This year we are celebrating World Press Freedom in Zimbabwe amid a myriad cauldron of mixed fortunes, blood, sweat, tears, grins and smiles. For the past years journalists and the media fraternity ‘celebrated” World Press Freedom Day, without any freedoms to write or talk about, except lamenting on a number of laws gagging and suppressing the media and criminalizing journalism. But in 2018, we are celebrating World Press Freedom Day in “style”. With the coming in of the New political dispensation and the recently intended merging of POTRAZ and BAZ, there is hope of liberalization of airwaves.
We are celebrating the liberalization of the Air- Waves or Freeing of the Air-Waves as the Zimbabwe Government ‘freed’ the air waves, paving way for licensing of several commercial radio stations dotted around some Zimbabwean cities like Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo. The licensing of Y fm, Zifm, Star fm and others created an atmosphere of hope as more commercial radio stations await licensing. We hope Radio Dialogue request for registration as a commercial radio station will be taken into consideration. The new Zimbabwean constitution has also brought new refreshing hope for media liberalization.
Community Radios in their quest for licensing and broadcasting in their areas of operation have arm twisted the government and the government in turn has recognized the existence of community radios in Zimbabwe.
“ It is a relief and a milestone achievement by community radio initiatives to gain the much elusive , previously hard to get recognition by the government. The government has heard our voices and we hope that licensing of community radios will suffice and broadcasting will follow “, said Howard Masaninga of Radio Kwelaz.
Gender mainstreaming is also another milestone achievement in Newsrooms and media fraternity as most women have decided to crawl out of their confinement and hold challenging positions in the newsrooms. There are now several female Editors and news editors in most media houses across the country. Some women are also venturing into publishing newspapers, magazines and coming out as reputable publishers. Organizations such as Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ), Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe (MISAZIM), and other institutions are taking strides in advancing gender equality in the media fraternity.
“We should not re-enforce stereotypes in the newsrooms, as the people who are ‘giving out’ news , if we are at the same time re-enforce those cultural norms, which hinder the advancement of women in newsrooms, then we are doing nothing, in the newsrooms we need to understand that we are equals, we can do the same ‘beats’ and occupy the same positions, it just boils down to ability not gender based advancement, women journalists should not be relegated to writing on women issues by portraying women as victims”, said Irene Kalulu, a senior journalist based in Kwekwe.
More media training institutions are opening up and churning out graduands that are now the mainstay of most media houses. Also VMCZ Self regulation has proved to be a vital cog in making sure media ethics are followed by journalists as they churn out information on a daily basis. The public is now also aware of media ethics judging by the number of cases now handled by VMCZ as the public demand accuracy, truth, fairness and accountability from stories published or broadcasted.
More newspapers have been registered and continue being registered not de-registered , amid cries that Zimbabwe Media Commission must revise its requirements for community newspapers as the current requirements makes it difficult for them to register especially the astronomical financial figures demanded by the commission which are unaffordable to most would be publishers, taking into cognizance the dwindling advertising revenue base which is sometimes non existing.
The coming on board of social media, on –line publications as a source of news is a welcome development, but there is need for ethics hence the formation of Bloggers Association.
However there are some gray areas that need urgent attention. The current economic meltdown in Zimbabwe is making it difficult for print and electronic media to operate as the advertising revenue base is shrinking by the day. The closure of most companies, which are the mainstay of revenue for most media houses, has proven a stumbling block for the smooth operational ground of most newspapers and radio stations. Also media ethics are on a worrying nose- diving plunge as this can be witnessed by the number of cases handled by VMCZ. There has been also a breath of fresh air as the Zimbabwe Republic Police is now engaging media stakeholders like MISA Zimbabwe in trying to create a workable environment between police and journalists. We will continue to celebrate World Press Freedom Day on 3 May whether we are operating in the trenches or on a ‘honeymoon’. As journalists we need to operate in an environment which is conducive, where we paid handsomely for our efforts and our ‘pens and pads’ are not handcuffed.
This year we are celebrating World Press Freedom in Zimbabwe amid a myriad cauldron of mixed fortunes, blood, sweat, tears, grins and smiles. For the past years journalists and the media fraternity ‘celebrated” World Press Freedom Day, without any freedoms to write or talk about, except lamenting on a number of laws gagging and suppressing the media and criminalizing journalism. But in 2018, we are celebrating World Press Freedom Day in “style”. With the coming in of the New political dispensation and the recently intended merging of POTRAZ and BAZ, there is hope of liberalization of airwaves.
We are celebrating the liberalization of the Air- Waves or Freeing of the Air-Waves as the Zimbabwe Government ‘freed’ the air waves, paving way for licensing of several commercial radio stations dotted around some Zimbabwean cities like Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo. The licensing of Y fm, Zifm, Star fm and others created an atmosphere of hope as more commercial radio stations await licensing. We hope Radio Dialogue request for registration as a commercial radio station will be taken into consideration. The new Zimbabwean constitution has also brought new refreshing hope for media liberalization.
Community Radios in their quest for licensing and broadcasting in their areas of operation have arm twisted the government and the government in turn has recognized the existence of community radios in Zimbabwe.
“ It is a relief and a milestone achievement by community radio initiatives to gain the much elusive , previously hard to get recognition by the government. The government has heard our voices and we hope that licensing of community radios will suffice and broadcasting will follow “, said Howard Masaninga of Radio Kwelaz.
Gender mainstreaming is also another milestone achievement in Newsrooms and media fraternity as most women have decided to crawl out of their confinement and hold challenging positions in the newsrooms. There are now several female Editors and news editors in most media houses across the country. Some women are also venturing into publishing newspapers, magazines and coming out as reputable publishers. Organizations such as Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ), Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe (MISAZIM), and other institutions are taking strides in advancing gender equality in the media fraternity.
“We should not re-enforce stereotypes in the newsrooms, as the people who are ‘giving out’ news , if we are at the same time re-enforce those cultural norms, which hinder the advancement of women in newsrooms, then we are doing nothing, in the newsrooms we need to understand that we are equals, we can do the same ‘beats’ and occupy the same positions, it just boils down to ability not gender based advancement, women journalists should not be relegated to writing on women issues by portraying women as victims”, said Irene Kalulu, a senior journalist based in Kwekwe.
More media training institutions are opening up and churning out graduands that are now the mainstay of most media houses. Also VMCZ Self regulation has proved to be a vital cog in making sure media ethics are followed by journalists as they churn out information on a daily basis. The public is now also aware of media ethics judging by the number of cases now handled by VMCZ as the public demand accuracy, truth, fairness and accountability from stories published or broadcasted.
More newspapers have been registered and continue being registered not de-registered , amid cries that Zimbabwe Media Commission must revise its requirements for community newspapers as the current requirements makes it difficult for them to register especially the astronomical financial figures demanded by the commission which are unaffordable to most would be publishers, taking into cognizance the dwindling advertising revenue base which is sometimes non existing.
The coming on board of social media, on –line publications as a source of news is a welcome development, but there is need for ethics hence the formation of Bloggers Association.
However there are some gray areas that need urgent attention. The current economic meltdown in Zimbabwe is making it difficult for print and electronic media to operate as the advertising revenue base is shrinking by the day. The closure of most companies, which are the mainstay of revenue for most media houses, has proven a stumbling block for the smooth operational ground of most newspapers and radio stations. Also media ethics are on a worrying nose- diving plunge as this can be witnessed by the number of cases handled by VMCZ. There has been also a breath of fresh air as the Zimbabwe Republic Police is now engaging media stakeholders like MISA Zimbabwe in trying to create a workable environment between police and journalists. We will continue to celebrate World Press Freedom Day on 3 May whether we are operating in the trenches or on a ‘honeymoon’. As journalists we need to operate in an environment which is conducive, where we paid handsomely for our efforts and our ‘pens and pads’ are not handcuffed.
This year we are celebrating World Press Freedom in Zimbabwe amid a myriad cauldron of mixed fortunes, blood, sweat, tears, grins and smiles. For the past years journalists and the media fraternity ‘celebrated” World Press Freedom Day, without any freedoms to write or talk about, except lamenting on a number of laws gagging and suppressing the media and criminalizing journalism. But in 2018, we are celebrating World Press Freedom Day in “style”. With the coming in of the New political dispensation and the recently intended merging of POTRAZ and BAZ, there is hope of liberalization of airwaves.
We are celebrating the liberalization of the Air- Waves or Freeing of the Air-Waves as the Zimbabwe Government ‘freed’ the air waves, paving way for licensing of several commercial radio stations dotted around some Zimbabwean cities like Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo. The licensing of Y fm, Zifm, Star fm and others created an atmosphere of hope as more commercial radio stations await licensing. We hope Radio Dialogue request for registration as a commercial radio station will be taken into consideration. The new Zimbabwean constitution has also brought new refreshing hope for media liberalization.
Community Radios in their quest for licensing and broadcasting in their areas of operation have arm twisted the government and the government in turn has recognized the existence of community radios in Zimbabwe.
“ It is a relief and a milestone achievement by community radio initiatives to gain the much elusive , previously hard to get recognition by the government. The government has heard our voices and we hope that licensing of community radios will suffice and broadcasting will follow “, said Howard Masaninga of Radio Kwelaz.
Gender mainstreaming is also another milestone achievement in Newsrooms and media fraternity as most women have decided to crawl out of their confinement and hold challenging positions in the newsrooms. There are now several female Editors and news editors in most media houses across the country. Some women are also venturing into publishing newspapers, magazines and coming out as reputable publishers. Organizations such as Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ), Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe (MISAZIM), and other institutions are taking strides in advancing gender equality in the media fraternity.
“We should not re-enforce stereotypes in the newsrooms, as the people who are ‘giving out’ news , if we are at the same time re-enforce those cultural norms, which hinder the advancement of women in newsrooms, then we are doing nothing, in the newsrooms we need to understand that we are equals, we can do the same ‘beats’ and occupy the same positions, it just boils down to ability not gender based advancement, women journalists should not be relegated to writing on women issues by portraying women as victims”, said Irene Kalulu, a senior journalist based in Kwekwe.
More media training institutions are opening up and churning out graduands that are now the mainstay of most media houses. Also VMCZ Self regulation has proved to be a vital cog in making sure media ethics are followed by journalists as they churn out information on a daily basis. The public is now also aware of media ethics judging by the number of cases now handled by VMCZ as the public demand accuracy, truth, fairness and accountability from stories published or broadcasted.
More newspapers have been registered and continue being registered not de-registered , amid cries that Zimbabwe Media Commission must revise its requirements for community newspapers as the current requirements makes it difficult for them to register especially the astronomical financial figures demanded by the commission which are unaffordable to most would be publishers, taking into cognizance the dwindling advertising revenue base which is sometimes non existing.
The coming on board of social media, on –line publications as a source of news is a welcome development, but there is need for ethics hence the formation of Bloggers Association.
However there are some gray areas that need urgent attention. The current economic meltdown in Zimbabwe is making it difficult for print and electronic media to operate as the advertising revenue base is shrinking by the day. The closure of most companies, which are the mainstay of revenue for most media houses, has proven a stumbling block for the smooth operational ground of most newspapers and radio stations. Also media ethics are on a worrying nose- diving plunge as this can be witnessed by the number of cases handled by VMCZ. There has been also a breath of fresh air as the Zimbabwe Republic Police is now engaging media stakeholders like MISA Zimbabwe in trying to create a workable environment between police and journalists. We will continue to celebrate World Press Freedom Day on 3 May whether we are operating in the trenches or on a ‘honeymoon’. As journalists we need to operate in an environment which is conducive, where we paid handsomely for our efforts and our ‘pens and pads’ are not handcuffed.
