Winners in fashion design and illustration were revealed on the first day of the weeklong online adc 99th annual awards, part of the one club for creativity and the worlds longest continuallyrunning program celebrating excellence in craft and innovation in all forms of design and advertising. In general, mediaspecific legislation is not necessary in a democracy. Zimbabwe press, media, tv, radio, newspapers television. Ethical challenges facing zimbabwean media in the context of the internet. For example, laws that prohibit the interception of telephone conversations without permission apply to journalists as much as they do to corporations. Media laws in zimbabwe by wilbert mandinde follows an analysis of legislation affecting free expression and access to information in zimbabwe. Petras, the director of zimbabwe lawyers for human rights, noted that despite the formation of the coalition government in february 2009, laws continue to repress journalists, and the government applies the laws selectively against media practitioners from the private sector.
The state of the media in zimbabwe today can only be seen and understood through the prism of the local and global historical developments that took place in the last hundred years. This relatively short bill seeks to give effect to sections 61, 248 and. Ethical challenges facing zimbabwean media in the context. A comparative introduction to media laws and ethics where media laws and the issues of ethics are derived in constitutional societie the relevance of laws s and ethics to modern journalism the differencedistinction between objective journalism and the socalled yellow journalism. Media law in zimbabwe and australia research paper. The study scrutinised media laws such as access to information and protection of privacy. Zimbabwe and went on to study for a postgraduate bachelor of laws llb degree. The media council act, 20 and the kenya information and communications amendment act, 20 association of media women in kenya wendy court, hse no. It has spawned enormous opportunities and challenges for the african media, and zimbabwe is no exception. So nothing much has changed on the media landscape, although the rate of harassment and arrest of journalists has gone down. The internet has fundamentally transformed the practice of journalism in africa.
Succession in event of death, resignation or incapacity of president or vicepresident. The governmentcontrolled zimbabwe broadcasting corporation zbc. A range of laws restrict media freedom, and laws concerning licensing. The impact of zimbabwean media laws on the work of journalists and media organizations. The media of zimbabwe has been varying amounts of control by successive governments, coming under tight restriction in recent years by the government of robert mugabe, particularly during the growing economic and political crisis in the country. A guide to media law in zimbabwe the kubatana archive site. The media institute of southern africa argues that the law is too vague and gives.
Apr 25, 2020 many nations have a number of laws which pertain to media, and these laws are often in flux as nations attempt to deal with changing technology and norms. Key weaknesses and deficiencies in these laws will also be identified. Not to clip the wings of our writers so closely, nor to turn into barndoor fowls those who, allowed a start, might become eagles. A constitutional and comparative analysis of zimbabwean laws. While specific data on social media and internet usage in zimbabwe is scarce, the postal and telecommunications regulatory authority of zimbabwe. Media law handbook for southern africa konradadenauerstiftung. The major challenges have been to do with our laws. Misa zimbabwe, media alliance of zimbabwe this report summarises key submissions made by zimbabwean citizens that participated in the parliamentary portfolio committee on information, media and broadcasting services public hearings on the.
Media related common law based on decided cases the aim of this chapter is to equip the reader with an understanding of the main laws governing the media in zimbabwe. On july 28, the media institute of southern africa misa, zimbabwe led a journalists march to the harare central police station protesting police assault on three journalists of the privately. This is a revised and updated version of the a guide to press law in zimbabwe published by the. Access to information and protection of privacy act zimbabwe. Aippa, was passed by the parliament of zimbabwe on 31january 2002 and signed into law by president mugabe on 15 march 2002. The overall conclusion is that while the media operate in a tangled web of regulatory restrictions, there is. Foreign nationals and agencies as well as unregistered mass media are excluded. For instance, on the alignment of media laws with the current constitution, regulatory issues, including licencing matters, opening up the broadcasting space and community radio stations. Misa zambia plot 3814, martin mwamba road, olympia park, lusaka, zambia tel. The zimbabwean constitution promotes freedom of the media and expression, however this is hampered by interference and the implementation of strict.
Media law and practice in southern africa obscenity laws and freedom of expression a southern african perspective no. The hope is to encourage media law reform in zimbabwe, to better. Mediarelated common law based on decided cases the aim of this chapter is to equip the reader with an understanding of the main laws governing the media in zimbabwe. In june 1891, the mashonaland and zambesian times, a handwritten paper described by one journalist as a crude but readable cyclostyled sheet, was published.
These developments, occasioned by the political, economic and. A law referred to as access to information and protection act aippa and broadcasting services act bsa have had a negative effect on the operations of media organizations and journalists. This chapter is also available in french as a downloadable pdf file at. Just over a century ago, the media would have consisted. The zimbabwe republic police was established in 1980 after the independence of zimbabwe from britain. Aug 30, 20 via reform should begin from within report by crisis in zimbabwe coalition a study commissioned by the voluntary media council of zimbabwe vmcz has intimated that the professional conduct of journalists is a critical ingredient in reforming the sector amid revelations of rampant violations of the ethics guiding the profession. Stakeholders are pushing for the amendment of draconian laws such as the zimbabwe broadcasting corporation commercialisation act, access to information and. Media law is a legal field that relates to legal regulation of the telecommunications industry, information technology, broadcasting, advertising, the entertainment industry, censorship, and internet and online services among others as the popularity of various media have proliferated, the field of media law has become more important.
Its predecessor, the british south africa police, bsap, was used as a tool of oppression and the laws which it enforced were brutal and oppressive. The media council is a creation of the media practitioners act mpa of 2008. This contrasts with chapter four of the african commission on human and peoples rights stating that everyone. These have been directed at media workers of all sorts journalists, photographers, vendors and even drivers as well as media outlets and, in particular, the independent print media. That is, it is constantly adapting to social, political and economic conditions in the. After attaining independence in 1980, zimbabwe clearly desired to take a socialist policy path as evidenced by the centralization of the economy, politics, and the restrictive media environment, especially in broadcasting. In terms of entitlement, only citizens of zimbabwe, permanently residents or holders of temporary employment, residence permit or students permit are eligible to make a request.
Thirdly, the paper outlines the normative roles that the media can play in zambia. Mutsvangwa rings media law reforms newsday zimbabwe. Apr 20, 2010 2 for a detailed legal analysis of the media laws promulgated during this period, see tawanda hondora, media laws in zimbabwe. Selfregulation press council of botswana the media in botswana also practices industry led selfregulation through the press. Years after the adoption of the 20 constitution pdf, which contains a universally acceptable bill of rights, there has not been any meaningful shift in the. Konrad adenauer foundation, 2003 political science 156 pages. The constitution of zimbabwe the right to free expression is guaranteed in section 20 of the constitution, which states. Press and politics in zimbabwe african studies quarterly. Global media journal african edition 2009 vol 3 1 ethical challenges facing zimbabwean media in the context of the internet. Although the historic vote, which saw the candidate of mugabes zanu pf party, emmerson mnangagwa, elected president, was carried out peacefully. As this guide covers the law relating to both print and electronic media this new edition has been entitled a guide to media law in zimbabwe. Media reforms still up in the air the zimbabwe independent. In general, media specific legislation is not necessary in a democracy. Media law reform and media regulation misa zimbabwe.
Awarded a beit trust fellowship to study law at oxford university in the uk, he transferred after a term to study for the master of law llm at the university of cambridge on a cambridge commonwealth trust scholarship, completing with a first class in july 1994. Repression of the media and the illusion of reform in zimbabwe. The winds of change that cut through africa, asia and eastern europe in the nineties did not spare zimbabwe. Media history zimbabwe has some of the oldest newspapers in africa. Media practitioners in both the print and electronic media can use it as a reference work. The impact of zimbabwean media laws on the work of journalists and media organizations mr john mpofu and mr sylod chimhenga abstract. Mar 19, 2018 while specific data on social media and internet usage in zimbabwe is scarce, the postal and telecommunications regulatory authority of zimbabwe potraz estimated that by september 2016, about 50. A guide to media law in zimbabwe by geoff feltoe preface this is a revised and updated version of the a guide to press law in zimbabwe published by the legal resources foundation of zimbabwe.
The impact of zimbabwean media laws on the work of. Media law 3 laws of general applicabilitythat is, laws that apply to everyone but that do not single out the press for special obligations or punishment. It is the sole accreditation authority for all media workers and journalists, media houses mainly print as well as handling complaints. Zimbabwe battles for media freedom after milestone. Pdf ethical challenges facing zimbabwean media in the. The zimbabwe government gazetted the commentary on the zimbabwe media commission bill hereinafter the bill on 9 august 2019. A career in media law requires keeping abreast of legislative changes as well as tracking court cases related to media law which might set precedents or clarify the law. Media law, ethics, and policy in the digital age is a key resource on the challenges, opportunities, issues, controversies, and contradictions of digital technologies in relation to media law and. Tabani moyo, advocacy officer of the media institute of southern africa or misazimbabwe, said the media laws in the country hinder the enjoyment of media freedom and access to information. Laws of zimbabwe zimbabwe legal information institute. Pdf the impact of zimbabwean media laws on the work of.
The overall conclusion is that while the media operate in a tangled web of regulatory restrictions, there is still room for robust investigative journalism. Zambia and namibia still have old publication acts from the preindependence era on their statute books but they are no longer being enforced. Aippa report final article 19 defending freedom of. This is a generic legal term that refers to the unmerited undermining of a persons reputation. Many nations have a number of laws which pertain to media, and these laws are often in flux as nations attempt to deal with changing technology and norms. Laws governing media practice in kenya a journalists handbook this publication is a simpli.
Doing business in zimbabwe grant thornton zimbabwe. Media law, ethics, and policy in the digital age is a key resource on the challenges, opportunities, issues, controversies, and contradictions of digital technologies in relation to media law and ethics and examines occurrences in different sociopolitical and economic realities. The article argues that the zimbabwean film industry, like most in africa, is necessarily a work in progress. This booklet is intended to assist journalists to understand the various aspects of the laws in zimbabwe that have a bearing on their professional work.
In the sadc region, most countries do not have specific media laws. The closure, on 12 september 2003, of associated newspapers of zimbabwe anz, publishers of the daily news and the. Pdf freedom of the press, the zimbabwean situation up to 2009. On october 20, 1892, the rhodesia herald replaced the mashonaland and zambesian times as the countrys major daily newspaper. It may accurately be described as the leading weapon of the government and the ruling zanu pf party in their ongoing campaign to stifle independent media reporting in zimbabwe.
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