adminThe Herald, August 18, 1982
ZIMBABWE’S Government information service should provide speedier and full coverage of incidents and issues of international interest.
This was said here by Dr Davidson Sadza, chairman of the Mass Media Trust and of Zimbabwe Newspapers.
Commenting on his recent United States government sponsored visit to America, he observed: “I found what I can only describe as a thirst for information on Zimbabwe. But that thirst was not being slaked. The problem is that we do not move fast enough for them, especially in handling sensational stories.”
Harare would issue a brief statement giving the bare facts, but would be slow in following up.
“We need to be much more on our toes. For the Americans it is not good enough to wait for a background piece. They won’t wait. They want an immediate service.
“The result is that their papers by and large, print only the sensational aspects of a story from Zimbabwe. If we were quicker with a follow-up giving the wider implications, we would get a far more balanced and comprehensive coverage in the American and overseas papers.”
Dr Sadza said that the US International Communications Agency exchange programme enabled him to meet leading newspaper publishers, editors and heads of news agencies.
“It enabled me to acquaint myself with the mass media in the United States and also gave me the opportunity of talking about our mass media in Zimbabwe. It was a very rewarding and instructive exercise.”
While in London, Dr Sadza called on the Acting High Commissioner, Cde SM Kajese and had talks at the African Educational Trust; met senior executives at Reuters, Associated Press and Thomson Regional Newspapers.
Yesterday he attended a planning meeting at the Thomson Foundation for a sub-editors workshop in Harare later in the year.
The Commonwealth Press Union was also represented at the meeting. The Minister of Information, Dr Nathan Shamuyarira, is expected in London today for what is believed to be a private visit.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Accurate information is a strategic weapon used by competitors and adversaries to leverage themselves against their foes. The more information there is, the better.
The timely collection, organisation and management of that information before dissemination is very critical.
Governments and organisations in developed countries invest in think tanks, research and development where information as a power tool is central.
Africa has a long way to realise that the information gaps in its narratives give its foes the advantage to retell and distort its narratives, be they cultural, socio-economic, political, etc. It is pointless to complain that former colonisers write and/or speak falsehoods about us, when we fail to address the loopholes in the timely collection and dissemination of information.
Information, communication technologies have given Zimbabwe and the rest of the continent the competitive advantage to break their own news stories, provide footage and even interpret the news, timeously until the topic is no longer trending.
Our news platforms should be the main source of information for locals and global consumers, despite the fact that there could be international correspondents on the ground.
Online Reporter