Media freedom advocacy group, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) and its partners in a network of journalistic professional associations and media support organisations, the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) participated in all seven (7) public hearings conducted throughout the country to shadow this public process and compile this report to enhance further policy discussions and parliamentary debates on the law.
Access to information
MISA ZIMBABWE & MAZ Statement on passage of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill in the National Assembly
MISA Zimbabwe and MAZ are particularly disappointed by how the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honourable Jenfan Muswere, who is sponsoring the Bill in Parliament, seemingly disregarded the input of the people as obtained in the report of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services.
The future of expression in the age of intersectionality
MISA conveys its condolences to the families and people of Mozambique following the loss of lives in the post-election conflict engulfing the country to date. As a country, Mozambique and its people sacrificed their national and personal prosperity by hosting several liberation movements until the entire southern African region was free.
Content Production and Practices in the Digital Age: Threats, Risks, and Opportunities
The digital age has transformed the content production landscape, making creating, distributing, and accessing information easier than ever. While this shift has ushered in unprecedented opportunities for innovation and inclusion, it has also introduced significant threats and risks that require collective effort to address.
Collective efforts vital in fighting gender-based violence
Resolution 522 highlights that: Digital violence is increasingly gendered and disproportionately affects women, through inter alia threats of sexual violence, misogynistic disinformation campaigns and “revenge pornography…”
MISA Zimbabwe Analysis of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill
It provides that the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) regulates and manages the broadcasting service bands for sustenance rather than control, thereby aligning it with constitutional principles and international best practices. Its emphasis on enhancing transparency, fostering inclusivity, and promoting local content is commendable.
MISA Zimbabwe analysis and position on new data regulations
The implications for WhatsApp group administrators may vary depending on the nature of the group and the type of data being shared. Facebook group administrators also collect large amounts of data.
Zimbabwe should stay the course in reducing media freedom violations
Zimbabwe moved 10 places from 126 in 2023 to 116 in 2024 in Reporters Without Borders’s World Press Freedom Index rankings. This came on the backdrop of reductions in media freedom violations last year, culminating in an improved media operating environment during Zimbabwe’s 2023 election season.
MISA Communiqué on the All Africa Judges and Jurists Summit
To strengthen African judiciaries’ engagement with emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, and leverage on them to advance the rule of law and access to justice.
2024 Conference Resolutions on AI Regulation in the Age of Information Disorders
Progress made through the completion of the national artificial intelligence (AI) policy framework as part of efforts to accelerate digital transformation in Zimbabwe.