Herald Reporters
DEPUTY Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Senator Monica Mutsvangwa yesterday toured Zimpapers media units in Harare to familiarise herself with their operations. At Herald House, Deputy Minister Mutsvangwa visited newsrooms for The Herald, Kwayedza, The Sunday Mail, H-Metro and the television division.
She also toured the group’s radio station Star FM and its printing arm, Natprint.
Deputy Minister Mutsvangwa was accompanied by her ministry’s permanent secretary Mr George Charamba and other officials while Zimpapers senior executives took her around, explaining the integrated media house’s operations.
At Star FM, the deputy minister appeared on radio where she commended the group’s gender policy that resulted in the employment of several women.
Speaking after the tour, Deputy Minister Mutsvangwa called on the media to report objectively on matters of national interest, saying what Zimbabweans say about themselves mattered more than what outsiders say.
“If we are Zimbabweans and we do not celebrate our being Zimbabwean, our traditions, norms and values then we are not going anywhere,” she said. “We are doomed. That is why we need to celebrate the many good things about the country.”
She lauded the Government’s drive towards digitalisation and opening up of the airwaves. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has just licensed eight local commercial radio broadcasting stations, which will be operating from different parts of the country.
Deputy Minister Mutsvangwa challenged Zimpapers to strive for profitability, especially at a time when many businesses were making losses.
“We are concerned that a lot of parastatals have sad stories to tell were they are collapsing,” she said.
“We would like our parastatals and companies to be profit-driven.”