SECTOR 2

Before the establishment of the inclusive government it was taboo for these
papers to cover the views of ZANU PF and MDC in the same manner: “the MDC
was regarded as the opposition and the major shareholder was ZANU PF, so
the paper would not have given mileage to its opponent”. This is said to have
changed even if there is still “resistance here and there”.

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score:

1.5 (2010:1.1; 2008:1.1; 2006:1.0)

2.5 Adequate competition legislation/regulation seeks
to prevent media concentration and monopolies.
There is a Competition Act in place with the objective to curtail the development of
monopolies in the business sector generally but not specifically in the media. If the
spirit of the Competition Act were applied it could prevent media concentration
and monopolies.
Until 2000, when this provision was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme
Court, the Broadcasting Act of Zimbabwe guaranteed the monopoly of the
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. In its decision the court ordered that the
government formally end its monopoly by amending the Act. In response the
government established the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) as a
statutory regulator under a new Broadcasting Services Act, tasked to license more
operators. It took no less than 12 years for the authority to allow two private
radio stations on air – a decision which was still being disputed at the time of the
panel meeting.
Cross-ownership of broadcasting and print media was prohibited under the
Broadcasting Act but it is possible under the Broadcasting Services Act. As a
result, Zimpapers now has the licence to set up a radio station alongside its print
publications.

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2012

Select target paragraph3