ZIMBABWE editors should use their newspapers, radio and television stations to set the agenda for the country under the new Zanu PF administration, vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Editors’ Forum (Zinef) Njabulo Ncube has said.
MOSES CHIBAYA own correspondent
Speaking at an editors’ conference held in Harare under the topic “Zimbabwe’s Media Challenges under the New Administration on Saturday”, Ncube said editors have a duty to underline media issues.
“It is upon us editors to highlight issues and challenges that face the media today with a view of having the new incoming government address the — among them, the repressive media laws that criminalise journalism as a profession,” he said.
“We want to constructively engage the new administration, particularly the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services (George Charamba) and the minister himself, Jonathan Moyo. We have to come up with an agenda of how urgent this is.”
Ncube said Zinef is in the process of making an appointment with Moyo to present the media’s concerns “as we strive to make Zimbabwe work again”.
Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe advocacy manager Molly Chimhanda said the media was prioritising other issues while failing to set its own agenda.
“There are quite a number of challenges besetting Zimbabwe’s media industry, from harassment, threats, detention of media personnel, not forgetting the safety of journalists and restrictive laws that have had an influence on their safety,” she added.
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“But instead of pushing their own agenda and speaking with one voice, the media has failed to look at itself and use its outlets to drive the media agenda.”
Chimhanda said the media should provide a service to the nation and provide information that will ensure citizens contribute meaningfully to the national discourse.
“They should remain accountable and should also learn to listen to those on the margins of the public sphere. There are many stories to tell; let us tell the Zimbabwean story and allow issues of content to resonate with everyday reality not just political reality,” Chimhanda added.
