By BEN KANGWA –
IN 1982, the Government of Zambia embarked upon a programme to revitalise the mass media, when the First Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda inaugurated the new Mass Media Complex in Lusaka.
In his address Dr Kaunda emphasised: “Everyone of us has a right to be heard. What everybody else is saying and doing affects everybody else’s life struggle and personal opportunities.
“This Complex we are now commissioning is cardinal instrument in this vital process of rebuilding our personal lives … ”
The Government had thus committed itself to the promise that development depends upon adequate communication processes and a two way of information.
However, the completion of the Mass Media Complex, while providing a level of production facilities for radio and television which were among the best in Africa, only began a longer term process which would ultimately allow information to pass freely throughout Zambia, especially into the heart of its rural communities.
Seven years later in February 1989, this time around, the Right Honourable Prime Minister Kebby Musokotwane officially inaugurated Radio Mulungushi, popularly known as Radio Four.

. Musokotwane

The Prime Minister Kebby Musokotwane talked about radio as an essential development tool – how it provides true empowerment as well as grassroot development.
The Prime Minister also observed that radio was effectively used for the preservation and development of culture, citing old folklore stories that were broadcast on Radio One in local languages and others such as Zambian Land and the People, a fifteen minute programme of a documentary nature covering successful farming activities, Rural Notebook  produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, providing special advice on what farmers should watch out for and Nutrition Corner, a programme produced by the Ministry of Health and the National Food and Nutrition Commission. The programme genres were later to be incorporated in Community Radio schedules.
By nature and by design, Community Radio stations offer a type of radio service that caters to the interests of a certain area, broadcasting material that is popular to a local audience but is overlooked by more powerful broadcast groups.
The radio is usually established by the efforts of a specific community, operated by the community and for the community welfare.
They have a heavy responsibility of serving the needs of the communities within which they broadcast and exist.
This is because of the enormous potential that they have to lift the standards of the people through the provision of relevant information.
They are primarily focused on broadcasting from the community to the community about everyday issues. Their programme formats are mainly aimed at bettering the communities they serve.
In the early 1990s, Radio Phoenix became the first Independent privately owned commercial and community radio station in Zambia. Its programme schedule was a diet of popular music shows and a several genre of talk shows including its flag career “Let the People Talk” – a call in programme.
A number of other private broadcasting stations later emerged. These included Radio Choice, Mazabuka Radio, QFM Radio, Radio Lyambai and Radio Liseli. In addition, the churches joined in the airwaves with religious based programming options – Yatsani Radio, Radio Icengelo, Chikuni Radio and Christian Voice.
The latter offered syndicated programmes originating from the organization “Christian Voice” based in the United Kingdom.
According to the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), there are 42 Community Stations, 78 licensed radio stations and 14 radio stations on construction.
These include Radio Icengelo on the Copperbelt, Radio Maria in Chipata, Radio Chikuni in Monze, Radio Mazabuka in Mazabuka and Mosi-o-Tunya , Zambezi FM in Livingstone, Hot FM , 5FM, Hone FM, Unza Radio and Joy FM.
Others are Radio Lundazi in Lundazi, Yatsani Radio in Lusaka, Breeze FM in Chipata, Petauke Explores and Pasme in Petauke, Mpangwe in Southern Province, Radio Mkushi in Mkushi, ItezhiTezhi Community Radio in Ithezi-Tezhi and Radio Mano in Kasama.
All in all, Community, Commercial or Religious radio stations, they teach their listeners new skills from literacy to agriculture, business and leadership.
Through their programming, they make  people prone to participate in decision making, in raising levels of aspirations and in making economic, social and political development a self- perpetuating process.
Breeze FM for example, prides itself in providing a voice for vulnerable groups to communicate their perspectives in the public domain and in providing space for vulnerable groups to engage in public dialogue and debate on issues that affect them.
The “cool air” radio (as it is also known) provides a channel to communicate information on development issues to people most affected and to communicate perspectives from the community to those in authority. The station is also a viable advertising and effective communication medium to local and national business organizations.
On the other hand, Chikuni Community Radio, from the very beginning, was established to give the community a chance to create and participate in programmes that affect them at large.
Topics of interest range from gender, agriculture, HIV/AIDS, leadership skills and development, conflicts between tradition and modern life as well as culture.
Close by, Mazabuka Community Radio, the first Community Radio established as a joint project of UNESCO and the Zambian government in 2000 is owned by the community with almost a similar programme format as Chikuni.
The station also broadcasts in two languages Tonga and English. Tonga taking up about 75 per cent of broadcast time.
For Radio Ichengelo in Kitwe on the Copperbelt, its programming is centered on evangelizing, creating economic, political, cultural, moral and social change. Broadcasting mainly in Bemba, the station reaches a large rural population.
In Ndola Radio Chimwemwe is a religious Community Radio wholly owned by the St. Andrews Congregation of the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) as part of its ministry.
The station’s broadcast covers Luanshya, Kitwe, Mufulira, Chingola, Kalulushi, Lufwanyama, Mpongwe, Masaiti, parts of Mkushi and parts of North Western Province.
Its programming is dedicated to spreading the Word of God as well as being a platform for the larger community of Ndola through which they express their views and opinions on a wide range of issues affecting their respective communities and well- being. These are just about a few examples of Community Radio stations in Zambia.
Ben Kangwa is a broadcast journalist and Media Consultant.