Government bans BBC

The government on 25 June suspended the accreditation of the British Broadcasting Corporation following what it said was a series of distortions of events in the country.

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said the distortions and misrepresentations were unacceptable and would not be allowed to continue.

“The time has come for the BBC to follow and uphold in Zimbabwe the same professional and ethical standards it follows in Britain. That is the bottom line, nothing less or more,” he said.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE2271, MEDIA REPORT GOZ BANS BBC JOURNALISTS; HARARE

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

271024Z Jul 01

UNCLASSIFIED     PTO1782

PAGE 01       HARARE 02271 271025Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00

EUR-00   UTED-00 VC-00   TEDE-00 INR-00   LAB-01   VCE-00

NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00

SAS-00     /003W

——————0AC4AC 271025Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9383

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

AMEMBASSY GABORONE

AMEMBASSY LILONGWE

AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 002271

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,

NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT GOZ BANS BBC JOURNALISTS; HARARE

¶1. THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) HAS SUSPENDED THE

ACCREDITATION OF BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (BBC)

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02       HARARE 02271 271025Z

CORRESPONDENTS BASED IN ZIMBABWE. ACCORDING TO AN

ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE JULY 26 EDITION OF THE

GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY “THE HERALD,” THE

SUSPENSION IS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. UNDER HEADLINE

“BBC CORRESPONDENTS’ ACCREDITATION SUSPENDED,” THE

PAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING STORY ON PAGE ONE:

¶2. “THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY YESTERDAY

(JULY 25) SUSPENDED THE ACCREDITATION OF BBC

CORRESPONDENTS IN ZIMBABWE FOLLOWING A SERIES OF

ALLEGED DISTORTIONS OF EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY. THE

MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY,

PROFESSOR JONATHAN MOYO, SAID DISTORTIONS AND

MISREPRESENTATIONS WERE UNACCEPTABLE AND WOULD NOT BE

ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. ‘THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE BBC TO

FOLLOW AND UPHOLD IN ZIMBABWE THE SAME PROFESSIONAL AND

ETHICAL STANDARDS IT FOLLOWS IN BRITAIN. THAT IS THE

BOTTOM LINE, NOTHING LESS OR MORE,’ SAID PROF. MOYO IN

A LETTER TO MILTON NKOSI, BBC NEWS BUREAU CHIEF IN

JOHANNESBURG. .

HOOKS

UNCLASSIFIED

>

(108 VIEWS)