Source: Don’t incite violence, broadcasters warned | The Herald July 13, 2016
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Government will not allow the broadcasting media to transmit subversive information that incites violence or destablises the country, Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba has said.
Mr Charamba told The Herald yesterday that the law was clear on the mandate of players in the broadcasting sector and what was expected of them.
Last week, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe issued a similar reminder to players in the telecoms industry following the proliferation of subversive messages by agents of regime change using social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Mr Charamba’s remarks followed a letter written by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe on July 4, 2016, reminding all broadcasters that they should not broadcast programmes that incite and glamourise violence in view of disturbances that took place in some parts of the country last week.
Some social misfits agitating for upheavals condemned BAZ, saying its correspondence to broadcasters amounted to a clampdown on the media.
In this regard, Mr Charamba said there was nothing amiss in BAZ’s communication as it was within the confines of the law.
“Following the riotous situation that was developing in the country, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe reminded all licensees of their obligation as broadcasters not to do anything that advances the cause of violent behaviour in the country,” said Mr Charamba.
“For that communication, which by the way was done in confidence with licensees, BAZ has come under fire from persons who think that that reminder by BAZ amounts to abridgement of press freedom. In the same vein and spirit, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe that regulates the telecommunications industry, which is BAZ’s equivalent, issued a similar reminder to players in the telecoms industry.
“As Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, I want to make it abundantly clear that BAZ acted within the four corners of the law, and before ignorant people spout out and display their ignorance, they must familiarise themselves with the laws of the country, in this case, the Broadcasting Services Act and the regulations developed therefrom.
“More importantly, they must know that the whole world over, the broadcasting media is regulated for very obvious reasons, that its impact on society is immediate as it is dramatic. It is such regulations (that) exist in people who invented both radio and television, not these latter-day Jeremiahs whose only competence is in listening and watching.”
Mr Charamba continued: “Let it be very clear to all and sundry that the broadcast platform in this country will never be used to destroy this country. The purpose of those platforms is to educate, inform and entertain. Nowhere do you find a clause in the Act or in the Constitution, which says we have set up broadcasting infrastructure to incite or promote riotous situations. On that matter we are very clear.
“As I speak, I am using $187 million of the taxpayer, to modernise the broadcasting sector. I am not under instruction to spend so much money to create an instrument for destroying this society.”
BAZ chief executive officer Mr Obert Muganyura said broadcasters who violated the law risked serious penalties as espoused by the law.
“Those that choose to violate the law may face monetary penalties or suspension of their licences,” he said.
“In worst case scenarios, they risk cancellation of their licences.”
In the letter addressed to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, AB Communications, Zimpapers t/a as Star FM and Diamond FM, and Ray of Hope t/a Ya FM on July 4, 2016, Mr Muganyura said: “In view of recent disturbances taking place in some parts of the country, and the broadcaster’s general mandate to inform citizens on current affairs, the authority hereby remind yourselves of provisions of the Broadcasting Services Act with its regulations regarding the programming content requirements for such times and events.
“Please take note in your portrayal or reportage of news and current affairs programming of Section 26 of the Broadcasting Services Act (Licensing and Content) Regulations of 2004, which among the provisions requires that you do not broadcast programmes that incite, encourage or glamourise violence or brutality. We also advise that you be technically equipped to handle the programmes and avoid broadcasting obscene and undesirable comments from participants, callers and audiences in accordance with 18(a).”
The Broadcasting Services (Licensing and Content) Regulations 2004, which largely informed Mr Muganyura in his correspondence to broadcasters says: “Every free-to-air licensee shall (b) have responsibility to ensure that generally programmes broadcast do not:
(i) incite, encourage or glamorise violence or brutality,
(ii) contain gratuitous violence in any form that is, violence which does not play a leading role in developing the plot or theme of the material as a whole.
(iii) epitomise violence as the only legitimate ingredient and main theme without clearly showing the negative consequences of violence to its victims and perpetrators,
(iv) show methods or devices of inflicting injury which are capable of easy imitation,
(v) portray conduct likely to encourage anti-social behaviour, abuse of alcohol or drugs,
(vi) contain frightening and excessive special effects featuring violence not relevant to the story line,
(vii) contain a combination of violence and sexual conduct meant to titillate the viewers or listeners.”
In South Africa, the South African Broadcasting Corporation had since stopped broadcasting protests and footage showing destruction of property, urging other broadcasters to do the same.
The SABC said it condemned the burning of public institutions and has taken a decision that it will not show footage of people burning schools or other facilities in any of its news bulletins with immediate effect.
COMMENTS
My suggestion to government is that if foreign Embassies are illegally interfering with government here. Expel the U.S. and French, Ambassadors for such illegal behavior. We all know that a foreign Embassy in the West would never even try to do such foolishness in their country when it comes to their internal policies. Have you heard any foreign embassy encourage protest, against the U.S. for the continuing murders of African American males? And are Blacks human rights in the U.S. being violated. Yes, everyday be police and government. But you will never here of any foreign embassy utter a word against these human right violations because they know the U.S. will booted them out. How about that for democracy. You just saw the U.S. expel the Russian Ambassador for the incident with the U.S. employee that was assaulted by as Russian security guard. You see my miss guided people here in Zimbabwe have a right to protest. But other countries have no right to insight violent protest in a Sovereign countries politics because of their hate for the Leader. I wonder how other countries feel about the West Leaders that have dropped bombs and illegally invading countries on false pretexts of weapons of mass destruction and murdering millions in the name of democracy. Are Zimbabweans ready for foreign countries to come here and invade your country and will never leave after you ask for their help. The stupidity of my Zimbabwean people is amazing. You will not solve our own internal problems, but you are will take a second chance of dealing with these devils from the West, who by the way still have illegal sanction on certain entities and restrictions and freezing money transfer at random, and ask yourself why. Because they do not like your leader, so they make the average Zimbabwean suffer to turn you against your leader. If Zimbabwean does not like their President, then it is solely up to them to remove him. Period. And this rubbish about human rights abuses in Zimbabwe is a joke. Just look at Chicago in the U.S. 600+ murders every year in a single city. There haven’t been 600 murders in Zimbabwe in the last 10 years. Black males being murdered by police at a record rate in the U.S. rate and I see no international protest against American policy when in come to our African American brother and sisters. Are Zimbabwe upset about this, no. Are any of my Zimbabwean brothers and Sisters protesting against the U.S. Embassy here in Zimbabwe about these abuses? Or you do not care with your selfish behavior of training from your White masters. Whites are just laughing at Zimbabwe for the chaos they create in the media. And just waiting for our people to destroy their country, and then ask these whites to come and help fix the destruction. Just show how weak Europeans have made our people.
Piankh – your statements on here are not made with much knowledge are they in fact you come across as quite naive actually ” the continuing murders of African American males” it a fallacy bud nearly 50% more Caucasian males are fatally wounded do your home work check the stats – every man has his own mind and yours is definately anti european – why the europeans have not made you weak you have made your self weak and I speak about you as an individual as I know many indigenous african men who a very strong in their hearts minds and souls who I am proud to call my friends – it would be really great if you could think before you spoke yo do not seem to made of the same cloth that the rest of us are made of…………
CHARAMBA IS A DREAMER. A REVOLUTION DOES NOT HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ANY LAW. THESE LAWS HAVE ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE TO CHECK ON AND BUTRESS THE VULNERABILITY OF ALREADY VULNERABLE MASSES AND PERPETUATE THE SYSTEM FROM WHICH THE LIKES OF CHARAMBA EARN THEIR SUBSISTENCE AND THEIRS ALONE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MASSES. UNFORTUNATELY DEAR SECRETAY CHARAMBA, YOUR DAYS AS SECRETARY OF CABINET ARE NUMBERED. ALSO WE BELIEVE AFTER THE REVOLUTION IS OVER YOU WILL NOT LINE UP BEFORE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM WITH A LAME EXCUSE BECAUSE WE WILL COME AFTER ALL WHO SUPPORT THIS GOVERNMENT AS HENCHMEN
You truly are the dreamer. If you think by the Mugabe regime going out of power will change things, you are dreaming. All you will do is trade one story, for another party’s story that will tell you change they will bring. Mujuru has already said that if you wins the election she will put Zimbabwe back in the Common Wealth of the UK. That is Treasonous at best. But I guess when you are weak mind and not real leader, you will make deals with your sworn enemy to survive. But they will only try and bring back the whites to take land, and you will go back to what yours were before. Nothing but labors for the rich that will come in and give you the crumbs they know you want, and you will take them. Because you are not willing to work for true change. You want the same people that started this chaos here the whites to come back and be your masters, because they have 100 years of training you not to want anything but what they left. Their lifestyle, their culture, their perverted thinking, all they give you, that you fight for now. Lost you are. But if you want to keep fighting for your oppressors way of life, you will continue to struggles as all my people do over the world. You cannot live in the devils world without having evil manifest in you. Mugabe is just a period in time. But it is still at time you own your land, and not working as slave for a minority white population. How does that feel.
Piankhi, I’m not sure what type of person I am talking to. But what I would like you to explain is what law was used to take over land from blacks by whites during colonisation? …..and, what law was used by us during the reversal of colonisation right from the war of liberation to land reform? obviously none. why? because those were justifiable revolutions. In the same vein, agitating for a change of leadership after 36 years of failure does not require any formula, hence opposition parties are folding their hands whilst the generality of the population take matters into their own hands, fo, to all intends and purposes, this is nothing but a revolution just likethe revolutions which ushered in a new dispensation which has nowbeen squandered by zanu pf and its clueless leadership.
Me thinks Piankhi can’t really believe what it writes. I mean, it’s intelligent enough to be able to spell and form complete sentences, so it’s got a brain… and most things with brains can think… well, except a Maoist.
So, argue with it if you please. Reason with it as long as you can hold its attention. Use logic and civility always. But, don’t even try to make sense of what it writes… you’re battling against something that has a brain but is wasting its use spelling out nonsense. You’ve better things to do.
Think about this. Your time is up. The next thing you will see is dirt from above. Your good life is over. Look, you’ve fallen and you can’t get up. Is this short enough for you? And tell that white faggot you call Jesus only the deaf, dumb and blind are are still waiting. The wake up call is at hand.
l normally enjoy reading this very interactive forum ,but l have not penned anything .I got pained when someone called Jesus ” faggot” Whatever that mean and whoever wrote that will witness drastic punishment .Mark my words and watch as sure as the sun rises ,this individual will have a terrible end and the end in VERY near .
Amen
No more Kung Fu movies
I never studied law but common sense tells me that violence was incited by the government in this case. The import ban, police brutality, late payments of salary and all other concerns have incited violence, Not media. Media just said what happened.
Now that is funny. So the government makes a law that the people do not like, and that incited violence. Hey I have a great ideal. Let the citizen make the laws, see how that one would work out. Chaos.
If Jesus was a faggot that does not say much for us. He, if you have ever read about him, was a man that preached love, forgiveness and had a sense of morality that surpasses anyone in history. Never once did he make any reference to race mainly because it has little to do with humanity. We are ALL created equal in Gods eyes. My advice to you my brother is to, not see Him as a white man, but see Him as a man. Leave race out of it as race has nothing to do with it. If we bring race into it we all become racists.
lets not deviate from the argument and start insulting Jesus please ,who ever He was .
Well if you do know who Jesus really was it would not make any difference if anybody said anything about this character or not. Right? But it is okay for whites and other races insult you and your African roots.