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.”