The Chronicle, originally known as The Bulawayo Chronicle, stands as a prominent daily newspaper in Zimbabwe. Published in Bulawayo, it primarily delivers news from the Matebeleland region in the southern part of the country. As a state-owned outlet, The Chronicle typically presents information that aligns with the government's policies.
Beyond regional news, The Chronicle also covers national and international events, encompassing entertainment, sports, business, travel, job listings, and real estate. Its history reflects the evolving media landscape of Zimbabwe, from colonial times to the present day.
Early History and Colonial Influence
The Bulawayo Chronicle was among the earliest press publications in what is now known as Zimbabwe. It was founded by John William Howard of the South Africa-based Argus Printing and Publishing Company and edited by H.S. Hodges. Starting October 12, 1894, as a weekly, the paper graduated to a daily (except Sundays) in 1897.
During the colonial era, the media in Rhodesia largely catered to the white settlers, often neglecting news of interest to native Africans. Like most newspapers, The Chronicle covered politics, sports, and current affairs, but often ignored news about the continent of Africa. Even after Zimbabwe attained independence in 1980, media coverage retained a settler-bias, as many executives in Rhodesian printing and publishing were white.
The Three Eras of Zimbabwe Press Development
The development of the Zimbabwe Press can be categorized into three distinct eras:
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- Colonial or Nationalist Era: Prior to 1980
- Transitional Era: From 1980 to 1990
- Post-1990 Era: Characterized by the rise of independent media
Each era reflects the political and ideological status of the country, influencing the type of news published and how it was presented.
The Chronicle Under Geoffrey Nyarota
In 1988, Geoffrey Nyarota served as The Chronicle's editor. During his tenure, the paper gained a reputation for its aggressive investigations into government corruption. Nyarota became "something of a hero" for his efforts to expose wrongdoing at all levels of government.
The paper had been investigating irregular deals at the state-owned Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries, a car assembly plant, in which ministers and other senior government officials were abusing their office to gain from the public corporation millions of dollars. They would buy cars cheaply, as they were officially entitled to do, but would then resell them at exorbitant prices, depriving government of revenue and enriching themselves unfairly.
President Robert Mugabe appointed the Sandura Commission to investigate the allegations. The Washington Post reported that the commission's hearings "struck a deep chord" in Zimbabwe, where citizens resented the perceived growing corruption of government. However, Nyarota and his deputy, Davison Maruziva, were forced out of their jobs and into newly created public relations positions in Harare. Despite receiving pay raises, the move was widely seen as a result of their "overzealousness" in reporting, leading to public belief that they had been removed for their reporting.
Challenges and Controversies
Also in 2009, the subsequent editor of The Chronicle, Brezhnev Malaba, was charged with libel in a story concerning police corruption.
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One day in 1988, an angry Enos Nkala, Zimbabwe’s Defense Minister, called The Chronicle, a government-owned regional daily newspaper, to order the editor and his deputy to report to his office. If they failed to respond to his summons, he warned, he would send soldiers to drag them out of their offices. The Chronicle’s investigative reports were so embarrassing to the government that President Robert Mugabe appointed a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the matter.
The Sunday News
The Sunday News is the weekend version of The Chronicle.
Zimpapers and Government Control
Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited, operating as Zimpapers, is a state-controlled Zimbabwean mass media company. Zimpapers traces its origins to 1891 when William Fairbridge established the Mashonaland Herald and Zambesian Times on behalf of the South African Argus Printing and Publishing Company.
The company's portfolio includes over a dozen magazines and newspapers, including The Herald and The Chronicle, several radio stations, and a television network.
Argus spun its Southern Rhodesia newspapers into the Rhodesian Printing and Publishing Company and went public on 8 March 1927, making Zimpapers one of the oldest listings on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The company was renamed upon Rhodesia's independence as Zimbabwe in 1980, and the Zimbabwean government acquired majority ownership in the company.
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the great zimbzbwe
The government established the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT) to oversee the country's newspapers under an independent board.
The Broader Media Landscape in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s Free, But Can the Press be Free?The country, which gained independence from Britain in 1980, has during the last decade experienced the birth of a vibrant independent press which has found its niche in a market that is still dominated by state-controlled news organizations. With a population of 12.5 million, it has the highest literacy level (85 percent) in Africa. The country’s journalism is fairly sophisticated and many newspapers have adopted modern publishing technology, including online editions.
Mugabe’s government accuses those who work for independent media of engaging in sensational and irresponsible reporting that is harmful to the state. Early in 1999, Zimbabwe came under sharp international focus when two journalists working for The Standard were arrested, illegally detained by the military, and tortured for publishing a story alleging a failed coup plot.
The government is determined to get its way and maintain a firm grip on what is published.
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