HARARE – Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), one of Zimbabwe’s last bastions of privately owned mainstream media, is teetering on the brink due to a crippling debt of approximately US$400,000 owed by the government in unpaid advertising and newspaper subscription fees. The debt, accumulated over more than a year, has severely strained the operations of the media group, which publishes prominent titles such as NewsDay, Zimbabwe Independent, The Standard, and Southern Eye, as well as operating the Heart and Soul (HSTV) web-based radio station.
The dire financial situation at AMH, owned by Trevor Ncube, has come under increased scrutiny recently, particularly following reports that journalists were paid a meagre US$50 each on Christmas Eve. Staff members have reportedly endured several months without receiving their full salaries, exacerbating the already challenging economic conditions faced by many Zimbabweans.
While AMH has remained publicly silent on these allegations, senior company officials have privately acknowledged the severity of the situation, attributing the financial distress largely to the government’s failure to settle its outstanding obligations.
An AMH executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that “While AMH’s challenges reflect global pressures on legacy media, the government’s failure to honour its advertising and subscription debts poses an existential threat to the country’s last privately owned mainstream media house.”
The executive further explained that “With government departments owing us about US$400 000, cash flows have been severely constrained. The delayed payments to contractors, including media houses, appear to be part of a broader strategy to protect the ZiG from devaluation.” This alludes to a perception that the government is deliberately delaying payments to various entities to manage the value of the local currency, the ZiG, a policy that is having a devastating impact on businesses like AMH.
The problem of government debt to media houses is not unique to AMH. According to the Advertising Media Association (ADMA), the government owes millions of dollars in local currency to other media companies, including state-owned Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers), Jester Media Services (publishers of the Daily News), and Askleland Media. This widespread indebtedness raises serious concerns about the financial stability of the media landscape in Zimbabwe and the potential for undue influence by the government.
In a bid to address the issue, ADMA wrote to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, in March, seeking intervention. However, despite this appeal, the matter remains unresolved, leaving media houses struggling to stay afloat.
The financial woes of AMH are further compounded by what the company perceives as a deliberate campaign by certain elements within the government to weaken and silence its critical publications. AMH executives believe that the recent leakage of internal salary issues is part of this coordinated effort to undermine the company’s reputation and create internal divisions.
“There is a deliberate attempt to smear management while ignoring the fact that the government owes us enough money to clear salary arrears,” another AMH executive asserted. This sentiment underscores the growing suspicion within AMH that the government’s actions are not merely a matter of financial mismanagement but a calculated attempt to stifle independent journalism.
The executive also highlighted the disparity in treatment between AMH and state-owned media outlets like Zimpapers. “The difference between us and Zimpapers is that they receive concessionary loans and direct government support — privileges we do not enjoy,” the executive explained. This unequal playing field further disadvantages AMH and other privately owned media companies, making it increasingly difficult for them to compete and survive.
Adding to the financial strain, AMH has faced escalating legal costs in recent months, stemming from the arrests and prosecution of its journalists. “On top of that, this has not been an ordinary year, given the arrests of senior journalists and escalating legal costs,” the executive lamented.
In February, HSTV senior journalist Blessed Mhlanga was jailed for 72 days without trial after covering a press conference addressed by former Zanu PF central committee member and war veteran Blessed Geza. Geza, who has become a vocal critic of the Mnangagwa administration, has been calling for the president to step down over alleged misgovernance and failure to tackle corruption.
Mhlanga and HSTV are still facing charges of “transmitting data messages that incite violence or damage property,” a charge that is widely seen as politically motivated and an attempt to silence critical voices within the media.
Five months later, in another blow to press freedom, Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba was arrested and jointly charged with AMH for allegedly insulting the president. The charges stem from the newspaper’s satirical column Muckraker, a long-standing feature known for its sharp wit and political commentary. The trial in this case has yet to commence, leaving Zaba and AMH in a state of uncertainty and further draining the company’s resources.
Follow @MyZimbabweNews
