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Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Government has no intention of introducing repressive media laws unless the industry forces it to view such regulation as necessary, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Chris Mushohwe has said.
He said it was his wish to see a thriving media industry and was ready to do everything in his capacity to ensure growth of the industry.
Minister Mushohwe was speaking at a meeting he held with editors from local newspapers and radio and television companies at his Munhumutapa Offices yesterday.
This was after one of the editors from the private media raised a question accusing Government of threatening to silence them from reporting on developments in Zanu-PF by way of introducing draconian media laws.
“I can assure you that Government has no intention of introducing laws that prohibit freedom of everyone, including the media, unless the media forces Government to see it necessary,” he said.
“I stand ready on behalf of Government to do everything that makes this industry grow. I would want to see a media that promotes the economy, research and transmit truth and a media that believe in our country.”
Minister Mushohwe expressed misgivings on the kind of sensational and opinionated reportage in some sections of the private media where efforts were being directed towards personalities and at times on outright lies.
He said there were several positive and developmental issues that the media should highlight to the public.
“I am not saying you should not write bad things that you see, but we would want to see reportage that pass the test of truth,” he said.
“If truth is to be said, there are a lot of issues to talk about such as climate change, issues around power shortages, issues around several delegations coming here to seek investment. But what we are seeing is what even a Grade Seven pupil can predict.
“When the people who feel that their rights or personalities are being abused or tormented then moti mavara angu azara ivhu (you complain that you are being tormented). We should not go that route and let us focus on issues that protect and generate more investment.”
Minister Mushohwe mentioned the NewsDay and the Daily News as some of the publications that have gone out of their way to become mouthpieces of opposition parties.
He singled out an editorial comment in the NewsDay of October 21 as an example of a media article that displayed media excesses in terms of its reportage.
The editorial piece in question titled: “MDC mustn’t mirror Zanu-PF” was lamenting reports of a possible split in MDC-T as regrettable.
Minister Mushohwe queried why newspapers were concerned with goings on in political parties if they were not players in the political game.
Editors from the private media complained that at times they were discriminated against by Government on certain stories.
They urged Government to engage them on an equal footing with the public media.
Minister Mushohwe said there was no difference between the public and private media to him as they operated in the same industry.
Online Reporter