Promoting media reform in a post dictatorship

In Zimbabwe, a country characterised by a monolithic media dispensation for many decades, the partisan media has enjoyed an unlimited propensity for carefully orchestrated character assassinations and construction of personality cults.
When the Polish Anti-communist Lech Walesa said in 1993 that, “the level and state of the mass media determine the development of democracy,” few people put much value on his remark. More than a decade later, Walesa’s comments became reality not only in the Eastern Europe but elsewhere including Zimbabwe, where free media remains under threat.
In essence, Walenca’s rhetoric has direct and indirect resonance to the state of mass media in Africa where we have seen no significant growth of the media for decades.
Also conspicuous in the media in Africa today is a lack of credible public media managers, low levels of journalistic training, and media outlets on the verge of bankruptcy, with governments and state apparatchiks systematically attempting to stifle media independence.
The corrosive nature of corruption in the corridors of power in most African countries will always prevent the emergence of free media on the continent. The media is seen as too powerful to be left to its own devices without draconian controls as in the case of Zimbabwe.
There is understandable anxiety in the media fraternity in Zimbabwe over the new unity government’s commitment to initiate the much-needed media reforms.
The pace at which media reform will be achieved is a critical measure of how serious the new government is on opening up the country to more scrutiny by citizens and the wider international community.
Zimbabwe’s media reforms will fail or succeed based on the legal framework which will emerge from the process. The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) must be repealed and binned with all its terrible history.
The people of Zimbabwe deserve a diverse media that gives alternative views to the official media, while promoting good governance and principles.
A new legal framework that is reflective of the unfolding democratic dispensation needs to be established. This legal framework is the real Gordian knot that needs to be cut by the new unity government to accelerate the democratisation process and the country’s return to the community of nations.
Nobody expects seismic changes to the current state of the media landscape in Zimbabwe, but there is an expectation of incremental changes that will eventually create Africa’s newest free democracy.
This requires maximum efforts from legislators from both sides of the political isle as well as support from civil society. The court of public opinion in Zimbabwe will judge the new unity government in terms of its ability or inability to deliver on the above critical issues.
Corruption, sleaze, greed and incompetence are at the heart of the African State and only through a free and robust media establishment can this dirty political culture be consigned to history.

Crisford Chogugudza is a political commentator based in London.
E-mail: crisford02@yahoo.co.uk

GPA on media reforms: Excerpts

Recognising the importance of the right to freedom of expression and the role of the media in a multi-party democracy;
Noting that while the provisions of the Broadcasting Services Act permit the issuance of licences, no licences other than to the public broadcaster have been issued;
Aware of the emergence of foreign-based radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe, some of which are funded by foreign governments;
Concerned that failure to issue licences under the Broadcasting Services Act to alternative broadcasters might have given rise to external radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe;
Further concerned that foreign government-funded external radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe are not in Zimbabwe’s national interest;
Desirous of ensuring the opening up of the air waves and ensuring the operation of as many media houses as possible;
19.1. The Parties hereby agree:
(a) that the government shall ensure the immediate processing by the appropriate authorities of all applications for re-registration and registration in terms of both the Broadcasting Services Act as well as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act;
(b) All Zimbabwean nationals including those currently working for or running external radio stations be encouraged to make applications for broadcasting licences, in Zimbabwe, in terms of the law;
(c) that in recognition of the open media environment anticipated by this Agreement, the Parties hereby;
(i) call upon the governments that are hosting and/or funding external radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe to cease such hosting and funding; and
(ii) encourage the Zimbabweans running or working for external radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe to return to Zimbabwe; and
(d) that steps be taken to ensure that the public media provides balanced and fair coverage to all political parties for their legitimate political activities.
(e) that the public media shall refrain from using abusive language that may incite hostility, political intolerance and ethnic hatred or that unfairly undermines political parties and other organisations. To this end, the inclusive government shall ensure appropriate measures are taken to achieve this objective.