Dear readers,It has really been a journey. We can hardly believe that NewsDay is now 10 years old.
A great thanks to Trevor Ncube for the pioneering work and bravery to build this media house.
A lot happens in 10 years; nations can be built in 10 years. A lot can also be lost in 10 years!
In the year of NewsDay’s inception in 2010, the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe was entrenched in the seat of power in Zimbabwe.
With hindsight, in 2010, the Zimbabwe dollar had been buried by hyperinflation and replaced by the United States dollar in February the previous year.
It was against this background that the NewsDay was birthed from scratch. Its biggest weapon was a commitment to the truth and a fierce editorial independence.
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I believe it is these tenets which have given it enduring power over the last decade. Initially I thought when you tell the truth you lose friends.
However, in my short two years in the media industry I now realise that friendship held by lies is not worth keeping. The papers are society’s mirror and torch.
NewsDay, like the rest of the media are the Fourth Estate and have a responsibility to hold the mirror to society unadulterated as provided for in the Constitution.
I am, therefore, proud that in its decade of existence, NewsDay has been a polished mirror of our nation. Yes, sometimes as a society we do not want to see our reflection and try to run away from it. When we don’t like the reflection, it is a sure sign that we must change our ways.
Over the years, NewsDay has been a pioneer. Its website has the highest following in the country as the world draws truth in its contents.
As a way of self-checking, NewsDay leads the market in having an independent advisory board which checks its balance, fairness and ethical reporting.
The Editorial Advisory Board is supported by an ombudsman. These are structures to keep our professionalism in check and act as the NewsDay mirror.
So, though the hours and minutes tick, NewsDay continues to write the first draft of our history. The good, the bad and the ugly.
This 10-year milestone, the statistics of the million eyeballs and reads become part of our history, our memories. In 10 years, readers mutate and grow and we have welcomed a newer set of readers too.
This new follower is loyal to speed, and variety. We have had to embrace technology.
During the COVID-19 period alone, we went digital and shared our paper with over 1 000 000 readers in Zimbabwe and the world.
Though we are against content sharing, it was a pleasure to see competing sites stealing our content.
The lost revenue was, however, more than compensated for by the knowledge and realisation that the market does love our contribution to public discourse and shared it fervently.
It is pleasing to realise, however, that the NewsDay is fast transitioning from being a Zimbabwean product to being global.
Technology affords us that chance. Our e-paper now has more readers than the physical newspaper. The 10th anniversary, therefore, marks a leap into the digital space.
I will take this opportunity to highlight that as NewsDay, we are not in the business of politics. We are in the business of erecting a solid wall in defence of justice, transparency and fairness.
We have observed that it’s mostly the transgressors from both public and private who habitually bump into this wall and cry foul.
Let me take this opportunity to thank our readers who have remained loyal. We accept that in their loyalty they have not withheld criticism. It is the feedback that allows us to stay focused on quality and professional journalism.
Our work involves writing the first draft of history.
The internet has not only amplified our voice; it has also widened our reach.
We are aware of this responsibility and take it seriously. Our work would be worthless without your support, our growing readership.
To our readers, I extend a warm grateful heart and say thank you for engaging with us. We look forward to the next 10 years with grateful hearts and unwavering commitment.