‘Political interference hinders professionalism at ZBC’
HARARE – Political interference by officials from President Robert Mugabe’s
ZANU PF party has compromised professionalism at Zimbabwe’s sole
broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), a public broadcasting
report has said.
The report entitled “Public Broadcasting in Africa Series: On Air -
Zimbabwe” which was released early this week by the Open Society Initiative
Southern Africa (OSISA) said that politicians give instructions to media
professionals at ZBC, leaving journalists demoralised.
The report pointed fingers at Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba, who is
also the Information Ministry’s permanent secretary, for treating the state
broadcaster as a personal empire.
“During interviews with journalists and other practitioners at the ZBC, the
majority pointed out that there is a great deal of interference by ZANU PF
officials which hinders the professional and efficient operations of the
ZBC,” the report said.
“Politicians often give instructions to managerial staff on their editorial
preferences. It is also alleged that the divisions and factionalism within
the party (ZANU PF) play out in the newsrooms.”
The report quoted one journalist who spoke of how an unnamed minister may
phone in and give instructions regarding a story and “soon after a permanent
secretary will call and give instructions that counteract the initial
initiative”.
According to the 166-page report, some journalists felt that the broadcaster
was being used as a “personal empire” by those at the ministry, especially
Charamba.
“One journalist who refused to be named said that Charamba was running the
corporation as his personal fiefdom and this was demoralising to most of the
staff as they felt that the core business of the broadcaster was no longer
taking precedence. Charamba wields enormous power here, is untouchable, and
staff at the broadcaster, including ZBC board is terrified of him,” said the
report.
“All this has made journalists believe that whatever they do they have to be
answerable to the government or individuals in the ministry rather than the
general public.”
The state-owned ZBC – also known as Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH) -
which runs Zimbabwe’s only television and radio stations was initially
conceived as a public broadcaster but has been tightly controlled by Mugabe’s
ZANU PF administration, which has the final say on senior editorial and
managerial appointments.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party which joined Mugabe in a
coalition government last February has criticised the state media for bias
in favour of Mugabe and his ZANU PF party and against other parties in the
unity government.
Speaking at the launch of the OSISA report Tsvangirai said government should
not control the media, adding that the media should regulate itself the same
way other professions do. –
ZimOnline
Posted by Wellington Chadehumbe
on November 22, 2009. Filed under Main Headline.
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