ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
JESTER Media Services (JMS) launched an online radio station in Harare yesterday, as the country’s most dynamic and sustainable media group continues to set the pace in the sector.
Radio 3000, which will stream its content over the internet, offers global access, wide-ranging programming, interactivity and device flexibility — thus con trasting itself significantly with many traditional local FM radio stations’ geographic limitations and static broadcasting models.
And as JMS ushered in the new station yesterday, it consolidated its multimedia operations, with its inde pendent and market-leading media brands now spanning television, radio, newspapers, websites, social media, mobile apps and strategic communications.
This latest addition to the JMS stable comes amid the marked growth of podcasts in Zimbabwe, suggesting a marked appetite for on-demand audio content in the country — which Radio 3000 will seek to capitalise on.
Speaking at the new station’s launch yesterday, the minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Jenfan Muswere, said the liberalisation of the media industry was a key issue for the government.
“As we journey towards an upper middle income society with a well-informed and knowledgeable population in our country, the role that Jester Media Services continues to play is in line with the first integrated media policy that was launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which speaks to digitalisation, the economic sustainability of the media sector and the local promotion and production of content from Zimbabwe for us to be able to tell our own stories with brevity, diction, analysis and with ethical thinking.
“The newly introduced amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act include internet-based broadcasting, thereby ensuring that we are in a position to tell our own story and empower our people with knowledge and information related to the economic transformation trajectory that our government has successfully managed.
“I want to congratulate the board and management of Jester Media Services for taking this evolutionary approach in order to broadcast based on the new licensing framework, and for your dedication and commitment to telling the truth.
“What distinguishes professional journalism from citizen journalism and other content creators is … the capacity to be impartial, the capacity to acquire information based on facts, and the capacity to be able to tell it like it is,” Muswere added.
Zweli Sibanda, JMS’s Managing Director for the group’s Broadcasting Division, told the Daily News last night that the integrated media group was ramping up both the range and quality of its products as it moved to consolidate its avant-garde position in the market.
In this regard, and following the launch of Radio 3000, he added that the media house was now able to create and distribute content across all key media platforms — to the benefit of its audiences and business partners.
“This is an exciting time for our group, our viewers, listeners and readers. With the launch of Radio 3000, we can now offer a 360-degree media and marketing capability to our advertisers.
“Thus, not only can our audiences and important stakeholders access our content everywhere, we now also offer our business partners a comprehensive and integrated marketing scope that combines multiple channels and platforms — both online and offline — to create a complete brand experience for targeted audiences.
“This way, our business partners can now achieve maximum reach, engagement and brand recognition for their brands and campaigns, as our cross-media platforms now cover all potential customer touch-points,” Sibanda said.
He added that launching an internet radio station in the country at this time was opportune, as it offered low start-up costs, global reach and the ability to target niche audiences effectively.
“Of course, launching Radio 3000 online is a start. As and when more FM licenses are made available by authorities in future, as will no doubt happen one day, we will absolutely put our hands up for them then.
“In the meantime, and with rising internet penetration and high mobile phone usage in the country, online radio is a strategic move on the part of JMS to reach Zimbabwe’s young, tech-savvy population in particular.
“Online radio is also not limited by a transmission antenna’s geographic range. Indeed, Radio 3000 will be heard by anyone with an internet connection anywhere in the world, including the large diaspora audience,” Sibanda said further.
He also revealed that Radio 3000 would initially have limited original programming. This would be scaled up progressively going forward.
“But at all times, we will still endeavour to provide interesting, relatable and value-driven content to engage the market, including collaborating with associate radio stations in the region.
“It is a fact that Zimbabweans are increasingly spending more time online every day than ever before, and they are also highly active on social media.
“We strongly believe that this audience is already comfortable engaging with digital content, which creates a receptive environment for Radio 3000.
“And with the growth of podcasts in Zimbabwe and around the world, there is clearly an appetite for on-demand audio content in the country.
“Radio 3000 will seek to capitalise on this by offering a mix of live broadcasting and on-demand content like podcasts, thus providing flexibility to listeners,” Sibanda also told the Daily News.
“At the same time, it is also very important to note that Internet radio also offers all our valued corporate partners a lot of targeted and cost-effective options.
“This way, ad campaigns can be tailored to specific demographics, and analytics can provide precise, real-time data on listener behaviour and engagement.
“Internet radio platforms also offer more than just audio, integrating with social media, visuals and interactive elements to create a 360-degree content experience.
“This fosters a more direct and personal connection with the audience, who can interact with the station in real time,” Sibanda added.
Commenting generally on the significant market changes that have overwhelmed many media companies and other businesses in the country over the past few years, Sibanda said change was “constant and inevitable”.
“We at Jester Media Services always seek to embrace it, and to operate optimally within the realities of the market.
“To mitigate the disruption caused by technology and other dynamics, we have had to be agile and to adapt our strategies, while also diversifying our revenue streams — energised by the fact that we are now able to reach millions of our audiences every day via our various platforms.
“Our new strategies mean that we are able to monetise our expanded reach — now at its highest in our history — which has been crucial to sustaining our balanced and quality journalism,” Sibanda said.
“Indeed, embracing change is crucial for the growth and resilience of any business. Where others may choose to fret, procrastinate and complain, we choose to strategise, knuckle down and build our group without getting bogged down by the noise around us.
“We also don’t pay much attention to doubters and naysayers, and keep our eyes on the ball. To build group resilience, we also continue to capitalise on new platforms to grow our revenue.
“This adaptability has enabled us over the past few decades to thrive amidst all the disruption and challenges faced by businesses,” Sibanda added.
In addition to launching Radio 3000, JMS also publishes Zimbabwe’s most influential newspaper, the Daily News, as well as the Daily News On Sunday and the country’s number one business publication, The Financial Gazette.
The diversified media house also owns and operates leading independent national television station, 3Ktv, as well as popular e-newsletter Business Live and a plethora of magazines and digital assets.
