Zimpapers Shuffles Editorial Team

The Zimbabwe Herald is the leading state newspaper in the Southern African state. The headline reveals its anti-imperialist political character., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Zimpapers shuffles editorial team

Tuesday, 03 July 2012 11:59
Dr Paul Chimedza
Herald Reporter

ZIMPAPERS Board Chairman Dr Paul Chimedza has announced senior editorial changes at the Herald and Chronicle to align the group with its thrust of becoming an integrated media house following the launch of Star FM radio.

The Editor of The Herald William Chikoto has been appointed Group Editorial Executive in charge of convergence of content across all Zimpapers’ platforms — newspapers, online and radio. He will be responsible for training journalists to write across the three platforms as well as content strategy. He will report to the Group Chief Operating Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Pikirayi Deketeke.

The Editor of Chronicle, Innocent Gore takes over as Editor of The Herald. Gore has extensive knowledge of Zimpapers operations having worked as Assistant Editor of The Herald and Editor of The Southern Times. He brings to The Herald vast experience of working in Harare, Windhoek, Namibia and Bulawayo.

The Herald’s Assistant Editor (News), Itayi Musengeyi becomes Editor of Chronicle. He started his career as a junior reporter and rose through the ranks to the position of Assistant Editor. As Assistant Editor in charge of news, Musengeyi has been instrumental in maintaining The Herald’s editorial leadership and integrity.

Chronicle Deputy Editor Thumeliso
Makhurane has been appointed Senior Assistant Editor of The Herald. Makhurane is also an experienced journalist who has risen through the ranks of the Chronicle and has acquitted himself well as a senior editorial manager.

His position at the Chronicle will be filled by Innocent Madonko who is the Deputy Editor of Sunday News.

Madonko has also risen through the ranks at the Bulawayo branch and has often acted as Editor of the Sunday News.

Herald reaffirms market dominance
The appointments are with immediate effect.
Dr Chimedza said with the launching of the new Star FM radio station, Zimbabwe Newspapers had now created new content platforms that cut across print, digital (both online and mobile) and electronic media. The Zimpapers market reach was now projected at over 1,7 million readers and listeners.

He said: “As a result of this expansion, the challenge facing the company now is to create a content factory that is able to produce news material for rapid distribution to all its platforms from mobile and online to radio and eventually the next day’s newspapers.

“This will entail the creation of a convergence or super news desk that will oversee the production of stories, features and opinion pieces to feed the different platforms.

“A great deal of continuous training will have to be undertaken to achieve this objective. There is urgent need to create a media lab that will teach both new and old reporters how to write for the different platforms.”