- Title
- An examination of the constitutional congruity of the current media legislation in Zimbabwe to global trends
- Creator
- Chabinjwa, Trevor
- Subject
- Mass Media
- Subject
- Zimbabwe
- Subject
- Freedom of speech
- Date Issued
- 2011-12
- Date
- 2011-12
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24161
- Identifier
- vital:62438
- Description
- The focus of this dissertation was on the nature and operation of laws and regulations that were and are still being used to limit the freedom of the media in Zimbabwe. Through a legal and political analysis of the evolution and use of these laws and regulations by successive governments in Zimbabwe, the study provides an important perspective on the struggle for media freedom in Zimbabwe. The main focus of this study was to examine the impact of media laws in Zimbabwe on the freedom of expression of its citizens. Some of the key media laws under the spotlight include; Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). The underpinning theoretical framework was informed by the Authoritarian, Libertarian and the Social Responsibility schools of thought. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews with selected key informants were the chief methods for data collection. Secondary data such as court cases, newspapers and some documents from organisations such as the UN, African Charter and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport were also consulted. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic content analysis while tables, graphs and charts which were interpreted and linked with processed qualitative data to come up with emerging trends and resolutions. The research revealed that the government is aware of the shortcomings in the regulations and laws relating to the media, but is not willing to make genuine and comprehensive reforms. These laws impact negatively on freedom of expression on citizens especially journalists and their media houses. It is evident from the findings that media houses in Zimbabwe are vulnerable. These laws have forced some media houses such as Daily news, Tribune and Capital radio to close. Some of these institutions have since opened after the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU). But little has changed even after the formation of the GNU. Some of the journalists left Zimbabwe for fear of prosecution. This goes on to confirm that the current media legislations in Zimbabwe are not congruent with global norms such as the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19, the African Charter Article 9, and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) which advocates for freedom of the media and expression. The study concluded that there is no freedom of expression in media legislation as has been witnessed from the findings of the study. The study then recommended crafting of new laws which promote freedom of expression of the citizens of Zimbabwe.
- Description
- Thesis (MA) -- Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (125 leaves)
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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UFH Department of Communication
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | TREVOR_CHABWINJA_(MA Comm).pdf | 14 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |