MMPZ ‘PROPAGANDA WAR’ BOOK LAUNCH at the Book Café’ in Harare- December 17th 2009

On December 17^th, 2009, MMPZ’s Coordinator Andrew Moyse made the following presentation during the MMPZ ‘PROPAGANDA WAR’ BOOK LAUNCH at the Book Café’ in Harare.

 

I think one of the main points our book makes in its conclusion is that we expect the state-controlled public media to behave like professional media institutions when, in fact they are not media institutions at all. They are, in reality, propaganda organizations that do not obey any of the rules of professional media practice – and therefore we should not expect any change from them without their complete and total renewal.

 

We are promised that reforms are coming…

 

But despite the “good” news that the new ZMC has been decided upon, which, one hopes, will mean that we will soon get some alternative to the daily Press we currently have to endure, it is regrettable that instead of seeing some reform at our so-called national public broadcaster, we’re actually going to see it multiply instead!

 

Apparently our colleague in charge of ZBC has been reported pledging a second ZBC television station within a month!

 

And together with the ZBC-run “community” radio stations promised for Harare and Bulawayo, the claim will be that Zimbabweans will soon be spoiled for choice with regard to broadcasting! Maybe we will have the Chinese to thank for providing ZBC with the technology to achieve this “massive” expansion!

But this is definitely NOT the broadcasting diversity we were hoping for. It is merely going to saturate our airwaves with more of the same manipulated news and current affairs that continues to contaminate and divide our society today.

 

So while we will (hopefully) soon be celebrating the return of independent newspapers to our streets, ZBC is promising to drown us in their propaganda in preparation for next year’s referendum and the elections that are due to follow.

 

This is reform as only Zimbabwe knows how to do it: Pseudo-reforms without any real change…

 

MMPZ’s book contains recommendations for media reform that civil society has called upon the government to implement. These include the complete reform of Zimpapers and the ZBC so that they are free of political control.

 

While the GPA does not demand this, we should at least demand what it does call for; and that is the emergence of independent broadcasters “in a free and diverse media environment”, so that, at the very least, Zimbabweans will have a choice about which radio and television station we tune in to for our news and entertainment, in addition to the promised reforms in our newspaper industry  – well before next year’s referendum.

 

The alternative, sadly, will be more books about ‘The Propaganda War on Electoral Democracy’.

 

Enjoy the book, we hope it will be useful to you.

 

 

Ends.