Prof. Jonathan Moyo is the Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Republic of Zimbabwe. The ZBC has been declared insolvent., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Prof Moyo tours Reuters
November 21, 2013
Herald Reporter
The provision in the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which leads to the arrest and prosecution of journalists for publishing falsehoods is unnecessary, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said yesterday.
Prof Moyo was speaking during his tour of Reuters offices in Harare in the company of his deputy Cde Supa Mandiwanzira as part of his visit to media houses.
He said it was “odd” to use laws to make journalists to become professional.
“We believe the time has come for us to be in good terms with everyone,” he said.
“That is why as Government we invite everyone to participate in our programmes.
“Even this notion in AIPPA that if a journalist publishes falsehoods he should be arrested and prosecuted is unnecessary, he said.
He also went on to say that journalists must behave as professionals.
Prof Moyo pledged to facilitate easy access to Government departments by foreign news agencies operating in the country.
He said for Government to fulfil the promises it made to the people during election campaigns, it had to work closely with media houses, including foreign agencies.
This came after Reuters staff raised complaints that they were having difficulties in accessing Government ministries.
“You are Reuters, but you are established in terms of the law and you are accredited and you should be able to function,” Prof Moyo said.
“I think if we play our part and you do yours this problem of access will be a thing of the past.
“There will be access and this is a conviction and expression made by Government without anyone putting pressure and it is inspired by the fact that Government enjoys quite a considerable mandate. If we were not collaborating because you were pursuing politics, we will now collaborate quite seriously and you can count on us facilitating access.
“If previously we were not engaging because of politics be best assured we will be your partners.”
Government accountability, Prof Moyo said, would be possible if the State cooperated well with all media houses.
“This Government will be held accountable to the pledges it made in the election manifesto, pledges which have been translated into policy,” he said.
“It is understood that part of the accountability will come out of our engagement with media. Unless there is access, it is impossible to have that accountability.
“Where there is a challenge we will be happy to facilitate and we are here because we recognise the role that you play.”
Prof Moyo said for Zim Asset, the economic blue print expected to guide the country for the next five years, to be successful, concerted efforts were needed.
“For the first time we have had the Government coming out of an election formulating a policy that is well thought out, well-grounded and because it is a product of consultation and engagement, well received,” he said.
“The feed-back we have so far is that as compared to earlier similar efforts, this one has the best chance of success because it is practical and is grounded in a framework that seeks to achieve results.”
Prof Moyo said all media organisations and foreign agencies were a unit and should not be divided by political issues.
“There ought not to be a difference between foreign agencies and local players because the foreign ones are in Zimbabwe covering the Zimbabwean story and we expect them to do so professionally, ethically and with integrity,” he said.
Prof Moyo commended Reuters for establishing The Source which focuses on financial news rather than politics, adding that news organisations existed to make money.
He said for the past 13 years, the country had not benefited from the political news that media houses published.
“It has not benefited us in the sense that it has polarised and divided us and made us focus on narrow issues,” he said.
“If you want to make money, you must follow the money. Hopefully as we move forward, the other struggling media houses will take a leaf. They are struggling because they want to make money, but they follow politics. They have never understood that that is not the heart of the business.”
Cde Mandiwanzira said Reuters should extend its training programmes to other media houses in the country.
“I for one am a beneficiary of the Thompson Foundation training and I hope that training will be extended to the entire industry because we can only develop by constant and continuous training,” he said.
“With the opening of new institutions and licensing taking place because of digitalisation, there will be a market for content.
“Those who take a leap now will be better positioned to enjoy the opening up of the industry.”
Prof Moyo has since toured local media houses such a Zimpapers, ZBC, Alpha Media Holdings, Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, Modus Publications and New Ziana.
ZBC insolvent
November 21, 2013
Tichaona Zindoga Herald Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation is technically insolvent as it is realising only US$275 000 per month in revenue against a budget of US$2,3 million of which US$1,6 million should go to worker’s salaries.
It emerged yesterday that with such a dire financial situation, the national broadcaster would only be in a position to pay its workers with Government assistance.
The ZBC workers have gone for six months without salaries.
Additionally, the company is in arrears of US$8,3 million owed to the workers for outstanding salaries, while it also has to meet some statutory obligations.
The sorry state of the national broadcaster was revealed by Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Cde Supa Mandiwanzira when he met its top management yesterday at Pockets Hill studios in Harare.
But the workers could get some Christmas cheer as the national broadcaster is negotiating with a financial institution to get some financial relief.
The provision of the funds from the financial institution would be a short-term measure pending a full forensic audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General which started last week.
The ZBC board was recently dissolved, with chief executive officer Happison Muchechetere and finance manager Eliot Kasu being sent away on paid leave.
The Comptroller and Auditor-General has since been asked to undertake an urgent, comprehensive forensic audit of the corporation
Deputy Minister Mandiwanzira, who expressed shock at the state of affairs at the ZBC, said it was clear the national broadcaster was failing to meet its obligations.
“From what has been presented to us, the reality is that from the coffers of the institution, they are unable to pay those salaries, but I am delighted that they have informed us that there are engagements with financial institutions where there are possibilities that some funds could be obtained on the back of a Government guarantee,” he said.
“The issue of the Government guarantee is something that I will have to take back to the Honourable Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo, to see if the ministry can consider this and if it is something that can be done, necessary approaches will be done to the Treasury.
“But I would say that the ministry is doing everything it can to ensure that ZBC goes back to its heydays where it was a renowned broadcaster that was able to do what was expected, not only by Government, but by the people who listen to the radio and watch TV stations.”
He urged ZBC management to shift towards a business model that aims to make profit out of broadcast business rather than rely on the collection of licence fees.
ZBC acting chief executive Allan Chiweshe said workers could get paid their outstanding salaries by Christmas.
“We are still negotiating something and once we find a breakthrough we will engage the Government for a guarantee so that maybe we may give workers something before Christmas,” he said.
The meeting was also attended by finance officers from the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services.
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