Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ)

VMCZ's work is based on the 1991 Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, which says that an "independent, pluralistic and free Press is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation and for economic development", as well as on the 2002 Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, adopted by the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, which proclaims in Article IX (3) that "effective self regulation is the best system of promoting high standards in the media."

The VMCZ receives, mediates, and adjudicates complaints by individuals and organisations against the media: "Has the press invaded your privacy or forced you to speak when you wish to remain silent? While it's the duty of the media to pursue a story, underhand[ed] ways of gathering news or invasion of privacy violate journalism ethics." In this way, VMCZ seeks to form a buffer between the public and the media and to serve as a medium of understanding between the two.

VMCZ offers hands-on training in journalism with the ambition to support balanced, accurate, and impartial reporting. The Institute for Further Education of Journalists (Fojo Media Institute) is an institutional partner supporting the secretariat in its advocacy work and building training capacity in the country. The partnership includes in-house training at several media houses as well as workshops for the media and the public. For example:

• Bulawayo Doing Ethics Workshop (May 19-20 2009) - VMCZ and Fojo brought together 20 journalists from Bulawayo with the aim of learning lessons and improving media responsibility and accountability.
• From August 6-7 2009, VMCZ held a media ethics workshop for Zimbabwe Association of Editors (ZAE) members in Kdoma. (ZAE represents editors from the state and several community newspapers.)
• An investigative training workshop was held from October 12-16 2009 in the ancient town of Masvingo. The objective was to impart knowledge and skills for in-depth investigative reporting stories.
• 22 participants drawn from Zimbabwe's 8 community radio initiatives took part in two 5-day radio training workshops. The training was held in anticipation of the Inclusive Government issuing licenses to community radio stations as prescribed under the Global Political Agreement. The training therefore aimed at imparting basic radio programming and presentation skills.
• VMCZ exhibited at the Masvingo Agricultural Show as part of the public awareness campaign. About 200 members of the public visited the stand.

Details about VMCZ's adjudication service, trainings, and membership - along with a repository of media-freedom-related news, documents, and resources - are available on the VMCZ website.

Media Development, Rights.

According to Fojo, journalism in Zimbabwe has been hit by the political crisis and has lost much of the professionalism that marked the country's newsrooms a decade ago. A majority of the senior journalists and leading editors are in exile, and the news desks are dominated by less-experienced colleagues. Lack of experience paired with severe media suppression has resulted in low-quality journalism. VMCZ is working to try to change this.