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.