Headlines !!!

Some of the latest headlines of the Chronicle:
FIGHT OVER WOMAN DEATH

BODY PARTS VANISH AT UBH MORGUE

TEEN SEX PROBE

When looking at the above headlines, it leaves no wonder that the paper is slowly turning sexist. As a national paper, the Chronicle should be tackling more serious issues than bedroom issues. It is the plight of the Zimbabwean citizens that media improves and assumes its watchdog role.

Ubuntu or Teleology?

Zimbabweans are a cultured society which believes in the spirit of ubuntu. Ubuntuism entails that such values as compassion, dignity, harmony, reciprocity, and humanity that are considered important building blocks for realising social harmony should be considered in reporting. As a newspaper operating in a country underpinned by ubuntu, the Chronicle should publish stories that build, lecture, align and respect others.

At the same time, there is again another approach to ethics. This approach, teleology approximates that there is no harm in reporting on something in false light as long as it is going to achieve a greater good for the greatest number of people. Most of the stories in this paper therefore seem to be more teleological than encompassing ubuntu.

To the reader

If you refer to history, you are going to discover that around 1988 the Chronicle was a topping publication, unearthing corrupt tendencies under the famous Willow-gate Scandal. It was in those by-gone times that The Zimbabwe Monitoring  Media Trust (ZMMT) not only kept a watchful eye on these publications but also created a buffer zone between the media and the state as well.

Today it is however a different story. It is either the Chronicle is worried about increasing sales or something else.

Research has revealed that the lack of balance in news is caused in part by the public refusing to open up and in part by journalists attaching themselves to different camps and then reporting from there. According to a research by Wallace Chuma in 2013, the state media is bent on protecting "national interests" and in the process opinions are reported.  A closer look at these pictures reveals that the dominating subject are sex-scandals. In the process of covering such stories, one cannot run away from publishing information that puts the person being covered in false light.

The Chronicle should minimise harm - Readers

The cartoon that is steering anger

The Chronicle should be cautious of using cartoons that cause harm, readers have said.

Readers who exclusively spoke to this blog expressed their disgruntlement over a cartoon (pictured left) that the Chronicle published in its issue of the 19th of April 2014. The cartoon featured a razor wire and cartoons of two men and a lady with a baby strapped on her back and from the drawing they were trying to cross into neighbouring South Africa.

The cartoon was accompanied by an inscription from the cartooned spectator which read "why do they call them border jumpers when they actually cross under a fence".

"This cartoon is a direct insult to those who cross the border into South Africa, running away from the unfavourable economic conditions in this country that for long no one has fixed," said Andrew Chadya, a regular Chronicle reader.

Mr Chadya emphasized that such cartoons are very offensive to a society which is grieving over the loss of beloved ones who die on their way to South Africa in search of greener pastures after the country has failed to offer jobs.

"It makes these people appear as if they are silly by so doing. The cartoon is trivializing the pain that these people go through. I would say that it has been misplaced," said Chadya. The cartoon comes barely two months after more than 20 Zimbabweans lost their lives in a disused mineshaft in South Africa during their attempts to make fortunes (see 22 Zimbabweans who died in South Africa mine named).

Another reader who declined to be named however said the that was just a "joke". According to journalism ethics, to minimise harm is to desist from publishing information that is likely to offend or put someone into false light.

The Concept of Objectivity Violated

According to media studies, one way to distract audiences from the real issues of the day is to use expurgation. This concept involves the deliberate and artistic creation of a visualized enemy. The Chronicle has succeeded in doing so using the continuous use of the sanctions. In the picture, the sanctions' story has been resuscitated to take a new twist. all the blame has been placed on the US yet everyone clearly knows where the problem is.

Not all Zimbabweans are media literate and therefore at face value they will probably believe that the "illegal" "sanctions" resulted in the nonpayment of the workers. simply put, the paper is simply detracting the attention of the audience from the real issues by making this sanction issue to be prominent.

The sanctions issue is nothing more than just a political gimmick and it will always appear to pacify the nation. According to media ethics however, one would not take time to realise that readers are not being objectively informed. the chronicle should unpack this sanctions issue and objectively inform Zimbabweans.

Posting pictures of the deceased - Ethical or Unethical?

The picture that raised eyebrow

The Chronicle should minimise the use of graphic images on the front page as these may cause fear and resentment from the public, Ibhetshu likaZulu secretary Mbuso Fuzwayo has said.

On the 15th of April last week the Chronicle posted a graphic image of a person who had been killed by elephant.

"Some people fear death and these pictures should therefore not be published for public consumption," said Fuzwayo. According to the ethical value of minimising harm, graphic images that contain scenes of terrible accidents and toddlers should not be posted as they leave sad memories.

Fuzwayo also said the Chronicle should also limit on leading with stories on sex scandals.

Meanwhile, other media practitioners said there is no harm in posting the picture of the deceased on the front page as long as they are late and their family has agreed. Research has however shown that people who have their pictures posted on the front page have relatives who do not understand the impacts of posting them on the front page. Media practitioners have the responsibility to employ professionalism when doing their work.

VMCZ Slams Chronicle for unethical conduct

Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) projects officer Loft Dube has slammed the Chronicle for repeated unethical conduct.

Speaking at a media conference in Bulawayo, Dube said the ZBC and Chronicle should be critical of ZANU-PF rather than to rubber stamp it.

“ZBC should fairly cover issues rather than rubber stamp ZANU-PF,” Dube said. “This increases tension and hostility in the post election period.”

The objection by the ombudsmen comes at a period when once again the Chronicle has reiterated on sanctions, taking it to be their lead story.

“I think this sanctions thing is nothing but a ZANU-PF political gimmick to obscure us from the real situation,” said Brian Sibanda, a regular Chronicle reader.

Research has revealed that it has become a tendency that once in a while, the state media reiterates on sanctions, blaming on them while forgetting the role that the sitting government should play.

The Chronicle is responding to market and ownership demand - Ex-journalist

A recent front page of the Chronicle

The Chronicle is responding to market demands, a former journalist of the Chronicle has said.

Speaking to this blog on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, a former Chronicle journalist said most of the front page stories on the Chronicle are determined by ownership and the need to make sales.

"I remember when were there we the editor by then used to choose the stories that would increase the circulation of the paper on the following day," said the journalist. "Even if it meant sex scandals those stories would be published and indeed some of them were Umthunywa type of stories. The other thing is that since that ownership issues also impact on the content."

The Chronicle is owned by Zimpapers Ltd. The government and private entities have shares in the company.

Meanwhile, readers have condemned the Chronicle for being partisan, favouring government officials at the expense of the public's right to be informed objectively.

"When MDC makes a blunder that becomes a story but sometimes when the government also makes a blunder it is never reported," said Nkazimulo Moyo, a regular Chronicle reader.

Media Ethics continued...

The Concept of Journalism Objectity


In its theoratical context objectivity immediately rules that taking any side or giving first preference or more coverage to any viewpoint more than the other is to be unethical. As defined by Westerstahl (1983) in McQuail (2005: 172) objectivity refers to “absence of subjectivity or personal involvement, non-partisanship, accuracy, relevance and completeness.” McNair (1998: 68) as cited in Franklin et al (2005: 177) notes that objectivity is the “separation of facts and opinion, a balanced account of a debate and the validation of journalistic statements by reference to authoritative others.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The elements of journalism objectivity
(Adapted from Westerstahl, 1983)
According to this diagram, Westerstahl (1983) notes that objectivity takes two dimensions that somehow become its pillars. One dimension is factuality/accuracy which McQuail (2005: 173) argues that it is the “completeness of an account and an intention not to mislead or suppress what is relevance.” Factuality is premised on three pillars namely truth, informativeness and relevance. Truth is the absence of falsehoods (Franklin et al, 2005; Howard, 2009).Informativeness means “reporting alternative perspectives in non-sensational, unbiased way” (McQuail, 2005: 174). Relevance means fitting very well within the context (Howard, 2009). The implication of this criterion is that should any of the components go missing in the stories then there is no objectivity to talk about.


The other pillar of objectivity is impartiality which can be achieved through balance and neutrality. Neutrality means “not leaning on any group or society whatsoever” (McQuail, 2005: 172). Balance refers to giving “equal proportional time/space/emphasis of all points of view in a story” (McQuail, 2005: 173; Howard, 2009: 23; Franklin et al, 2005: 23; Wilson, 1996: 45).

Suggested reading

Franklin, B. et al. (2005). Key concepts in Journalism Studies, London: Sage


Howard, R. (2009). Conflict Sensitive Journalism: Special Edition Zimbabwe, Copenhagen: International Media Support.


Kovach, B. and Rosentiel, T. (2007). The Elements of Journalsim: What Newspeople should know and the public should expect. Three Rivers Press, New York.


McQuail, D. (2000). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. 4th edition, London: Sage.



McQuail, D. (2005). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. 5th edition, London: Sage.

The Chronicle showing much improvement - Social commentators

The Chronicle has shown much improvement in terms of playing its watchdog role, social commentators have said.

Issues of corruption that were for sometime missing in the Chronicle have started coming up, Ibhetshu likaZulu secretary general Mbuso Fuzwayo told Media Watch today.

"Since the coming in of Prof. Jonathan Moyo as the Minister of Information the Chronicle has taken a new shape," said Fuzwayo. So far the Chronicle has exposed Cuthbert Dube and Hapson Muchechetere. Under media studies this is called public interest.

Fuzwayo also said the Chronicle is even covering the factionalism in Zanu-PF, something that used not to happen.

He however mentioned that the Chronicle should minimise on leading with sex scandals because that is the work of tabloids.

"While these matters of divorce and sex scandals are an issue of public concern, they should not dominate the papers because they make youth lose hope in relationships. The marriage institution is highly respected but the moment it starts to be portrayed negatively, a few people will take it seriously," he said.

Commenting on one of the posts on the sex scandal involving a prominent church figure under the heading "Furgitive“sex pest” rabbi arrested" shared by this blog on facebook, Stanely Mushava said there was nothing wrong with exposing sex scandals.

"I don't agree one bit with Mutizwa's view that: “The media is now creating a division within society, it’s not allowed to criticise churches because it makes people to discriminate each other using religion." No one is above scrutiny and fair comment," commented Mushava.

The Chronicle front page

Erotic messages on the front page

A typical Tabloid front page

Compare and contrast the front page of the Chronicle and that of the Globe in these pictures. According to the definition of tabloidization offered earlier in the post, what differences can you make out of these? Your comments are welcome.

What purpose does the front page serve in a newspaper?

An example of a Chronicle front page

The front page of a newspaper is the first page that the reader sees as a cover. It contains the lead stories, photographs of the day and even the most bizarre news. Apart from setting the tone of the day and creating an appeal for the newspaper, the front page also gives the newspaper its identity. There is a lot of artwork that surrounds the choice of stories to appear on the front page. While bearing in mind that journalism is a business (like any other enterprise), journalists should consider their mediatory role in society. This should remind them to consider ethics in selecting the stories.

As discussed in an earlier post in this blog, in their quest to make staggering sales, journalists should balance their stories, should use pictures that do not cause alarm and resentment from the public. They should include topical issues on the front page and should guard against concentrating on trivial matters at the expense of critical developmental issues. Stories that go deeper into people’s love affairs are better off not being there than to dominate a serious paper. In order to be precise in lead stories, editors should understand world dynamics and the desires of the societies they are operating in.

Tabloidization and Mainstream papers

What is a tabloid?

An example of a tabloid front page

A tabloid is a newspaper/magazine/newsletter that can easily be identified by sensationalised content. It has screaming headlines talking of sex-scandals, mostly. Stories in a tabloid have an erotic appeal to the public. Some of the stories under these headlines go deeper into people’s affairs, describing fully each of the relationships that one had with numerous people. Such stories also capture and showcase text messages that were once exchanged between the person in the story and his or her lovers in mobile phones.

The word “tabloid” in itself describes a compressed item. In journalism however it describes smaller newspapers that began to appear in the U.K. and the U.S.A. towards the fall of the 19^th century. As opposed to the newspapers of earlier version (which were broadsheets, hence being called broadbloids), tabloids were on s smaller spreadsheets. Their content differed from that of broadbloids in the sense that they used vulgar language, posted nude pictures, and concentrated on sex scandals and other lighter content. Their main aim was to entertain and to provide alternative content free of politics that had been hitherto dominating the mainstream news. Apart from describing the size of the newspaper, the word “tabloid” later began to describe this sensationalised content as well.

In essence, a tabloid is in every sense a less serious newspaper. If the Chronicle also leads with sensationalised news, the Metro-type as indicated in the previous blog, it can therefore be argued that it has tabloidized. Tabloidization does not only undermine the seriousness of a newspaper but it also allows the domination of trivial matters at the expense of important issues. Looking at this moment when Zimbabwe has just come out of an election, Zimbabweans are expecting to hear about how unemployment will be reduced, how industry will be revived other than how Maphala cheated on his wife for example.

“Its not the killings but it’s the media” – Chronicle reader

Regular Chronicle readers have condemned the Chronicle newspaper for constantly leading with stories about killings.

Readers who spoke to this blog said the paper was raising alarm and despondency by blowing killings happening in the city out of proportion.

“I am now afraid to travel even at dusk because these killings are just being blown out of proportion,” said Sinokuhle Ncube, a regular Chronicle reader. “Ever since we grew up we have always heard about these killings, but not to such an extent as these days. I think it is the media, not the killings themselves”.

Meanwhile, Mbuso Fuzwayo, Ibhetshu likaZulu secretary said the media should desist from publishing issues that will cause harm to society. He said family papers should concentrate on nation building rather than frightening society.
(see FIGHT OVER WOMAN DEATH)

"The use of that picture was uncalled for" - Readers



The picture that caused resentment



Readers of the Chronicle have once again condemned the newspaper for publishing a graphic image on its today’s front page (Tuesday 15 April 2014).

 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a group of residents who were today gathered at Sekusile Shopping Centre said the picture was not appropriate for the front page of such a paper.

 

“I-Chronicle layo isesuhluleka (the Chronicle is now missing the point here). The use of this picture was uncalled for and it was better for it to be left out than to be included here,” said the people. According to professional journalism ethics, graphics showing dead people are suppose to be left out as they can cause resentment and fear within the public.

 

“This will not even add to the fact that they are now accurate. Accuracy does not translate to posting pictures of dead people on the front page,” said Mpumelelo Moyo, another regular reader of the Chronicle. The Chronicle seems to now have developed a way of using maps and graphics to buttress accuracy. Most of these elements are however compromising journalism ethics.

Lets face the facts: Media Watch speaks.

One of the recently published tabloid 
style lead stories of the Chronicle front
page
 

 

 

Today I would like us to face the facts. If B-Metro would write: Man beaten to death for using Mubobobo (July 23, 2013); 10 year son catches father raping chicken (July 22, 2013) and then the Chronicle also lead with such stories like: FIGHT OVER WOMAN DEATH, where therefore is the difference between the Chronicle and B-Metro?. Remember B-Metro is a tabloid and writing such stories is within its realms but it becomes so surprising if serious papers like the Chronicle which should be taking official figures to task also resort to leading with such stories. The biggest question still remains: where should the media draw the line between the need to increase sales and role of being a watchdog?

Lead Stories

Looking at public interest, which of these stories would you publish as a lead story if you were working for a serious, family, national paper like the Chronicle? (Bear in mind that journalism is a business)

Published by the Chronicle on 08/4/2014

as a second lead

Published as a lead story by the Chronicle

 on 08 April 2014

Published by the Chronicle as a filler on 08/014/2014

Published by the Chronicle as second lead

 on 09/04/2014

Church leaders and the Media: Whats your View?

One of the stories that raised

 concerns from the public,

published on 9 April 2014

Furgitive“sex pest” rabbi arrested. (Chronicle front page, 9 April 2014)

This story lacks independence. It’s the journalist who calls the rabbi “sex pest”. Objective journalism reports matters as they are and then the public concludes by itself.

In the bygone times, the Chronicle ran stories on Bishop Pius Ncube and early in April this year, it ran a story on another church figure again.

“The media is now creating a division within society, it’s not allowed to criticise churches because it makes people to discriminate each other using religion,” commented one regular Chronicle reader, Mutizwa.

Newspapers, the Chronicle included, often put stories on church figures on the front page. Zimbabwe is largely a Christian society which puts much trust in its church leaders. Journalists however say there is nothing wrong with reporting on church figures.

“If it’s news it’s news. Unfortunately we now live in a world of church scandals. These are the trending stories and nothing can be done about that,” said journalist Emmanuel Nkomo.

Lets look at the Chronicle front page in Detail

The Chronicle front page (Tuesday 8 April 2014)

 Sketch Diagram shoing arrangement of the major stories on the front page of the day in question. Below underneath this sketch diagram is a photograph of the front page being described

Chronicle (Masthead)

BODY PARTS VANISH AT UBH (Lead story) Housekeeping rapist up for sentence (second lead) Zesa flouts tender laws (filer)

This picture is being described

by the sketch diagram above.

Take note of the stories being

described.

 Today I would like to take you through the nitty gritties of this front page. I start with the lead story.

1. BODY PARTSVANISH AT UBH MORGUE – Family demands corpse’s foot from hospital

This story is about the missing leg of Daniel Nkomo, from Insiza District in Matebeleland Nort province. Daniel Nkomo is said to have been one of the 7 who were hit by a car on the 7^th of March this year along the Harare Bulawayo highway as they were attending a breakdown near Shangani.

Looking at matters of balance in this story (see What are Media or Journalism Ethics? under balance), there are issues. Thomas Nkomo the family head and Herbert Fuzane the uncle to Daniel Nkomo were interviewed. A comment from UBH, where the missing leg saga occurred was also sought. However, the comment has been supplied by an anonymous source, making it questionable because journalists sometimes can interview themselves.

The story also mentions a pathologist who is said to have discovered that the corpse’s leg was missing. No comment was sought from him. Again this matter, from the day of the accident was attended to by the police but no comment was sought from them. With these important voices missing, the story lacks objectivity.

All having been said, one wonders as to how those with relatives in a critical condition, currently admitted at UBH would feel when they see such stories. While they appear newsworthy, such stories have the potential of causing alarm within society.

2. Housebreaking rapist up for sentence

Like the story analysed above, this one has issues of balance as well. The story is talking about Simelinkosi Mlalazi who allegedly broke into a house in Queens Park, Bulawayo and a stabbed an unidentified woman, looted property and money worth $500. Since the matter is in the hands of the police, there is no doubt that the victim is known. Her voice is missing in the story.

Sikhumbuzo Nyathi, regional magistrate has been quoted. Of much interest, Mlalazi is said to have used a fake name, Thabani Tshuma but was exposed by his brother.

“Simelinkosi Mlalazi, who cut his victim’s panties using the stab knife before raping her, also faked his name and misled the court by claiming he was Thabani Tshuma,” read the story. The voice of this brother is however missing.

At this moment I would look newsworthiness of this story. News should be bizarre, exclusive and of public interest. Stories about rape have been reported before. One wonders as to what is new about this story.

3. Zesa flouts tender laws.

In the story Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) availed a tender to companies who could be able to supply scratch cards through e-services to increase consumer convenience. Under unclear circumstances, the State Procurement Board cancelled  the tender twice but the Ministry of Energy and Development, under which Zesa is, is said to have “hand-picked” Power-Tel and e-Solutions and given them the tender instead.

“Energy Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire and his deputy engineer, Munacho Mutezo have been accused by Zesa staff of having interests in e-Solutions,” wrote the Chronicle. The voices of the two legislators are however missing. In this case, it now sounds as if the Chronicle is defending these two legislators. The story has been taken out of context already.

In any case, one wonders if the general populace out there has any interest on tenders. This story could have focused on explaining to customers how e-payment works because that’s the matter of public interest in this story. That would have raised it up from being a filler to being the lead.

What are Media or Journalism Ethics?

Journalists should be ethical

All forms of journalism should be ethical. This is broadcast journalism.

 Right from the beginning, this blog has been talking of media ethics. While this may sound a common concept it is however worthwhile to discuss ethics at length. The following is a brief account of journalism ethics.

Accuracy, factuality and truthfulness

In its basic sense accuracy means that journalists should capture and present information precisely. This is based on one of the key elements of journalism, which is “its obligation is to tell the truth” (Kovach and Rosentiel, 2007). For a journalist to be accurate it means being factual and truthful. It emphasises that should the journalist get the information from hearsay, he or she should indicate as such otherwise the information would neither be factual or truthful. Franklin et al (2005: 6) state that “at this level, the term accuracy means, for example, that the names of those featured in the piece are spelt correctly, that quotes are reproduced in direct form, or in précis which preserves their meaning, and that events are clearly related”. The essence of it all is that any alteration of whether a name, time or date, venue and/or speech during the summarisation and reproduction of information (to which journalism is subject) (Welsh and Greenwood, 2003: 259-27 in Franklin et al, 2007) results in the prejudice of a concerned party. It is up to the journalist therefore to stand up to the challenge and uphold this principle.

Accountability and transparency

The other key elements of journalism, which form the foundation for this study, are that “journalists’ loyalty is to the citizen” and “the essence of journalism is a discipline of verification” (Kovach and Rosentiel, 2007: 5-10). This means that journalists are accountable to the citizens and they must verify all the information they receive in order to be transparent. According to Bertrand (2003 in Franklin et al, 2005: 5), accountability “describes the variety of means and methods – including press councils, ombudsmen, training in ethics, readership surveys” – which can be used by journalists to verify their information. It means journalists should own up their words once they make mistakes in the process of reporting. In Zimbabwe for instance, the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) is one body that handles complaints on behalf of journalists who subscribe to it. According to Kovach and Rosentiel (2003 in Franklin et al, 2005), this enhances journalists’ loyalty to the citizens whom they hold in trust (Schuddson, 1998 in McQuail, 2005: 181). Transparency entails allowing all concerned parties to speak on the issue at hand

Impartiality and independency in reporting

In journalism, the principles of impartiality and independence entail balanced reporting and being neutral. This means that all the parties concerned in a story or any piece of journalistic literature are given the platform to speak for themselves (Howard, 2009). Impartiality and independency are rooted on two journalism principles: “its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover” and “it must serve as an independent monitor of power” (Kovach and Rosentiel, 2007: 12-20). This means journalists are expected to be independent of their sources of information in order to achieve balance and neutrality. Balance envisages looking for persons of the same prominence for comments, treating them with the same prominence, allocating them the same time (if it is in broadcast) and looking for the same number of people so that they are all equally represented (Wilson, 1996; Harcup, 2004 in Franklin et al, 2007). Wilson (1996: 45 in Franklin et al, 2007: 23) argues that balance means “exploring issues in an uncommitted way so that viewers, listeners appreciate all the important arguments, including the height of support that they enjoy”. Howard (2009: 23) notes that “impartiality also means that the professional journalist is not an active leader in any political group or movement” – he is an independent observer and communicator. McQuail (2010) equates impartiality to equality. By this he means that “no special favour be given by the media to power holders and that access to media be given to contenders for office and, in general, to oppositional or deviant opinions, perspectives as well as established positions” (McQuail, 2010: 196). It also entails the absence of the journalist’s personal feelings in the piece of information. In a nutshell, equality, impartiality and balance all equate to fairness, independence and absence of bias in relaying second hand information to society.

Reference list

Chari, T. J. (2009), New Communication Technologies and Journalism Ethics in Zimbabwe: Practices and Malpractices African Edition, Vol 3 (2): 112-136, [Online] Available: http://www.ojcmt.net/articles/32/326.pdf [Accessed 23 November 2013].

Franklin, B. et al. (2005). Key concepts in Journalism Studies, London: Sage

Howard, R. (2009). Conflict Sensitive Journalism: Special Edition Zimbabwe, Copenhagen: International Media Support.

Kovach, B. and Rosentiel, T. (2007). The Elements of Journalsim: What Newspeople should know and the public should expect. Three Rivers Press, New York

McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. 6^th edition, London: Sage.

Christians, C. (n.d.). Ethical and Normative Perspectives: Chapter One. Available: http://www.sagepub.com/mcquail6/PDF/Chapter%201%20%20The%20SAGE%20Handbook%20of%20Media%20Studies.pdf [Accessed 22 January 2014]

Title Misleads Readers - Ethics Breached

The Saturday (05 April 2014) headline that confused readers.

Media ethics were breached, readers remained puzzled. "FIGHT OVER WOMAN DEATH", read the main headline of the day.

Faithful readers of the Chronicle newspaper were last Saturday taken aback when the main headline of the day misrepresented facts.

"When I read this headline I thought maybe the men were fighting over the woman's death," said Nkazi Moyo, a regular reader of the Chronicle.

"Since this was not the case then the woman they were fighting over should demand a correction, " Moyo argued. The headline causing the debate sounded as if the woman the two men were fighting over had died. Truthfulness and factuality were compromised by the headline. It sounded ambiguous to the readers.

 "Journalists have to do whatever it takes to keep the business afloat. They should however focus on other areas too," Fanoe Riz Ngwenya commented. Apart from making sales, journalists are saddled with the responsibility to cross check facts, work on the grammatical errors of their work to avoid taking stories out of context.

On another note, many followers of the Chronicle now feel that the newspaper is going tabloid, leading with sex scandals to maximise sales, because research has shown that sex sells.

Stop Sensationalising: Chronicle Readers Lament

Left: The Chronicle cover page of 03 April 2014

Right: The Chronicle cover page of 05 April 2014

Lead stories of the Chronicle newspaper of late are presenting women in bad light, readers have said.

On Wednesday (03 April 2014) the paper’s lead story had the headline “MAPHALA, LOVE RIVAL SOB IN COURT”; the one on Thursday (04 April 2014) was talking about a wife killer having been hanged and today (05 April) the headline went “FIGHT OVER WOMAN DEATH – Spanner blow cracks skull open.” One common aspect about these stories is that they are presenting women as always in the receiving end.

“Such stories should come out of the B-Metro because now it’s like they are now writing novels,” said one regular reader of the Chronicle who chose to be called Nkubunganyi.

“These stories are sensational. What are we teaching the society? Wasn’t there a better story than this? Isn’t there something developmental that happened somewhere that they can lead with?” Such stories do not only put man in the bad light but they suggest that most of the fights that erupt in society are somehow centred on women.

Another read also objected to the stories saying the paper is now using women to market the paper.

“They are using misfortune to attract people,” she said. One of the major benefits of journalism is that it is a business. In this discipline, ethical values indicate that moral values should be applied. Harm should minimised, truth should be told and matters are not to be taken out of context. Research has however shown that sex sales and therefore journalist find themselves confused in choosing between observing moral values and chasing after profits. These stories from the Chronicle show that they choose to pursue profits..

“The paper is now lacking priority. The Chronicle is now prioritising things that should not be prioritised, not that such stories are not important. But at least developmental issues should take precedence,” said Mandla, another regular reader of the Chronicle newspaper. Journalists are expected to posts matters of public interest. Sensationalist stories are to the Metros what serious news is to national papers like the Chronicle.

Social Responsibility first

Journalists have a social responsibility role to play in societies that they serve. Research reveals that in order to achieve this, the press should be freed from both government and commercial interests.

Social responsibility means that journalists have to provide objective information and use the best ways to gather that information.

In essence, a journalist who pokes his or her nose into the private life of another person does not practice social responsibility. Again, the journalist who with holds information from the public is not doing well for society.

It all depends on the situation that is there. In the case of Maphala, social responsibility equates to covering story objectively, sending the right message to society than to the story out of context, making the public see more of what is in Maphala’s life than what Maphala’s case means in the Zimbabwean society.

The greatest question of the day still remains: was the Chronicle telling us about Maphala’s life or it wanted to use the example of Maphala to reflect society? In the end, a journalist should identify a misdemeanour and then offer solutions. Journalists are there to interpret for the public.

Front page leads to mixed feelings

Today (02/04/2014)’s front page of the Chronicle raised a mixture of feelings from the readers, a personal survey has revealed.

The lead had the headline “KIDNAP TOT FOUND ALIVE parents tell of their joy”. To the far fight as a fill was the story “SDA cracks over homosexuals” and to the bottom left, there was the story “Guard found naked, dead at Chemical factory.”

When analysing ethics however, much emphasis is placed on the lead story because it gives the paper weight on that day. The story was talking about the recovery of a kidnapped one year old baby, Wethembekile Dube who for three days had gone missing. This story is balanced as comments from the family, Finnishgale Mpofu the mother and Maphendla Dube the father were sought. Comments from the police were also sought and in all fairness, this time the paper got it right this time.

However, journalism is not all about balance and seeking all comments. It entails looking for stories of public interest.

“Such stories are of public interest to us the readers,” said Gogo Siju, a regular reader of the Chronicle.

Gogo Siju also said that people would always want to hear follow ups on stories that were once introduced.

“We want to hear the end result,” she said.

Other readers however said such stories should be left to the metros as they are not fit for a serious paper like the Chronicle.

“Long ago, the Chronicle used to do better than now. Today it is only drawing our attention away from the real issues like politics, economic issues and things like that,” said Gugulethu Moyo, another regular Chronicle reader.

According to research, journalism should bring to light issues of public interest, probing those in office and updating the public on serious issues, not party politics nor public relations. Social issues only become stories when they are of public interest.

Journalism slowly losing value

The Chronicle front page of 01 April 2014










Journalism is slowly losing its value with serious papers like the Chronicle turning themselves into tabloids.

Today (01/04/2014)’s Chronicle front page was dominated by opinion pieces that were fortunately turned into lead stories. Of much interest was the story with the headline “TEEN SEX PROBE Former Miss Zim’s hubby nabbed.” The story talks of Lorraine Maphala who is however not quoted anywhere in the story. Another subject, the accused Rumbidzai is also not quoted anywhere in the story.

The story forms breaches several ethical codes of journalism. By leaving out the voices of the above mentioned, it compromises on objectivity. Again, Maphala’s affair and her husband is a personal one and therefore one wonders if ever her privacy has not been invaded there.

Such stories are not fit to lead in a national paper like the Chronicle. A regular reader of the paper, Ratherfort Chiutani said of late, there is no longer a difference between the metros and the Cronicle.

 “A national paper should advance developmental issues affecting the society,” said Chiutani. “The Chronicle should not behave like the metros. Articles making the headlines as of late have a negative impact on the moral fabric of the society. When things are like this one wonders whether that does necessarily mean that people in Bulawayo like these kind of issues such that they can be taken as lead stories.”