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Radio Voice of the People Update: January - May 2003
Radio Voice of the People (VOP)
May 12, 2003

Introduction
This newsletter serves to update you about various developments related to our station, Radio Voice of the People (VOP) which owes its continued existence to your valuable support.

Professor Masipula Sithole
We were all saddened by the passing away of the vice chairman of the VOP Board of Trustees Professor Masipula Sithole a respectable political scientist and academic who worked so tirelessly to ensure that VOP objectives of promoting freedom of expression, diversity of viewpoints, democracy and good governance were fulfilled. In their condolence message published in The Standard newspaper of 13 April 2003 VOP Board of Trustees and Staff wrote:

May his soul rest in peace.

New Board Appointments
The VOP Board of Trustees has new members who joined us with effect from 1 April 2003. They are Mr. Blessing Chimhini, a human rights lawyer and Mr. Nhlanhla Ngwenya a media expert. We have no doubt that Radio VOP will benefit immensely from the expertise and experience in areas of freedom of expression, media diversity, democracy and human rights that the two new board members are bringing with them. The two are joining current board members Faith Ndebele a medical doctor/human rights activist, Sarah Chiumbu a media expert and lobbyist and David Masunda a senior journalist/editor. We will soon be welcoming more board members from a variety of disciplines as required by our deed of trust and we will keep you informed.

Programme Production and Transmission
Our programming continues to improve since we went back on air in January after our offices and studios were bombed 0n 29 August 2002. By the way the perpetrators have not yet been brought to book. We had to start right from scratch. We have upgraded our recording equipment and improved the quality of our signal tremendously in the last two months and are thus competing favourably with other broadcasters on Short Wave. At times we face challenges presented by our poor telecommunications network but we have always found alternatives.

Among the issues we have covered in our programmes of late are the recent mass stayaways and their impact on our political and economic situation. We have interviewed trade unionists, opposition parties, economists and ordinary people about this course of action. We have also had interviews and discussion programmes on issues such as national youth service, reflections on 23years of self rule, Commonwealth troika initiatives, corruption, shortage of fuel, economic decline, our electoral system vis a vis recent by- elections, civic education in general and problems affecting women and children among other issues.

We have encouraged our journalists in Harare and Bulawayo to be in touch with many civic organizations so that they can highlight the work they are doing in different communities. It is therefore gratifying to note that most of our interviewees come from different civic organizations. We also interview ordinary persons about all issues we cover in order to fulfil what we always say in our slogans "People are talking, Vanhu vari kutaura, Abantu bayakhuluma" What is important is that people are willing to talk to us and express their point of view.

We would be very happy if you could make an effort to listen to some of our programmes and give us your comments and views with regard to our programming policy, issues covered, presentation style and other things that will help us to improve our productions.

Radio Voice of the People is on air every day including weekends and public holidays between 7.00pm and 8.00pm on short wave 7120Khz(winter) and 7190Khz(summer and present one) in the 41 meter band. You can tune to VOP locally and internationally on the given frequencies. The international times are as follows: 1800hrs to 1900hrs UTC daily.

For your feedback we are contactable at voxpopzim@yahoo.co.uk or P.O. Box 5750 Harare Zimbabwe.

Training
Radio VOP values professionalism as outlined in the station’s profile document. We are therefore very grateful to all those organizations which offer fully sponsored training programmes to our staff so that they continue to sharpen their skills and improve the station’s programming.

Maria Nyanyiwa one of our four journalists attended a course on how to utilize new Information and Communication Technologies dubbed WENT Africa 2003 which was organized by APC- Africa Women in Cape Town, South Africa from 29 March to 4 April 2003.Maria reports that she learnt a lot and managed to network with women journalists from all over Africa.

John Masuku the director of VOP was invited to the International Communications Forum also held in Cape Town, South Africa from 5-9 April 2003 as an OSISA nominee. John reports that he learnt a lot about media trends in the world particularly in countries where there are repressive media laws like our own Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) which is constantly being amended due to some sections of it which violate our Constitution.

Between 21 April and 3 May 2003 John also attended a Training of Trainers workshop, which was held in Maseru, Lesotho. The Media Institute of Southern Africa, MISA-Zimbabwe together with three other senior journalists from the print media, nominated him. The course was run by the Southern African Media Training Trust based in Maputo, Mozambique together with The Institute for Further Education of Journalists (FOJO) which is attached to Kalmar University in Sweden. John reports that he was able to further sharpen his skills as a radio and management trainer and enjoyed interacting and exchanging training views with senior journalists from all over Southern Africa and Sweden.

It is our sincere hope that some more courses will be availed to all our journalists so that we build a strong and professional team since we are involved in an important media. We have in mind courses, which can improve reporting, editing and production skills and the use of modern broadcast technology.

Recent Developments
In a story headlined "Moyo rules out on foreign funded stations" the Zimbabwe Independent of May 9, 2003 reported:

After lashing out at regional institutions, Moyo said organizations funded by outsiders would not be registered.

…However Moyo said the government would not be forced to establish more radio stations while ZBC was still struggling to get to all corners of Zimbabwe."

These are some of the challenges that VOP has faced since its inception in June 2000.We all hope that the airwaves will indeed be opened up in Zimbabwe in order to allow for the establishment of a diversity of broadcast media organizations under a conducive environment.Until then VOP is still around to give Zimbabweans an alternative and independent viewpoint!

Conclusion
Thank you for your valued support and for finding time to read about us. Please keep in touch.

Email: voxpopzim@yahoo.co.uk

Visit the radio VOP fact sheet

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