Media should not shy from speaking truth to power in defence of democracy

NE WSDAY celebrates 10 years of existence during which it has entrenched and asserted its position in the market as an informative must-read on the goings-on in Zimbabwe’s socioeconomic and political spectrum. As the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)Zimbabwe, we are cognisant of the fact that this has been no mean feat for the daily newspaper, which came on stream as a new kid on the block 10 years ago, considering Zimbabwe’s gruelling and seemingly unrelenting harsh economic business environment.

It is common cause, that newspapers, not only in Zimbabwe, but globally, are losing their traditional sources of revenue and struggling to survive while others are dying slowly and laying off critical support staff including journalists.

Thus NewsDay can only be the envy of other publications that have either been stillborn or closed shop owing to shrinkages in circulation and dwindling advertising revenue.

In some cases this has been due to repressive anti-media freedom laws as has been witnessed elsewhere in Africa.

This has also been worsened by the advent of ICT digital platforms spawning readership migration to social media platforms and special websites offering the same services, products and content (even for free), that used to be the domain of newspapers.

The editorial team, and indeed management at the Alpha Media Holdings stable, despite the odds and immense sustainability challenges they face, have persevered in living up to the paper’s motto: Everyday News for Everyday People.

It goes without saying, the daily newspaper as part of the Fourth Estate, strives to fulfil the media’s critical watchdog role in defence of democratic principles and practice by keeping a hawk’s eye on the Executive and holding those in power accountable to taxpayers and the citizens in general.

This is not to say the publication does not have professional challenges or shortcomings. There is need for multiplicity and inclusivity of voices in its stories.

The paper, despite the economic challenges and inherent production and circulation costs, should try as much as possible to reach out to marginalised communities as a national circulating publication.

In the meantime, MISA Zimbabwe, in sync with the Windhoek Declaration which promotes a free, independent and pluralistic media, will continue to support the media through its trainings and media capacity programmes.

It is in that vein that the organisation appealed to the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, to come up with a media sustainability rescue package given the critical role played by the media in entrenching democracy and citizens’ right to access to information.

This can be in the form of tax/duty exemptions and moratoriums (over a realistically determined period), on newsprint and other mass media production and distribution equipment.

The government should also consider reducing the registration and licensing fees for media houses, as well as doing away with some of the punitive duplicitous levies and fees charged in terms of the country’s regulatory framework.

Above all, the occasion of NewsDay’s 10 years of existence, should come as an opportunity to introspect and reflect on the future for purposes of coming up with a sustainability turnaround strategy taking into account new business models in line with global media developments and trends.

The business model should be underpinned by authoritative and professional journalism that inspires and retains the confidence and trust of readers, not only in Zimbabwe, but internationally, taking into account the vast opportunities offered by converged digital media platforms.

Projecting the next decade, the publication should invest heavily in the calibration of its business model to remain competitive in the everchanging ICTs environment.

The newspaper needs to take a leap forward in monetising online consumption patterns as readers migrate from traditional platforms to online news.

This is of paramount importance especially in the fight against misinformation and disinformation.

The media in this regard becomes the institution for churning out authentic information.

Therefore, the next decade is crucial for media sustainability in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Happy 10th anniversary NewsDay!