TONDERAI SAHARO
Government should allow foreigners to invest in local media in order to inject the much needed capital to resuscitate the industry and save thousands of jobs, the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists has said.
ZUJ secretary general, Perfect Hlongwane said foreign investors will inject capital into the industry and save jobs as well as pay workers decent salaries as low wages or nothing at all are affecting the quality of journalism which is deteriorating at a frightening rate.
The current Zimbabwean laws do not allow foreigners to invest in the media industry.
Hlongwane said this must be incorporated into the Freedom of Information Bill that is being drafted.
He was speaking during the ZUJ’s engagement with Masvingo journalists recently.
He said the union has engaged the parliamentary portfolio committee on media on the need for the government to allow foreigners to directly invest in the sector.
He added that foreign funding will help in resuscitating the country’s media industry which is facing operational challenges and grappling from the deadly COVID-19 effects.
“Foreign capital in the media is long overdue because the sector is limping and if there is foreign investment this will go a long way in helping the industry and improve the workers’ welfare unlike the current situation where some organisations go for months without paying anything to employees and that compromises the quality of journalism in the country,” added Hlongwane.
Most journalists at the indaba pointed out the issue of poor salaries and working conditions needed to be addressed with the urgency that it deserves hence the need for foreign investors to inject capital into the fourth estate as part of the solution.
