Evil lasts an hour, but truth lasts until the end of time.
– Arabic Proverb
Africa
Zimbabwe
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| IREX Score: 1.13 | [IREX Methodology] |
| {Higher is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to 4.00} |
IREX Description:
Regrettably, Zimbabwe's media landscape has remained virtually unchanged since the 2008 MSI study. February 2009 saw the formation of a very fragile coalition government, and some initially encouraging signs of the government's intention to reform the media according to the Global Political Agreement between the country's three main parties, but the outlook for the media has improved little. On the one hand, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction of the government wants to see the media reformed, but on the other hand, hardliners from the old guard, who still control the levers of real power within the most influential arms of government, block and undermine democratic reforms in general—and are deeply resistant to the prospect of change in the media landscape. The dominant state-controlled public media continue to present distorted and biased news. No independent daily papers or alternative domestic radio and television broadcasters have yet emerged to counter state-controlled voices.
As a result of Zimbabwe's lack of plurality, ordinary citizens continue to be excluded from understanding the work of the coalition government. Zimbabwe's restrictive media environment has left citizens unable to express their opinions freely about the course of transitional events unfolding in their country. Even Internet café patrons are subject to surveillance by the watchful authorities. Meanwhile, journalists face harassment, arrest, and prosecution under the repressive media laws that remain on the books to keep them in check.
Whether the power-sharing era will lead to an opening of media space remains to be seen. For now, the repressive laws continue to be applied with full force, despite clarion calls for extensive and meaningful media law reforms.
| Freedom House Score: 81 (Not Free) | [Freedom House Methodology] |
| {Lower is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to 100} |
| Freedom on the Net Score: 54 (Partly Free) | [Freedom House Methodology] |
| {Lower is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to 100} |
Internet and mobile-phone usage is nominally free from government interference in Zimbabwe, but there are indications that the government has a strong desire to control these communications technologies. There are also a number of practical obstacles that hinder citizens’ access, including poor infrastructure in urban areas, and an almost total lack of infrastructure in rural areas. Over the past decade, the country has experienced a major economic decline, contributing to severe power shortages and accelerated deterioration of the telecommunications system.1 Low bandwidth has also made internet connections extremely slow in Zimbabwe. Although internet access remains limited, since early 2009, the number of mobile-phone users has increased exponentially.
Read more on Freedom House's site...
| RSF Score: 39.50 | [RSF Methodology] |
| {Lower is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to ~120} |
Reporters Without Borders Description:
The year 2009 has given rise to new hopes for press freedom in Zimbabwe. After several years of brutal repression orchestrated by Robert Mugabe, the new government of national unity, led by former political opponent Morgan Tsvangirai, has the opportunity, if the head of state allows him the time and the means, to finally allow the media to grow again from the ashes.
The press of Zimbabwe today lies in ruins. The process of destruction began with close and permanent surveillance of journalists backed by draconian laws. It has also been wrecked by grotesque official rules and obstructions.
A third cause of the collapse in press freedom in Zimbabwe has been police brutality and injustices meted out to journalists. The urgent task ahead is for an easing of laws and encouragement to the independent press, previously one of Africa’s most vigorous, to get back on its feet again.
| Committee to Protect Journalists Description: | [What is the Committee to Protect Journalists?] |
Top Developments
• Press makes incremental gains as five private publication licenses are granted.
• Police, ZANU-PF loyalists harass, assault independent journalists.
Key Statistic
0: Broadcast licenses issued to private outlets since 2001.
Regulators granted five private publishing licenses, the first in seven years, opening a window for press freedom in this long-oppressed nation. But police harassment, regulatory intransigence concerning private broadcast licenses, and the government's unwillingness to pursue legal reforms ensured that the opening remained but a crack.
| IFEX News: | [What is IFEX?] |
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