Zimpapers to retrench as Obert Mpofu’s struggling newspaper goes weekly

via Bulawayo24 NEWS | Zimpapers to retrench as Obert Mpofu’s struggling newspaper goes weekly 12 February 2015

THE Zimpapers Group is on a massive retrenchment drive which will affect all departments owing to poor business and viability problems.

The country’s largest newspaper publishing company publishes the Herald and the Sunday Mail which act as defacto state diaries amongst many other regional newspapers.

Sources at Zimpapers said the company was incurring heavy losses due to its creaky printing press which is always under maintenance.

In a notice sent to reporters at the Herald House newsroom the company is asking reporters to voluntarily retire before it identifies staffers suitable for retrenchment.

The voluntary retrenchment dates have been extended to 16 February because of the low uptake of the offer.

Those wishing to retire will however be given a golden hand shake.

Meanwhile, Transport minister Obert Mpofu is turning his struggling daily newspaper, The Zimbabwe Mail, into a weekly with immediate effect.

Mpofu’s daily newspaper has also been facing operational challenges with management confirming Thursday that it would be transformed into a weekly.

Board chairperson Munyaradzi Nzarayapenga said the decision was in line with “consumer spending trends and aimed at give more value to their $1”.

“With effect from today (Wednesday) the Zimbabwe Mail stopped publication of the daily newspaper,” Nzarayapenga said in a short statement.

“The daily ceases to operate on Wednesday 11th 2015 February, and the weekly will hit the streets next week Wednesday”.

The paper has also been hit by an exodus of reporters with six scribes said to have resigned due to non-payment of salaries.

Reporters said to have left include Privilege Musvanhiri, Angela Jimu, Grace Chirimumhanzu, Jairosi Saunyama, Loice Nyathi, Francis Mukuzunga and Munyaradzi Gandiri.

Information Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo appeared to criticise Mpofu when he recently said that politicians should stop abusing young men and women in newsrooms to push their political agendas by establishing newspapers and then failing to pay them their salaries.

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