20 years, 3 countries and 10 stations later, Tony Friday is still one of the most recognizable radio professionals in sub-Saharan Africa. A master in commercial radio programming, radio talent scouting, and station imaging, Tony’s work, and influence goes as far as the USA, Barbados, and even Abuja, Nigeria but the story really began in 1990 back in the ghetto streets of Western Triangle in Highfields, Harare.

Source: TonyFriday.net

As a young boy passionate about music, Tony started to learn mix deejaying through one of the famous club jocks at the time, DJ AJ The Black Saint (the late Ashton Mwanjira).

By the time Tony was in high school at the age of 15, he started doing guest slots in clubs and eventually landing his own club residency in 1997.

in 2001 Tony started doing pre-recorded shows for the then ZBC Radio 1 (now Classic 263) and his big break into commercial mainstream radio came in May 2002 after auditioning at ZBC Radio 3. He quickly gained massive popularity doing after-midnight slots and soon he hit daytime radio less than a year after.

In 2006 he was offered a slot as a drive-time jock at Malawi’s Power 101 FM where he spent 3 amazing years there doing radio presenting, programming and imaging production. Tony moved to South Africa in 2009 to explore bigger radio opportunities.

In South Africa, Tony worked for 5 commercial stations in the capacities of management, programming and of course radio presenting. It was also during his stay in South Africa that he founded Creative Friday Media, a production and consulting company that produced imaging and consulted for over 15 radio stations in South Africa and Botswana.

Tony moved back to Zimbabwe in June 2012 to join Zimbabwe’s first ever privately owned commercial radio station, ZiFM Stereo. He made history by becoming the first voice to be heard on that station on 15 August 2012, at 12 noon. Just 5 months after the launch of ZiFM Stereo, Tony was promoted to Programming Director for the station. In 2017 Tony Friday was very instrumental in the launching of the two regional stations 98.4FM Midlands (Gweru) and Hevoi FM (Masvingo). Until 2018, he was the station manager for the two regional commercial radio stations.

In March 2019, Tony left full-time radio management to pursue his other passion as a mental health ambassador. He presently spends most of his time speaking to university students on mental health through a non-profit organization he founded in 2017 called Global Institute of Emotional Health & Wellness (GIEHW). For more on this project please visit http://giehw.com/.

 Radio still is and will always be a big part of Tony’s life but he is also making a positive difference in the world as a speaker, father, writer, and mental health ambassador.