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Resolutions of the 2nd national media stakeholders conference
MISA-Zimbabwe
June 11, 2010

Representatives of media organisations in Zimbabwe who met at the Rainbow Towers in Harare on 28 May 2010 to discuss the state of the media in the country agreed that:

1. The Zimbabwe constitution must guarantee freedom of expression, including clear and specific clauses on media freedom, access to public information, academic freedom and artistic activity.

2. We urge the government of Zimbabwe to immediately repeal all repressive laws affecting media practice such as AIPPA, POSA, the Interception of Communications Act, Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and The Official Secrets Act.

3. We do not agree with plans to replace the repressive AIPPA with a Media Practitioners Bill and a Freedom of Information Act that attempt to control media freedom and diminish citizens' rights to access information.

4. There should be no compulsory registration of journalists or prescriptive qualifications. Any accreditation of journalists should be a simple administrative exercise that does not carry the option of rejection and only for the purposes of professional identification.

5. Zimbabwe media stakeholders will only support a Freedom of Information Act that provides for easy access to information held by public bodies with clearly but narrowly defined limitations subject to appeal to an independent body.

6. We reluctantly recognise the Zimbabwe Media Council as a transitional mechanism towards voluntary regulation of the media, and urge all stakeholders to commit themselves to this goal.

7. We urge all media stakeholders to resist any attempts to co-opt the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe into the Zimbabwe Media Council to implement repellent and repressive legislation.

8. We acknowledge the licensing of new newspapers by the Zimbabwe Media Council but are seriously concerned about the silence and inaction on establishing an independent and effective body to issue licences for the broadcasting media.

9. We call on stakeholders working on community and commercial radio station projects to submit their applications to existing licensing authorities to test their commitment to media freedom.

10. While we are obliged to recognise the legal existence of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe as a transitional entity, we consider the appointment of the present board to be null and void. In addition, we demand the immediate establishment of an independent and professional broadcasting authority and urge it to consider applications for broadcasting licences immediately upon being established.

11. All legislation affecting the broadcasting environment must encourage a diverse range of broadcasters to operate at national, local and community levels.

12. We call upon all media stakeholders to give maximum support to strengthen the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe so that it becomes truly representative and effective in its operations.

13. Registration of any print media should be a simple administrative exercise that does not carry the option of rejection, and that any media business should not be subjected to any special levies beyond those imposed on other businesses.

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