Lesotho’s 11th radio station launched Dec. 18, 2012. Tšenolo FM broadcasts a primarily talk format in Sesotho from Khubetsoana as a private radio station, according to the Lesotho Times.
Tšeliso Mokhosi, minister of communications science and technology, charged the radio station with the task of setting “the agenda for the nation by disseminating messages of development.” He expressed a belief that the station would improve lives in Basotho and hoped that the radio station would encourage listeners to be independent.
Tšenolo FM’s founder and owner Mohau Kobile said that his station will cover investigative journalism according to public interest, and he added that the government’s undefined media policy creates problems for journalists that he believes the minister should address.
In turn, local media analyst Motlatsi Majara said that he wanted the media and government to work together to improve coverage, and the station manager Tumelo Mokete said that its coverage would be unbiased because the target audience includes people ages 18 and above of different religions and affiliations. These assertions follow the tenuous relationship that the previous government had with radio, which included an instance of a three-month shutdown of Harvest FM for alleged broadcast law violations pertaining to hate speech and inaccuracy.
Tšenolo FM employs 10 people, with Tšeliso Tale as the program manager.
