MEDIA REPORT AFRICA JOURNAL FEEDBACK; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 003785 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, IBB FOR DIANE BUTTS, AF/RA FOR SWANN, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT AFRICA JOURNAL FEEDBACK; HARARE ¶1. THE DECEMBER 13 AFRICA JOURNAL ON "ZIMBABWE AT THE CROSSROADS" ATTRACTED ALL THE MAINSTREAM GOVERNMENT- CONTROLLED MEDIA IN HARARE - ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION (ZBC) TELEVISION, "THE HERALD," AND THE ZIMBABWE INTER-AFRICA NEWS AGENCY (ZIANA) - AND THE COUNTRY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS." THE JOURNALISTS WERE IMPRESSED WITH MAIMONA MILLS' SKILLS. "SHE WAS GREAT. SHE WAS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE INTERVIEW AND WAS HIGHLY ASTUTE TO THE SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE," REMARKED MASIMBA KARIKOGA FROM "THE HERALD." THE JOURNALISTS AND AUDIENCE DRAWN FROM THE PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE FOUND THE PROGRAM "REFRESHING AND VERY INFORMATIVE." THE AUDIENCE APPRECIATED THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE WASHINGTON PANELISTS AND DIVERSE CALLERS FROM ALL OVER AFRICA, BUT WERE QUICK TO QUERY SOME OF THE FOOTAGE THAT AIRED IN THE OPENING REPORT, SAYING IT WAS "ALIEN" TO ZIMBABWE. ¶2. THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY CARRIED AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE AFRICA JOURNAL PROGRAM ON PAGE ONE UNDER HEADLINE "YOUTHS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST SANCTIONS BILL." THE ARTICLE WAS PART OF A STORY THAT REPORTED ON A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT OF 2001 BY PEOPLE FROM THE RECENTLY FORMED PATRIOTIC YOUTHS OF ZIMBABWE ORGANIZATION. THE YOUTHS, ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, WIELDED PLACARDS DENOUNCING THE U.S. CONGRESS' DECISION TO MOBILIZE INTERNATIONAL OPINION AGAINST ZIMBABWE. THE ARTICLE THEN FOCUSED ON THE AFRICA JOURNAL PROGRAM, QUOTING EXTENSIVELY FROM ZIMBABWE'S UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 03785 190821Z AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON DR. SIMBI MUBAKO DISMISSING THE ACT AS "UNWARRANTED INTERFERENCE IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF ZIMBABWE," ADDING THAT "THERE WAS NO JUSTIFICATION WHATSOEVER FOR THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE U.S. CONGRESS." THE ARTICLE ALSO GAVE PLAY TO CONTRIBUTIONS BY MDC SECRETARY- GENERAL PROFESSOR WELSHMAN NCUBE, VOA REPORTER JOSEPHINE KAMARA AND THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF SOUTHERN AND EAST AFRICA NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, MS. SHARI BRYAN. ¶3. THE DECEMBER 18 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS," CARRIED AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE PROGRAM UNDER HEADLINE "U.S. BILL SET TO BECOME LAW THIS WEEK." ¶4. POST WISHES TO CONGRATULATE THE AFRICA JOURNAL CREW FOR THIS VERY TOPICAL PROGRAM. WE HOPE THERE WILL BE MORE ZIMBABWE-FOCUSED PROGRAMS IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION EXPECTED IN MARCH 2002. WE ALSO HOPE THAT A ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WILL, NEXT TIME AROUND, BE AB