The flip side of Press freedom

Press”. The proliferation of newspapers besides creating jobs for journalists and reporters or maybe, for those in the advertising industry, on the whole, is sort of a mixed blessing.
Just to go by the headlines in the daily Press or weeklies, the reader would be excused to think that we are living in a different world.

Why the Press would find it interesting to demean the leadership of political parties in our fragile democracy, is surely beyond comprehension.
Here we are trying to forge a consensus in drafting a constitution like what other nations are doing and yet the emphasis in the Press is on division.
What then will come of our constitution? We are at a loss at the violence taking place at every opportunity, even when our Parliament is convened. What a shame!

Some call it democracy. If this is the kind of democracy the country is building then it is bound to fail. My concern is about what is published in the Press on a daily or weekly basis. I am not trying to turn the Press into praise singers but to engage in civilised reporting where the national interest is paramount.
All over the world, the debt crisis is the major topic. The lack of job creation, especially for young people, has devastated many communities all over the world. This has created anger where politicians have been forced to come together to find solutions.

When we read the daily and weekly reports in the Press, what is lacking is the genuine sharing of ideas on how to solve the country’s economic crisis. Some are looking at solutions from Western countries when those countries have their own economic problems to solve while restive young populations are ready to express their anger in the streets.
One wonders whether tearing each other apart will solve our economic problems. Politics has become a way of life instead of finding a common ground in solving our economic problems. Some are banking on a constitution as a panacea to our political and economic problems.

What is missing in our equation of economic emancipation is capital and skills. Our education system is one of the best in the world but it does not translate into the development of skills to sustain the economic development of the country.
The small capital the country generates is directed to consumption not for products we manufacture but imports which only sustain jobs in the service sector.

Does the country have a consensus on developing a sustainable economy? The answer is no.
The only consensus, unfortunately, is to fight for political power where one political party will have all the ideas to develop the country.
Building a viable economy is not a one-day wonder. All the country’s institutions have to play a complementary role in forging this political and economic consensus. The tendency in Africa of division by class has been the downfall of emerging democracies. As long as those who are scientifically endowed are pushed to the bottom of this class struggle, no appreciative sustainable development of

the country will take place.
It is sad that engineers and technicians are classified as workers not professionals. A survey by British Industry of 100 top companies in that country revealed that 90 percent of directors had a scientific background. But in Africa, the opposite is the norm. Hence, there is very little economic development.

The Press does not analyse our problems but only in political terms. Everything will be solved by politics, we are told day and night. What a misconception!
Others pin their hopes on Europe, which is battling its debt crisis. The Press should become a vehicle to forge a consensus to achieve sustainable economic development not to become the avenue for political paralysis.

In Zimbabwe there is need for the Press to report responsibly and not just parrot. By their nature, newspapers must inform readers about reality and shape the proper perceptions about a nation and its leadership.
There is no heroism in writing to impress foreigners at the expense of your own country.

That type of journalism is what defines gutter Press. It is irresponsible and damaging to one’s credibility. Of course it might line one’s pocket with foreign earnings but destroys the same country that one belongs to.

Proper Press must identify with national goals, national values and national vision.
Proper Press must identify with solutions to national problems and not only criticise without offering possible solutions.

Proper media or Press does not distance itself from national problems and solutions.
The media does not operate in isolation and therefore should identify with everything that defines life in that particular country.
I am not saying, the Press should praise sing, but the criticism to any leadership, be it a company or government, should be constructive and not destructive.