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Prime-time Daily Monitoring #2008-16
Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
April 04, 2008

This report monitors the political content of ZBC's radio and television programming especially issues relating to the March 29 elections, during prime time listening and viewing. (It does not include the content of the main news bulletins, which form the basis of separate research).

All stations (Zimbabwe Television, Spot FM and Radio Zimbabwe) are monitored from 0700hrs-1000hrs, 12 noon-1400hrs and 1700hrs-2300hrs.

Summary
The information vacuum continues in Zimbabwe as electoral authorities have stopped giving out any new information about the presidential and senatorial election results and ZBC has done nothing to try and find out why the authorities are now obviously withholding this information.

Current Affairs programmes
As if to prepare the electorate for their suspicious delays in announcing election results, ZEC at 1745hrs gave the following announcement on all stations, "Good evening viewers, good evening listeners and good evening Zimbabwe. We welcome you back to the National Command Centre. We have an important announcement to make to the nation. The commission is once again appealing to the nation to bear with it as verification of senatorial election results is still underway. The verification process has been delayed due to logistical problems encountered in some of the senatorial constituencies. We will come back to you with the results for the senatorial once the process has been completed, we thank you."

Only results for 10 Senatorial Constituencies were announced today. The first batch of election results, announced late into the night at 2115hrs put MDC (Tsvangirai) faction and ZANU PF at par with five senatorial seats each. The MDC (Tsvangirai) faction won the Mvurachena, Chizhanje, Hwata, Chitungwiza and Chisipite constituencies. ZANU PF won the Mutoko, Murehwa, Marondera, Mwenezi-Chivi and Goromonzi.

This reflects the same delayed and carefully staged release of the House of Assembly results that can no longer be credibly ascribed to the verification process or "logistical problems".

Politically influenced music : None (all stations)

Political advertising : None (all stations)

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