The Media Centre operates as a neutral platform for media and civil society interaction, information sharing and awareness raising through the provision of a secure space, information, access to communication technologies and training in Harare.
The facility is open to all Media workers in the private, public/State-owned Media, and freelance journalists including Media students and civil society organisations.
Many journalists are already utilising the facilities of the Media Centre including practitioners from various local and international organisations operating in Zimbabwe today.
The diversified members include website, radio, newspaper, television as well as journalism training practitioners.
The Media Centre, according to its objectives, is meant to provide civil society a platform for interacting with the Media, facilitate access to information by the Media, facilitate objective and comprehensive coverage of issues in Zimbabwe by the Media, promote optimum and effexctive use of social Media and other information technologies and enhance reporting skills of Zimbabwe's Media workers.
It is also meant to seek co-ordination of Media workers and organisations in Zimbabwe for optimum utilisation of resources, provide a safe and secure working environment for Media workers and civil society organisations, as well as undertake research that promotes and enhances its objectives.
The facility is open from Monday to Friday from 8am until about 6:30pm daily. Members pay a monthly fee of US$10. They can also simply pay US$1 for two hours to browse the internet or write their news reports.
Most internet cafes in Harare are currently charging US$1 for between 30 and 40 minutes on the internet today, an amount found to be rather "steep" by some journalists, many of whom are poorly paid in Zimbabwe.
In its brochure, The Media Centre says its Mission is to "work with the Media and Civil Society to enhance professional jouranalism standards, support increased access to information and create a platform for progressive public debate".
Post published in: Arts