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Africa Media Development Initiative: Zimbabwe research findings and conclusions
BBC World Service Trust
January, 2007

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/researchlearning/story/2006/12/061208_amdi_zimbabwe.shtml

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Introduction
Gathering data for this research in Zimbabwe was constrained by the time limit, as a large amount of data had to be gathered and interpreted in a period of less than three weeks.

Information on media issues is scattered among various bodies in Zimbabwe - from NGOs to government agencies to universities and private bodies. Zimbabwe has a media research programme, the Zimbabwe All Media Products Survey (ZAMPS), which is run by the Zimbabwe Advertising Research Foundation (ZARF) with technical support from Research International (Zimbabwe office). The ZAMPS research process is initiated and owned
(through a shareholding structure) by advertising agencies and marketing, public relations and business interests, hence its agenda to source information on audience response to media products for the benefit of advertisers and business. Quantitative research methodology is the principal research tool used in the ZAMPS process. Qualitative media research in Zimbabwe is confined mostly to NGOs working on media and freedom-of-expression issues, and the research is aimed at supporting advocacy to influence media-related policy.

Zimbabwe's media industry is facing significant challenges as a result of a collapsing economy, political tensions and controversial legislation, including legislation that requires journalists and media organisations to be registered. There is, therefore, always a certain suspicion of any research process, as research interviewees (whether in government, the private sector or NGOs) are concerned about what the information provided might be used for. Information on the operation of media workers is difficult to come by, as many journalists are concerned about being arrested or harassed should their work (some of it being done clandestinely) become known to the authorities. Tensions in Zimbabwe's political sphere also extend to fear (among some government employees and state media workers) of being seen talking to strangers or persons who are perceived to be of a certain political thinking. This research sought to overcome this fear by using assistants who could open as many doors as possible. Surprisingly and commendably, the research received considerable support from some government agency workers, such as those at the Central Statistical Office (CSO), who spent hours interpreting figures for the benefit of this research endeavour.

In some cases, where no empirical data could be found, the research process had to rely on unofficial insider information and estimates.

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