By ZBC Reporter
THE welfare and capacitation of journalists has been cited as key in ensuring that the fourth estate provides relevant, factual and unbiased reportage to the nation.
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation journalists marked their foot prints at the National Journalism and Media Awards (NJAMA) held in Harare this Friday as they walked away with awards.
Colette Musanyera won the Arts, Culture and Entertainment Award, Theophilus Chuma proved why he is ZBC’s Investigative Editor bagging two awards, Investigative and News Journalist of the Year, with Memory Chamisa selected as the second runner up for the Yasser Arafat Journalist of the Year.
“I’m very happy that I received this award and that my work has made a mark in the arts industry.I am grateful for the support from my supervisors who have continuously made sure that I reach my full potential and that I’m able to deliver to the best of my capabilities. This award is not only for me but it’s for the team that I with with,” said Musanyera.
“It is very satisfying to be presented with these awards as I put a lot of effort and work in ensuring that all the pieces I did set a mark and touched so many lives. I’m hoping to do this again next year and even bag more awards,” noted Chuma.
Second runner up for the Yasser Arafat Journalist of the Year, Memory Chamisa said, “I feel very much honoured for being recognised considering that I haven’t been a reporter for that long, this shows that im doing something right and positive in my reportage. Im grateful to my supervisors, mentors and critics for stirring me in the right direction and ensuring that I find my feet.”
Guest Speaker at the event, United Nations Population Fund Country Representative Dr Esther Muia and Njama Secretary General Perfect Hlongwane underscored the need for capacitating the fourth estate as they participate in the developmental trajectory of the country.
“The fourth estate is the corner stone of any country and if they report any negative things about the country and its government then no development will take place, they are there to tow the authorities in line and also highlight issues that need to be improved on, especially gender empowerment matters,” said Muia.
“We have a very big challenge in the industry where journalists are paupers and get by donations and brown envelopes which is not supposed to be the case. If properly remunerated journalists will not be biased nor will they accept brown envelopes, so the onus is on news organisations to ensure they capacitate their journalists so that they deliver to their best capabilities,” noted Hlongwane.
The NJAMA awards, hosted by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists each year, honour members of the fourth estate, who excel in covering issues that have an impact on society and this year more categories which include the agriculture, investigative as well as the news journalist of the year were added .
