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Blessings Chidakwa Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT) has started breathing life into its firms including Kingstons Holdings and New Ziana with the first strategic meeting in 20 years underway.
Thanks to President Mnangagwa’s administration which revived the ZMMT which operated without a trust from 2001 up to 2020 leaving its companies to endure mixed fortunes.
Among its companies ZMMT singled out the largest diversified media house, Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) for being the most viable firm under the trust which is also run professionally.
Speaking during the ZMMT/New Ziana strategic seminar at Pandhari lodge yesterday, the board chairperson Advocate Honour Mkushi said the companies were left without a parent and endured mixed fortunes.
“After the Trust was stopped from operating in 2001, President Mnangagwa decided to appoint the trustees so that the trust can be given life again, all in the interests of improving governance, transparency and freedom of expression.
“So, since 2020 the task has been to revive operations of ZMMT and New Ziana through the News agency and the provincial publications, aligning the operations with Devolution and National Development Strategy 1,” he said.
Advocate Mkushi said key among the initiatives at reviving the operations of the news agency and the provincial publications will be news features and analysis that offer 21st century products.
He said other initiatives includes complementing the Government’s engagement and re-engagement efforts as well as with the news agency former international partners.
“On the part of provincial publications, rebranding and promoting of indigenous languages will be crucial to revival of the products as well as on-boarding new technologiues in order to maintain the profitability of media businesses,” said Advocate Mkushi.
He said there was need to search deeper for solutions to the challenges of the business models of the broadcast, print and social media.
“In seeking to make this transition this has necessitated reshuffling of staff within the organisation in order to get maximum benefits from available human capital resource.
“We believe that an organisation’s prized asset is its staff and we are determined to grow the organisation through redeployment of staff to derive maximum benefits, especially as we prepare to cover the forthcoming general elections,” said the board chairperson.
Advocate Mkushi said his board stands between the Government and the companies and is therefore expected to shape and guide their operational strategy, deduced from Government policy and thrust.
“The ZMMT and its companies are a national asset and board members are expected to protect the national interest.,” he said.
“Information contributes to nation building and development in an immense way and it is therefore important that Zimbabweans own their means of mass communication.”
Advocate Mkushi saluted Zimpapers board Chairman Mr Tommy Sithole for steering the ship well.
“Zimpapers is doing well, it is a household name. They have got big challenges but they are operating commercially, professionally and as a good business unit,” he said.
Advocate Mkushi said assets in the properties portfolio were allowed to depreciate due to lack of care and maintenance, but the board is committed to resuscitating the property portfolio making it viable once again.
Dr Sithole also sits in the ZMMT board with fellow members as Bulawayo-based veteran educationist and renowned author-cum-historian, Mr Phathisa Nyathi.
Other members are former Midlands State University (MSU) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ngwabi Bhebe and Ms Patience Gawe, who is an assistant senior directing staff at the Zimbabwe National Defence University.
Ambassador Charity Charamba was also part of the board before being reassigned outside the country serving as Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Zambia.
Online Reporter