Welcome to the MediaInZimbabwe Website.

This website is an offshoot of ZimJournalists Arise which hit the internet on August 26 2006 to Feburary 2007at www.zimjournalist1.blogspot.com

This was the brainchild of a senior Zimbabwean journalist to have a website for Zimbabwean journalists and those who write about Zimbabwe. This was in realization that despite being abused by the Robert Mugabe regime, journalists still play an important role to deal with problems in the country and to prepare for the future of a New Zimbabwe.

Hundreds of Zimbabwean journalists have been forced into the streets or into exile for political and economic reasons, save for a small but vibrant media.

Although journalists have faced harassment, torture, arrest, victimization of all sorts, including poor working conditions, we believe that change, as sure as tomorrow will come is Coming.

It is with that hope that we would like to be the central point for Zimbabwean journalists. Our main functions is to link journalists with newsmakers, so that the former can actively cover events and for newsmakers to publicize their events.

We aim to facilitate this, by circulating information that journalists may find handy in their work, provide a platform for networking, no matter which part of the world we are in, to share ideas. Our main focus is to promote well- informed and well-trained journalists, by keeping journalists up to date with of training opportunities available and enought informatio to prepare for a New Zimbabwe.

Our focus is to have journalists, even those who have been forced by circumstances to leave their chosen professions, from getting their pens rusty so that they are not caught with their pants down in a new and better Zimbabwe.

While we may presently are working in a hostile media environment, governed by oppressive pieces of legislation such as AIPPA, we need to be able to be prepared for the future and also be better prepared to overcome the present hurdles.

Zimbabwean journalists are talented and have a lot of potential as shown by the growing number of publications, radio stations and news websites, that have sprouted outside the Motherland.

Therefore given a chance, the Zimbabwean media can spring back to life one day and we want to prepare journa’s for that day.

As a lesson from the last 27 years of repressive rule, we endeavor to have journalists who are sensitive to human rights and democracy, JOURNALISTS that are past partisan journalism. Journalists who will report fairly and objectively, without fear nor favor.

We endeavor to promote a journalists that will not discriminate on the basis of tribe, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or any other basis. This also involves dealing with any opposition and democratic forces, whom we believe are also accountable to the people of Zimbabwe.

This website is for all Zimbabwean journalists whether they work for the state media, private or international media.

Even state media workers are part of the website’s plans because we realise that although they may be used by the regime to churn out propoganda, most of them are not doing so willingly but are doing it to survive.

Media In Zimbabwe hopes to reach out to these journalists, expose them to news, training programes and organisations that can help them become better journalists in a New Zimbabwe. MIZ hopes that they are enlightened, to the ethics and professional standards in journalism. MIZ also hopes to expose them to news and opportunities beyond the eyes of the ruling party.

Another area of special interest to us are freelance journalists. Although there are no statistics, freelance journalists, consist quite a number of journalist, most of whom have been made jobless because of the closure and turmoil in the Zimbabwean media. Most of these freelancers, donot have access to press statements, reports etc. This is where we would like to come in to help them with some of the tools they need.

We are not a news website, but a tool for journalists, and will only cover a few important news items, or news not normally covered by most of the media, as we feel that there are enough news website generating news. We are essentially a TOOL for journalists.

The website also serves to stimulate debate by occassionally giving commentary on issues and guidance on coverage by taking a honest, candid and objective look at current issues, suggest ways to deal with the Zimbabwe crisis and most importantly the challenging issues facing the Zimbabwean media.

We look foward to working with each and everyone of you. Newsmakers are most welcome to communicate through us, to a mailing list of the hundreds of journalists in Zimbabwe, and all over the world.

Yours In
Striving For A Better Zimbabwean Journalist

The MediaInZimbabwe Team
For comments, suggestions, contributions e-mail editor@mediainzimbabwe.com or mediainzimbabwe@gmail.com

 

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