[HCDX]: ZBC ordered to stop propaganda

[Matt <de7dbm@xxxxxxx>]

Hello!

  I got this off the Zimbabwean Independent, issue dated Fri 16/Jun/00
  (which, for some reason, is still on their web server...):


ZBC ordered to stop propaganda

Dumisani Muleya 


THE Supreme Court has ordered the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to abandon its propaganda pitch on behalf the ruling Zanu PF and
start covering activities by all political parties without discrimination.

In a provisional order passed on Tuesday the court ordered the public broadcaster ? widely accused of being a propaganda tool for the ruling party ? to
cover issues impartially without hindering persons in their right to impart and receive information. 

The ruling followed an application in the Supreme Court by the opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The application also applied to the
government-controlled Zimpapers, which owns six titles including the flagship daily, Herald.

The respondents in the matter were ZBC, Mass Media Trust which houses government shares in Zimpapers, Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Ltd, and the Minister of
Information, Posts and Telecommunication.

The order was granted by Chief Justice Gubbay sitting in chambers with Justice Muchechetere, and Justice McNally.

?It is declared that the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and each and every person employed by it are required to perform its functions to carry on
television and radio broadcasting services impartially, without discrimination on the basis of political opinion, and without hindering persons in their
right to impart and receive ideas and information,? said the court in its provisional order.

?The ZBC and persons carrying out its functions and some public officers acting under the Broadcasting Act (Chapter 12:01) have, by radio and television,
broadcast certain ideas and information and suppressed or minimised other ideas and information so as to favour persons of a particular political opinion in
contravention of section 23 of the constitution,? the order said. 

This, the order said, hindered the applicant and others in their freedom of expression, including their right to impart and receive ideas and information.
?Certain public officers and/or authorities have promoted the publication of some ideas and information and suppressed or minimised other ideas or
information in the Herald, Chronicle, Sunday Mail, Manica Post, Sunday News, Kwaedza and other publications of the third respondent,? it stated. 

The order called upon the respondents to show cause why a similar order should not be issued in respect of state-owned newspapers and why a judicial
commission should not be set up with powers to receive evidence into contravention of the Declaration of Rights in this regard.

?The terms of the final order sought that you show cause why this court should not grant an order declaring the Mass Media Trust, Zimbabwe Newspapers
(1980) Ltd and/or its editors to be public authorities within the meaning of section 23 of the constitution of Zimbabwe,? the ruling said.

The state media was also ordered to explain why its staff should not be obliged to do their work without discrimination and why the public media should not
distribute news or information in line with the freedom of expression provision in the constitution.

A copy of the order together with the chamber application, affidavits, and other documents were on Wednesday served to ZBC secretary for legal affairs, a
Mrs P Chuma, and a Mr Chivazve at Zimpapers. 


  
Hope this is useful, Matthias Mueller, Berlin, Germany

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