Maravi

Hamasaka expresses dismay at election coverage

Hamasaka expresses dismay at election coverage
By Terence Miselo and Anderson Mazoka
Saturday October 11, 2008 [04:00]

MEDIA trainer Clayson Hamasaka has expressed disappointment at the current news coverage of the October 30 presidential election by the public media. And Hamasaka has urged journalists to strive to develop a culture of reporting that could bring out the truth and quality in content. Addressing trainee journalists at The Post Newspapers in Lusaka on Thursday, Hamasaka said the current journalism practice was embarrassing.

"The kind of journalism that I sometimes find in the media is so worrying and sometimes may be embarrassing. And I am not ashamed to say that," he said.

Hamasaka explained that this was so, because certain media houses were focusing on their preferred candidates by giving them more coverage than others.

"These are the worst covered elections ever and I think so, worse than 1991, 2001, and 2006," he said, "You tune to ZNBC today, what do you see, Rupiah Banda, Rupiah Banda, Rupiah Banda, news reports almost a documentary," he said.

Hamasaka added that the trend was the same even in the public newspapers and that for other candidates to appear on ZNBC, programmes had to be sponsored by foreign organisations.

He said even for the private media, the focus was just on one candidate while opposition candidates were not being criticised.

"Some foreigners have to come and pay for our candidates for you Zambians to see what they are saying, because our own public media for which you are paying K3, 000.00 per month cannot cover other contenders," he said.

Meanwhile Hamasaka has advised journalists to continue writing the truth and give more details to stories.

"Don't fear to write what is true, correct and dig deeper. Look at the integrity of each candidate with fairness," said Hamasaka.

Labels: CLAYSON HAMASAKA, ELECTIONS, MEDIA

posted by MrK @ 4:05 AM