Wednesday, October 15, 2003
A Daily Infringement
A couple of weeks ago I was privleged enough to be amongst an audience addressed by Wilf Mbanga, founder of the recently closed 'Daily News', an independent daily newspaper in Zimbabwe. The publication literally had its printing presses removed because the zimbabwen government disliked what it printed.
In an address to the students of London's City University, Mr Mbanga spoke of intimidation, fear, assaults on young journalists, and of his time spent in jail in the quest for freedom. That freedom being freedom to report the truth.
Mr Mbanga's tale was harrowing, extraordinary, and inspiring. It is a story reeling of the importance of press freedom in every country and is all the more pertant for the people of this country to gauge given recent developments in the Irish governments views of the Irish media. The announcement that a government appointed statutory press council is to be looked into has rightly provoked outrage amongst Irish journalists. It is a blatant attempt by the government to curb freedom of the press and to influence what content can and cannot be published.
The conflict between the Zimbabwen government and the aforementioned 'Daily News' is interesting in that it parallels between what the Irish Government are setting out to do in this country. Essentially it boils down to influencing the media, and thus influencing public opinion.
The power to influencing public opinion was key to Zimbabwen President Robert Mugabe's waging of war against the 'Daily News'. Founded in 1998 by Wilf Mbanga and launched in 2000, the'Daily News' was a breath of fresh air in a government controlled media. Mbanga described it's introduction as serving to make "the people feel freer".
Driven by fair and truthful journalism, and independent of any political ties, the 'Daily News' rapidly became a thorn in the side of Mugabes Zanu-PF government. In its short life span it rapidly established itself as the nations number one newspaper, outselling the government controlled 'National daily herald'.
More importantly though it served as the first Zimbabwen publication to truthfully inform its citizens as to the corruption and murderous activities being carried out by Mugabes government against the people he was elected to represent.immediately almost immediatly powered to rid Zimbabwe of The Daily News. It closed down, as I said, last month after months going through the courts and months ofironicallyation.
Ironicly, after Mugabe played every trick in the book including changings laws, paying judges,etc. The paper won its case in court after appeal. By this stage though the police had confiscated the papers printing equipment, effectively closing a publication, which unfortunately does not have the financial clout to purchase new equipment
For those interested The newspapers website is still functioning with its message board now a source for the papers readers to communicate news
www.dailynews.co.zw
Also read an article from Wilf published in The Guardian
http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,1051506,00.html
A couple of weeks ago I was privleged enough to be amongst an audience addressed by Wilf Mbanga, founder of the recently closed 'Daily News', an independent daily newspaper in Zimbabwe. The publication literally had its printing presses removed because the zimbabwen government disliked what it printed.
In an address to the students of London's City University, Mr Mbanga spoke of intimidation, fear, assaults on young journalists, and of his time spent in jail in the quest for freedom. That freedom being freedom to report the truth.
Mr Mbanga's tale was harrowing, extraordinary, and inspiring. It is a story reeling of the importance of press freedom in every country and is all the more pertant for the people of this country to gauge given recent developments in the Irish governments views of the Irish media. The announcement that a government appointed statutory press council is to be looked into has rightly provoked outrage amongst Irish journalists. It is a blatant attempt by the government to curb freedom of the press and to influence what content can and cannot be published.
The conflict between the Zimbabwen government and the aforementioned 'Daily News' is interesting in that it parallels between what the Irish Government are setting out to do in this country. Essentially it boils down to influencing the media, and thus influencing public opinion.
The power to influencing public opinion was key to Zimbabwen President Robert Mugabe's waging of war against the 'Daily News'. Founded in 1998 by Wilf Mbanga and launched in 2000, the'Daily News' was a breath of fresh air in a government controlled media. Mbanga described it's introduction as serving to make "the people feel freer".
Driven by fair and truthful journalism, and independent of any political ties, the 'Daily News' rapidly became a thorn in the side of Mugabes Zanu-PF government. In its short life span it rapidly established itself as the nations number one newspaper, outselling the government controlled 'National daily herald'.
More importantly though it served as the first Zimbabwen publication to truthfully inform its citizens as to the corruption and murderous activities being carried out by Mugabes government against the people he was elected to represent.immediately almost immediatly powered to rid Zimbabwe of The Daily News. It closed down, as I said, last month after months going through the courts and months ofironicallyation.
Ironicly, after Mugabe played every trick in the book including changings laws, paying judges,etc. The paper won its case in court after appeal. By this stage though the police had confiscated the papers printing equipment, effectively closing a publication, which unfortunately does not have the financial clout to purchase new equipment
For those interested The newspapers website is still functioning with its message board now a source for the papers readers to communicate news
www.dailynews.co.zw
Also read an article from Wilf published in The Guardian
http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,1051506,00.html
