Yesterday (Thursday) MMPZ released their second report of the Media Credibility Index after conducting surrvey that investigated the authenticity of news in both the public and private media.
The report covered a two month period from October and November 2012, and the survey assessed all front page stories published in newspapers and those aired on both television and radio stations.
The survey which monitored 12 national news outlets rated the private media as a better performer with a 90 percent credibility rating whilst the public media had 83 percent.
MMPZ Director, Andy Moyse, said there were profound journalistic flaws in the way the media treated top stories with many newspapers often resorting to sensational and misleading headlines to increase their reach.
" Most political stories had misleading headlines and the use of hate language is still a common feature in Zimbabwe. We are worried by the increase in number of uninformed political stories as we head for elections.
"Some journalists are part time politicians and they push for a certain political agenda which brings us back to the issue of credibility. Don't report on rumors, try to get facts so that you can defend your story even in the court of law," he said.
Moyse said the Zimbabwean media environment had been muzzled and crippled by the laws that criminalised journalism.
Post published in: News
This research is biased, l hate the private media,it has a western agenda
As a Zimbabwean, I am disgusted by the pressure put on Zimbabwean journalist by the private media to prove their objectivity by how much they can demonize Robert Mugabe.
In their columns, they do not have much to say about empowerment of Zimbabweans, Genuine Human Rights which also respect Human Life. Land ownership, indigenisation, property rights and its merits and many other issues relevant to Zimbabwe.
The columns are silent on hypocrisy with regards to how Zimbabwe is portrayed and reported in the western media.
For example 2500 people could be murdered in Kenya but the focus would be on the 30 in Zimbabwe. This is not to say that 30 is better than 2500.
They lack the political unity to properly feed and sustain the Zimbabwean people at home and abroad. What we see in their columns lacks critical analysis. There is more commentary on the reports by the western media. More pandering to what is acceptable them. What a Legacy.