CHAIRPERSON OF VMCZ ON THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY COMMEMORATIONS – ORGANISED BY THE ZMC ON 3 MAY 2012
A. Muchadehama
- The Honourable Minister of Information and Publicity
- The Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and members of the ZMC Board and Staff
- Members of the media fraternity here present
- Members of the Diplomatic Community here present
- Ladies and gentlemen
The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) joins all Zimbabweans and the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day today the 3rd of May 2012. This year’s commemorations are being held under one of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) themes “Media Freedom has the power to transform societies”.
We, at the VMCZ sincerely believe in Media freedom. Media freedom entails the right of any person to freedom of opinion and expression. This includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers as stated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This theme is relevant for Zimbabweans and the Zimbabwean media as it comes at a time when the country is faced with important decisions to make concerning important national issues such as constitutional reform, elections and transforming the national economy to serve the needs of the majority poor.
It is therefore the VMCZ’s strong view that the Zimbabwean media plays a key role in ensuring that the above cited national challenges are understood in a participatory manner by the Zimbabwean public. In order to perform this democratic role, Zimbabwe’s media must therefore be allowed to function in the best public interest and without undue interference by the State.
In Zimbabwe’s case, this would essentially entail that the Government and Parliament must undertake policy reforms that seek to achieve the following:-
- The de-criminalization of freedom of expression through the repeal or amendment of undemocratic and restrictive media regulatory laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), some sections of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (e.g criminal defamation, communicating falsehoods, prejudicial to the State) and the Broadcasting Services Act among others.
- The embracing of media self-regulation as the best democratic practice.
- The recognition and enactment of the right to media freedom as a separate right as opposed to it being subsumed under freedom of expression in the constitution.
Where the Government and Parliament of Zimbabwe adopts the above cited recommendations, our country’s media environment will be conducive for greater public access to information as well as the greater enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression by all Zimbabweans.
The VMCZ further calls upon the responsible authorities to open up the media to more players. This includes the licensing of more newspapers, radio stations and television stations to independent players. This will allow the public to have more choice in line with fundamental freedoms such as the right to choice, the right to information and the right to be informed.
It is our firm belief that any media worth its name must serve the general public first and foremorest. The public is the ultimate consumer of any media products. The public is also the final arbiter of the media products. Any products that do not meet public expectation will eventually fizzle out or fade away. The media history in Zimbabwe and elsewhere is full of examples.
It is also VMCZ’s firm view and belief that media self-regulation is one of the best solutions to the challenges that Zimbabwe’s media profession currently faces. We also believe that all Zimbabwean journalists or any other professional journalists for that matter, are capable of reporting fairly, accurately and in the best interest of the public without fear of arrest or the criminalization of freedom of expression. Because of this, we urge all Zimbabweans to actively seek to promote media self-regulation as a key ingredient to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression. By so doing, we will all have remained true to this year’s World Press Day theme and will also have begun to transform Zimbabwe into a truly democratic society.
Over decades, human beings recognized the need for freedom of expression as one of the pillars of liberty and development. The American forefathers had this in mind when they enacted the First Amendment on 15 December 1791 in the USA constitution when they decreed that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of the press.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1836) in a letter to James Currie on 18 January 1786 wrote that ‘our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.’
‘Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a Government without newspapers or newspapers without a Government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter’. Thomas Jefferson (1743-18260 letter to Col Edward Carrington 16 January 1787.
Contrast Jefferson with Benito Mussolini and Napoleon
‘The press of Italy is free, freer than the press of any other country, so long as it supports the regime.” Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) in George Sedes-Sawdust Ceasar 27: 1935
‘I shall never tolerate the newspapers to say or do anything against my interests they may publish a few little articles with just a little poison in them, but one fine morning somebody will shut their mouths.’ Napoleon (1769-1821) Letter to Minister of Police Joseph Fauche 22 April 1805. The mind of Napoleon – A selection of his written and spoken words: 160 ed J Christopher Herold1955.
Any State that wants to develop must do so on the principles of liberty and freedom of expression. Development will be difficult and slow without a robust press.
The VMCZ would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the ZMC for hosting this event to mark World Press Day and for launching their strategic plan.
I THANK YOU.
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