Maravi

IPI urges all-inclusive media regulation talks

IPI urges all-inclusive media regulation talks
By Mwala Kalaluka
Mon 14 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

THE Vienna-based International Press Institute says the sticking point in the issue of media self-regulation in Zambia seems to be with the government.

Institute acting director Alison Bethel McKenzie said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it was not impossible for the Zambian media to overcome the hurdles in the regulation framework process.

But McKenzie said there was need for the country’s entire media fraternity to seriously get on board the advocacy for self-regulation of the media.

“There has to be an agreement so solid,” McKenzie said.

“The sticking point seems to be with the government side anyway…regarding the issue of enforcement.”

McKenzie noted that the government was the biggest stakeholder in the media fraternity and it would therefore be bad business if it kept the state media away from the media regulation discussions.

“There has to be an agreement across the board, among the media groups,” McKenzie said. “You can’t do it without the state media because without the state media, it pits the state media against the privately-owned media.

McKenzie said all over the world the media industry was shrinking and there were fewer places to work and it was therefore senseless to pit one media colleague against the other.

McKenzie said if the government refuses to allow the state media to participate in the media regulation process, it would be an indication that they would not be willing to abide by the standards set by the rest of the industry.

“Everyone has to agree with the rules no matter how unpleasant,” she said.

“That is what the government is concerned about.”

McKenzie said international media bodies did not believe that journalists should be sent to jail or fined for doing their work.

However, McKenzie noted that the media fraternity in Zambia needed to realise that they were behind over the issue of media regulation in that they waited for the government to make a move before they discussed the issue of self-regulation.

“It is reactionary than being proactive,” she said. “I hope the media will realise that they are little behind the ball.”

McKenzie said she was in the country to help out in the media regulation process.

Labels: MEDIA, REGULATION

posted by MrK @ 7:37 AM