Media assets

Television: ZBC TV, Jive TV

Radio: National FM, Radio Zimbabwe, Power FM, Classic 263, Khulumani FM, 95.8 Central Radio

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

ZBC is a government-owned private limited company established under the Broadcasting Services Act. While technically operating as a commercial entity, its governance structure reflects strong state influence: the Board of Directors is appointed by the government, following consultations with the President of Zimbabwe.

In February 2024, CEO Adelaide Chikunguru was dismissed on allegations of financial impropriety and weak corporate governance. Her removal followed tensions with Helliate Rushwaya, the newly appointed board chairperson—who also happens to be the niece of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The incident underscored longstanding concerns about politicization and internal factionalism within the broadcaster’s leadership.

A new 13-member ZBC board, chaired by Helliate Rushwaya, was formally gazetted on 13 June 2025 by Information Minister Jenfan Muswere, under the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act. The board is serving for a four-year term. Initial announcements of certain board members surfaced earlier, in January 2024, with additional appointments in July 2024 and February 2025, but these were only fully confirmed and officially endorsed by the Government Gazette on 13 June 2025.

Source of funding & budget

ZBC relies on a mixed funding model comprising:

• License fees paid by households
• Advertising revenue
• Ad hoc government subsidies to plug financial shortfalls

Despite its public funding mandate, license fee compliance is exceedingly low—with only around 10% of Zimbabweans reportedly paying. In 2019, the broadcaster projected revenue of ZWL 220 million (US$  607,000) from license fees but collected just ZWL 10 million. Advertising brought in another ZWL 34 million.

In 2020, ZBC’s board publicly urged the government to reinstate direct budgetary support, arguing that the broadcaster could not operate as a commercially viable entity under the existing conditions. While a license fee hike was introduced in January 2021, aimed at covering 80% of ZBC’s operational budget, the financial situation remained dire.

By late 2021, ZBC had accumulated debts of ZWL 66 million, prompting the Parliamentary Media Committee to request that the government absorb the broadcaster’s liabilities.

A 2022–2025 strategic plan laid out an ambitious vision for ZBC to return to profitability and start paying dividends by the end of 2025. While there were claims in September 2022 that revenue collection had improved—with reported year-to-date income of ZWL 1.4 billion (approx. US$  3.8 million)—financial sustainability remains elusive.

In May 2024, an MP floated a proposal to transfer responsibility for license fee collection from ZBC to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ)—a move some interpret as an effort to depoliticize revenue enforcement. However, no legislative action has followed. Meanwhile, civil society organizations and opposition figures have intensified calls for the abolition of the license fee altogether, citing poor service delivery and overt political bias.

No direct appropriation line for ZBC was found in the publicly available 2024 national or sectoral budget documents. In 2024, ZBC continued to heavily lean on revenue from license fees and advertising, supplemented by government subsidies, yet no official budget figure has been published. Ahead of its 2025 budget, the Treasury received requests totaling over ZWL 700 billion for media-related needs—including ZBC . However, the final gazetted government budget did not disclose specific amounts earmarked for ZBC in 2025.

Separately, a high-profile legislative move in May 2025 introduced a radio levy on motorists, projected to raise over USD 110 million—or around ZWL 1.4 billion—for ZBC, but this represents projected revenue rather than an official budget allocation.

Editorial independence

ZBC has long been viewed as a mouthpiece for the ruling Zanu PF party, with widespread allegations of partisan reporting and editorial manipulation. Its programming overwhelmingly favors government narratives, often sidelining opposition voices and dissenting opinions.

The lack of statutory safeguards or independent editorial oversight mechanisms leaves ZBC open to political interference. In several documented instances, the High Court of Zimbabwe has even recognized ZBC’s lack of impartiality. Judicial scrutiny ramped up in 2025, with the Supreme Court admonishing ZBC for failing to maintain editorial impartiality, reinforcing earlier High Court findings demanding fair party representation.

Despite a veneer of strategic reform, no tangible steps have been taken to establish institutional checks on editorial integrity. As of June 2025, there is still no statute, public accountability mechanism, or independent regulator tasked with validating or enforcing ZBC’s editorial independence.

June 2025

Currently, Zimpapers owns and operates over a dozen newspapers and magazines, including national dailies The Herald and The Chronicle, as well as a growing portfolio of radio stations and a television network (ZTN Prime). It remains the undisputed leader in Zimbabwe’s print media landscape.

Media assets

Newspapers: Dailies- The Herald, The Chronicle, H-Metro, B-Metro; Sunday papers- The Sunday Mail, The Sunday News; Weeklies- The Manica Post, Kwayedza, Umthunywa, Business Weekly; Regional- Southern Times; Local- Suburban; Other- Zimtravel Magazine

Radio: Star FM, Diamond FM, Capitalk FM, Nyami Nyami FM

Television: Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN)

State Media Matrix Typology

Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)

Ownership and governance

Zimpapers is formally listed as a public company, but its controlling interest is held by the Government of Zimbabwe, making it effectively a state-owned media enterprise. The company’s governance is enshrined under the country’s Constitution, which categorizes Zimpapers as part of the public media sector.

Historically, editorial independence was intended to be safeguarded through the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT), a board of trustees designed to act as a buffer between the state and Zimpapers’ newsrooms. However, that independent trust was effectively dissolved in 2000 and transformed into a government-controlled holding structure. The ZMMT still exists in name, but today it functions primarily as a governing entity serving government interests.

The company is overseen by a six-member board, appointed directly by the President of Zimbabwe. The most recent board appointments were made in February 2020. In 2019, the government announced its intention to revive the ZMMT as a truly independent trustee board—a promise that remains unfulfilled.

On 9 January 2024, seven non-executive board members were named, including Doreen Sibanda, Alexander Rusero, Gift Machengete, George Chisoko, Raphael Mushanawani, Rutendo Mangudya, and Phillip Mbano.

Source of funding and budget

Zimpapers operates largely as a commercial entity, deriving the bulk of its revenue from advertising, print circulation, digital subscriptions, and commercial printing. The company’s audited reports do not reflect any direct government subsidies or cash injections.

In 2024, Zimpapers delivered a standout financial performance, marking a significant turnaround in its commercial trajectory. The media group recorded inflation-adjusted revenues of ZWL 71.6 billion, driven by strong performance across its print, broadcasting, and commercial printing divisions.

Profits surged dramatically, with segment net profit rising by 308% to reach ZWL 4.9 billion, while total profit for the period stood at ZWL 9.36 billion. Headline earnings, after adjustments, hit ZWL 20 billion, reflecting robust operational and financial health. These results build on the company’s 2023 growth momentum and reaffirm its position as Zimbabwe’s most profitable media conglomerate.

Nevertheless, in 2025, the company was rocked by a business-related scandal. An internal audit, revealed in April 2025, uncovered a potential US$13 million gap in Zimpapers’ financial records—raising serious concerns about possible fraud and corruption. Reports indicate inflated asset valuations (e.g., equipment recorded at US$ 4 million that allegedly is worth less than US$ 1 million), prompting demand for a forensic audit to trace fund flows and identify accountability.

Following the audit, three senior executives—Group CEO Pikirayi Deketeke, CFO Farai Matanhire, and CMO Tapuwa Mandimutsira—were placed on forced leave, allegedly for resisting the financial review. The board installed acting executives: William Chikoto (Acting CEO) and Annah Kufakunesu (Acting CFO).

Editorial independence

Since the dismantling of the ZMMT as an independent oversight body, Zimpapers has consistently faced criticism for its overtly pro-government editorial stance. Numerous reports suggest that Zimpapers functions as a de facto state mouthpiece, frequently aligning its news coverage with the ruling ZANU-PF party’s policies and political agenda.

Editorial control is often exerted indirectly—through board-level dismissals, managerial interference, and internal directives compelling journalists to adopt partisan narratives. According to local media analysts interviewed for this report, these practices severely undermine journalistic integrity within the organization.

As of June 2025, no statute guarantees Zimpapers’ editorial independence, no independent oversight mechanism exists to assess or enforce editorial impartiality and investigations and testimony from former insiders reinforce the perception that the ruling party exerts significant control over editorial decision-making.

June 2025

Media assets

News agency: New Ziana

Publishing: Chaminuka, Ilanga, Indonsakusa, Masvingo Star, Nehanda Guardian, Pungwe News, Telegraph, The Times

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

New Ziana is wholly owned by the Government of Zimbabwe. Though it originally operated as a stand-alone state media company, it has since been absorbed into the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services as part of a broader reform of state-owned enterprises. This administrative change effectively diminishes any institutional autonomy, rendering New Ziana an operational department within the ministry.

The agency is run by government-appointed managers and is answerable to senior ministry officials, consolidating political influence over its editorial and operational direction.

Source of funding and budget

New Ziana’s operations are funded primarily through annual government budget allocations, with minimal commercial revenue generated from advertising sales across its digital platforms and community publications.

In 2024, the Zimbabwean government earmarked a total of ZWL 3.5 billion to cover the agency’s salaries and operating expenses, with an additional ZWL 1.2 billion allocated for equipment and capital costs. These figures reflect a steady dependency on public financing, as the agency continues to operate in a challenging media market with limited commercial viability.

Amid ongoing financial pressures, New Ziana ceased operations at its Super Print facility, impacting several of its regional community newspapers. This had echoes of earlier lockdowns from 2015, and has fueled speculation about whether more titles might be scaled down or shuttered.

Editorial independence

Despite efforts to modernize and repackage its content, New Ziana remains firmly aligned with state narratives. Its news output focuses overwhelmingly on promoting government policy, official events, and ruling party achievements. Investigative journalism and critical reporting remain virtually absent.

There is no legislative framework safeguarding the agency’s editorial independence, nor does any external or independent oversight mechanism exist to monitor or evaluate its journalistic standards.

While the agency has taken tentative steps toward modernization—including digital expansion and updated content formats—its core function remains unchanged: to serve as a communication arm of the state.

In April 2025, New Ziana’s CEO Rangarirai Shoko signed a memorandum of cooperation with Russian news agency TASS at the Russia–Africa Media Forum in St. Petersburg. The agreement outlined plans for news exchange, staff training, and reciprocal visits, indicating New Ziana’s push to broaden its international presence, but also a certain rapprochement to the Russian news apparatus.

June 2025