SECTOR 2

The media landscape, including new
media, is characterised by diversity,
independence and sustainability.
2.1 A wide range of sources of information (print,
broadcasting, internet, mobile phones) is accessible
and affordable to citizens.
While a range of information sources exist (with a few new ones coming into
print or being licenced to broadcast in the last few years), some media houses
have had to shut down, primarily because of the poor economic situation.
New sources that have come to the media industry since the last AMB in
2012 include ZiFM and Star FM, which started operating in 2012, along with
the licensing of 8 more commercial radio stations countrywide. These include
Zimpaper’s Diamond FM, AB Communications’ Gogogoi FM and FAYA FM, Fairtalk
Communications’ Breeze FM and Skyz FM, YA FM and Kingstons’ KE100.4FM and
Nyaminyami FM. To date, only one of these YA FM, has become operational,
and another – Diamond FM (of Zimpapers) – is doing test runs for broadcast in
Mutare. No new TV licenses have been awarded.
On the downside, there was the closure of three newspapers: Zimbabwe Mail,
the Zimbabwean, and the Southern Eye. The Flame News also closed during the
period under review.
Print Media
Print media is accessed mainly in urban centers, and due to a partnership with
Econet, papers published by Zimpapers can also be accessed online on MobiNews.
The economic crisis has greatly affected print media, with several newspapers –
such as the Zimbabwe Mail, the Zimbabwean, and the Southern Eye, closing shop
during the past three years.
The public dailies include The Herald, Chronicle and H-Metro. Private dailies
include the Daily News and Newsday. Each of these papers – public and private
– sells for USD1. This is considered a rather high amount to pay. To put this in
context, a loaf of bread costs approximately the same amount.
Several weeklies also exist. These include, amongst others, the privately owned
Zimbabwe Independent and the Financial Gazette which sell for USD2. The
state-owned Sunday Mail and Sunday News, Kwayedza (a paper published in
the Shona language) as well as the privately-owned Standard go for USD1, and

26

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2015

Select target paragraph3