By Fidelis Manyange
SINCE time immemorial radio stations have been broadcasting to millions of their listenership from the comfort of their brick-and-mortar stations in the urban areas. The advent of community radio stations changed all that, but limited coverage has been a perennial sticking point. So the burning question has been how to reach the listenership ‘out there’. Answer: Let’s have roadshows. Thanks to roadshows, radio stations can now broadcast live from virtually anywhere — shopping centres, growth points, etc. Here, upcoming hip-hop, dancehall and sungura artistes are also contracted to entertain the audience in live performances.
Not only do they market their music to the local populace but listeners countrywide. Even established artistes, like Tindo Ngwazi, Tatenda Pinjisi, Simon Mutambi, Lucky Kumene, Romeo Gasa and Albert Gatsi, among others, have become synonymous with radio roadshows, where ‘homeboys’ are normally given first preference.
A case in point is Tatenda Pinjisi of ‘Saina’ fame, who hails from Makaha, and was the headline act at Mutoko Centre. Programmes featuring top radio personalities such as Wellington Marimira, aka Bhozhongora, Kuda Machiri, Tilder Moyo, Pathisani Nyathi, Tinashe Chikuse, Kudzai Violet Gwara (aka KVG), Kanyemba Bhonzo, Lionel Mkandla, Liberty Luphahla and Ndumiso Dube (aka Skywalker), among others, enjoy huge The benefits of taking radio to the people, with eager listeners travelling several kilometres to mix and mingle with their heroes and heroines. During the shows, listeners get to meet the some of personalities behind the scenes — the sound engineers — and others who make it happen. Radio roadshows also afford an opportunity to rural folk meet their local political leaders, such as legislators, councillors and traditional leaders.
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s National FM and Radio Zimbabwe currently dominate the airwaves when it comes to roadshows. At the forefront of roadshow mania is National FM which broadcasts in most of the country’s vernacular languages. So far, it has taken its act to places as far afield as Kotwa, Mutawatawa, Epworth, Ruyamuro in Guruve and Mutoko Centre, among others, with Ruyamuro in Guruve attracting a record crowd.
Three months ago, the station’s ardent fans trekked — mostly on foot — from Mudhindo, Nyangavi, Chipangura and Chikokonya, among other places, to be part of the record-breaking roadshow. National FM’s forthcoming roadshow, to be held in Plumtree on 14 September, will afford the Kalanga and Khoisan people a chance to meet their favourite presenters like Lucy Ngosolo, Clifford Baloyi, Soneni Sibanda, Philip Makazhu (aka Blafidza) and Thulani Munyandi, as well as ‘daughter’ Soneni Sibanda, in the flesh. Radio roadshows also provide a God-sent platform for local businesses to market their products and services. Butcheries, takeaways and bottle stores, in particular, enjoy brisk business.
They are not only there to provide entertainment, but also to inspire youths to take up broadcasting as a career. Transmedia Corporation (Private) Limited, a State-owned company established in terms of the ZBC Commercialisation Act of 2001 to provide radio and TV signals, often uses radio roadshows to market the ‘Masaisai Kuvanhu’ decoder.
The innovative decoder is designed to uplift grassroots communities by promoting their culture through story telling, customs and traditions. Also expected to join the roadshow bandwagon are new players like Madziwa FM (Shamva), Radio Bukalanga (Ndolwane, Plumtree), Nyaminyami FM (Kariba), Nyangani Community Radio Trust (Nyanga), Vemugaga Community Radio Trust (Checheche, Chipinge), Matobo Community Radio Trust (Brunaperg) and Twasumbuka Community Radio Trust (Binga), among others.