Zimpapers showcases digital transformation

GOVERNMENT has expressed its support for Zimpapers, the largest diversified media house in the country, noting that its operations align with President Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind.

During a familiarisation tour of the company’s facilities yesterday, Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda, who was guided by Zimpapers Chief Executive Officer Mr William Chikoto, conveyed Government’s satisfaction with Zimpapers and its contributions to national development.

“I had an opportunity to tour Zimpapers today (yesterday), where I was shown a lot of work that they do, from radio, television, print media and the commercial division.

“I am happy with the way that they are covering the whole nation, in terms of ensuring that no one and no place is left behind.

“Their various news packages reach various places. And we will continue to do much more as Government to ensure that they are assisted, especially ensuring that the signal distribution is fair throughout the whole country,” he said.

Minister Soda highlighted the Zimpapers’ diversification as a particularly impressive aspect.
“They are well diversified. Economically, they are supposed to be sustainable, meaning that when one of their entities fails, they must be able to stand on the other entities, which they are running in their portfolios.

“So, I’m markedly happy with what they are doing, and some of the issues, which they have just highlighted are what we will attend to in detail,” he said.

Zimpapers (Zimbabwe Newspapers 1980 Ltd) is a diversified media group comprising three main divisions: Newspaper & Digital Publishing, Commercial Printing, and Broadcasting. Key brands include The Herald, The Sunday Mail, Chronicle, H-Metro, Star FM, and ZTN Prime. Other subsidiaries include Natprint, BoldAds, and the Zimpapers Knowledge Centre

The Information Minister said going forward, he would convene meetings with the company’s leadership to ensure issues raised are addressed.

“We have several other meetings in the future to look into the details of the matters, which they just briefed me on,” said Minister Soda.

He then urged the media industry as a whole to ensure citizens in all corners of the country are well informed.

“We have some places currently which are not receiving news, whereas we would want everybody to be on board, especially as we march towards the realisation of Vision 2030, where no one and no place must be left behind,” said Minister Soda.

He also urged the media to report ethically and accurately at all times.
On his part, Mr Chikoto expressed his gratitude for the Minister’s visit, during which he had the opportunity to showcase the company’s diverse operations.

“We are very happy that the Honourable Minister came to see our operations. We have just completed the digital transformation project, so we were able to show him the new newsroom,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer also expressed his enthusiasm for the foreseeable growing collaboration between the company’s broadcasting division and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

“We were also able to show him our television studios and he spoke at length about how we should collaborate as Zimpapers and ZBC,” he said.

“(We) are one family, that we need to explore ways of collaborating, that we should not be competing, that we should be working as one team.

“So, we are very excited that there is going to be more collaboration as we go forward,” he said.
Minister Soda was accompanied by Deputy Minister Omphile Marupi, Chief Director Johnathan Gandari, Director Media Services Mr George Chisoko, Deputy Director Mr Kuda Chideme, among other ministry officials.

The Deputy Minister later toured the Zimpapers printing department that houses Natprint and also Star FM.

Speaking while on air at Star FM, Deputy Minister Marupi said the emergence of numerous new radio stations was in tandem with President Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind.

“That is what we want to achieve at the end of the day, being a community, a country that is abreast with activities that are taking place, as in development and being informed of what is happening around us,” he said.