| 'To Give Bulawayo a Voice'- The Radio Dialogue Story |
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| Lifestyle - People |
| Monday, 03 August 2009 11:42 |
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In 2001 Father Nigel Johnson SJ, started Radio Dialogue in Bulawayo. The idea was to get a broadcasting license and give the people of Bulawayo a platform to tell their stories- through music, poetry, plays and news. He put together a team of passionate young people and managed to get funding and equipment. But they were denied a license by the government. 8 years later, their struggle continues… In 2001 Father Nigel Johnson SJ, started Radio Dialogue in Bulawayo. The idea was to get a broadcasting license and give the people of Bulawayo a platform to tell their stories- through music, poetry, plays and news. He put together a team of passionate young people and managed to get funding and equipment. But they were denied a license by the government. 8 years later, their struggle continues… The Zimbo Jam visited The Radio Dialogue offices in Bulawayo and met Father Nigel and his team. We were awed by their professionalism, innovation and resilience. This is their story as told by the founder, Fr Nigel Johnson SJ: ___________________________________
Radio Dialogue started in 2001 as a community radio station for Bulawayo. The people of Bulawayo have always felt marginalised. They feel very strongly that Harare dominates, while Bulawayo has a lot going on, with a very dynamic culture, and its own views on things, all of which need to be communicated and expressed. Our slogan is 'Giving You a Voice'. Over the years, we have developed several different, legitimate, alternative methods of broadcasting to the people of Bulawayo. We distribute our radio programmes on cassette and CD. We put on road shows, where we turn up with our specially designed truck at a local shopping centre and make a lot of noise, with a message.
^ Nigel Johnson SJ in his office at the Radio Dialogue offices in Bulawayo. Our Radio Dialogue ward committees organise 'live broadcast meetings' in their local hall. Here we put on a show on a topic selected by the local people who invite the participants; it's like a normal public meeting, but presented like a radio programme with jingles, local news, audience phone in etc. We have also put on the annual Umthwakazi festival, featuring local performers, painters, writers and poets, and bringing in a South African kwaito performer. Funding has come from several different sources, mainly from organisations that wish to promote freedom of expression. Then there are other organisations that have funding for particular projects. For example, a Norwegian student organisation (SAIH) has a special programme with us focusing on getting the voices of the youth heard. At present we are also engaged in a EU educational programme entitled 'Towards a new democratic Zimbabwe', subtitled 'What is Democracy?'. We expect to start a similar educational programme very soon, using our alternative media methods to encourage the fullest participation in the constitution writing process, and another with Population Services International for health promotion. The main challenges since we started have involved the state security organisations, who originally were very suspicious of us. A year after we started, we were raided by police, CIO, broadcasting authority and immigration, but the only result of this was that the one non-Zimbabwean employee was deported. Over subsequent years many of the staff have been taken by the police for questioning about what Radio Dialogue is up to. Then four of us have been locked up in the police cells for a few days for video filming in the streets of Bulawayo. In 2005 we applied to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe for a licence. But, along with applications from all other broadcasting aspirants, we were turned down. We subsequently had a visit from the Parliamentary Portfolio Commission on Communications, which resulted in their asking us to submit proposals for amendment of the Broadcasting Act. Most of our suggested amendments were brought in a year and a half ago. Since the formation of the present government, we have held meetings with the Deputy Minister of Information and Permanent Secretary in that Ministry, and the Minister has come to Bulawayo to vist our studios and hold discussion with trustees and staff. We are presently waiting to see if there are any further developments coming from government with regard to liberating the air waves. Hoping that day comes soon, we are ready to start broadcasting tomorrow. - By Nigel Johnson SJ for The Zimbo Jam - Picture in the story masthead was taken inside one of the Radio Dialogue studios (FungaiFoto). Share this page... |
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