KISS FM in the hope that if the musician had been licenced the arts sector would have a voice and platform to speak out. Artists said they do not have the voice they felt they deserved on the state-run radio and television channels and awarding Tuku a licence would have been empowering to the arts sector. I think the writing was on the wall, on who was going to win the licences....
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