CJA lauds Zim inclusive govt over media law reforms

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

CJA lauds Zim inclusive govt over media law reforms

CJA lauds Zim inclusive govt over media law reforms
Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:15:18 PM

THE Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) has applauded the Zimbabwean inclusive government's recent announcement that it will reform media laws and improve the reporting environment in the country.

This comes amid reports that the first privately owned daily newspaper in six years would be launched this week.

Chris Cobb, a member of the CJA executive committee and also vice-president of the CJA for North America, spelt out the international journalists' organisation's support for the move in a statement.

"It isn't news that a free and independent media is the lifeblood of any true democracy," he said. "Everyone who believes in a free press can only applaud the Zimbabwe government for moving in the right direction. If that happens, we will celebrate and congratulate without reservation."

The government announced last week that it would ensure that media laws would soon be relaxed to stimulate pluralism of views and ownership of media outlets.

Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa said there was an agreement to review the media policy so as to create a political climate where divergent voices would be heard.

"We want to see a multiplicity of media houses," he said.

The minister in the office of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Gorden Moyo, said there would likely be a new media commission, which would consider licensing more television and radio stations.

Meanwhile, Modus Publications, the publishers of the weekly The Financial Gazette, have announced the launch of a daily evening paper, The Daily Evening Gazette, beginning this week.

The company becomes the second since the beginning of the year to announce its intention to launch a new daily after the ZimInd Publishers, publishers of the Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard weeklies, announced plans to launch the daily paper, NewsDay.

The Financial Gazette chief executive officer Jacob Chisese said the paper applied for a licence to operate daily from the Media and Information Commission in 2007 but abandoned plans when the newspaper industry became less viable, owing to the country's harsh economic environment.

Chisese said the company felt that it was now was an opportune time to launch as a lot of ground has been covered in capitalising the project such as putting the equipment and expertise together.

Since the closure of the Associated Newspaper Groups-owned Daily News in 2003, the only daily newspapers in circulation are provincial state-controlled dailies, The Herald [Harare], The Chronicle [Bulawayo] and the Manica Post [Mutare].

Labels: AIR ZIMBABWE, CHRIS COBB, COMMON WEALTH JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION