Bornwell Chakaodza memorial lecture series statement

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe 0n Tuesday held the 3rd Annual Bornwell Chakaodza Memorial Lecture as part of the 2014 World Press Freedom Day Commemorations.

The memorial lecture was delivered by seasoned journalist, Mr. Cris Chinaka under the topic "Leadership Challenges in Zimbabwe's Media Industry."

Chinaka in his address to delegates pointed out that Zimbabwe's media will need a strong leadership for the media to be effective.

He said in the last 15 years Zimbabwean journalism has been caught between 4Ss. Chinaka said the four Ss were sunshine and sycophantic and shrill and sensational reporting.

"A study of Zimbabwe over the last 15 years shows that its journalism has unfortunately been caught between four Ss -- between sunshine and sycophantic journalism and shrill and sensational reporting, both driven by politics, said Chinaka."

Chinaka pointed out that there is no doubt Zimbabwe's media industry will need a strong leadership for it to play its role effectively. He said the challenge for Zimbabwe now he said is to build a media leadership with a ‘Triple A' rating.

The challenge for Zimbabwe is to build a media leadership with a "Triple A" rating of great Aptitude, great Attitude and great Application in terms of knowledge, skill and ethics," he said. "A conscious and competent media leadership can help to identify the pressing issues for the public and unpack them for easy digestion."

In his closing remarks Chinaka unpacked the cost of bad journalism saying "the net cost of bad journalism is an uninformed or ill-informed public and bad journalism misinforms and misinterprets."

He also reminded those attending the Bornwell Chakaodza Memorial Lecture that "bad journalism can incite conflict, create misunderstandings, and exacerbate disputes."

"Journalism is a key part of the knowledge industry, and its leaders must play their part and be ashamed to be associated with mediocrity. The net cost of bad journalism is an uninformed or ill-informed public. But the cumulative costs are much, much higher," said Chinaka.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, VMCZ Chairperson Mr. Alec Muchadehama told guests that the Bornwell Chakaodza Memorial Lecture was aimed at constantly reminding everyone on the importance of professionalism and ethical conduct in the practice of journalism.

Muchadehama also said the lecture series places emphasis on media freedom and media self-regulation, ideals which Bornwell Chakaodza firmly believed in and were closest to his heart.

Muchadehama described Chakaodza, a former Director in the Ministry of Information, Editor of the Herald and Standard Newspaper, as a seasoned, respected, principled and fearless journalist who had a deep seated love of the journalism profession.