Golden Maunganidze 

Affiliation: University of Johannesburg 

Email : goldenmaunganidze37@gmail.com 

Title of paper: Rethinking Relevance And Future Community Radio Broadcasting In Zimbabwe 
 
Abstract  

The study focuses on the importance and potential of community radio broadcasting in Zimbabwe, paying particular attention to the ideal environments that would allow such radios to flourish and endure. Zimbabwe has granted licenses to 14 community radios and campus radios operated by universities for the first time. This came after decades of agitation from media civil society organizations for the Zimbabwean government to establish a three-tier broadcasting system. This would be important for the nation’s functioning democracy as well. But the study points out that three years later, community radios in Zimbabwe are barely hanging on, with 70% of those that acquired licenses, including campus radios, battling to survive due to different problems. Therefore, this study, examines the current state of recently licensed community radios in Zimbabwe in an effort to identify survival strategies for community radios in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were gathered through participant observation, focus groups, and interviews. Four community radio stations—Avuxeni, Inyangani, Lohtsa, and Kasambabezi—as well as two Campus-run radios such as Great Zimbabwe University and Midlands State University in Zimbabwe were used as a sample size to reflect the overall situation of community radios and their prospects in the southern African nation that is frequently blamed for passing strict broadcasting regulations that stifle media development. 

About the speaker   

Golden Maunganidze is a full-time PhD student with University of Johannesburg (UJ) where his studies are focusing on the participatory dynamics of the recently licensed community radios in Zimbabwe. Maunganidze has over 15 years’ experience working with community media in Zimbabwe and is the founding Director of Zimbabwe’s first university run campus radio at Great Zimbabwe University where he also teaches practical journalism courses. Maunganidze is the current SADC chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, a civic media organization present in eight Southern African countries. He is also a publisher of Zimbabwe’s fastest growing community newspaper, TellZim News.