Zimbabwe’s Voice of the People radio wins One World award

By Violet Gonda
9 June 2006

Zimbabwe’s privately owned radio Voice of the People won an international media award at a ceremony in London on Thursday evening. The radio station which was bombed last year and has had its staff members and board of trustees arrested was the winner of the One World Special Award.

In his acceptance speech John Masuku the station’s Executive Director said VOP felt humbled and honoured to be awarded such a special award alongside other global media giants.

British Channel 4 news host Jon Snow said One World Broadcasting Trustees were not hesitant to select VOP from 6 short listed entries in the special award category which 'recognise an overseas community media project that has made an outstanding and unique contribution of sustainable development or human right.

Masuku lamented on how difficult it is to operate in Zimbabwe but said, “ We hope that in the not too distant future in Zimbabwe we will have the airwaves liberated, we will have the airwaves opened.”

Masuku and the station’s board of directors are expected to appear in court soon on charges of running an illegal radio station.

Finalists in the special awards category were:

Vidoes Nas Aldeias – Videos In The Villages (VNA), Brazil
Radio Voice of The People (VOP), Zimbabwe
Kantor Berita Radio (KBR) 68H, Indonesia
Youth Voice Radio Network (Sadaye Jawan), Afghanistan
Parwana (Butterfly) Media Network, Afghanistan