ABSTRACT
The Zimbabwe Media commission (ZMC), the statutory body that regulates the press in Zimbabwe, has on several occasions urged media proprietors to prioritise newspapers, or even magazines, in Zimbabwe’s varied indigenous languages. At independence in 1980, the government of Zimbabwe, through its newly created media entity, New Ziana, made strenuous efforts to promote the indigenous language press. Yet, only a handful of these newspapers remain. The few that do are tottering under severe challenges, and they do not show signs of sustainability going forward. Though the government claimed it would intervene to serve the indigenous language press, they have not helped save them. The continued decline of the press – as evidenced by closures, downsizing, staff turnover and many other symptoms – is testimony to the fact that these efforts have been hugely unsuccessful. Based on in-depth interviews with journalists for the indigenous language newspapers, this chapter explores the reasons for the failure of indigenous language newspapers in post-colonial Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the chapter proposes measures that can be taken to resurrect the indigenous language press in Zimbabwe from its current doldrums.
