STATE broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has somewhat tweaked its editorial policy and for the first time, is asking hard questions of Zanu PF politicians and government ministers, in what many view as uncharacteristic of the nakedly partisan institution.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
ZBC officials yesterday said the national broadcaster had decided to carry once-off stories to help government scrutinise its performance.
“I want to state categorically that the ZBC has not changed its editorial policy. We continue as usual,” ZBC chief executive officer, Patrick Mavura said, before referring questions on the stories to the broadcaster’s editor-in-chief, Tazzen Manidzvidza.
Mandizvidza said: “As you have already been told, we have not changed.
“Just that we normally pick one story to help government realise areas of social delivery. People do not seem to give us the credit, but in this case, we picked more issues. We are actually going to follow these issues up with relevant ministers.”
On its website, ZBC wrote a story about the government’s forgotten jatropha project, saying it had been sunk by corruption.
The main stories in the broadcaster’s flagship bulletin have also been somewhat critical of the government.
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On social media, in a series of unusual tweets, ZBC raised red flags over government programmes that had been launched with pomp and fanfare only to turn into white elephants, with others speculating that broadcaster’s Twitter account may have been hacked.
“Impunity is also causing non-action on national projects and incompetent officials are to blame for non-execution of projects,” ZBC tweeted, to the amusement of the company’s Twitter followers.
“What happened to the bio-diesel plant in Mt Hampden? At the height of excitement, the jatropha plant was named the plant of the year in 2006.
“In the late 1990s, the NRZ (National Railways of Zimbabwe) tabled ambitious proposals to construct a railway line linking Harare and Chitungwiza. What became of it?”
The tweets attracted immediate responses from shocked followers.
Social activist, Linda Masarira quipped: “Is this a reformed @ZBCNewsonline or their account has been hacked?”
Former Cabinet minister, Nkosana Moyo, who recently launched his party, Alliance for the People’s Agenda, to challenge President Robert Mugabe, said an inept government had resulted in failure to deliver on promises highlighted by ZBC.
Never Maswerasei said: “Congratulations, for the first time reporting factually. This is what we call professionalism. If you can be like this for a year, you will recover audience.”
Another ZBC follower, Edgar Mushore, asked: “Is this ZBC for sure or you have been hacked? Surely sanctions, the British, weather or something else other than ourselves is to blame?”
