Maravi

The Post's fear of legislation for media is misguided - Nkandu

The Post's fear of legislation for media is misguided - Nkandu
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thursday August 07, 2008 [04:00]

MEDIA Council of Zambia (MECOZ) board member Fackson Nkandu yesterday observed that the fear by The Post that legislative measures on the operations of the media will limit press freedom is a misguided notion. Reviewing the response of the public to MECOZ radio programmes called 'Regulating the media' that were running on Radio Phoenix, Nkandu said there was no need for media practitioners to fear statutory regulation.

"Members of the public have not been coming to MECOZ as such apart from a few phone calls," responded Nkandu when presenter Pamela Munyanta asked him to comment on the response of the public to the programme since it started airing on radio.

"The public reaction we have seen is that which was published by The Post newspaper. The Post newspaper has its own opinion and members of the public and other media personnel have their own opinion.

"All I can say is that they think legislative measure will limit the freedom of the press; I think it is misguided notion on the part of The Post."

He advised The Post to think twice about its position.

"When this council is legislated, it doesn't mean it will be under the control of the government. Like lawyers and like other professionals, they administer their own affairs. Now why fear the law? What are you running away from?" Nkandu asked. "This organization MECOZ must be legislated.

It's my personal view, of course others are thinking differently. This is going to be discussed at the general conference in three months time."

However, Nkandu, a veteran journalist, commended The Post, which he said was the most popular newspaper in the country.

"I think The Post is one of the most popular newspapers in the country; I think they are improving in their reporting; it's a matter of opinion.

There are some people who might say they The Post are not doing this and they are not doing that but others are saying The Post is doing very well. In fact, it's the most popular newspaper today," he said.

Nkandu also urged members of the public to help the media in revealing scandals.

"When the Freedom of Information bill is enacted, we expect members of the public to use it by revealing information that they come across because members of the press although it is their work, depend on information passed to them," he said.

"Go voluntarily and pass the information to the press. They are not selective; they are only selective in so far as limitations are there otherwise they would like to publish anything that is in public interest."

Nkandu urged the media to carry out investigations and expose malpractices in society.
And a caller, who identified himself as Imbuwa, said if the Freedom of Information bill was enacted into law, Zambians would have been given accurate information about President Levy Mwanawasa's illness.

President Mwanawasa suffered a stroke on June 29, this year in Sharm-el-Sheik in Egypt ahead of the African Union (AU) heads of state summit and was admitted to Sharm-el-Sheik International airport.
President Mwanawasa was evacuated on July 1, to Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France where he has been admitted since then.

Imbuwa observed that currently so many things were being hidden under the pretext of state secret and called for openness.

"It's about a month, people have asked for serious information about the state of our President and this information is not given to us. Why? Are we doing any better?" Imbuwa asked.

"I don't think anyone will be wrong to ask whether his father is seriously ill so that he knows, so that we know what next. For me this Freedom of Information bill will just be in order to have an open society so that things are done in a manner where everybody sees what is happening."

Another caller urged journalists to quote preachers during prayer sessions for President Mwanawasa's recovery instead of just concentrating on government officials, who were invited to speak during those sessions.

MECOZ chairperson Sr Rose Nyondo and Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) vice president Amos Chanda urged members of the public to support the FoI bill because it would benefit all Zambians once enacted into law.

Labels: FACKSON NKANDU, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL, MECOZ

posted by MrK @ 4:16 PM