Journalists urged to uphold ethics, fairness and impartiality during elections

Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter

THE Government has besought on journalists to uphold professional ethics, fairness and impartiality during the forth coming 2023 general harmonized elections set for 23 August.

In a speech read on her behalf by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana, Minister Monica Mutsvangwa implored the media to remain resolute in upholding ethical standards in journalism in general and election reportage in particular.

“Peaceful elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, representing the voices of the people and their rights to elect their own leaders. It is therefore imperative that the media acts as faithful Stewarts of that process. The role of the media extends beyond mere reporting of events, it involves the generation of well researched articles, the production of analytical pieces and making sure that diverse voices of ordinary people are heard.

“As professional journalists, you should be guided by the commitment to uphold the truth and to provide balanced coverage that should refrain from sensationalism. It is your responsibility to diligently uphold the principles of ethics, fairness and impartiality when reporting on elections,” she said.

She further implored media organisations to occupy the social media space as they remain the authentic and authoritative voices that represent the people and Government.

“We have witnessed in recent years, the rapid growth of digital media where almost everyone has become a journalist but the traditional media remains the authoritative and authentic voice in information dissemination. As journalists you must use your social media platforms within your organisations to occupy that digital space.

“As Government, we remain committed to ensuring the security and safety of journalists as enshrined in our constitution. Through our Ministry, we have conducted several workshops with stakeholders such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Media Commission,” she said.

The two-day workshop was meant to discuss the importance of the media in reportage. The training covered dynamics of election reporting, misinformation and dis-iformation amongst other components.

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