NACZ confused or fed up with traditional media?

Zimpapers Entertainment Hub

THERE is always a buzz whenever there is mention of the premium arts awards ceremony in Zimbabwe, the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA), a brainchild of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ).

This time, though there is no buzz, with two months left, but it appears confusion is rocking the NAMA boat.

Looking at how somehow international and regional awards happen, the buzz and noise might be six months in build up but with NAMA it is much of categories and nothing much ado.

What is wrong, somehow, do they enjoy rushed projects?

By the way all eyes on the new NAMA handlers as if they met the standards left or surpass it.

In the arts industry, the awards are respected and wanted thus artists should love and start help building up like how Oscars, Grammys, SAFTAs even the Nigerian AMVCA among others.

But with our NAMA’S seems every year they enjoy controversy.

However during a media briefing held in the summer of 2023 former NACZ Director, Nicholas Moyo revealed that the Media Awards category had been scrapped and “uplifted” to a Special Award.

This meant that only one individual would “miraculously” become the winner of the coveted gong.

Usually, four journalists would be honoured on the night of the awards drawn from print, television, radio and online media.

Fast forward to the 2024 NAMA edition, which followed this statement, surprise-surprise, the Media Awards category was maintained by the NACZ.

A flimsy excuse was given by the then NACZ acting director, Josiah Kusena, to justify the category being maintained.

When the 2025 NAMA’s were held the Media Awards category was finally abolished and one outstanding journalist got the gong as per the new format.

But wonders never cease, just when we thought we were now moving on the NACZ has pulled a fresh one.

On November 6, 2025 the NACZ Director for Arts Promotion and Development, Barbara Gotore, during a press briefing announced two new categories ahead of NAMA 2026.

These are, Fashion Awards as well as the Digital Arts Awards.

While we commend the introduction of the first category, the latter raises eyebrows.

Under this “new” category two gongs will be given, one for Outstanding Male/Female Social Media Content Creator and another for Outstanding Podcast.

So are these not the media awards repackaged in digital regalia?

So is a podcast more impactful compared to a radio or television interview?

Does it carry more depth and substance compared to television or radio programming or is it because the conversations reach more people in this digital era?

Is a social media content creator worth recognising overa journalist who goes out week in and week out tracking shows and covering the little known voices?

While there is need to acknowledge the shifts in times and trends, this screams a loud “you have become redundant” in the faces of those few hard working scribes who have been fighting to keep the arts beat alive in newsrooms.

When one reflects on the old formats, these new categories could have easily been slotted under the Online Media umbrella but then here we are.