THE Gender and Media Connect (GMC) has seen it noble and declared that enough is enough about the numerous challenges faced by journalists in the country, and in most cases with no clue on how to overcome them.
It has come up with a solution: A Journalists’ Wellness Week in December to promote the mental and physical wellness of media professionals.
The Journalists’ Wellness Week will run from December 2 to 7, 2024 under the theme #RechargeandReconnect!
Many scribes have found the going tough and resigned to fate.
Stories have been shared about how prominent journalists are failing to make ends meet.
The truth of the matter is that this is a thankless job.
It feels good for the reader going through stories and critiquing them on the one hand and the journalist feeling happy that they made a byline and their exclusive story is trending on the other hand, yet going home empty handed at the end of the day.
Today, many are alcoholics, trying to drown their sorrows in beer.
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They buy even the smallest pack of brew that intoxicates the most.
Some are into drugs, a difficult choice given how much they are revered out there for writing some of the best copies.
Others do hotel crawling, moving from one hotel to the other checking on functions they can attend and get a meal sometime during the day.
It’s not easy being famous, but failing to put food on the table, and that is the life of several scribes.
They have covered protests, the COVID-19 pandemic, with all their connections waking up to hear that some of their contacts have died, the cholera and typhoid epidemics, accidents, etc, and go home and pretend as if everything is normal.
Salaries are poor and more often are paid late.
Many are tenants and are finding it difficult to pay rentals.
They are now surviving on trips. That extra dollar out there means a lot to them.
It’s not easy being a journalist in this tough economy.
To make matters worse, there is no national employment council for journalists which negotiates for better salaries and conditions of service.
The government pays lip service by saying it will see to it that salaries of journalists are improved.
At times, the bureaucrats do not make it any better: Making threats against members of the media as if it’s something fashionable.
The media fraternity survives on revenue from advertising, an industry which is facing its own challenges as advertisers are cutting budgets as a result of a depressed economy.
“Journalists are often at the frontlines of information dissemination, yet their own well-being is rarely prioritised,” said GMC director Patience Zirima.
“This initiative is a call to action to create a healthier, more supportive media landscape in Zimbabwe.
“By addressing mental health and fostering solidarity, we empower journalists to continue their critical work.”
Journalists in Zimbabwe face numerous challenges, from covering traumatic stories to enduring online harassment and gender-based violence while receiving poor pay.
These pressures, compounded by long working hours and financial difficulties, have led to a silent crisis in the profession, we reported in yesterday’s edition.
