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State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
2002
numerous challenges, including direct
interference from the government. For
example, the station was ordered to
drop the BBC news bulletin from its
daily broadcast. Joy TV was also restricted
from airing local news with the
exception of musicals and apolitical
documentaries. The ZBC’s control of
Joy TV is largely responsible for the
station’s inability to survive.
Joy TV’s closure means that there
is an increased need for new players
to enter the broadcasting industry. The
government has largely ignored calls
to amend the Broadcasting Services
Act, which virtually makes it impossible
for private players to enter the
industry. No foreign investment is allowed
into the industry and potential
broadcasters are required to adhere to
strict content guidelines.
The acting chief executive officer of
the ZBC, Jennifer Tanyanyiwa, said in
a statement on April 22 that the act
prohibits the corporation from leasing
out its second channel. The ZBC began
leasing TV2 to Joy TV in July
1997. Joy TV, owned by Flame Lily
Broadcasting Limited, was permitted
to broadcast daily from 5:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m. (local time).
MISA reported on May 2 that Joy
TV was seeking to extend its lease. Joy
TV hoped that the Broadcasting Authority
of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and ZBC
management would recognise that a
large investment had been made. The
application also pointed out that Joy
TV signed contracts with advertisers
until the end of 2002 and that it had
loyal viewers and workers who had to
be considered.
“The Daily News” has since alleged
that the ZBC’s announcement to shut
down Joy TV coincides with reports
232 So This Is Democracy?
that the new government-owned Zimbabwe
Inter-Africa News Agency
(Ziana) is set to operate a 24-hour television
channel on TV2.
ALERT
DATE: 2002-06-05
PERSON(S): Iden Wetherell
VIOLATION(S): Detained, legislation
Iden Wetherell, editor of the “Zimbabwe
Independent” weekly, was questioned
by police on May 30, 2002.
The police questioned Wetherell
about a picture that was published in
the newspaper’s May 17 issue of a
semi-naked Amazonian man wearing
traditional clothes. Wetherell was subsequently
charged under the Censorship
Act for publishing pictures containing
nudity.
Wetherell’s lawyer, Linda Cook,
said that the charges against her client
are unsustainable since no consent was
given by the attorney general’s office
as required by the act. She also said
that the concerned picture is not obscene
at all and if police insist on pursuing
the matter they would have to
proceed by way of summons.
ALERT
DATE: 2002-06-04
INSTITUTION(S): Media in Zimbabwe
VIOLATION(S): Threatened
Minister of State for Information and
Publicity Jonathan Moyo has appointed
a Media Commission to regulate
the operations of the industry, as
provided for in the Access to Information
and Protection of Privacy Act.
The commission, made up of govern-