HARARE - ZBC has stepped up its pro-Zanu (PF) propaganda while, in direct contravention of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), refusing to make airtime available to other political parties, says the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ).
The public broadcaster is run by Happison Muchechetere, a war veteran who has unashamedly reduced it to a Zanu (PF) publicity mouthpiece, which demonises other political parties and vainly preens the battered image of the former ruling party.
During the festive season the national broadcaster, ZBC, made nonsense of its public mandate to provide its audiences with fair, balanced and accurate information by bombarding them with an avalanche of partisan publicity for Zanu (PF), erroneously portraying it as still the only ruling party in the country, notes MMPZ.
ZBC went overboard with its propaganda in the period under review, giving Zanu (PF) 98 percent of news time exposure.
Zanu (PF) received publicity in 155 (98%) of the 158 stories that ZBC allocated to political parties. The remaining three were on the smaller MDC formation, which recently held its congress to elect a new leadership. The activities of other political parties, including the most popular MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, were censored, giving Zanu (PF) an advantage over competitors in the event of the much debated elections.
The broadcaster has also used its monotonous current affairs programmes, such as Talking Business, hosted by diehard Zanu (PF) supporter Supa Mandiwanzira, and Zvevanhu, hosted by Vimbai Chivaura and media hangman Tafataona Mahoso and Sheunesu Mupepereki, to belittle other parties as puppets of the West.
While failing to pay its workers last year, the corporation dished out presents to Zanu (PF) government officials and senior army chiefs.
Embarrassed by this gesture, President Robert Mugabes spokesperson, George Charamba, refused to accept the gift.
Post published in: News