Zimbabwe ushers in media reform

08 June 2010

Press freedom has returned to Zimbabwe with the news that the government has decided to issue licenses to four new dailies.

The independent daily News Day has already launched. It is headed by Trevor Ncube and owned by Alpha Media Holdings, which also publishes two weeklies in Zimbabwe, and The Mail and Guardian in South Africa.

When speaking to CNN about the media reform coming to Zimbabwe, Ncube said: "This is very exciting and it's a huge time for Zimbabweans and it's an opportunity for change."

It has been reported that one of the papers given a license includes The Daily News, which was banned in 2002 for publicly criticising Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. This will mark the first time in six years that there will be privately owned papers in the African country.

At the end of 2009, the Zimbabwe Media Commission was formed with the remit to push forward media reforms, such as licensing new press, radio and TV outlets.

Martina Lacey, London