A television station that was hailed as the answer to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s monopoly in the run-up to the 31 July elections today announced that it was closing down after only two months. 1st TV was reported to be independently owned but was run by some of the people at SW Radio Africa and Andrew Chadwick, once a communication director for Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai. “1st TV launched on the promise of one month’s financial support. We managed to extend that to two months. But as of now, we have to go off air while we raise more resources and source more programmes,” the station said. “Our pledge to you is that when we return it will be on a permanent basis and it will be with improved entertainment programming, more soaps, movies and dramas as well improved education, information and news programmes.”

(50 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Share
Published by
Charles Rukuni

Recent Posts

Zimbabwe third among the least free countries in SADC

Zimbabwe has been ranked third among the least free countries in Southern Africa but it…

May 24, 2026

Why I had a girlfriend two months after my wife’s death- Take 1

I had always considered it a curse for a wife to die before her husband.…

May 18, 2026

Why I had a girlfriend two months after my wife’s death

This is a true story about the challenges and loneliness I faced when my wife…

May 17, 2026

Coming soon

My first long-form article in booklet form: Why I had a girlfriend two months after…

May 16, 2026

Insider Publisher starts whatsapp channel

The editor and publisher of The Insider, Charles Rukuni, has started a whatsapp channel through…

May 15, 2026

Who propped whom: Masiyiwa vs Nyambirai?

A friend who knows about my legal battle with Zimbabwe’s richest man, Strive Masiyiwa, way…

May 1, 2026