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.