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Media mogul Trevor Ncube: Alpha Media Holdings have been waiting for a licence for their new daily, NewsDay

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ZIMBABWE's state-owned newspapers performed dismally last year despite enjoying a virtual monopoly on the daily news market, recording an operational loss of US$329 000 during the year to 31 December 2009.

The bleak performance could signal a disaster for the newspapers should government go ahead and licence new daily newspapers in the country, which are likely to offer stiff competition and provide readers and advertisers with an alternative.

Paul Chimedza, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) group, which publishes three dailies, The Herald and The Chronicle and the tabloid H-Metro introduced last year, as well as at least five weekly titles, said the newspaper printing division had been weighed down by huge overheads and low revenue.

But he vowed to maintain the group's market share and to “remain the publisher of choice for both the reader and the advertiser”.

He said the company had resorted to importing newsprint after the closure of the country's sole newsprint manufacturer, Mutare Board and Paper Mills.

“Newsprint, which was previously the main constraint, is now being imported and the company has adequate stocks,” said Chimedza.

Last week, in an open rebuke to Media, Information and Publicity secretary George Charamba who has been frustrating the licensing of new players in the newspaper publishing sector, Robert Mugabe told the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to get on with its mandate of opening up the media space.

At a meeting with editors from all media houses at Zimbabwe House on Thursday, Mugabe said only commissioners for the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission needed to be sworn in before they start working.

He was responding to a remark by Charamba, who had said it was "their understanding" that the nine ZMC commissioners must be sworn in first before they can carry out their duties. Mugabe told him publicly that the ZMC did not need to be sworn in and should be getting on with its work.

There were reports last week that the ZMC's secretariat, inherited from the discredited Tafataona Mahoso-led Media and Information Commission was turning away publishers trying to apply for new licences.

The publishers were told that the commission would only start receiving applications in two weeks' time.

"They were gazetted, they must be operating now," Mugabe said after consulting Deputy Media, Information and Publicity minister Jameson Timba who sat next to him during the meeting.

Last month government formally appointed the ZMC commissioners, namely Godfrey Majonga (chairman), Nqobile Nyathi (deputy), Chris Mutsvangwa, Matthew Takaona, Chris Mhike, Henry Muradzikwa, Lawton Hikwa, Mirriam Madziwa and Millicent Mombeshora after the three governing parties agreed on the composition of the ZMC.

Alpha Media Holdings, publishers of the Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard, have been waiting for a licence for their new daily, NewsDay, since last year.

Raphael Khumalo, chief executive officer of Alpha Media Holdings, said there appeared to be a clique in government that wanted to undo the positive work done by the coalition especially in freeing the media space.

"I can't understand why there is so much prevarication on such a simple matter," he said. "I hope that we get this done and over within the next week or so."

He warned that if the ZMC commissioners do not become proactive, the country might slide back to the era where media plurality was under constant threat.

On the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), Mugabe told the editors that Tsvangirai had raised objections about the manner in which the board was appointed.

Last year Media, Information and Publicity minister Webster Shamu unilaterally appointed the board, which he stuffed with Zanu PF sympathisers and former soldiers.

The law says the board must be appointed by Mugabe in consultation with Tsvangirai.

"If the appointments were irregular they have to be reversed," Mugabe said.

Meanwhile, Mugabe says negotiators in the on-and-off talks on the implementation of outstanding issues of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) are too busy to conclude the dialogue.

"They are the same people who are government ministers. . .they are busy people," he said. "Look at (Finance minister Tendai) Biti. He is always out of the country looking for money. . . he is a constant absentee.

"(Justice Minister Patrick) Chinamasa is in Geneva for the Human Rights Commission and the schedule lasts for the whole month and those from the MDC-M, they are often out of the country."

MDC-T says as far as it is concerned the talks have reached a deadlock because of Zanu PF's intransigence and has referred the matter to Sadc.

But Mugabe insisted most of the issues that were being discussed were outside the GPA.

He said the inclusive government was now working smoothly after six months of "trying to find each other".

Every Monday, Mugabe said he meets Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara at Zimbabwe House where they have tea together.

"It was as if we were strangers when we started but we are much more intimate now and much friendlier," he said.

"At the top it has played this wonderful role but it is down there where we still have friction.

"The GPA truly speaking is in operation totally." 

Additional reporting by Businesscommunity.com

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