Maravi

Declining professionalism in media worries Shikapwasha

Declining professionalism in media worries Shikapwasha
Written by Moses Kuwema
Sunday, February 15, 2009 7:51:22 AM

INFORMATION minister Ronnie Shikapwasha on Friday said the government is concerned with declining levels of professional conduct by some sectors of the media.

During the 7th MISA-Zambia annual media awards in Lusaka, Lt Gen Shikapwasha urged the media to find ways of regulating themselves since they were complaining about the government's intention to regulate them.

He said the concern had reached levels where some parliamentarians were calling for statutory regulation of the media.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha however, said it was not the government's intention to regulate the media but that the government would like to see all media organisations subscribing to the Media Ethics Council of Zambia (MECOZ) or any other self-regulatory body that the media would come up with in upholding ethical and professional reporting.

He said he recently met with representatives of various media associations and unions who briefed him about the efforts being made in ensuring that different media bodies worked together in avoiding state regulation.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said a free media was an important partner in entrenching democracy and contributing to development.

He said the government would continue encouraging a plural and diverse media in the country, adding that this was the only way in which citizens would have access to a wide range of information and ideas to enable them participate in a democratic space.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said as a result of this policy, the country now had 37 operational radio stations and six television stations established since the liberalisation of the broadcasting sector in 1994, but that there was still room for more players.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said despite the tremendous growth in the electronic media sector, there had been limited growth in the print media.

“A lot of newspapers come and go immediately after they are established due to, among other factors, high operational costs,” he said.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the government was open to discussion to find ways in which to enhance the growth of the print media.

And MISA-Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe urged the government, through the Citizens' Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), to carefully expedite the disbursement of the media development fund.

Kabwe said this would help journalists focus on various developmental issues and in turn contribute to Zambia's development.

He said a lot of media houses in Zambia had the potential but were hampered by huge printing costs, high cost of equipment, lack of transport, poor conditions of service and incapacity to employ qualified and experienced journalists.

Kabwe however, said the fund should not be used as a benchmark for indirect regulation of the media by the government through selective allocation of resources to media institutions.

He also said it was disheartening to keep seeing the non-implementation of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) amendment acts.

Kabwe said there was need to see more movement towards the implementation of what had already been enacted in order to for the media to have confidence that there would be progress once other provisions were enshrined and enacted.

Meanwhile, two Post journalists, Masuzyo Chakwe and Abel Mambwe, won the MISA-Zambia best HIV and AIDS print media reporting and the best photojournalist award respectively.

Other winners were Wamunyima Muwana of ZANIS for the best TV recording, Maybin Katungulo of Yatsani Radio for the best radio recording, Newton Sibande of Zambia Daily Mail for the best print media reporting and UNZA Radio’s Chanda Katongo for the best HIV and AIDS radio reporting.

Others were Hot FM’s Hope Chishala for the best telecommunications award, Susan Ndumingu from ZANIS for the MISA anti-corruption award, Cephas Moonga for the best HIV and AIDS TV reporting while Window Images for Media in Development got the best reporting in water and sanitation.

The overall MISA media freedom award went to Frank Mutubila while the Jowie Mwiinga Award for best student at Evelyn Hone College went to Bright Mukwasa.

Labels: JOURNALISM, MEDIA, REGULATION, SHIKAPWASHA

posted by MrK @ 7:51 AM