The human factor, media and politics in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)

Abstract

A historical overview of how the media in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, started and developed shows that there can be no such thing as ‘independent’ or ‘free’ media. All media serve particular view points and interests. Behind these view points are just people whose Human Factor (HF) content has been trained to focus on the needs and aspirations of the owners of the media. This historical and HF legacy has continued to influence how the media in Africa should be managed. At the center of media control by the West. is also the domination of Africa’s own HF. The following history of the media in Southern Rhodesia shows how the media becomes embroiled in national power struggles, politics and conflict and thus making nonsense the claim of the capacity of the media to be independent, free and above politics, economics, race, colour or creed.