(MISA/IFEX) – On 13 June 2000, the Zimbabwe Supreme Court issued a ground breaking interim order compelling the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and its employees to act impartially in the reporting and distribution of news and information. The order followed an application to this effect by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, which […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 13 June 2000, the Zimbabwe Supreme Court issued a ground breaking interim order compelling the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and its employees to act impartially in the reporting and distribution of news and information.
The order followed an application to this effect by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, which cited the ZBC, the Mass Media Trust, Zimbabwe Newspapers Limited and the Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications as the respondents.
The order stated that the ZBC and all its employees should perform their functions with respect to the television and radio broadcasting services “impartially and without discrimination on the basis of political opinion, and without hindering persons in the right to impart and receive ideas and information”.
The interim order also called on the respondents to show cause why a similar order should not be issued with respect to the state-owned print media.
This order that was still being sought would declare the Mass Media Trust and Zim Newspapers, along with their editors, public authorities and whose employees thus would be obliged to “publish and distribute news and general information and ideas impartially, without discrimination on the basis of political opinion, and with hindering persons in their right to impart and receive ideas and information”.
The order would further instruct all “public officers and authorities connected with any of the mediaâ¦not to favour any one political party or persons of any particular political opinion in performing their functions nor to subject any party or persons to any conditions, restriction or disabilities which are not uniformly applied”.
The respondents were also being called upon to show cause why a judicial commission should not be appointed to receive evidence with regard to the MDC’s allegations that its constitutionally entrenched rights had been contravened as a result of biased reporting and programming on ZBC radio and television, and similar biased reporting in the newspapers under the Mass Media Trust and Zim Newspapers. The effect of this order would mean that individuals responsible for discrimination on political grounds would be held in contempt of court.
The respondents have been given fifteen days to oppose the application for this order.
