| VMCZ
COMPLAINTS REPORT |
| JANUARY-DECEMBER
2011 |
| Parties |
Complaint |
Status |
| Cllr
Mukwazhe v/s The Sun Newspaper |
Cllr
Mukwazhe filed a complaint with VMCZ over a article in The
Sun entitled "Mtapa Councillor's Kombi set on
Fire" published on 28 January 2011. The newspaper alleged
that the Kombi was set on fire in a suspected love triangle.
The councillor denied the allegations arguing that the Kombi
just caught fire when he was parked outside his in-laws place.
The councillor demanded an apology from the newspaper.
|
Status:
Finalised
- The
VMCZ Media Complaints Committee after hearing the matter
on 28 March 2011 ruled that the paper had violated Article
4 (a) and 5 (b) of the Code which provides that media practitioners
and institutions must report and interpret the news with
scrupulous honestly and must take all reasonable steps to
ensure that they depict events fairly and without distortions
and if it has published an erroneous report that has caused
harm to the reputation of a person, it must publish an apology
promptly and with due prominence. The MCC ruled that The
Sun must publish, on the front page of its next edition,
an apology in which it states that the allegations contained
in its edition of 28 January 2011 that Councillor Mukwazhe
was engaged in an adulterous extra-marital affair are false
and it apologises to the Councillor
- The
Sun carried a retraction and an apology to Cllr Mukwazhe
in its next edition
|
| Energy
Bara vs The Voice
of the People (VOP) |
Masvingo
based journalist Energy Bara filed a complaint with the MCC
against VOP over a story carried on 23/03/11 entitled "Journalist
turned politician wins MDC primary elections."
Bara said the story was entirely false as he never participated
in any primary elections. He further said he never had any interview
with the reporter.
|
Status:
Finalised
-
Radio VOP issued an apology to Bara after their investigations
revealed that the story was false.
-
VOP claimed it received the story from one of its correspondents
but the correspondent indicated that someone illegally accessed
his email and posted the false story.
|
| MISA-Zimbabwe
vs Delta Beverages and the Standard |
MISA-Zimbabwe
filed a complaint with the MCC over a Redds advertisement carried
in the Standard Newspaper of 06 March 2011. The advertisement
showed the posteriors of four women each holding a bottle of
Redds. MISA-Zimbabwe said the advertisement objectifies women. |
Status:
Finalised
-
After a complaint was lodged with the MCC, Delta beverages
withdrew the advertisement and apologised to MISA-Zimbabwe.
|
| Geoffrey
Nyarota vs The Daily News |
Mr Nyarota
launched a complaint against The Daily News over an article
carried by the newspaper in its 18 March 2011 edition. The paper
carried a picture of Mr Nyarota under the headline "We
are Back."
Mr Nyarota says the use of his picture under that headline is
misleading as it insinuates that he is part of the Daily News
team. He wants the newspaper to correct what he considers misleading
information.
|
Status:
Finalised
- The
case was heard before the MCC on 20 May 2011, where Mr.
Nyarota presented his case and the Daily News also presented
its side of the story. The MCC in its judgement said The
Daily News did not breach any of the code of conduct.
- Mr.
Nyarota appealed to the VMCZ Board, sitting as an Appeals
Committee. The Board met on 28 November and its decision
will be communicated to parties soon.
|
| Ray
Joseph Kaukonde v/s NewsDay |
Zanu PF
Mashonaland East provincial chairman, Ray Kaukonde, filed a
complaint with the VMCZ- Media Complaints Committee over an
article headed "Kaukonde 'admits' burning
chief's home' published in the NewsDay of 19 May
2011.
Mr. Kaukonde in the complaint said he was aggrieved because
he says the whole story was not only inaccurate but also malicious
and damaging to his person as a businessman, politician and
a family man.
He says at no point was he involved in the torching of Chief
Mtekedza's homestead and neither did he have a scuffle
with the Chief as reported by NewsDay.
Mr. Kaukonde says the whole article was false
and wanted a retraction
|
Status:
Finalised
- After
a letter was written to NewsDay over Mr. Kaukonde's
complaint, NewsDay in its next edition of 20 May 2011 carried
an apology saying it has conducted investigations and has
established that its report was inaccurate.
|
| The
Gays
And Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) v/s NewsDay |
The
Gays And Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) has filed a
complaint over a story published in NewsDay of 16 April 2011-
entitled Gays, lesbians angry with Mugabe. GALZ says headline
was misleading and inciteful. The organisation says it was GALZ
that responded in the article and not all gays. |
Status:
Finalised
- The
matter was heard before the Media Complaints Committee and
the committee ruled that NewsDay did not breach the code
of conduct. The Media Complaints Committee in assessing
the case resolved that headlines are cast from the body
of the story and they can be a summary reflection of the
whole story, without actually using exact words contained
in the press statement.
|
| Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) v/s Zimbabwe Independent |
The
MDC filed a case against Zimbabwe Independent over the paper's
continued reference to the party as the MDC-N. The party says
it is to be referred to only as the MDC. |
Status:
Finalised
-
A letter was written to the Zimbabwe Independent and the
paper's editor Constantine Chimakure responded apologising
for the oversight and said his paper will correct the position
|
| Kubatana.net
v/s NewsDay |
Kubatana.net
has lodged a complaint with the VMCZ Media Complaints Committee
over a story carried by NewsDay on 5 May 2011 entitled 'MDC-T
denies emergence of 'terror groups'
Kubatana .net says NewsDay published a report carried by the
website but authored by Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition and said it was authored by Kubatana.net.
Kubatana.net in the complaint says it only archives news articles
and press statements from civil society organisations but does
not author the articles Kubatana.net wants NewsDay to issue
a correction and apology to the article on the paper and on
its website.
|
Status:
Resolved
- NewsDay
published a retraction on the matter on its online edition.
|
| Lucky
Tshuma v/s B-Metro |
Lucky
Tshuma a freelance photo-journalist has filed a complaint after
B-Metro newspaper used one of his photographs without permission.
Tshuma says the practise by the newspaper is unethical and accuses
the paper of infringing Copywrite laws
|
Status:
Pending
- A
letter has been written to the Editor of B-Metro and the
MCC is awaiting the paper's response. The MCC will
set the matter for a hearing soon.
|
| Austin
Zvoma v/s Zimbabwe Independent |
Clerk of
Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma notified the Media Complaints Committee
of a letter of complaint written to Zimbabwe Independent complaining
over a story published by the paper over alleged bad blood between
himself and Speaker, Lovemore Moyo. |
Status:
Resolved
-
Matter resolved amicably between the newspaper and Mr Zvoma
|
| Dr.
James Muzondidya v/s NewsDay and The Herald |
Dr. Muzondidya
has filed a complaint over publication of graphic pictures of
the Sunningdale fire accident. Dr Muzondidya says the publication
of the pictures was unethical, insensitive and inconsiderate
to the feelings of the deceased families and lacking in common
decency. He further said the publication of the pictures without
warning viewers of nervous disposition about the sensitive nature
of the pictures was morally wrong. |
Status:
Finalised
-
The MCC adjudicated on the complaint and resolved that the
two newspapers did not breach the code of conduct in publishing
the graphic pictures, as it was an international trend.
The Committee however indicated that newspapers in Zimbabwe
should use the pictures sparingly and with caution. NewsDay
was represented by its Assistant Editor, Wisdom Mdzungairi
while the Herald did not attend the hearing.
|
| Lionel
Saungweme v/s NewsDay |
Saungweme
has filed a complaint with the MCC over the use of a photograph
by NewsDay in its 21 June 2011 edition. Saungweme claims the
photograph used is his and NewsDay had no right to use the photograph.
Saungweme wants NewsDay to apologise and acknowledge that they
had no right to use the said picture. |
Status:
Pending:
- A letters
has been written to the editors of NewsDay on the matter.
There has been no response from NewsDay. The MCC will set
the matter down for a hearing soon.
|
| FAMWZ
v/s Sunday Mail |
Federation
of African Media Women in Zimbabwe (FAMWZ-Zimbabwe) lodged a
complaint over an article headed "Double tragedy for rape
victim published in the Sunday Mail of 18 September, 2011. FAMWZ
says the paper published a picture of an 18 year old girl who
was raped and infected with HIV.FAMWZ indicates in their complaint
that while it is okay to raise public awareness on the crime
and its effects-The Sunday Mail should have concealed the face
of the victim.
FAMWZ
says in their complaint the victim's picture should
have been concealed in light of stigma and discrimination
that persists in the society. FAMWZ kindly requests the Sunday
Mail to publish an apology to the young woman and to in future
protect rape victims by concealing their faces.
|
Status
Pending:
-
The Media Complaints Committee heard the matter and ruled
that the Sunday Mail breached Article 17 of the Code of
Conduct. The Media Complaints Committee ordered the Sunday
Mail to publish an apology to the victim and to in future
protect the identity of victims of crime. The Sunday Mail
did not attend the hearing.
|
| Charity
Maruta v/s NewsDay, Herald and Daily News |
Charity
Maruta over the manner your newspaper has covered the story
of the supposedly three women rapists arrested by police in
Gweru early this month. Maruta says your organisation together
with two other media organisations have taken it upon yourselves
to be the judges and have convicted the three women before they
even appeared in court.
She says this is irresponsible reporting of
the highest degree.
She wants your newspaper to report the matter
responsibly.
|
Status:
Finalised
- Letters
were written to the three papers advising that they should
desist from covering the three women as if they were already
convicted.
|
| Mehluli
Ncube v/s The Mail |
Mehluli
Ncube has filed a complaint against The Mail Newspaper over
non-payment of a prize he won. Ncube claims he was one of the
winners in the 'Treasure Hunt competition' and claims
he has not got his prize in full. He says he was given half
of the prize and was promised half of the prize by month-end
but nothing has materialised. |
Status:
Finalised
-
MCC made the determination that the case is an internal
matter and does not fit into the ambit of the media code
of conduct.
- However,
the complaint was brought before the Mail before it closure
in August 2010.
|
| Tafara
Chigumira v/s RadioVop and The Zimbabwean |
MCC received
complaint from Mr. Tafara Chikumira over an article headed "ZBC
journo fingered in Zanu violence' published in Radio VOP
on 08 November 2011.
Mr. Chikumira is aggrieved because he alleges that the article
published is false. He also alleges that The Zimbabwean and
Radio VOP proceeded to publish the story without contacting
him to give his side of the story.
|
Status:
Pending
- Letters
have been written to The Zimbabwean and to Radio VOP over
the complaint and the MCC is awaiting a response
|
