The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has called for restraint and constructive engagement amid developments involving Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) and members of its workforce.

In a statement dated October 8, the Commission said it was engaging stakeholders to understand the dispute, including reported legal action involving AMH employees.

The ZMC said the matter involved differing perspectives and that it would approach the issue with impartiality, respect for due process and sensitivity to the rights of all parties.

The Commission stressed that its intervention should not be interpreted as taking sides or prejudging any legal proceedings, saying it respected the independence of the courts and the right of all parties to pursue lawful remedies.

The ZMC said it was particularly concerned about the broader implications for journalists, media practitioners and the sustainability of media institutions.

It urged all parties to prioritise dialogue in the interests of AMH, its employees, the journalism profession and the public’s right to access information.

The Commission also said it would continue engaging media owners, practitioners, government, businesses, development partners and civil society on media sustainability, funding and the future of journalism in Zimbabwe.

It said the media industry was facing mounting pressures from declining revenues, changing audience habits, technological disruption and rising operating costs.

The ZMC said further communication on the AMH matter would be issued when appropriate.

Trevor Ncube’s Zimind Publishers (Private) Limited has filed a defamation lawsuit at the High Court in Harare against 36 of its employees, among them journalists, demanding US$100,000 in damages over statements the company alleges damaged its reputation.

According to court papers dated September 25, 2026, the dispute emanated from an all-staff meeting held on March 5, where the company says employees allegedly used social media and communicated with journalists to circulate defamatory claims about the newspaper and its chairman.

The company alleges that the employees described Zimind as “cruel and insensitive” and accused it of withholding salaries and employee dues through alleged negligence, corruption and malice.