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I’ve no problem with Post’s coverage of pact – HH

I’ve no problem with Post’s coverage of pact – HH
By George Chellah
Wed 30 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema yesterday said he has no problem with the way The Post covers the PF-UPND pact. And Post managing editor Amos Malupenga yesterday urged politicians to accept the reality that human beings are not all the same and, therefore, cannot be covered in the same way in the press.

Commenting on concerns by some UPND sympathisers that The Post was deliberately favouring PF in its coverage of the pact, Hichilema said The Post would cover news based on the way they view it.

“I think the public will have their own opinion of matters as they see them. They may be right, they may be wrong but as far as I am concerned The Post will through its editorial policy decide who they cover and how they cover. I have no problem with that. That’s really The Post’s decision but obviously the general public will have their own views,” Hichilema said.

“And in this case my view is that The Post would cover news as they wish based on their editorial policy or maybe editorial policy is a wrong terminology, based on the way you view news, that is fine. I have no problem with that but also I have no control over the general public and what they feel.”

On Monday, some UPND sympathisers phoned Monze's SKY FM radio programme dubbed Sky Forum, complaining that Malupenga and The Post would be blamed if the PF-UPND pact failed in 2011 because the newspaper was deliberately favouring the PF in its coverage of the pact.

The UPND sympathisers questioned The Post for not covering Hichilema's recent trip to Western Province while the newspaper usually assigns reporters and photojournalists to accompany PF leader Michael Sata on similar trips outside Lusaka.
But Malupenga yesterday said it was unfair for politicians to expect equal coverage in the media.

“Yesterday I said we will give equal coverage to Mr Hichilema and all the politicians. I think this is not practical; the appropriate word is fair and not equal. So let me correct myself and say that we will give everyone fair coverage,” Malupenga said.

“This is what is practical because political leaders are not equal, just like other leaders. Cosmo Mumba and Humphrey Siulapwa are political party presidents like Mr Rupiah Banda, Mr Hichilema and Mr Sata.

And if we are to follow the principle of equal coverage, it means that Cosmo Mumba and Siulapwa who head political parties must be covered in the same way as MMD acting president Mr Rupiah Banda. Obviously, this does not make sense because President Banda cannot be equated with Cosmo or Siulapwa.

“In the same vein, Mr Sata, Brig Gen Miyanda, Mr Hichilema or Ken Ngondo cannot be given equal coverage because these are different individuals with different strengths and weaknesses. What is possible and reasonable is giving them fair coverage, having considered all factors that constitute news. That’s why it not advisable to make comparisons because Mr Sata is different from Mr Hichilema and whether one agrees or does not, Mr Sata has a larger following or audience as statistics can show from both the 2006 and 2008 presidential elections where both men participated.”

Labels: AMOS MALUPENGA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RADIO SKY FM, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 8:20 AM