Alec Muchadehama
Thursday, 30 August, 2012
Members of Civil society and editors here present,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to this important lunch meeting for civil society and editors to review and expound the principle and practice of self-regulation of the media in Zimbabwe. I would like to especially thank you all for deciding to leave your very busy schedules as well as making the time to be with us here at the Cresta Jameson Hotel for this meeting.
Honesty, accuracy, reliability and fairness, among others, will never cease to be the backbone of quality journalism. Yet our rapidly changing times bring to the fore-front complex questions on how to best foster them, which is why I am I truly pleased to be opening this platform today that will discuss media self regulation.
The aim of this meeting is to support the development of media self-regulation instruments and mechanisms, creating awareness about them among media professionals and fostering their effective application; as well as to accelerate the adherence to a nationally recognized code of conduct and the adoption of media accountability best practices.
These objectives are crucial for VMCZ, whose specific mandate is to defend press freedom and freedom of expression. At the core of this mission lies the notion that a free and independent media can play a critical role in enhancing good governance, facilitating informed civil society participation in national issues and involvement in national debates.
Ladies and gentleman you will agree with me that when civil society plays its role in any society governments are strengthened and the governments become accountable to the people.
However, to appropriately fulfil these functions that make the press a cornerstone of the democratic edifice, it is important for media to be accountable to their audience, and to ground their work on high ethical and professional standards.
Based on mechanisms that media professionals create themselves and abide by under their own will, self-regulation represents a most suitable channel for strengthening journalistic accountability and quality while helping keep state interference to a minimum.
Media ethics and professionalism, press freedom and unhindered information flows can only truly be effective if internationally recognized standards are followed voluntarily, rather than being imposed.
Ladies and gentlemen, the media in Zimbabwe has chosen the path of self-regulation and it is up to you as members of the public and civil society to utilise the self-regulation mechanism to resolve issues.
The main aim of this meeting is to create a platform for civil society to interact with editors who are present here on how best to utilise the media complaints mechanism.
In ending, I trust that the ideas exchanged during this lunch hour meeting will be incorporated in future engagements between VMCZ, civil society leaders and the media in order to enhance media self-regulation and professionalism in Zimbabwe.
I Thank you.
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