Sky News feature on Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe interviewed on Sky

Sky News is surely to be congratulated on awarding a grand propaganda coup to one of the world's most vicious tyrants. Robert Gabriel Mugabe who calls himself President of Zimbabwe and is no doubt effectively ruler of that afflicted country after his party's blatant rigging of the presidential election in 2002, was given one hour of prime time on British television this week. One hour for Mugabe and his cronies to duck and dive from the real issues and to peddle their own obnoxious propaganda, which they did so plausibly one might almost wonder if they believed it themselves .

Those of us who respect the freedom of others to express views quite contrary to our own (and that certainly does not include Robert Mugabe), do not take issue with Sky News for interviewing Mugabe and his ZANU PF chefs What we do question however is the lack of balance and fairness shown by Sky News in their reporting. Two points in particular:

First, there was no evidence that any attempt had been made to achieve balance by allowing the opposition MDC an opportunity to respond. In all fairness one would have expected Morgan Tsvangirai and perhaps one or two of his lieutenants to be afforded the same air time as ZANU PF. By the same token was Sky News not under some obligation to put the Mugabe interview into context, by reporting on the situation in the ground in Zimbabwe today, at least including the violence and lawlessness that continue, the famine that threatens and the ruthless suppression of free speech in the land ? Or was it the price Sky News was required to pay for the interview that the opposition's point of view was not put, and that no local reporting was permitted? In which case was the price not too high ?

The second point, which reinforces the first, is that within Zimbabwe there is effectively no freedom of assembly or expression today. Dissent has been crushed and the alternative point of view smothered under a mix of repressive legislation, violence and intimidation. ZANU PF exercises total control of the airwaves and of the state newspapers. The only independent daily, the popular Daily News, was constantly threatened, bombed twice and finally shut down. Journalists and their papers are required to be licensed by a board appointed by and answerable to none other than Mugabe's own notorious spin doctor, Jonathan Moyo. The BBC and other international media houses have been banned from the country. Under such an intolerant and repressive regime the obligation to balance any statements made by those in power with the views of those denied a voice is surely all the greater. For Sky News to record interviews with Mugabe and his cronies and not to afford an equal opportunity to those suffering under his cruel tyranny is like - if you can imagine such an outrage - a British news team visiting South Africa in the darkest days under Apartheid and giving P.W. Botha an hour of prime time viewing while not even bothering to speak to any representatives of the A.N.C.

The damage has been done and the short telephone interview belatedly and hurriedly arranged by Sky News - no doubt under pressure from their own viewers - with the Secretary General of the MDC, is not sufficient to restore the balance. The only way to do that would be to provide the same air time as that afforded to ZANU PF to the opposition in Zimbabwe, including not only leaders of the MDC but human rights activists and Church leaders such as Archbishop Pius Ncube, who have to deal with the victims of Mugabe's misrule on a daily basis.

When will Sky News do this ?

If you think they should why don't you email the Sky News newsroom now and tell them so?

email: www.news@sky.com

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