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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
The Government is committed to opening up the media space, with steps being taken to reform the sector and attract investors, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
Speaking at the Ministry’s strategic review workshop in Nyanga early this week, Minister Mutsvangwa said this is a departure from what transpired in the First Republic due to her predecessor’s heavy-handedness.
Professor Jonathan Moyo was Minister of Information and Publicity from 2000 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2015.
“I deputised Professor Jonathan Moyo in the Ministry. Many times I would walk into the office and see different directors and board members quaking in their shoes.
“I didn’t like that. I told myself that I would never want to be that type of leader,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
True to her word, Minister Mutsvangwa has seen the media space opening up due to her inclusive approach.
This has seen community radio stations being established in different parts of the country.
Television licences have also been issued out to new players, among them Zimpapers’ Television Network (ZTN).
Minister Mutsvangwa said the Broadcasting Services Act is being amended to attract investment into the broadcasting sector.
The move is also expected to put in place a support framework for start-ups in the digital space.
“These and other initiatives will help industrialise the sector,” said Minister Mutsvangwa, adding that the Ministry will engage the responsible authorities to map a way forward on the issue of multi-taxation of media organisations.
“Our position on co-regulation has not changed, it is Government’s position that this principle should be realised through an Act of Parliament. The sticking point is its structure, but with our continuous engagement, I am confident that a solution will soon be found,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa is also concerned about the welfare of media practitioners.
“On the issue of the National Employment Council for the media sector, this is a necessity. It will help curtail things like the brown envelope (monetary inducement for journalists to write a positive story or kill a negative story) and help improve jounalists’ working conditions,” she said.
Stakeholders in the media industry also spoke highly of the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services’ new open door policy.
Zimbabwe Voluntary Media Commission director, Mr Loughty Dube said dealing with the Information Ministry was a nightmare in the past.
Mr Dube commended Minister Mutsvangwa for her open door policy.
“ln the past, there were times when we had very difficult and painful experiences in dealing with the Ministry of Information.
“As a people, we differ robustly on various issues but we must sit down and discuss them.
“We are happy that this is now happening at the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services. We are thankful to Minister Mutsvangwa and her team for that,” said Mr Dube.
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