Information minister in bid to cripple private media

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Chris Mushohwe has hinted that Government would not hesitate to instruct all its owned enterprises to boycott doing business with private media.

He claimed that private media was churning out negative stories about Zimbabwe which are chasing away potential foreign investors.

"What is being published is having a negative effect on the country's image. Investors are shunning the country because of what they are getting in the media. We are left with no option, but to act and correct the misrepresentation of the prevailing situation on the ground."

"Most of the media houses generate almost 60 percent of their businesses from State-owned enterprises and parastatals through advertisements and subscriptions. You can imagine what will happen to these companies if Government-owned enterprises boycott doing business with them for just five days. These companies will surely collapse and they should not force us to take that route," he said.

He also claimed that 99 percent of the headline stories in the private media are attacking the First Family.