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Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
Weekly Media Update 2006-28
Monday July 10^th 2006- Sunday July 16^th 2006

SINCE the onset of the government-instigated ‘Dark Age’ of information starvation in the country, a host of online news agencies has emerged, which the Media Monitoring Project has begun to monitor to establish how far they adhere to basic internationally accepted standards of journalism.

With draconian media laws continuing to throttle the life out of publishing and broadcasting in Zimbabwe, these agencies have become an increasingly important source of alternative information for many Zimbabweans who can access them. These include online news agencies and portals such as ZWNEWS and the Zimbabwe Situation, which basically feature stories published on Zimbabwe by various local and international media.

Although these media play an important role in filling the information gap, some of them have compromised their credibility by carrying stories that are evidently inaccurate and biased, or rely far too heavily on unidentified sources.

For example, Zimdaily (12/7) claimed that President Mugabe, who had been "pushing" for Vice-President Joice Mujuru to succeed him, now preferred Rural Amenities Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

It quoted ZANU PF "insiders" saying Mugabe now believes "Mujuru has neither the intellect nor capacity to lead the country". Besides quoting analyst John Makumbe and MDC official Tendai Biti commenting on the issue, the story relied on unnamed sources rendering it a speculative piece that did not differ from several such reports that have appeared in the media in the past.

New Zimbabwe.Com (11/7) also carried a story based entirely on unnamed sources on the alleged infighting in the Ministry of Information to replace Tichaona Jokonya.

These are by no means isolated occurrences; indeed the mainstream print media – both privately owned and government controlled - are guilty of the excessive use of unidentified sources. Such protection is typical and necessary in a society where information is not free and "whistle-blowers" face severe retribution, but the practise can also be exploited by unscrupulous journalists to embellish rumour.

Notably, Zimdaily has also been partial recently in its coverage of the faction-riddled MDC by giving more favourable space to the Tsvangirai-led faction than its rival group.

For instance, this week it carried five stories on the opposition, all of which featured the Tsvangirai group either announcing planned activities or commenting on topical issues.

Unlike the mainstream private media operating within Zimbabwe, those media organisations based outside our borders may not always see the need to adhere to ethical professional journalistic standards, especially in view of the propaganda disseminated with impunity by the government-controlled media. Many editors believe that "fire should be met with fire".

But the battle for the hearts and minds of Zimbabweans will only be won by those organisations that provide their audiences with the truth and palpable evidence of their claims. These criteria and evident efforts to provide fair and accurate reports will establish a news organisation’s credibility and win the trust of the people. MMPZ hopes that those media providing news of Zimbabwe from beyond our borders will not abandon their professional journalistic obligations in the struggle to liberate information and re-establish Zimbabweans rights to be informed.

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