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New Book from the Nordic Africa Institute:
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Melber, Henning (Ed.)
Media, Public Discourse and Political Contestation in Zimbabwe
Current African Issues 27
39 pp Published: Aug 2004
ISBN: 91-7106-534-2 ISSN: 0280-2171 Price: 80 SEK/ 6.95 GBP/ 8 EURO
Paperback Size: 210 x 300 mm

Keywords
Civil rights, Freedom of information, Journalism, Mass media, Political development, Press, Zimbabwe

Description
The current situation in Zimbabwe under the ZANU-PF government shows increasing signs of abuse of power by those in political control. They also direct their desire to suppress criticism towards the media. Press organs in private ownership have been closed down and journalists have been physically harassed, arrested and expelled. Laws are abused to regulate and manipulate public opinion by a policy of banning. Worldwide condemnation of the growing restrictions upon the freedom of expression goes hand in hand with the protests inside the country against the growing tendencies of totalitarian rule.
Current events are critically reflected upon and the background to these developments is summarised in this publication. It is based on some of the contributions to a recent conference on Zimbabwe organised by the Nordic Africa Institute and offers insights into the contested space of public opinion in Zimbabwe. The critical analyses of current developments are there-by complemented with particular reference to the media sector in the ongoing battle for hegemonic control over the public sphere.

This study is also available electronically (PDF-file) at our website (www.nai.uu.se). The electronic version is free of charge.

Contributors:
Sarah Helen Chiumbu is the current Director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa-Zimbabwe Chapter. Previously she served as the Information Officer for the organisation. She is a holder of a Master of Philosophy in Media and Communication Studies from the University of Oslo, Norway, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Media and Communication studies and a Bachelor of Arts in English, French and Psychology from the University of Zimbabwe. Her research interests are in broadcasting, information communication technologies (ICTs) and globalisation.
Henning Melber is a professionally trained journalist (1971/72), who worked for a short period during 1972 with the German daily newspaper in Windhoek/Namibia before being dismissed for political and ethical differences. He subsequently studied Political Science (PhD in 1980) and Sociology (venia legendi in 1992). He was Director of the Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit in Windhoek between 1992 and 2000 and has been Research Director at the Nordic Africa Institute since then.
Dumisani Moyo is a Lecturer in the Media and Communication Studies Programme (Department of English) at the University of Zimbabwe. He teaches courses in theories of communication, media ethics and global communication issues. He holds an M.Phil. from the University of Oslo and a B.A. Honours from the University of Zimbabwe. He is currently a Research Fellow and a doctoral candidate at the University of Oslo, and is researching on broadcasting regulatory reform and democratisation in Southern Africa

Contents:
Henning Melber
Inside the "Third Chimurenga": Media Repression, Manipulation
and Hegemony in Zimbabwe - Some Introductory Notes

Dumisani Moyo
From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Change without Change?
Broadcasting Policy Reform and Political Control

Sarah Chiumbu
Redefining the National Agenda:
Media and Identity - Challenges of Building a New Zimbabwe

Bibliography

Appendices
Resolutions passed by the 53rd General Assembly of the International Press
Institute (IPI) in Warsaw/Poland
Press Release by the World Association of Newspapers (Paris) June 2, 2004