Story by Panashe Nagoli
THE Government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining traditional media as the sector grapples with declining revenues, largely driven by the shift of advertising to digital platforms.
Speaking at the 15th anniversary celebrations of Daily News Zimbabwe in Harare this Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Zhemu Soda, said authorities are implementing measures to support the industry.
“We are fully committed to ensuring the sustainability of traditional media as much as Government has done across several sectors. We are also reviewing licenses, permits and regulatory fees in the media industry,” he said.
Dr Soda also outlined ongoing media reforms aimed at reviewing legislation that has hindered growth in the sector.
“The government is also in the process of reviewing misaligned legislation that stifled the growth of the media industry because traditional media remains the gold standard of news across the country.”
Industry players say the digitisation of media has significantly impacted traditional revenue streams.
Jester Media Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Pilate Machadu, welcomed Government’s move to review regulatory fees, citing cost pressures facing media houses.
“We have been hit hard by revenue decline and on top of that, we have to battle with high regulatory fees, and so we welcome the review of regulatory fees to ensure a reduction in production costs.”
The Minister also highlighted Government’s commitment to expanding access to information through the Zimbabwe Media Policy 2025, launched in May 2025.
Traditional media has, over the years, experienced sustained revenue declines as advertisers increasingly shift to digital platforms.
In response, Government says it will continue to promote ease of doing business and implement regulatory reforms aimed at ensuring the sector remains viable.
