The Sunday Mail
Media is a platform used for communication — to give expression to, as well as to relay, receive, and feedback ideas, facts, opinions, convictions, and various other messages. Communication consists of the exchange of meaning between parties involved, and where meaning is not (accurately) exchanged, the communication is considered ineffective.
Among other things, it has been observed that we communicate in order to interact, inform, find out, influence, regulate, entertain, record, and the list goes on.
What then is the role and place of the media in Zimbabwe, and what framework should guide it?
No pillar of society can escape the four corners of the framework of righteousness, justice, truth, and love.
Sometimes dubbed the lifeblood of democracy, the fourth estate, among other superlatives; the place of the media should be to speak the truth with responsibility by informing, exhorting, and influencing towards the cause consistent with the framework of righteousness, justice, truth and love.
The moment the practise of media rides roughshod on these principles, it should be reckoned offside.
The media is thus critical to the life of any society.
As a communication platform, the media is inherent to human existence and flourishing. It cannot be wished away or done away with.
It has to, within a clearly delineated framework, be accommodated and given the space to thrive.
Now, there is a point that is key and requires repetition for the purpose of emphasis.
The media, as a communication platform or medium with various purposes to serve, ought to, as a minimum standard, speak the truth with responsibility.
After all, the hallmark of freedom is responsibility.
The Biblical equivalent of media practice is presented in the form of a mature person or Christian who ought to speak the truth in love, with love representing utmost good faith, goodwill, and responsibility.
The Bible is an example of a communication that was faithfully presented, with great care, responsibility, goodwill, and lots of good faith.
Truth, for the sake of emphasis, consist of that which endures against the odds of time and does not succumb to any depreciation, but enhances in value with the passage of time.
‘‘In other words, truth entails certainty, stability, and eternalness – that which does not change, expire, or gets overtaken by time.
Love entails responsibility. And love that manifest itself through the exercise of responsibility is patient, not jealous; does not brag and is not arrogant, or rude.
It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevails.
‘‘The area of responsibility is what media ethics ought to speak into effectively.
And so, let the media flourish with responsibility.
This article was contributed by the Concerned Christian Leaders Network Zimbabwe
