Online Reporter
Leonard Ncube, [email protected]
THE media must be proactive in identifying and bridging gaps on issues of national interest to help the country achieve its development agenda while Government has been urged to continue reforming the media space and ensure the welfare of journalists is catered for.
This emerged during a media stakeholders meeting in Harare, which drew the participation of different players such as the Zimbabwe Media Commission, Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Mass Media Trust, Gender and Media Connect, civil society, support and development partners, media owners, and heads of different public and private media houses.
The event was organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) and sought to deliberate on issues affecting the media sector, particularly journalists.
Low remuneration, delays in paying salaries, competition from social media and citizen journalism, the need for collaboration, among media houses, and the need to speed up media law reforms took centre stage during the deliberations.
Officially opening the Indaba, Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Government was committed to media reforms and ensuring that journalists’ welfare is catered for.
He stated that the Second Republic had made significant progress in developing the media space and environment.
“Be part of nation-building, be able to write about the truth, verify facts, and report everything. As a Government, we are not afraid of anything as long as it is the truth. In terms of the Constitution, we have achieved that on the Government side,” said Dr Muswere.
“Ever since the New Dispensation began, even when I became Minister of Information, I can boast that no journalist has been arrested during my tenure. That is a tangible achievement, and this is part of our constitutional obligation.
“We should promote freedoms and the growth of the media, and we put in place the Freedom of Information Act, which allows members of the Fourth Estate to access information. These are some of the deliverables we have achieved. Journalists have a role to play in nation-building. We have laid the law, we have put in place Vision 2030 and key priorities in our journey.”
Dr Muswere said the responsibility and role of the media were important in terms of the national trajectory, especially towards driving the national blueprint and achieving Vision 2030 goals.
He emphasised that the Constitution allows journalists freedom of expression, but not to engage in treasonous acts, spreading misinformation, or providing a platform for hate speech.
Dr Muswere said it was disheartening that some media platforms still report unethically and expressed concern over the decline in credibility, particularly in print media. He urged journalists to familiarise themselves with statutes such as the Cyber and Data Protection Act.
The minister announced that the country had finalised an integrated Media and Communication Policy through a consultative process.
“For over a decade, we have not had an integrated Media and Communication process. We are confident that the President will officially launch the Media and Communication Policy next month. The Zimbabwe that we want is one that has an empowered upper-middle-income society,” he said.
“We want members of the Fourth Estate to take the lead as we create a National Employment Council (NEC). As a Government, we are committed to this, and we want journalists who are well paid for the work they do in order to build a robust society.”
Dr Muswere implored ZUJ to work with other stakeholders such as ZCTU and set timeframes for the process of creating the NEC so that it can be concluded urgently.
“As we journey toward an upper-middle-income society, it is crucial for us to work together and discuss key issues relating to the media industry, while also developing a roadmap to ensure that the media industry remains relevant in the age of citizen journalism,” he said.
“The media should be able to discuss critical issues that promote national growth and identify gaps on national issues to achieve the national vision.”
ZUJ president Mr George Maponga said the union envisions the creation of a media fund to provide a soft landing for struggling media houses.
ZCTU president Ms Florence Taruvinga also urged journalists to have a unity of purpose when addressing issues affecting the industry.
