The Sunday News
Joel Tsvakwi, Sunday Life Correspondent
ZBC National FM producer presenter, Ezra Kaunda, who is fast gaining a reputation in soccer commentary, has described his nomination for the inaugural 2016 Zimbabwe Radio Awards (ZIRA) as a sign of development in his career.
Kaunda is battling it out in the Best Sports Presenter Male category against some of the country’s finest soccer commentators; Steve Vickers, Marc Pozzo, Sibongumusa Dhlodhlo and Spencer Banda.
The awards are meant to add limelight in the broadcasting sector and entertainment industry, and are scheduled for the 7 Arts Theatre in the capital on 29 October under the theme: “Honouring the celebrity behind a celebrity.”
In interview with Sunday Life, Kaunda who does his commentary in his mother tongue – Chewa was ecstatic about being on the nominee list.
“Being nominated for the ZIRA took me by surprise. But it’s a good development, it shows that my presence is being felt in the sport casting fraternity, indeed, this is a milestone considering our numbers in the craft,” he said.
Agrippa Palazi who is the project director of Celebrity Check – an entity which is responsible for the ZIRA awards said the research which started in September 2015 came to fruition with its four main objectives chief among them, the environmental factor.
“The awards are a ‘going green’ project that is there to promote local celebrities, help City Councils reduce the use of posters and fliers and give artistes other means of advertising their music and events through use of digital marketing and communication. In that way they won’t have to stick posters on buildings or electrical poles which will keep our cities clean,’’ said Palazi.
“Celebrity Check is a web platform (online magazine) where celebrities meet and communicate with their fans for events, artistes, lifestyle, fan-clubs, entertainment, information and news, both bulk emails and SMS services. It is a subsidiary of a Zimbabwean software development start-up called CytNet ICT, aimed at environment friendly methods of entertainment notifications and advertising.”
He further said the award which was also meant to motivate the youth to actively participate in the media and entertainment industry would start with 6 radio stations in the country.
“The involved stations are National FM, Power FM, Radio Zimbabwe, Spot FM, Star FM and ZiFM Stereo. It seeks to recognise the presenters by giving them more value than they tend to have at the moment,” he said.
The categories are as follows: Best Vernacular Language female presenter/producer, Best Vernacular Language male Radio presenter/Producer, Best Urban female Presenter/Producer, Best Male Presenter/Producer, Most Popular Vernacular Language female Presenter/Producer, Most Popular Vernacular Language male producer/presenter, Most Popular Urban female Producer/Presenter, Most Popular Urban male Producer/Presenter, Best Hip Hop DJ, Best Dancehall DJ/MC, Best Rhythm ‘n’ Blues & Soul DJ, Best Sungura DJ, Best Urban Grooves DJ, Best Urban Grooves DJ, Best Gospel DJ, Best Jazz DJ, Best House Music DJ, Most Humorous Producer/Presenter on air, Best Vernacular Language female news anchor, Best Vernacular Language male news anchor, Best Urban female news anchor , Best Urban male news anchor, Best Vernacular language talk show presenter, Best Urban talk show presenter, Best Sports male presenter, Best Female Sports presenter, Best Vernacular language sports commentator, Best Urban sports commentator. – @joeltsvakwi
