New Ziana, formerly known as the Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency, is a state-owned media institution that operates both a national newswire service and a network of community newspapers. Once regarded as a mouthpiece for the late President Robert Mugabe—often lauded for toeing the party line—New Ziana has long struggled to shake its reputation as a government propaganda tool. In recent years, the agency has undergone a rebranding and modernization effort, aiming to keep pace with Zimbabwe’s evolving media landscape and the rapid growth of digital platforms.
Media assets
News agency: New Ziana
Publishing: Chaminuka, Ilanga, Indonsakusa, Masvingo Star, Nehanda Guardian, Pungwe News, Telegraph, The Times
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
New Ziana is wholly owned by the Government of Zimbabwe. Though it originally operated as a stand-alone state media company, it has since been absorbed into the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services as part of a broader reform of state-owned enterprises. This administrative change effectively diminishes any institutional autonomy, rendering New Ziana an operational department within the ministry.
The agency is run by government-appointed managers and is answerable to senior ministry officials, consolidating political influence over its editorial and operational direction.
Source of funding and budget
New Ziana’s operations are funded primarily through annual government budget allocations, with minimal commercial revenue generated from advertising sales across its digital platforms and community publications.
In 2024, the Zimbabwean government earmarked a total of ZWL 3.5 billion to cover the agency’s salaries and operating expenses, with an additional ZWL 1.2 billion allocated for equipment and capital costs. These figures reflect a steady dependency on public financing, as the agency continues to operate in a challenging media market with limited commercial viability.
Amid ongoing financial pressures, New Ziana ceased operations at its Super Print facility, impacting several of its regional community newspapers. This had echoes of earlier lockdowns from 2015, and has fueled speculation about whether more titles might be scaled down or shuttered.
Editorial independence
Despite efforts to modernize and repackage its content, New Ziana remains firmly aligned with state narratives. Its news output focuses overwhelmingly on promoting government policy, official events, and ruling party achievements. Investigative journalism and critical reporting remain virtually absent.
There is no legislative framework safeguarding the agency’s editorial independence, nor does any external or independent oversight mechanism exist to monitor or evaluate its journalistic standards.
While the agency has taken tentative steps toward modernization—including digital expansion and updated content formats—its core function remains unchanged: to serve as a communication arm of the state.
In April 2025, New Ziana’s CEO Rangarirai Shoko signed a memorandum of cooperation with Russian news agency TASS at the Russia–Africa Media Forum in St. Petersburg. The agreement outlined plans for news exchange, staff training, and reciprocal visits, indicating New Ziana’s push to broaden its international presence, but also a certain rapprochement to the Russian news apparatus.
June 2025