A new network for content creators, The Content Creators Network ZW, is set to be launched, Thursday, to defend content creators, promote free expression and grow the digital media industry.
The launch will be held virtually.
The Content Creators Network ZW is made of some of the country’s trailblazing digital platforms including Centre for Innovation & Technology (CITE), News Hawks, Magamba Network, Bustop TV, Kubatana, ZimFact and TellZim.
The new initiative is aimed to be a networking platform for Zimbabwean content creators to strengthen the industry and to share content that promotes independent media, social justice and free expression.
“We live in a time when global Lockdowns have radically shifted the world to go virtual,” says the Content Creators Network ZW Convenor, Samm Farai Monro AKA Comrade Fatso.
“We live in a time when content creators have defined the Zimbabwean narrative with groundbreaking corruption exposes and hashtags like #ZimbabweanLivesMatter.
We live in a time when the government is going after journalists and satirists who speak truth to power online. Now more than ever we need our content creators, community media groups and alternative media outlets to be united, to support each other and defend free expression.
Our network is diverse and includes investigative journalists, political satirists, community media voices, fact checkers and digital media organisations. Our diversity is our strength!”
CITE founder Zenzele Ndebele who is also the network’s spokesperson said: “In a democracy it is very important to tolerate diverse opinions and that is what Content Creators Network ZW is striving to promote.”
The Content Creators Network ZW is a loose network of media organisations who use media for positive social change and will include affiliated content creators, alternative media organizations and grassroots community media initiatives.
The network aims to promote high quality content and promote public interest journalism.
It also aims to make Zimbabwe’s online news media a more reliable and credible source of information and an effective watchdog. The organisers of the network will soon be hosting events, trainings, discussions and running digital campaigns for free expression.
This is a great initiative. Thanks