SECTOR 4

news editor. In the Zimpapers group there is now a small number of women
who occupy top positions but it has taken a long time for them to succeed.
“It is very difficult for us women to be recognised even when we have worked
hard. They would rather get someone from outside than promote a woman from
within. Even when we are promoted, we have to work twice as hard to keep our
positions.”
The experience in the broadcasting sector is different and there are many women
in various decision making positions from Head of Production to Station Head.
“Working in a broadcasting environment, it was easy to express myself and get
my point heard and understood by my colleagues, because you really need to
network even after hours. You need to go to these places that sometimes are
not comfortable for women to go. With broadcast, especially radio, you can even
talk to male sources on the phone or ask them to come to the studio whereas
with print they usually ask you to go to them and may ask you to come to a bar.
Sometimes it might not be comfortable.”

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:

2.8 (2010:3.0; 2008:n/a; 2006:n/a)

4.5 Journalists and editors do not practice self-censorship.
Self-censorship is common in all media houses and people know exactly what
they are expected to do.
Depending on who they are working for, there are certain people and
organisations who are off limits - powerful political individuals who will either
send the secret police to the office or who may have a journalist arrested, or the
powerful corporate sector. Media houses will not do anything to jeopardise their
relationships with the bigger companies as their survival depends on them.

54

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2012

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