Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
Journalists from public and private media organisations who are based in Chinhoyi are attending a two-day local languages and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) training workshop in the town.
The workshop, which ends on Wednesday, was organised by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) with veteran journalist, Vincent Kahiya and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) staffer and Radio Zimbabwe manager, Sifelani Chikwape, facilitating.
The workshop seeks to deliberate on constitutional and policy framework governing the use of local languages in media, ethical and professional standards in multilingual journalism and storytelling, terminology and cultural sensitivity in local language reporting.
Mr Kahiya called on journalists to support and promote the growth of vernacular languages reporting, avoiding bias, misrepresentation and loss of context.
Zimbabwe has 16 official languages that were recognised by the country’s 2013 Constitution under Section 6.
However, despite the recognition, only three, English, Shona and Ndebele have remained dominant.
During International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) commemorations held at Selous in October, Zimpapers’ chief executive officer, Mr William Chiko, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to broadcast and communicate with its audience in all the official languages recognised in Zimbabwe.
In Mashonaland West, Zimpapers has the Platinum FM radio station, which broadcasts in various vernacular languages, including Korekore, Tonga, Zezuru, while Diamond FM in Manicaland uses Ndau, Manyika, and Chiungwe.
dyton mupawaenda