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Zim journalists' alliance aims to 'reclaim media'
Riaan Wolmarans, Mail & Guardian (SA)
May 03, 2006

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=270638&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/

Zimbabwe has failed to learn from its past history of segregation, subjugation, and repression of dissenting and alternative voices with regard to media freedom, the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) said on Wednesday, World Press Freedom Day, as it called for the creation of an independent media council in the country.

"It is a day when the world reflects on the importance of freedom of expression and, in particular, media freedom as a fundamental right, which is necessary for the protection of other human rights," the MAZ, a coalition of Zimbabwe's major media bodies, said in a statement.

"Sadly for Zimbabwe, the past seven years have seen freedom of expression being downgraded from a right to a privilege that can only be exercised at the benevolence of the authorities."

Laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa), the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) and the Broadcasting Services Act, among others, severely curtail the public's constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression and the related right to freedom of assembly and association.

"It is sad that 26 years after independence, the media in Zimbabwe and indeed the majority of Zimbabwe's citizens are not free to speak their mind without being accused of either selling out or compromising the country's national interests and sovereignty," the MAZ said.

Free speech and media freedom have been criminalised through Aippa and Posa, resulting in the closure of the Daily News, Daily News on Sunday, The Tribune and The Weekly Times.

"We also note with concern the failure by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe to license private commercial and community broadcasters to enhance diversity and plurality of ideas," the statement said. "While we accept the principle of regulating the media, we, however, abhor statutory regulation by a commission handpicked by the government as stipulated under Aippa.

"We feel that the ethics of the journalism profession should -- like those governing other independently regulated professions -- be retained to their rightful custodians: media practitioners and relevant stakeholders represented by civic groups. This will help regulate the media in the public interest."

However, on World Press Freedom Day media workers in Zimbabwe are worse off following the introduction of statutory regulation that has adversely affected the development of the media industry, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Zimbabwe lags behind the rest of the region in terms of the number of radio and television stations, newspapers and magazines that one can access. This has resulted in the media's failure to contribute meaningfully to national development.

"It is for this reason that journalists from both the public and private media have seen it important to come up with an independent media council. This will be the first step towards reclaiming the media from statutory bodies such as the Media and Information Commission," the MAZ said.

An independent media council is an acknowledgement and acceptance by the media industry that it has an obligation to be ethical while maintaining good relations with its readership.

"We therefore call on the government, members of the public and other stakeholders to stand up for the right to freedom of expression and support the independent media council initiative."

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