Zimbabwean journalists receive personal protective equipment donated by Sweden’s FOJO Media Institute, Denmark’s International Media Support and the World Association of News Publishers on May 3, the International Press Freedom Day. Photo:MAZ
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the COVID-19 pandemic as the biggest global crisis in a century, which has forced countries into lockdowns and devastated economies.
The media internationally has been largely focused on this life and death issue since early 2020.
What has Zimbabwe’s media been doing around the crisis, in terms of coverage or programmes? Here’s a snapshot of what different Zimbabwean media outlets are covering the COVID-19 health crisis:
| Media | Programme/Coverage |
| Radio Zimbabwe | Radio Zimbabwe introduced special Covid-19 coverage in mid-March, including on its high listenership flagship programmes. -Every morning the station runs a five-minute news bulletin called “The Covid-19 Daily Update” in Shona and Ndebele, largely focusing on official statistics and information from the health authorities. -It plays a jingle on the COVID-19 once every hour. -Twice every hour, the presenter reminds listeners about hygienic preventative measures and social distancing. -On Tuesdays it runs a 45-minute programme “Nyaya Dzehutano” in Ndebele and Shona. The programme provides updates on the pandemic locally and globally. A doctor is also available, via the phone, to respond to questions from listeners. -On Fridays, Radio Zimbabwe has a special 30-minute programme “Tinokunda Coronavirus” dedicated to busting myths around the COVID-19. Experts are available during the programme to fact-check myths circulating about the pandemic, discuss research and experiences from other countries. -“Manga muchiziva here?” is a 60-second tit bit on COVID-19 that airs Daily during Radio Zimbabwe’s popular flagship programme, Kwaziso/Ukubingelelana, it broadcasts at regular intervals one-minute information tit bits on Covid-19 called “Manga muchiziva here?” (Do you know this about Coronavirus?) -Weekly, the station also runs the “COVID-19 Global Response,” a five-minute round up of global statistics and efforts to fight the pandemic. |
| ZBC TV | -A national COVID-19 update in all news bulletins -Permanent onscreen COVID-19 scroll -Current Affairs COVID-19-focused discussion programmes -National COVID-19 Coordinator Dr. Mahomva is featured in a daily COVID-19 update -Lockdown musical concerts -Discussions on COVID-19 on talk shows programmes such as “The Mai Chisamba Show”, Club E, Crime Watch and Identities. |
| National FM | During the lockdown, National FM programmes have been combined with Radio Zimbabwe, and has provided COVID-19 information in other national languages. |
| The Herald | -The daily newspaper has shifted most of its focus to covering stories on COVID-19. -It is also publishing stories and information in Shona, which would normally be carried by the weekly Kwayedza (Shona) newspaper – dedicating a column daily on the COVID-19 pandemic. -It is also running educational information on COVID-19 on its front page daily. |
| Star FM | The radio station has been running a series on Health Tips and Health called the ‘CORONAVIRUS ALERT’ aimed at providing advice to members of the public on the pandemic. These infomercials range from 60 seconds to about 2.5 minutes on an hourly basis over 24 hours in Shona, English and Ndebele. The infomercials have also been running on a simulcast across Zimpapers Radio Division that comprises Star FM in Harare, Diamond FM in Mutare, Capitalk in Harare and Nyaminyami FM in Kariba. |
| The Sunday Mail | -Publishing an information post on COVID-19 on the front page since March. -News and information on COVID-19 is concentrated on the newspaper’s centre pages Graphics conveying the Ministry of Health’s toll free numbers, tips and statistics on coronavirus have been created on digital platforms. -The weekly newspaper also reproduces the daily report on COVID-19 infections released by the Ministry of Health and Child Care. |
| Sunday Times | -The COVID-19 public diary carries announcements and updates provided by government and other officials on the health crisis. -The newspaper says it goes beyond the official statements by providing in-depth analysis, context and background to official statements. -On the digital platforms, there is a window on the TIMESLIVE website where all COVID-19 stories are easily accessible. |
| Daily News | Increased coverage of the COVID-19 as the pandemic has developed, covering stories on what is happening nationally, regionally and internationally. |
| NewsDay | The newspaper carries content on the pandemic, which has been integrated into regular news content and information. |
| Power FM | -News Bulletins provide ongoing updates about the COVID-19 health crisis. -The station has four daytime shifts and a COVID-19 update is delivered in each of these shifts. -The frequency of the station’s health programmes have increased from once a week to twice a week to enhance access to information about the pandemic. A doctor is available on the programme, on both radio and Facebook Live Streaming, so that audiences can engage with the health expert on the coronavirus crisis. -The station also provides daily updates on the pandemic on its digital platforms; The “Lockdown Diaries” programme is also on digital media and allows people to send in videos of their activities in lockdown. |
| Chronicle | -The daily newspaper has standing Columns on Page 1 and 2 with information on COVID-19.The page 1 column provides prevention tips and latest statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO). -Page 2 carries the “Coronavirus Watch” which is focused on educational material on the pandemic from leading health institutions such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO. -The newspaper has also partnered with corporates such as Makomo, Hwange South Mining, FC Platinum Holdings for free distribution of a special edition of the Chronicle which carried COVID-19 related content in local languages such as Chewa, Nambya, Tonga, Nyanja and Ndebele. -The newspaper also carries online graphics with COVID-19 related information in different languages. |
| Manica Post | -The weekly newspaper carries a COVID-19 update on its front page in every edition The newspaper’s analysis page has also shifted its focus to the COVID-19 pandemic. This page also features crucial information on the health crisis in local languages such as Ndau and Shona. -The analysis page also provides national and international updates on the COVID-19 health crisis. |
| NewZimbabwe.com | -The online site runs a “Coronavirus” column covering aspects related to the health crisis. The site also has three columns especially dedicated to COVID-19 coverage. -The website has dedicated coverage to the impact of COVID-19 on Zimbabweans living abroad, especially in the United Kingdom where some Zimbabwean health workers have died from the disease. -The online portal’s youtube channel also features programming particularly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| ZiFM | Although the station gives significant coverage to the COVID-19 pandemic, this has been integrated into regular news and programming. |
| The Standard | Although the newspaper carries content on the pandemic, this has been integrated into regular news content and information. |
| 263 Chat | -The station has a health reporter who has been at the forefront of the online portal’s health reporting efforts. -The online site is also working on specific COVID-19 stories in both text and audio-visual formats including conducting fieldwork where possible and when resources permit. |
| Skies Metro FM | -The radio station runs a combination of internal and sponsored programmes on the COVID-19 health crisis. -COVID-19 news and information has also been mainstreamed into regular daily programming. -Provides daily updates on COVID-19 from Ministry of Health and Child Care, and safety and hygiene tips recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as part of the fight against the pandemic. -The station says it has also halved its commercial rates in order to enhance affordability for partners sponsoring programmes on COVID-19 in order to promote the free flow of information around the health crisis. |
| The Mirror | -The weekly newspaper has integrated news and information on the COVID-19 health crisis into its regular and ongoing reportage. -Information relating to the pandemic is given more priority, space and visibility. |
| TellZim | -The weekly newspaper has integrated news and information related to COVID-19. -Coverage of the Coronavirus crisis includes the impact of the pandemic on marginalised communities, government policies, citizen response and local programmes. |
| TechZim | The website carries a programme titled ‘Domino Effect’ that focuses on effects of not quarantining affected individuals, the highly infectious nature of COVID-19 and provides analysis and assessment of the country’s testing system/regime. |
An online survey commissioned by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) – the world’s largest organization of professional journalists – to figure out the journalism environment during the COVID-19 outbreak shows the following results:
- Many freelance journalists have lost revenue or work opportunities.
- More than half of all journalists are suffering from stress and anxiety.
- More than a quarter of journalists lack essential equipment to enable them to work safely from home.
- One in four journalists lack any protective equipment to work in the field.
- Dozens of journalists have been arrested, faced lawsuits or been assaulted.
The IFJ survey also shows that more than a third of journalists have shifted their focus to covering COVD-19 related stories. Zimbabwean media have not been spared the impact and effects of the pandemic.
There are questions over the media industry’s sustainability, and the future of jobs as companies might be forced to review their operations in an economy hit hard by the health crisis. Newspaper printing has been temporarily shelved or drastically reduced due to a lockdown ordered by the government to try to contain the spread of the disease.
Many newspaper publishers have shifted focus or migrated to digital platforms.
Background:
COVID-19 is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus that had not been previously identified in humans. It is highly contagious and spreads through droplets (coughing, sneezing) and close personal unprotected contact with an infected person (touching, shaking hands etc).
Signs and symptoms are typically respiratory related symptoms and include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and other flu-like symptoms. For more information about COVID-19 visit https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus and for daily updates from the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care visit http://www.mohcc.gov.zw
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