Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere has urged media practitioners to report objectively on environmental issues.
Dr Muswere made these remarks in his speech on commemorating this year’s annual World Press Freedom Day.
This year’s celebrations, being held under the theme “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis” come at a time when the country is facing a drought crisis owing to climate change.
“Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating the World Press Freedom Day. The world is faced with climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution crisis and disinformation and misinformation about these pertinent issues can exacerbate them. I implore the media to report objectively on environmental issues and possible solutions,” Dr Muswere said.
“This year’s theme focuses on the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environment crisis. It also highlights the important role played by press in accessing and dissemination of information. This guarantees a secure and sustainable future that respects freedom of expression, media plurality and gender equality.”
Dr Muswere noted that as means of accelerating media freedom, the government has made commendable efforts by repealing laws that infringe media operations.
“The Second Republic has made tremendous progress in the creation of an enabling environment in the media sector. It has made significant progress in ensuring a safe, free and competitive operating environment for all media to thrive. This was done through enactment of media friendly laws and repealing of laws that impinged on media operations such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA),” he said.
“This led to the opening up of airwaves for both radio and television thus ensuring media diversity which resonates well with leaving no one and no place behind. As we commemorate this important day, I am pleased to say that the government is amending the Zimbabwe Media Commission Act and the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act. The Media Practioners Bill is also under consideration.
“The amendments will professionalise, allow the independence and co regulation of the media sector and ensure growth and development of the media industry. We are also celebrating a major milestone achieved in the broadcasting sector which has witnessed the operationalization of all licensed 14 community radio stations which are broadcasting in vernacular languages.”
