Maravi

PANOS launches community radio station in Itezhi-Tezhi

PANOS launches community radio station in Itezhi-Tezhi
By Agness Changala in Itezhi Tezhi
Tue 19 July 2011, 13:59 CAT

COMMUNITY radio stations provide a platform for people to voice out on issues and decisions that affect them, says PANOS Southern Africa.

And chiefs in Itezhi-Tezhi district on Thursday demanded that the community radio station in the area honours the policy which stipulates that 60 per cent of programmes be presented in Ila as opposed to the current situation where most of the programming is in English and Tonga.

At the launch of Itezhi Tezhi community radio station on Thursday, PANOS Southern Africa acting executive director Lillian Chigona said community radio stations are important because they help to foster development in communities.

“It is important to provide people with a platform where they can air out issues that affect them. Through this, they are able to question authorities on certain decisions made,” Chigona said.

She hoped that the community will give the radio station the greatest support it deserves so that it can be used to bring about development.

Chigona said the station should also come up with a strategy that will allow it to make money and become self-reliant, and warned the community against interfering with the normal operations of the radio station.

“Allow them to work effectively and independently,” Chigona said.

And the chiefs said they were not happy that despite the radio station being established in the “Ilaland”, very few programmes were presented in Ila language.

Speaking on behalf of the other chiefs, chief Chilyafubu said PANOS and the radio station must address the problem of language because it is important for them to uphold the culture and traditions of the land.

Chief Chilyafubu said people were happy to have a radio station they could call their own but urged the staff to cooperate and respect owners of the land by doing what is expected of them.

Responding to the chiefs’ demands, Chigona said they had a point and that PANOS and the community radio station would find a way of increasing Ila programmes and presenters.

According to Itezhi Tezhi Radio’s policy, 60 per cent of the programming is allocated to Ila, 20 per cent to English and 20 per cent to Tonga being the language taught in schools.

The radio station was funded and supported by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the German government.

Labels: RADIO

posted by MrK @ 3:11 PM