Why Zimbabwe Should Follow China’s Lead in Media Development

Abel Karowangoro, recently in Beijing, China 

The media plays a vital role in shaping national identity, promoting culture, and recording history. China stands out as a country that has used its media systems not only as a channel for information dissemination but also as a tool for nation-building.

Zimbabwe can draw valuable lessons from China’s model to strengthen its own media landscape and ensure that the nation’s story is told by its own people.

China’s media landscape operates through a well-organised four-tier system that integrates communication across national, provincial, municipal, and local levels. At the national level, major outlets such as the Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV) function as the authoritative voices of the state, disseminating government policies, cultural values, and national achievements to both domestic and international audiences.

Provincial and municipal media serve as bridges between the central government and regional communities, focusing on local development, economic initiatives, and the distinctive characteristics of each province, while maintaining alignment with national objectives.

At the grassroots, local and community media outlets capture the everyday lives of citizens, safeguarding local traditions, dialects, and cultural practices that contribute to China’s diverse social fabric.

Collectively, this tiered structure ensures that communication flows effectively from the centre to the periphery, allowing every segment of society to be represented.

Through print, broadcast, and digital platforms, China’s media system not only fosters internal cohesion but also enhances the nation’s image on the global stage by promoting its culture, values, and developmental narrative.

Lessons for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, too, has a rich history, vibrant culture, and abundant natural resources.

However, the local media often focuses on political contestation and conflict rather than nation-building. This imbalance can weaken the collective identity and overshadow the country’s achievements and heritage.

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said Zimbabwe needs to embrace communication development across all sectors.

“Media should not only inform but also educate, empower, and inspire pride in being Zimbabwean,” He said.

Our ancestors built a legacy of resilience, innovation, and cultural depth, from the Great Zimbabwe civilisation to the liberation struggle.

“It is the responsibility of today’s media to preserve and promote these stories.

If we do not write our own history, others will write it for us and often from perspectives that do not reflect our true identity.”

Sharpening Skills and Building Home-Grown Media Capacity

During an engagement by Professor Cheng from Communication University of China, he emphasised that developing countries must embrace home-grown media applications and technologies in order to encourage effective communication.

He noted that while the process may be difficult at first, persistence and innovation will lead to growth.

“That’s how China’s media started,” he said, encouraging nations like Zimbabwe to develop their own communication systems step by step.

Echoing this sentiment, Professor Wang Yao urged developing countries to come up with innovative ways of writing their stories, focusing on cultural exchange and local content development in every sector that forms the backbone of the nation.

Professor Cheng’s and Professor Wang’s words are a reminder that media development is not just about technology; it’s about sharpening skills, media skills, and mastering the art of information dissemination.

True communication is not about creating passive viewers or followers, but about ensuring that users actively comprehend and engage with the information shared.

It’s about communicating seasoned, well-researched, and meaningful information that builds trust and understanding.

China Champions Cross-Continental Media Collaboration

The theoretical framework provided by Chinese academics is powerfully reinforced by concrete government-led action.

Beijing recently became a hub of cross-continental dialogue as the Chinese government hosted the Seminar on Regional Online Media for Belt and Road Countries.

Organised by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) and executed with the China Broadcasting International Cooperation (CBIC), the event drew thirty-two media professionals from Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries, including a delegation of 9 media professionals from Zimbabwe.

Throughout the 14-day seminar, participants engaged in vibrant discussions and shared their diverse voices and experiences.

A key highlight was a study tour to state-of-the-art institutions that have embraced cutting-edge technology in media production, providing the delegates with invaluable, hands-on insight into the future of the industry.

Ms Zhou Jinhong, Director-General of the International Cooperation Department at NRTA, set a visionary tone.

“All we come from different countries and different regions, but we are united by the BRI,” she declared, framing the seminar as a platform for deepening audiovisual and broadcast ties.

She highlighted initiatives like the China-Africa Broadcast and Audiovisual Cooperation Innovation Program, designed to co-create content that resonates across borders.

Acknowledging the challenges of the digital age, Ms Zhou said, “new tech, artificial intelligence, and big data are increasingly posing challenges to media… We are waiting to learn to communicate and share experiences.”

Her call for depth learning and investment in skills was a direct invitation for collaboration.

Mr Xiong Zhihui, Chairman of CBIC, underscored this mission.

“The aim is to build important platforms, sharing experiences—countries have accumulated various experiences,” he said.

He outlined practical platforms for capacity building, merging traditional and new media, and invited professionals to help with skills transfer, emphasising that “the future of the media is in this between countries.”

This high-level seminar is a clear signal: China is ready for collaboration. It is actively creating frameworks and pouring resources into helping developing nations, like Zimbabwe, build resilient, modern media ecosystems.

The focus is on a two-way exchange, fostering a media future rooted in mutual benefit and shared prosperity.

Strengthening Community Media

For Zimbabwe, the path forward is clear. We must actively engage with these opportunities for cooperation while fiercely nurturing our own talent and content. It is imperative that Zimbabwe utilises these platforms to speak its local richness.

This is not a task solely for major state-owned institutions like Zimpapers and ZBC; it is a responsibility for all media institutions. It is their right and their duty to write the nation’s story.

Community radios, online startups, and independent production houses have a crucial role to play in telling the Zimbabwean story.

Each region, be it Matabeleland, Manicaland, Masvingo, or Mashonaland, has unique traditions, languages, and histories that deserve recognition. By focusing on local heritage, all media can help preserve culture while contributing to national unity.

Moreover, the media should highlight developmental initiatives, innovations, and cultural events that uplift communities. Positive storytelling does not mean ignoring challenges; it means balancing criticism with constructive dialogue and celebrating progress.

China’s success in building a powerful media system that reflects its culture and history offers important lessons for Zimbabwe. More importantly, China has demonstrated a genuine commitment to sharing this expertise through concrete platforms for cooperation.

A strong, independent, yet patriotic media can be the foundation of national pride and unity.

Zimbabwe’s journalists, broadcasters, and writers must now take up the responsibility to tell the nation’s story truthfully and positively, leveraging both our own innovation and the collaborative bridges being built.

Because if we do not write our history, no one else will do it for us, and certainly not in the way we would want it to be told.