Maravi

MECOZ resolves to seek statutory media regulation

MECOZ resolves to seek statutory media regulation
By Chibaula Silwamba and Masuzyo Chakwe
Wednesday July 30, 2008 [04:00]

MEMBERS of the Media Council of Zambia (MECOZ) have passed a resolution to transform the institution from a non-statutory regulating body into a statutory self-regulating ethics body. But MECOZ chairperson Sister Rose Nyondo and executive secretary Beenwell Mwale, said there was no such resolution passed during the consultative meeting.

Reliable sources told The Post that during the special consultative meeting held at Cresta Golf View in Lusaka last Thursday, MECOZ members made a resolution to turn the institution into a statutory self regulating ethics body.

The sources said following the resolution, the matter would be tabled at the MECOZ Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the next three months for endorsement.

"That resolution was passed at the consultative meeting but subject to endorsement by all MECOZ members at the AGM. For any changes to be made, the constitution has to be amended and that can only be at the annual general meeting," the sources said.

The sources said the proposed media bill would have to be drafted by journalists with the help of lawyers and would be presented to Parliament for enactment.

The sources said once the bill is enacted, MECOZ would become a statutory self regulating ethics body and all media institutions and journalists would be, by law, compelled to be members.

They said MECOZ would be self regulating under the Act in that any changes to the law could only come from media practitioners.
Sources said there would be no criminal sanctions for any violations as the harshest penalty one could face was a fine.
But when contacted, Sr Nyondo said the members of MECOZ did not come up with a resolution.

"Whoever told you that is a liar," Sr Nyondo said. "The fact that The Post is not a member of MECOZ has not affected us. The Post has made it very clear that you don't want to be members, it's your choice but time will tell. But I can't rule out the possibility of The Post joining MECOZ."

And Mwale said there was no resolution to turn MECOZ into a statutory body.
Asked if someone raised the issue of turning MECOZ into a statutory body and a resolution was passed to that effect during the meeting, Mwale said the members were merely looking at the constitution.

"When you have a resolution, you even have something in written, a document and you even agree that this is what we are going to do and this is not what we are going to do. We didn't have anything like that...we were just discussing the constitution," Mwale said. "You were misinformed. That is not how it is. Issues will be raised by the members during the AGM, and then the members themselves will agree on those issues, after which now we will have a way forward. If there will be someone who will raise that issue; let the members agree or disagree on that issue."

He said the AGM would be held in three months time.
"We will now call a general meeting at which those ideas which were raised by the members will be discussed. We were looking at the constitution; we had engaged a lawyer to redraft our constitution. So there were some areas which the members were making comments on. There was no resolution to that effect," Mwale said.

Asked on his personal view on whether MECOZ should be a statutory body or not, Mwale said he was not for the idea that MECOZ be a statutory body.
"My stand as an individual journalist has always been non statutory. That is my position," said Mwale.

Labels: MECOZ, MEDIA

posted by MrK @ 9:28 PM