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QFM suspends live phone-in programme

QFM suspends live phone-in programme
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday September 21, 2008 [04:00]

LUSAKA'S Radio QFM has suspended its popular live phone-in programme following information and broadcasting services Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda's directive to use special technology to screen calls before they are broadcast.

But Nyirenda said he did not direct QFM to buy special equipment for monitoring calls, but offered management timely advice to refrain from using phone-ins over which they have no control on what the caller would say.

A QFM announcer on Friday evening announced: "We apologise, we are unable to conduct our usual interview. This is a directive by information and broadcasting services permanent secretary Mr Emmanuel Nyirenda to handle phone in programmes with the use of special technology to facilitate the screening of calls.

"Mr Nyirenda has observed that some radio stations have political programmes which provide unbalanced and in some cases unfair coverage to political parties.

Until some of the issues raised are addressed, the 18:30 live QFM programme will be suspended and the QFM management would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused."

But when contacted yesterday, Nyirenda said he did not call upon QFM to use any equipment.

"I have simply warned that in an election period, when you have these live programmes and people phone in, you stand a danger of people making insults and defamatory statements for which you have no means to get the other party to respond and I am advising them that it will be best for them in this period to refrain from using phone-ins which they have no control," Nyirenda explained.

"It's an appeal and not a directive. It's timely advice which goes to people operating radio stations. It does not side with anyone, whether ruling party or opposition; anybody can defame the other during phone-in programmes. But if they go ahead and end up in trouble over defamation, at least we will have warned them in advance."

He said he was not asking QFM to buy equipment to screen calls but only observed that with such equipment, it would be much easier to control phone calls.

Nyirenda said no one should perceive his advice to QFM as a directive meant to stifle the radio station from carrying out its operations independently.

"They want to make it look like...because it's an election, I am trying to prevent them. No!" said Nyirenda. "I am just advising them that these things they ought to be careful about and the need for them to be balanced because you know you have a situation where you are talking on an economic issue and then somebody phones in and starts attacking somebody else over a totally different subject. That person who is being attacked is not on the live programme and has no means to respond."

QFM's special evening interview, which has been running for about a week now, has featured several politicians such as Vernon Mwaanga, MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba, MMD founding member Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika and UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema, who have been 'grilled' by callers.

The callers have been forthright in demanding honest answers from politicians ahead of the October 30 presidential elections, in which Hichilema, MMD's Rupiah Banda and Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata are contenders.

Labels: EMMANUEL NYIRENDA, QFM, RADIO

posted by MrK @ 5:05 AM