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State of the Media Report 2003
Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe)
December 17, 2003

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Introduction
The State of the Media Report is an assessment of the media environment carried by the Media Institute of Southern Africa-Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe). The report looks at the operational environment of media practitioners and media organisations. Particular attention is paid to media and freedom of expression violations as these demonstrate the extent to which the media is free or otherwise in a given state.

The violations have a bearing on the quality of news and information that reaches the readership and/or listernership. In the case of Zimbabwe government officials have instigated most of the arrests made on journalists. On the other hand no conclusive investigations have been carried out on bombings of media houses that took place since 2000. The repressive media environment currently prevailing in Zimbabwe reflects on government's attitude and policy towards the media, a negative attitude that has been buttressed by the promulgation of repressive laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). As the distinction between telecommunications and the traditional media become increasingly blurred the report also assesses the state of development in the telecommunications sector. This sector has a bearing on media and freedom of expression in as far as it relates to the use of the Internet, e-mail, and text messages through mobile phone networks.

Since 2000, when Zimbabwe took a plunge both economically and politically, freedom of expression has become a victim as the government intensifies efforts to control and influence the flow of information. The failure of opposition parties to contests elections as a result of violence, beatings and threats meant that free expression and the right to elect political representatives of one's choice has been taken away. The Rural/Urban and parliamentary by elections held in mid 2003 demonstrated this point. Under the circumstances the media finds itself in a difficult situation were journalists cannot visit certain areas and have also become victims of the political violence, threats and intimidation from political players, security agents and government officials.

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