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Government has urged the media to report responsibly on issues of national development instead of seeking to portray the country in a negative manner.
Addressing journalists attending a media workshop organised by the United Nations on developmental reporting here yesterday, Director of Urban Communications in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Service Retired Major Anywhere Mutambudzi, said too much concentration on negatives militated against the country’s economic well-being.
“If media houses are to commit themselves to editorial policies that continuously seek to portray our national economic efforts in the negative, the direct result of that is creation of a perception that militates against our economic well-being,” he said.
“I don’t see how the media hopes to expand its industry and attain the best possible results when it is inspired by short-term benefits by way of a few dollars that obtain increased sales from negative and sensational stories, in the meantime driving an agenda that does not spur economic growth.
“The result of such negative agenda setting is to contribute to the shrinking of the national economic base, which in turn leads to reduced scope for the development of a viable media industry.”
If Zimbabwe failed as a nation, Major Mutambudzi said, the media would not be spared from the effects of poor economic performance.
He said the media should improve its reportage beyond personalities and other politically driven stories that tarnished the country’s image.
Major Mutambudzi highlighted some of the achievements attained so far in line with the country’s economic blueprint, Zim-Asset despite the adverse effects of Western illegal sanctions.
Such achievements included improvements on the country’s road network over and above efforts which are being made to increase mineral beneficiation.
United Nations resident co-ordinator Mr Bishow Parajuli, said they had developed a new Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework for 2016-2020 under which the country joined the world in adopting and localising the Sustainable Development Goals, replacing the Millennium Development Goals next year.
In this regard, Mr Parajuli said the UN was working to deliver $1,6 billion to support Zimbabwe achieve its national development priorities in various areas.
The priority areas are in line with Zim-Asset’s development goals.
Mr Parajuli said the UN and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development would this week engage all the country’s district administrators as a way of taking the Sustainable Development Goals to grass roots level.
He commended the media in Zimbabwe for promoting transparency, accountability and public participation in issues affecting people’s lives.
Said Mr Parajuli: “In social development, the media can help fight child abuse including child marriages, gender inequality, prevent communal conflict and provide useful information on impending natural disasters such as flooding.”
Editors and senior journalists from various media houses are attending the workshop.
Online Reporter