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State of journalism in Zimbabwe
Blessing Ruzengwe
April 29, 2006

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Journalism in Zimbabwe has changed over the past few years. Gains made in the past decade were reversed as the government introduced draconian media laws to tighten their grip on power. This document was written by Blessing Ruzengwe, a member of the Association of Zimbabwe Journalists in the UK, as part of his MA studies at the City University in London. He looks at the state of journalism in his homeland where he worked for the State media.

Introduction
How would you feel as a journalist if the president of your country says you and the publication you work for are "sell outs"? You are called sell outs because your reports carry views by people that differ from those of the President.

This is not an imaginary picture but politicians in Zimbabwe and I should hasten to add others throughout the world now use such contemptuous and sometimes blackmailing language in their quest to control what journalists write about their governments, leaders, and even about the conduct of the country's military establishment. The common way used to control or even admonish journalists who write what the government does not want the public to hear is to appeal to their "patriotic" feelings. In a way this is some form of intimidation. In Zimbabwe the government of President Robert Mugabe refers to all journalists working in the independent media as puppets of western government. They are deemed and labelled unpatriotic because they give discerning citizens a platform to be heard and do not pander to the whims of the establishment.

In the United States the media there is partially blamed for singing to war with the government of President Bush, Doyle (2004). The US media is accused of being "too trusting of the establishment hand that feeds them - especially on stories of international peace and security. We saw this in their limp-wristed coverage of dirty wars of the CIA in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Despite their great merits, the U.S. media largely failed in their responsibility to explain the true nature of George Bush's military adventurism in Iraq." Doyle. (2004 P49). This failure is attributed to the patriotism of the big media houses that have become too close to the establishment and would not want to hurt their feelings and lose big business that comes with this close relationship. The media is also said to be wary of going against public opinion in the wake of a strong display of patriotism post 9/11. This will obviously cause loss of advertising revenue.

But where does this leave the journalist and their role to report objectively in the public interest?

In this dissertation I will draw on my experience, the experience of fellow journalists and research findings on patriotism and objectivity in journalism.I should hasten to add that patriotism and objectivity in journalism are debatable. But I will highlight the main arguments with case studies where appropriate and also show the effects of patriotic driven journalism. I seek to show that journalist can be objective or try, honestly to be objective in their work or in the manner in which they do their work.

My conclusion will in a way chart the way taken by many journalists who prove that while philosophically speaking one can never be objective they can strive to be objective in their method of sourcing, verifying, balancing and reporting news.

In the words of Kovach (2002), "Are you an American first, or are you a journalist?" And applied to my context: "Are you a Zimbabwean first, or are you a journalist?" "My country, wrong or right", are some of the issues I will explore and give some fresh thinking.

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