TEN independent news organisations have joined forces to establish the Zimbabwe Independent Journalism Fund (ZIJF) in a ground-breaking initiative aimed at addressing the long-standing sustainability crisis facing the country's media landscape.
ZIJF was formally established on March 22 this year by a consortium of pioneering independent news organisations, ranging from investigative to hyper-local outlets.
For years, independent news outlets in Zimbabwe have operated under enormous strain with several others relying on short-term project grants, navigating hostile political and economic environments and functioning without a safety net of long-term institutional support.
The fund seeks to pool philanthropic resources into a single, co-ordinated mechanism that provides core operational support, innovative funding and tailored capacity-building for credible, independent journalism in Zimbabwe.
In a statement, the fund’s secretary and co-ordinator Divine Dube said ZIJF sought to change this trajectory by providing long-term, flexible funding and support to credible, independent journalism in Zimbabwe.
The fund is governed by a consortium council elected by member organisations, comprising veteran journalists, media innovators and academics.
ZIJF chairperson Tawanda Majoni said the fund reflected a new way of thinking that journalism sustainability cannot be outsourced “and that journalists themselves must shape how the profession is supported, protected and strengthened.”
ZIJF seeks to achieve several key objectives, including supporting sustainability through long-term, flexible funding, strengthening collaboration between independent media actors and promoting innovation in revenue generation.
- Independent newsrooms launch journalism fund
Keep Reading
Other objectives include audience engagement and news product development, supporting digital transformation in newsrooms and adaptation to evolving technologies, and broadening access to credible, community-focused, and mission-driven journalism in news deserts.
