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ANZ case to be sealed month-end
The Financial Gazette
April 14, 2005

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/fingaz/2005/April/April14/8251.shtml

THE fate of The Daily News and its sister paper, The Daily News on Sunday, will be concluded on April 27 when the Media and Information Commission (MIC) meets to resolve the long-standing dispute.

The Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), which owns the two titles, has re-applied to the state-aligned MIC for a licence following last month’s Supreme Court ruling that the publishing house should launch a fresh bid.

ANZ had its two newspapers shut in September 2003 for operating unlawfully. Sources, however, said the newspapers would get licences after a protracted 18-month struggle, as it also emerged that pressure was mounting on the MIC.

"Registration is not based on pressure from the press or politicians . . . it is based on the merits of the application," quipped MIC chairman Tafataona Mahoso.

Asked why it had taken long for the MIC to process the ANZ application, the former journalists trainer said the commission had several other applications to look at.

"Why do you want to ask on their behalf? What is so special about their application when we have so many of them from churches, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and all applications should be treated equally?" he quipped.

Four newspapers, namely The Daily News, The Daily News on Sunday, The Tribune and The Weekly Times have closed shop since September 2003 for various reasons under the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

President Robert Mugabe has, however, hinted in an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation two weeks ago that no newspaper would be denied a licence, "unless of course they are rabidly anti-government".

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