(MISA/IFEX) – Zimbabwe’s independent newspapers have rapped the government for appointing a partisan committee to look into professionalism standards and journalistic ethics in the country, “The Financial Gazette” reported in its 26 July – 1 August 2001 issue. The committee, which was appointed on Monday 23 July, has been criticised for being a group of […]
(MISA/IFEX) – Zimbabwe’s independent newspapers have rapped the government for appointing a partisan committee to look into professionalism standards and journalistic ethics in the country, “The Financial Gazette” reported in its 26 July – 1 August 2001 issue.
The committee, which was appointed on Monday 23 July, has been criticised for being a group of ruling party patriots. “There has been an obvious lack of credibility from the onset when so many members of the committee are apologists for the ruling party, which even excluded a single representative from the independent media. I think this is part of the wider exercise in which the state is attempting to limit media freedom ostensibly on the pretext of protecting the privacy of individuals,” said Iden Wetherell, editor of “Zimbabwe Independent”.
The committee has also been accused of having vague terms of reference. “For a start, the terms of reference are so broad and clumsy one cannot tell what they are supposed to be doing. I have reservations on the composition of the committee. Except for one or two, I do not see anybody there who has the competence to carry out investigations of that nature especially bearing in mind that most of them have little media experience,” said Mark Chavhunduka, editor of “The Standard”.
Others see the committee as a ploy by the ruling party to stifle independent press as Zimbabwe approaches crucial presidential elections next year. “It is another futile attempt to try and gag the independent media as Zimbabwe heads for the crucial presidential election. Nobody who is serious or professional will pay attention to the recommendations of such a panel, whose sole mandate is to rubbish, on behalf of Zanu PF, the work of the independent media, which is already struggling to carry out its work under restrictive laws and daily threats,” said Francis Mdlongwa, editor of “The Financial Gazette”.
The Independent Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (IJAZ) said the effort was a futile attempt, as the association was not represented. “We want to assure the Minister that our colleagues who have seen it fit to join him in his indecent attempt to re-educate us and turn us all into unquestioning mouthpieces of Zanu PF, this attempt will fail,” said IJAZ President Abel Mutsakani.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said the appointing of the committee was contradictory to the character of the Information Minister. “Jonathan Moyo has personally been spearheading the violent and unprofessional campaign to deal with what he terms unprofessional press. Only the gullible will believe that Moyo has suddenly developed a keen interest in professionalism and ethics,” said MDC Information and Publicity Secretary Learnmore Jongwe.
However the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), whose President Matthew Takaona sits on the committee, has said it cannot boycott the programme. “We cannot complain and at the same time boycott that the government is ignoring our input,” said ZUJ Information Secretary Basildon Peta.
BACKGROUND:
On Monday 23 July, the permanent secretary for the Department of Information and Publicity in the office of the president and cabinet, George Charamba, announced the appointment of a committee to look into issues affecting the level of professionalism in the media industry, as part of the department’s restructuring of the media industry.
The committee is composed of Tafataona Mahoso, lecturer in Mass Communications at Harare Polytechnic (chairperson), Rino Zhuwarara and Vimbai Chivaura from the University of Zimbabwe, legal practitioners M. N. Ndiweni and Nyaradzo Priscilla Munangati, Matthew Takaona, president of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) and Simbarashe Tshuma, president of the National Association of Freelance Journalists – (NAFJ).
The committee would determine the media’s professionalism and ethical awareness in terms of news gathering, processing and presentation skills. The committee would pay attention to the level of skills, informing news values incidents and level of advocacy.
“The terms of reference are the relationship with news sources and fairness to and respect for the reading public; market pressures and their impact on the integrity of journalism paying particular attention on advertorial power, ownership and funding,” Charamba said.
