US embassy cable - 05HARARE1545

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001545 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S BRUCE NEULING, PASS TO VOA DIRECTOR DAVID JACKSON FROM 
AMBASSADOR DELL 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958 
TAGS: AMGT 
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
 
1.  (SBU) I am writing regarding the terrific program that VOA is 
broadcasting in Zimbabwe under the Studio 7 brand.  The program 
is among our best tools for promoting free expression in a 
country where supporters of democracy battle daily to defend 
democratic principles.  It provides objective news and other 
information to Zimbabweans, most of whom only have access to the 
propaganda churned out by the state-controlled media.  A recent 
nationwide survey, conducted by a Zimbabwean firm affiliated with 
the Gallup Polling Group, determined that some 300,000 
Zimbabweans listen to the program daily, greatly exceeding our 
initial expectations.  Credit for this success goes to the 
exceptional work of your Zimbabwean and American staff in 
Washington, and the courageous Studio 7 reporters on the ground 
here. 
 
2.  (SBU) Based on our on-the-ground experience and the recent 
survey data, we have made a number of recommendations over the 
past year to make the program even better and more accessible to 
the general public.  These included reducing coverage of non- 
Zimbabwe news, expanding broadcast time in native languages, 
reducing the amount of music, and receiving listener feedback.  I 
am pleased that discussions between staff in Harare and VOA 
ultimately resulted in many of them being adopted.  Given the 
quickly evolving nature of Zimbabwe's political and social 
environment, it is important that these kinds of discussions 
continue and that we remain open to dialogue about how Studio 7 
can adapt over time to be relevant and effective. 
 
3.  (SBU) The survey revealed a number of additional 
opportunities of which we can take advantage to keep the program 
fresh and relevant.  I urge the Studio 7 management to work 
closely with my team at USAID/Zimbabwe to address these 
opportunities.  I understand that VOA recently completed its own 
listenership survey of Studio 7.  It would be useful for us to 
see the survey's results and jointly discuss its implications for 
programming.  Listed below are some of the opportunities we have 
identified regarding Studio 7. 
 
--  Flexible Programming.  Zimbabwe is a high profile, 
politically complex country, with the terrain changing quickly 
and often.  For the program to remain relevant and cutting edge, 
it is critical that it remains flexible and adjusts accordingly. 
In this context, specific programming ideas we have suggested 
recently include regular reporting on HIV/AIDS, civic education, 
person-on-the-street interviews, and a routine spot on 
producer/commodity prices.  While some initial steps have been 
taken, it would be useful to learn what plans VOA management has 
to broadcast these types of stories and the timeframe envisioned. 
 
--  Promotion.  Getting the word out about Studio 7 has been a 
constraint due to a tight budget situation.  However, there is 
enormous potential for expanding the listener base, as the survey 
pointed out that 49% of Zimbabwe's general population has never 
even heard of the program.  To address the issue, we have assumed 
responsibility for advertising from Zimbabwe.  Yet, tie-ins to 
this promotional effort through on-the-air promotions and 
listener feedback are necessary and we are seeking proactive 
inputs from VOA management.  We will shortly be doing an SMS 
advertising campaign and are actively seeking VOA input.  It 
would be particularly useful if VOA identified a point person for 
USAID to work with on promotional activities. 
 
--  Rural Coverage.  Reaching rural Zimbabweans who are isolated 
from the international media was our initial impetus for asking 
VOA to create Studio 7.  A key means of attracting rural 
listeners is providing coverage from rural areas.  VOA agreed to 
increase stringer compensation for rural stories months ago to 
compensate for the additional travel costs, but this appears not 
to have happened.  We would appreciate support from VOA 
management in implementing an appropriate compensation package to 
ensure that stringers have an incentive to file rural stories. 
 
--  Compensation.  Adequate compensation for local stringers is a 
concern, given hyper-inflation, lack of fuel and related 
transport problems.  As you may know, Zimbabwe has the unenviable 
status of having perhaps the world's highest inflation, 
exacerbated by a government-controlled foreign exchange system, 
so costs in Zimbabwe are disproportionate to what VOA experiences 
in other countries.  As has been discussed among our respective 
staff's, an informal survey should be undertaken as soon as 
possible to ensure that payment is competitive.  As you can 
imagine, compensation issues have the potential to affect morale 
and, ultimately, staff performance. 
 
--  Editorials.  Given the GOZ's disinformation campaigns 
concerning US policy, VOA editorials play an important role in 
clarifying our position.  It is important that we maintain the 
good collaboration we have enjoyed on preparing VOA editorials to 
ensure that they: a) focus on facts; and b) highlight 
perpetrators of abuse.  We especially encourage stories on 
symptoms and anecdotes of the country's economic decline and 
mismanagement, which resonate especially strongly here. 
 
--  Communication.  Our local and American staff in the Embassy 
and USAID are involved in monitoring the democratic process in 
Zimbabwe on a daily basis and, thus, have solid insights into the 
pulse of the general population.  Therefore, it would be useful 
for them to have periodic, i.e. quarterly, telephone discussions 
with the Studio 7 Washington-based staff and reporters.  This 
would allow both groups to share insights about Zimbabwe's 
dynamic environment.  The purpose, of course, would neither be to 
direct stories nor to provide any editorial oversight, but simply 
to enrich our mutual understanding of this complex country. 
Given the rapidly evolving political developments, these insights 
would serve to improve programming and that is our joint goal. 
4.  (SBU) I am confident that we can build on the great success 
Studio 7 has had to date to create a program that adapts quickly 
and is consistently relevant to Zimbabwe's evolving situation.  I 
stand ready to work with the BBG to implement the points 
mentioned above along with my staff at the Embassy and the 
USAID/Zimbabwe staff.  Through our combined efforts, we can 
continue improving the quality of Studio 7, greatly expand the 
listenership and have an even greater effect in promoting change 
in Zimbabwe.  I will be in Washington next week and look forward 
to meeting with you and hearing your thoughts. 
 
DELL