Zimbabweans encouraged to use social media

The voluntary media council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) says people of Zimbabwe are now left without option but to make use of alternative medium like social media to reach their audience since the present day government is not willing to promote balanced, accurate and fair reporting since the government and politicians are meddling in the day to day media reporting which is flawed with propaganda and subjective reporting.

Addressing SADC youth organisations in Kariba during a regional youth camp held by Youth Empowerment Transformations Trust in Kariba the Director of VMCZ Takura Zhangazha says most journalists in African countries like Zimbabwe are between the horns of dilemma in performing their duties since governments and politician stifles their efforts in accurate and balanced reporting,
"Most governments are worried with the content of various media outlets, they want to control the content which is against the freedom of press. In Angola if you say anything about the president you will face the jail term what more about the content? In Zimbabwe we can't talk everyone knows what next"

He says the present day media terrain in Zimbabwe is not conducive to all political parties and other civil societies hence the need to use other alternatives like the social media, "Never give up you can do twit; there is face book which you can use to communicate since our media has spoiled with the so called media ethics which are there."

Zhangazha says since Zimbabwe is headed for a watershed general elections scheduled anytime this year it's critical for journalists to be accurate in their reporting and avoid to be too propagandistic since only few individual voices will be heard day and night while other organisations and political parties' views won't feature especially at the national broadcaster

Furthermore he says that people need to know that their ideas are legitimate and must not be discouraged by the limited space which the present media is providing or the way politicians want the general people want to believe." How much we have not utilize media technology and media space to articulate your own ideas more frequently and in a democratic reason, the main stream media is not necessarily the only problem at the moment, it is also your ability to communicate messages and issues concerning the elections'

It is beyond any reasonable doubt that the print and electronic media showed bias and inaccurate reporting during the time of referendum. A democratic society must acknowledge that society has diverse views which the Zimbabwean media houses failed to accept during the time of the referendum. The NO vote campaigns were denied adequate air time at the national broadcaster.  Only the YES vote plundered out state funds at the expense of other organisations and political parties. News papers were littered with the voice of Zanu-PF and MDC-T sentiments over the draft constitution at the expense of the other political parties and the civil societies which is totally against tenets of democracy in freedom of expression and the right of individuals to have opinion.