Journalists and press freedom advocates have hailed the licensing this week by the Zimbabwe Media Commission of four independent companies to launch magazines or operate news agencies.
The commission said it licenced the Cable News Agency and the African Open Media Initiative to operate news agencies and approved Berimark Enterprises and Feyjay Investments to publish magazines.
The commission licensed several independent daily newspapers earlier this year including The Daily News - shuttered in 2003 by the former government of President Robert Mugabe - the Daily Gazette and NewsDay.
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists chairman Dumisani Sibanda told VOA Studio 7 reporter Ntungamili Nkomo that licencing of new players in print is important – but added that it's time that the commission issued broadcasting licenses.
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation enjoys a monopoly on radio and TV broadcasts originating in Zimbabwe.