Zimbabweans invade the airwaves

Over the past two weeks five members of Radio Dialogue in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe have been interning at Bush Radio’s studios.

This training is a continuation of  Bush Radio and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung’s (FES) assistance to the development of the community radio sector in Southern Africa.

Rosie Chauke and Thandazani Nkomo checking the local papers

The visit comes after we conducted station based training in Bulawayo. (see story here) The five interns have been placed in different departments in order to enhance the skills they already have.

Radio Dialogue is a community radio station which aims to give people of Bulawayo a voice. At the moment it does not have a broadcasting licence but has managed to engage the people of Bulawayo in its activities.

Bush Radio's Denisia Adams with Radio Dialogue's Munya Gova in studio

The radio station is in touch with the community through recorded broadcasts, road shows and focus group meetings which all aim to give people a platform to air their views on issues affecting them.

Rosie Chauke, a youth coordinator from Radio Dialogue says her duties include working on various projects. “We have activities such as debate camps, drama competitions, talk shows and public speaking competitions for those youth that are still at school,” said Chauke.

Sakhisizwe's Busisiwe Mtabane (front) with Sanele Njini from Bulawayo

Chauke, who was based in the Bush Radio Newsroom, says through this training she expecting to get a better feel for broadcasting.

“It has been my greatest wish to do this and now I have finally got a chance to do this and I’m so excited, though at first I had cold feet and was very nervous,” added Chauke.

She concluded that being in the newsroom is an experience, because at their station she only read the news, whereas at Bush Radio she got to do compiling and conduct interviews.

Emmanuel Nkomo from Radio Dialogue selecting music with the help of Victor J

Thandazani Nkomo who is also based in the Bush Radio Newsroom added; “It’s been a nice experience for me being at Bush Radio. We had an opportunity of going on air. It is a dream we hope to realise in Zimbabwe soon.”

Bush Radio will be conducting follow-up training again in Zimbabwe to see the progress of the interns and to see what they have implemented from their stay at our little station.

Emmanuel (centre) hosted a staff development session on drumming

*The Radio Dialogue interns can be heard on Bush Radio 89.5 FM or online between 09h00 – 16h00 and will conduct a special on-air programme on Friday the 27 November between 14h00 – 16h00.

Sell your soul

Buy Nothing Day is an international day of protest against consumerism observed by social activists globally.

In the current economic climate, Bush Radio asks everyone to think about their spending and remember those who don’t have any funds to spend.

This is a follow up to our 2008 video http://zoopy.com/q/fxh .

*Another campaign for awareness around global issues was the station’s anti-war stance, which drew lots of interest.

Cute and Feathery

For the past two days, online and mobile social media community site Zoopy.com (Update: Zoopy no longer does user generated content and we’ve switch to a YouTube Channel) has featured two videos featuring Shiraaz Ismail . Shiraaz hosts the breakfast show on Bush Radio with Victor J. CLICK ON PICS TO WATCH THE VIDEOS.

We are not sure why, but we think the cute and funny factor may help. On a serious note Shiraaz wanted to highlight that many young people need to learn the national anthem.

Bush Radio uses zoopy.com YouTube.com to promote the work of artists as well as some of the video productions it is involved in, like the work of the CREW , during the annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence. It is also a way in which the interns at the station get to experience the intergration of media.

Shaz’s attempt at the national anthem

Over the past few days there has been lots of fuss made over how Ras Dumisani sang the national anthem at the opening of a rugby match between South Africa and France.

Shiraaz Ismail of the breakfast show, with a little coaching from Victor J decided to give it a try live on air. He made fewer mistakes that Ras Dumisani, but you be the judge.

The actual words to our anthem:

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (God Bless Africa)

Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo, (Raise high Her glory)

Yizwa imithandazo yethu, (Hear our Prayers)

Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo (God bless us, we her children)

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, (God protect our nation)

O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, (End all wars and tribulations)

O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, (Protect us, protect our nation)

Setjhaba sa South Afrika – South Afrika. (Our nation South Africa – South Africa)

Uit die blou van onse hemel, (Ringing out from our blue heavens)

Uit die diepte van ons see, (From the depth of our seas)

Oor ons ewige gebergtes, (Over our everlasting mountains)

Waar die kranse antwoord gee, (Where the echoing crags resound)

Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom,

In South Africa our land.

Mariachi, TNT and Tour guide gone crazy

Shiraaz running through the building like a bat out of hell, a hip hop outfit call TNT and Cape Town’s own mariachi. There are three new videos on the Bush Radio Zoopy YouTube Channel site check them out:

November Advertising Madness

General ad rates here