News / National
Mandiwanzira blasts ZBC TV reporters
20 May 2014 at 12:43hrs | Views
Deputy minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Supa Mandiwanzira, touched a storm in Chinhoyi when he accused ZBC-TV reporters of exclusively focusing their coverage on politicians and ministers.
Mandiwanzira, who officially opened an editors' workshop coordinated by the National Aids Council (Nac) was incensed by the ZBC-TV news crew who only switched on their cameras when he was about to deliver his presentation after ignoring four other presentations by high profile medical doctors and Nac officials.
The ZBC-TV news team sprang into action at the mention of Mandiwanzira's name.
But the deputy minister immediately called the reporters and cameramen to order.
"As I was sitting here and listening to the presentation by the other speakers, I learnt a lot of things about HIV/Aids which I did not know in the past," Mandiwanzira said.
"It was an enriching experience, but I am disappointed that you ZBC-TV reporters could only switch on your cameras because I am the one speaking."
Mandiwanzira said while it was important to capture politicians' presentations, it was wrong not to cover others at the same forum.
In most of its news bulletins, ZBC-TV usually devotes plenty of airtime to politicians in the Zanu PF government, while ignoring all the other speakers who would have given their own presentations.
Equally, there are ministers and government officials who will not start any presentations if the ZBC-TV team is not there. Such ministers would rather delay proceedings while waiting in for the TV crew.
"News is not only about politicians and policy makers, it is about the people," Mandiwanzira said. "Why should you ignore people in your reports and only cover us?"
The ZBC-TV news crew tried to defend their stance by claiming that they had backup footage from archives on the matters under discussion, but the deputy minister would have none of it.
"There is no need to be defensive because what we are talking about are the fresh presentations...You are ignoring important data," the former TV journalist-cum-minister said
The ZBC-TV news crew told Mandiwanzira that all politicians in government demanded to be covered and the 60-minute news bulletin was not enough to include other voices.
The TV crew told the deputy minister that politicians get angry if they are not covered. The scribes said at times they were forced to only cover the politicians, usually the guest speaker, and then run to another assignment.
Mandiwanzira, who officially opened an editors' workshop coordinated by the National Aids Council (Nac) was incensed by the ZBC-TV news crew who only switched on their cameras when he was about to deliver his presentation after ignoring four other presentations by high profile medical doctors and Nac officials.
The ZBC-TV news team sprang into action at the mention of Mandiwanzira's name.
But the deputy minister immediately called the reporters and cameramen to order.
"As I was sitting here and listening to the presentation by the other speakers, I learnt a lot of things about HIV/Aids which I did not know in the past," Mandiwanzira said.
"It was an enriching experience, but I am disappointed that you ZBC-TV reporters could only switch on your cameras because I am the one speaking."
Mandiwanzira said while it was important to capture politicians' presentations, it was wrong not to cover others at the same forum.
Equally, there are ministers and government officials who will not start any presentations if the ZBC-TV team is not there. Such ministers would rather delay proceedings while waiting in for the TV crew.
"News is not only about politicians and policy makers, it is about the people," Mandiwanzira said. "Why should you ignore people in your reports and only cover us?"
The ZBC-TV news crew tried to defend their stance by claiming that they had backup footage from archives on the matters under discussion, but the deputy minister would have none of it.
"There is no need to be defensive because what we are talking about are the fresh presentations...You are ignoring important data," the former TV journalist-cum-minister said
The ZBC-TV news crew told Mandiwanzira that all politicians in government demanded to be covered and the 60-minute news bulletin was not enough to include other voices.
The TV crew told the deputy minister that politicians get angry if they are not covered. The scribes said at times they were forced to only cover the politicians, usually the guest speaker, and then run to another assignment.
Source - dailynews
