Vusumuzi Dube
Media practitioners in Zimbabwe have been urged to base their news reports on facts and to follow the ethics of the profession.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said this on Wednesday while addressing editors from the different media houses in the country.
He said as the Fourth Estate, media practitioners have an important role and responsibility in nation-building.
The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) organised the event to discuss the conduct expected of the media in line with the relevant national laws and ethics.
Dr Muswere said the information that journalists churn out, both locally and internationally, is vital in informing policy decisions and raising public awareness on critical issues.
He applauded the ZMC and its partners for launching the Zimbabwe Media Sexual Harassment Newsroom Policy this year to protect vulnerable members in newsrooms from senior sexual predators.
Dr Muswere added that plans were afoot to introduce co-regulation of the media in the country.
“In terms of ensuring that we have co-regulation, we have already started the process. Cabinet has approved the development of the Media Practitioners Bill,” he said.
“We are still in discussions with the Zimbabwe Media Commission on how they will share power to have that co-regulation. We seek that media practitioners be recognized as professionals just like how the Law Society of Zimbabwe operates.”
He said the push for co-regulation underscores government commitment to fostering professionalism, accountability, and ethical practices within the media landscape.
Speaking at the same occasion, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet George Charamba said co-regulation of the media was the best remedy to fix several issues in the local media landscape.
Charamba said the Second Republic was more open to the media than during the era of former President Robert Mugabe.
“You are aware that during the First Republic, there were no post-Cabinet media briefs,” he said, highlighting a significant shift in the government’s stance towards transparency and accountability.
“This created several leaks of truths and lies of cabinet meetings in the press then,” he said.
Charamba said he had previously approached former President Robert Mugabe to introduce post-Cabinet media briefings, but his suggestion was swiftly rebuffed.
“As soon as President Mnangagwa assumed the Presidency, there have been consistent post-Cabinet media briefings as governance are all about being open and accountable,” he said.
He said the shift towards greater transparency and media access reflects the government’s recognition of the media’s pivotal role as the “Fourth Estate” in a democratic society.
The departure from the restrictive policies of the past was paving the way for a more vibrant and responsible media landscape in the country, he said.
New Ziana
Bongani Ndlovu