Maravi

VOA's argument on pirate radio stations shocking

COMMENT - " Dillard's arrogance was unbelievable. She said, "“The government needs to open its tight regulations for independent and free media. If the government liberalised the media space, there wouldn’t be any need for us.” " How can these people claim to be promoting democracy, when they are abusing and subverting the freedom of expression that already exists? What government would not crack down on hostile media when it is funded by a foreign power? This is no way to get Zimbabwe to become a more open society - it is a clear abuse of the democracy that already exists.

VOA's argument on pirate radio stations shocking
Peter Chimutsa - VOA's argument on pirate radio stations shocking
Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:10:00 +0000

DEAR EDITOR - I heard an interview between two pirate radio stations regarding Botswana's move in aiding the U.S. to beam illegally into Zimbabwe. This is one of the most disturbing interviews I have ever heard.

A report on SW Radio by one Alex Bell read, "External radio service Voice of America, which hosts Studio 7, has lashed out at the government’s complaints about ‘pirate’ radio stations, calling them inaccurate and without truth.

"The group’s special broadcast, Studio 7, broadcasts from Botswana into Zimbabwe and, like SW Radio Africa, has come under fire for being a ‘pirate’ station that broadcasts ‘hate messages’ into the country."

The report further read: "VOA’s Director of Africa Broadcasting, Gwen Dillard, told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that the complaints are completely inaccurate and without truth, saying she is ‘disappointed’ by the government’s position."

"Dillard explained VOA’s government-to-government broadcast agreement with Botswana, continuing that there is 'nothing illegal or pirate about our operations'," it further read.

I cannot believe that one can say that the U.S. is beaming into Zimbabwe through a U.S. bilateral agreement with Botswana. Zimbabwe is simply not Botswana and vice versa. This is exactly the reason why it is a pirate radio station. VOA simply does not have a license to broadcast in Zimbabwe.

It is disturbing that Botswana was targetted by the U.S as a possible host of Africom - a strategic military command center of the U.S. in Africa. Why Botswana all the time?

The Zimbabwe government, like the U.S. government, simply decides on who should, or should not, broadcast within their borders. The U.S. should not bulldoze its way into Zimbabwe, for its own reasons, national security or otherwise.

Dillard's arrogance was unbelievable. She said, "“The government needs to open its tight regulations for independent and free media. If the government liberalised the media space, there wouldn’t be any need for us.”

This is blatant admission that they will continue with what is clearly a violation of Zimbabwe's laws, and it is sad that a neighbour of ours and our own journalists are helping perpetuate the breaking of our own laws.

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Peter Chimutsa can be reached via peterchimutsa *** yahoo.com

Labels: PROPAGANDA, RADIO, VOA

posted by MrK @ 4:50 AM