ZMC concerned by delays in starting licensed newspapers

Majonga's remarks, made during a meeting with newspaper editors in the capital, also reflected concerns within media rights advocacy groups who have lobbied particularly for the re-licensing of the once-banned Daily News newspaper, which is yet to hit the streets despite several promises to launch.

"Our expectation as a commission was that all media houses licensed since last year would quickly roll out their business plans so as to afford our readers variety in terms of what is on offer. Only a handful of media houses from those licenses have managed to start publishing," said Majonga.

Concern for commission

"This is cause for concern for the commission. We encourage those media houses that were licensed and are facing difficulties to approach us so that we can understand their problems," he appealed.

Some ZMC members indicated that there was a provision to withdraw licenses for publications that failed to publish within 12 months of getting licensed.

The ZMC has licensed 15 publications since coming into existence in February last year. The latest publications - a daily newspaper, The Daily Nation owned by the family of the late controversial black empowerment activist Roger Boka and a magazine - were licensed on 10 February 2011.

The Daily News was re-licensed together with NewsDay owned by media mogul Trevor Ncube and The Daily Gazette owned by Modus Publications, publishers of The Financial Gazette newspaper in May last year.

NewsDay launched immediately

Another daily called The Mail was also licensed at the time. NewsDay launched immediately after getting a license. Sources at The Daily News said preparations were now at an advanced stage to launch the newspaper by end of February or early March.

"We had a consignment of trucks arriving which arrived this week and staff have been put together and are already geared for the launch," one senior staffer said.

There has been no progress in starting The Daily Gazette, which already held a publishing license prior to being re-licensed in May last year.