News / National
Media complaints update - VMCZ
22 Mar 2012 at 11:00hrs | Views
Below are cases before the The Media Complaints Committee (MCC) and their outcomes.
Case 1.
Tafara Chigumira v/s RadioVop and The Zimbabwean
- MCC received a complaint from Mr. Tafara Chikumira over an article headed "ZBC journo fingered in Zanu violence' published in Radio VOP on 08 November 2011.
- Mr. Chikumira is aggrieved because he alleges that the article published is false. He said RadioVop alleged that he was part of Zanu PF group 'Chipangano.' He also alleges that The Zimbabwean and Radio VOP proceeded to publish the story without contacting him to give his side of the story. Mr. Chikumira said he wanted RadioVop to publish a retraction of the story.
- The Zimbabwean communicated to the MCC that the story they used, as acknowledged in the report, was picked from RadioVop
STATUS: FINALISED
- The Media Complaints Committee (MCC) summoned RadioVop and Mr. Chikumira to a hearing on 29 February, 2012.
- RadioVop was represented at the hearing by John Masuku. Mr Chikumira indicated that he wanted RadioVop to issue a retraction of the story but indicated that he was not authorised to speak to the media and will not comment when asked to do so.
- After hearing from both parties the MCC determined that although there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct, RadioVop should carry a story outlining that Mr.Chikumira had appeared before MCC and had denied that he was part of the campaign that disrupted the meeting in question.
Case 2.
Clr Taurai Demo versus Financial Gazette
- Councillor Taurai Demo filed a complaint with the Media Complaints Committee over an article headed "Deputy Mayor buys stand in Zim Dollar" published in the Financial Gazette of 12 - 18 January 2012.
- Clr Demo is aggrieved because he alleges that the whole story is not true.
- Clr Demo says he has not at all bought any property from the City of Gweru in 2011 as claimed by the article and further says all details cited are false.
- Clr Demo says the article is false and he strongly requests a complete retraction of the whole story.
STATUS: FINALISED
- A letter was written to the Financial Gazette outlining Clr Demo's complaint. The Financial Gazette editor-in â€"chief, Hama Saburi said the story was written from an authentic document with details showing that Clr Demo had bought the stand in Zim dollar.
- The Financial Gazette attached the document and a press statement from Gweru city council acknowledging the document cited by the Financial Gazette.
- Council in the document indicated that one of its employees made a mistake in capturing information and quoted a transfer document between Clr Demo and another resident in Zimbabwe dollars.
- The MCC in assessing the matter ruled that there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct by the Financial Gazette.
- The MCC wrote to Demo indicating that from evidence supplied by the Financial Gazette the committee did not find a breach of the code of conduct in the manner the newspaper reported.
Case 3.
Lucky Tshuma v/s B-Metro
- Lucky Tshuma a freelance photo-journalist has filed a complaint accusing B-Metro newspaper of allegedly using one of his photographs without his permission.
- Tshuma says the practise by the newspaper is unethical and accuses the paper of infringing copy write laws and wants the paper to acknowledge that they used his picture without permission and to stop the practise.
STATUS : FINALISED
- In his submissions Mr. Tshuma indicated that he had published his pictures on Facebook.
- Committee while conceding that issues involving pictures were complex noted that terms and conditions on Facebook did not protect material posted on the website. The committee also noted that once a picture was posted on Facebook and downloaded by several people, several copies of the same pictures would have been made hence the picture ceased to be original.
- The committee indicated that whenever a person posted material on Facebook they ceded their right to control what Facebook did with the material.
- The Committee said Mr Tshuma should have used the basic privacy features available on Facebook to control who views one's material.
- The Media Complaints Committee after carefully analyzing Mr Tshuma's submissions ruled that there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct on the part of B-Metro.
Case 4.
Dr Katherine Mauchaza v/s Daily News and the Herald
- Dr Katherine Mauchaza filed a complaint with the Media Complaints Committee after the Daily News carried a story entitled 'Doctor in the Dock' published by the newspaper on 4 January 2012. Dr Mauchaza was later acquitted on 20 January, 2012.
- The Daily News however did not carry the story on the acquittal of Dr Mauchaza.
- Dr Mauchaza wanted the Newspaper to carry the acquittal story
STATUS: FINALISED
The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe arranged a meeting between Dr Mauchaza the Daily News and The Herald. The Daily News and the Herald, as a result of the meeting facilitated by VMCZ carried a story each on Dr Mauchaza's acquittal.
Case 5.
Morris Mutema versus NewsDay
- The Media Complaints Committee has received a complaint from Mr Morris Mutema, the Acting Finance Director, with the city of Kwekwe over an article headed "Audit Report confirms looting of funds" published in the Newsday of 17 January, 2012.
- Mr Mutema is aggrieved as he says he was not contacted to comment on the matter since he is in charge of finances in the city and accusations of looting point to him.
- Mr Mutema also claims several stories have been written about him without any comment being sought from him.
- Mr Mutema alleges that the kind of reporting exhibited by the Newsday reporter in Kwekwe is unprofessional and is meant to tarnish his image. Mr Mutema claims he phoned the newsroom and spoke to one of the editors who promised that he will be contacted when stories are written about him.
STATUS : RESOLVED
- The MCC invited Mr. Mutema and NewsDay to a hearing of the matter on 29 February 2012.
- NewsDay was represented in the matter by the paper's Deputy Editor and Reporter Blessed Mhlanga.
- NewsDay conceded and indicated that they did not speak to Mr. Mutemi as council policy was for reporters to seek comment from the mayor and the Town Clerk which the newspaper said they did before writing the story.
- After hearing from both sides resolved that the story was not balanced as it omitted to mention that the audit report had not been finalised.
- The committee ruled that Mr. Mutema should request the appropriate Kwekwe council official to allow him to speak to NewsDay so that his side of the story can be published.
- The MCC said the gag on senior officials by the Kwekwe Municipality made it difficult for journalists to approach Mr. Mutema.
- The committee however noted that both parties were open to engaging each other on the matter.
Case 6.
Mrs Irene Zindi versus the Zimbabwean
- Mrs Irene Zindi filed a complaint over two stories published in the Zimbabwean. The first article was published on the 27th of March 2011 under the headline "Ex MP Zindi vandalises farm" while the second article was published on 20 November 2011 under the headline "Coffee project destroyed: Workers"
- Mrs Zindi says the two articles are defamatory and wants the Zimbabwean to issue a retraction and apologise over the two stories
STATUS : FINALISED
- When the issue was brought to the attention of the Zimbabwean the newspaper requested the Media Complaints Committee to allow the paper and the complainant's lawyers Chibaya and Partners Legal Practitioners to resolve the matter amicably. The committee acceded to the request to let the two parties resolve the matter amongst themselves.
Case 7.
Clr Taurai Demo versus The Chronicle
- The Media Complaints Committee received a complaint from Clr Taurai Demo over an article headed "Soldier Commits Suicide over Wife's Infidelity" published in the Chronicle of 21 January 2012.
- Clr Demo is aggrieved because he alleges that the whole story is not only inaccurate but malicious and damaging to his person as deputy mayor of Gweru.
- He says at no point was he involved in an extra-marital affair with the woman he is alleged to be having an extra-marital affair with.
- Clr Demo says the story has many inaccuracies as the woman he is alleged to be having an extra-marital affair with is not even a secretary as alleged in the story.
- Clr Demo says the whole article is false and he strongly requests an apology and a retraction over his mentioning in the story.
STATUS : PENDING
- A letter was written to the Chronicle Editor, Innocent Gore, who requested that the complainant contact the newspaper so that the matter is looked into. Clr Demo agreed to deal directly with the publication and promised to get back to MCC if not satisfied with engagements with the paper.
Case 8.
Ms Tarisai Gashu versus The Standard
- The Media Complaints Committee received a complaint from Ms Tarisai Gashu over an article headed "Health experts' warning on sanitary pads' published in the Standard of January 1 to 7, 2012.
- Ms Gashu is aggrieved as she says she never spoke to the reporter at all.
- Further Ms Gashu is a health worker and says the publication of the story has affected her at her workplace as the sanitary pads she is quoted supporting have not been approved for use by the Ministry of Health. Ms Gashu also says the story has also affected her marriage as her husband is now accusing her of using every kind of pads.
- Ms Gwashu wants the reporter to prove which Tarisai Gwashu she interviewed as she never spoke to the reporter at all and is seeking monetary compensation for advertising the product.
STATUS: RESOLVED
- The MCC, after due consideration of the complaint, invited Ms Gashu and The Standard to a hearing.
- The Standard was represented by Walter Marwizi, the deputy editor, and Jennifer Dube, the reporter who authored the story.
- Ms Gashu was invited to make her submissions on the nature of her complaint.
- She said she was surprised to see the article alleging what she had said to the reporter, when in fact she never spoke to any reporter.
- Ms Gashu further said that the publication of the article was affecting her at work and was also affecting her marriage.
- Marwizi said that case represents a situation of two people who share the same name.
- The MCC, after careful analyzing Ms Gashu's submissions, ruled that there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct on the part of The Standard.
- It, however, instructs The Standard to carry a clarification in its next edition with a picture of Ms Gashu, putting the record straight that she is not the Tarisai Gashu who was interviewed and reported in its edition of 1-7 January 2012.
- The MCC also advised her that the VMCZ did not have the jurisdiction to make a monetary award.
- Further, the MCC advised The Standard that in future, reporters should objectively verify the identities of respondents when covering a vox pop story.
Case 1.
Tafara Chigumira v/s RadioVop and The Zimbabwean
- MCC received a complaint from Mr. Tafara Chikumira over an article headed "ZBC journo fingered in Zanu violence' published in Radio VOP on 08 November 2011.
- Mr. Chikumira is aggrieved because he alleges that the article published is false. He said RadioVop alleged that he was part of Zanu PF group 'Chipangano.' He also alleges that The Zimbabwean and Radio VOP proceeded to publish the story without contacting him to give his side of the story. Mr. Chikumira said he wanted RadioVop to publish a retraction of the story.
- The Zimbabwean communicated to the MCC that the story they used, as acknowledged in the report, was picked from RadioVop
STATUS: FINALISED
- The Media Complaints Committee (MCC) summoned RadioVop and Mr. Chikumira to a hearing on 29 February, 2012.
- RadioVop was represented at the hearing by John Masuku. Mr Chikumira indicated that he wanted RadioVop to issue a retraction of the story but indicated that he was not authorised to speak to the media and will not comment when asked to do so.
- After hearing from both parties the MCC determined that although there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct, RadioVop should carry a story outlining that Mr.Chikumira had appeared before MCC and had denied that he was part of the campaign that disrupted the meeting in question.
Case 2.
Clr Taurai Demo versus Financial Gazette
- Councillor Taurai Demo filed a complaint with the Media Complaints Committee over an article headed "Deputy Mayor buys stand in Zim Dollar" published in the Financial Gazette of 12 - 18 January 2012.
- Clr Demo is aggrieved because he alleges that the whole story is not true.
- Clr Demo says he has not at all bought any property from the City of Gweru in 2011 as claimed by the article and further says all details cited are false.
- Clr Demo says the article is false and he strongly requests a complete retraction of the whole story.
STATUS: FINALISED
- A letter was written to the Financial Gazette outlining Clr Demo's complaint. The Financial Gazette editor-in â€"chief, Hama Saburi said the story was written from an authentic document with details showing that Clr Demo had bought the stand in Zim dollar.
- The Financial Gazette attached the document and a press statement from Gweru city council acknowledging the document cited by the Financial Gazette.
- Council in the document indicated that one of its employees made a mistake in capturing information and quoted a transfer document between Clr Demo and another resident in Zimbabwe dollars.
- The MCC in assessing the matter ruled that there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct by the Financial Gazette.
- The MCC wrote to Demo indicating that from evidence supplied by the Financial Gazette the committee did not find a breach of the code of conduct in the manner the newspaper reported.
Case 3.
Lucky Tshuma v/s B-Metro
- Lucky Tshuma a freelance photo-journalist has filed a complaint accusing B-Metro newspaper of allegedly using one of his photographs without his permission.
- Tshuma says the practise by the newspaper is unethical and accuses the paper of infringing copy write laws and wants the paper to acknowledge that they used his picture without permission and to stop the practise.
STATUS : FINALISED
- In his submissions Mr. Tshuma indicated that he had published his pictures on Facebook.
- Committee while conceding that issues involving pictures were complex noted that terms and conditions on Facebook did not protect material posted on the website. The committee also noted that once a picture was posted on Facebook and downloaded by several people, several copies of the same pictures would have been made hence the picture ceased to be original.
- The committee indicated that whenever a person posted material on Facebook they ceded their right to control what Facebook did with the material.
- The Committee said Mr Tshuma should have used the basic privacy features available on Facebook to control who views one's material.
- The Media Complaints Committee after carefully analyzing Mr Tshuma's submissions ruled that there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct on the part of B-Metro.
Case 4.
Dr Katherine Mauchaza v/s Daily News and the Herald
- Dr Katherine Mauchaza filed a complaint with the Media Complaints Committee after the Daily News carried a story entitled 'Doctor in the Dock' published by the newspaper on 4 January 2012. Dr Mauchaza was later acquitted on 20 January, 2012.
- The Daily News however did not carry the story on the acquittal of Dr Mauchaza.
- Dr Mauchaza wanted the Newspaper to carry the acquittal story
STATUS: FINALISED
The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe arranged a meeting between Dr Mauchaza the Daily News and The Herald. The Daily News and the Herald, as a result of the meeting facilitated by VMCZ carried a story each on Dr Mauchaza's acquittal.
Case 5.
Morris Mutema versus NewsDay
- The Media Complaints Committee has received a complaint from Mr Morris Mutema, the Acting Finance Director, with the city of Kwekwe over an article headed "Audit Report confirms looting of funds" published in the Newsday of 17 January, 2012.
- Mr Mutema also claims several stories have been written about him without any comment being sought from him.
- Mr Mutema alleges that the kind of reporting exhibited by the Newsday reporter in Kwekwe is unprofessional and is meant to tarnish his image. Mr Mutema claims he phoned the newsroom and spoke to one of the editors who promised that he will be contacted when stories are written about him.
STATUS : RESOLVED
- The MCC invited Mr. Mutema and NewsDay to a hearing of the matter on 29 February 2012.
- NewsDay was represented in the matter by the paper's Deputy Editor and Reporter Blessed Mhlanga.
- NewsDay conceded and indicated that they did not speak to Mr. Mutemi as council policy was for reporters to seek comment from the mayor and the Town Clerk which the newspaper said they did before writing the story.
- After hearing from both sides resolved that the story was not balanced as it omitted to mention that the audit report had not been finalised.
- The committee ruled that Mr. Mutema should request the appropriate Kwekwe council official to allow him to speak to NewsDay so that his side of the story can be published.
- The MCC said the gag on senior officials by the Kwekwe Municipality made it difficult for journalists to approach Mr. Mutema.
- The committee however noted that both parties were open to engaging each other on the matter.
Case 6.
Mrs Irene Zindi versus the Zimbabwean
- Mrs Irene Zindi filed a complaint over two stories published in the Zimbabwean. The first article was published on the 27th of March 2011 under the headline "Ex MP Zindi vandalises farm" while the second article was published on 20 November 2011 under the headline "Coffee project destroyed: Workers"
- Mrs Zindi says the two articles are defamatory and wants the Zimbabwean to issue a retraction and apologise over the two stories
STATUS : FINALISED
- When the issue was brought to the attention of the Zimbabwean the newspaper requested the Media Complaints Committee to allow the paper and the complainant's lawyers Chibaya and Partners Legal Practitioners to resolve the matter amicably. The committee acceded to the request to let the two parties resolve the matter amongst themselves.
Case 7.
Clr Taurai Demo versus The Chronicle
- The Media Complaints Committee received a complaint from Clr Taurai Demo over an article headed "Soldier Commits Suicide over Wife's Infidelity" published in the Chronicle of 21 January 2012.
- Clr Demo is aggrieved because he alleges that the whole story is not only inaccurate but malicious and damaging to his person as deputy mayor of Gweru.
- He says at no point was he involved in an extra-marital affair with the woman he is alleged to be having an extra-marital affair with.
- Clr Demo says the story has many inaccuracies as the woman he is alleged to be having an extra-marital affair with is not even a secretary as alleged in the story.
- Clr Demo says the whole article is false and he strongly requests an apology and a retraction over his mentioning in the story.
STATUS : PENDING
- A letter was written to the Chronicle Editor, Innocent Gore, who requested that the complainant contact the newspaper so that the matter is looked into. Clr Demo agreed to deal directly with the publication and promised to get back to MCC if not satisfied with engagements with the paper.
Case 8.
Ms Tarisai Gashu versus The Standard
- The Media Complaints Committee received a complaint from Ms Tarisai Gashu over an article headed "Health experts' warning on sanitary pads' published in the Standard of January 1 to 7, 2012.
- Ms Gashu is aggrieved as she says she never spoke to the reporter at all.
- Further Ms Gashu is a health worker and says the publication of the story has affected her at her workplace as the sanitary pads she is quoted supporting have not been approved for use by the Ministry of Health. Ms Gashu also says the story has also affected her marriage as her husband is now accusing her of using every kind of pads.
- Ms Gwashu wants the reporter to prove which Tarisai Gwashu she interviewed as she never spoke to the reporter at all and is seeking monetary compensation for advertising the product.
STATUS: RESOLVED
- The MCC, after due consideration of the complaint, invited Ms Gashu and The Standard to a hearing.
- The Standard was represented by Walter Marwizi, the deputy editor, and Jennifer Dube, the reporter who authored the story.
- Ms Gashu was invited to make her submissions on the nature of her complaint.
- She said she was surprised to see the article alleging what she had said to the reporter, when in fact she never spoke to any reporter.
- Ms Gashu further said that the publication of the article was affecting her at work and was also affecting her marriage.
- Marwizi said that case represents a situation of two people who share the same name.
- The MCC, after careful analyzing Ms Gashu's submissions, ruled that there was no breach of the Media Code of Conduct on the part of The Standard.
- It, however, instructs The Standard to carry a clarification in its next edition with a picture of Ms Gashu, putting the record straight that she is not the Tarisai Gashu who was interviewed and reported in its edition of 1-7 January 2012.
- The MCC also advised her that the VMCZ did not have the jurisdiction to make a monetary award.
- Further, the MCC advised The Standard that in future, reporters should objectively verify the identities of respondents when covering a vox pop story.
Source - VMCZ
