Government nods ZAMEC launch
By Bright Mukwasa
Sun 01 Jan. 2012, 13:56 CAT
THE government has allowed the media to launch the Zambia Media Ethics Council ZAMEC without the approval by the Minister of Information Broadcasting and Tourism Given Lubinda like the case was under the MMD regime.
Lubinda said during an interactive evening with journalists on Friday night at Southern Sun hotel that the government had also set aside K1 billion for the operationalisation of the Independent Broadcasting Authority.
"As an ardent proponent of press freedom, the PF government continues to commit ourselves to ensuring that the Freedom of Information legislation and the Independent Broadcasting Authority as well as the Zambia Media Council come to fruition. Some might argue that we are dragging our feet, let me allay all those fears; we are not dragging our feet. With regard to ZAMEC, launch it tomorrow and invite me to be guest of honour, I would very happy to come," Lubinda said.
He also said a team at his ministry had already prepared all the paper work and would soon announce names of members of IBA.
Lubinda said it was not his government's responsibility to make sure which media organisation joined the media ethics body but would leave that to respective media house to decide on their own.
He said government was not dragging its feet on the implementation laws meant to reform the operations of the media.
The media ethics body was born after the MMD government threats of statutory regulation of the media in the country accusing them of abusing the self-regulation mechanism.
And Lubinda said the government was on a journey to deliver more than it had in the 90 days it had been in power.
"This is an open secret, even the donor community have opened their bag much more than they have done before. There's much more money coming in Zambia in form of grants than ever before because they too are convinced that the government of President Michael Sata is delivering on its promises."
Labels: GIVEN LUBINDA, MEDIA, MMD, ZAMEC
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IPI General Assembly urges govt to accept ZAMEC
By Chansa Kabwela in Vienna, Austria
Fri 17 Sep. 2010, 04:01 CAT
THE International Press Institute (IPI) has asked the government to accept the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) and refrain from pushing for statutory regulation of the media.
According to resolutions following the IPI’s general assembly on Monday, efforts by the media in Zambia to create a voluntary, self-regulatory mechanism had stalled with the government’s refusal to recognise ZAMEC.
“IPI members resolved that it is important that any media self-regulation be voluntary, and as the African Commission of Human and Peoples‘ Rights has found, the best and only acceptable method of media regulation is through independent, voluntary, self-regulatory bodies that are free of parliamentary oversight,” IPI resolved.
“IPI members call on Zambian authorities to accept the Zambia Media Ethics Council and refrain from statutory regulation of the media.”
IPI appealed to the Zambian government to relinquish its control of the media.
It noted that developments in Zambia indicated that the government was reluctant to accept the consequences of a free press, which included criticism, despite its proclaimed commitment to press freedom.
“The use of judicial sanctions against independent newspaper The Post continued over the past year, with criminal prosecutions against news editor Chansa Kabwela and against editor Fred M’membe, who is appealing the imposition of a punitive four months jail sentence for contempt of court,” IPI observed.
“ The state broadcaster, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, continues to be accountable to Parliament and therefore lacks independence. IPI members further call on the Zambian authorities to ensure that the public broadcaster is independent of government influence. IPI members call on the government to cease immediately its harassment of daily newspaper The Post.”
IPI expressed shock that the South African government appeared to be embarking on conduct, which could result in the destruction of that country’s democracy, after 16 years of attaining it.
It noted that US-based Freedom House, an institution that monitors freedom in countries of the world by measuring the state of the media and general freedom of expression, had downgraded South Africa from a free country to a party free nation.
“Since that rating change in April this year, South Africa has introduced in Parliament a Protection of Information Bill that lays out how official secrets should be graded. It has also begun steps to introduce into law a proposal by the ruling African National Congress that a statutory media appeals tribunal should be set up for action against print media found transgressing ethical and professional standards, so far not defined,” IPI stated.
“ANC spokesmen have referred to such punishments as imprisoning journalists and heavily fining newspapers. IPI has expressed its disquiet to President Jacob Zuma over the bill that is framed in language that allows virtually any issue to be declared secret, allows a cabinet minister to declare material classified and also provides for the very existence of a classified document to remain a secret. It would be possible for someone coming into possession of a document not to know that it is classified. Penalties under this Bill range up to 25 years' jail for possessing or disclosing the contents of classified documents.”
IPI also raised concern about the proposed media appeals tribunal in South Africa which it believes would provide a means to censor information and punish journalists.
It observed that the Bar Council, Law Society and civil society organisations and business people as well as the World Association of Newspapers, international news agencies and the US ambassador had all voiced concern over the legislation.
IPI called on the President Zuma’s government to reconsider the legislation and the potential damage to could do to the country and its standing in the world since the defeat of apartheid.
It suggested that the bill be replaced by one that severely restricts the types of information that could be classified to the absolute minimum so as not to encroach on the media’s constitutional freedom.
IPI also called on the Rwandan government to prosecute and punish those responsible for Umuvugizi deputy editor Jean-Leonard Rugambage’s murder.
It asked President Paul Kagame to end his suppression of the media by shutting down media houses and condemned the repression that surrounded his re-election.
“The government of Paul Kagame suspended critical publications “Umuseso” and “Umuvugizi”, shut down radio stations, arrested journalists and brought spurious lawsuits against them. After “Umuvugizi” defied its suspension by the government-controlled Media High Council, deputy editor Jean-Leonard Rugambage was shot and killed on 24 June,” IPI noted.
IPI also asked the Sri Lankan government to restore press freedom in that country and ensure that those who killed, attacked, imprisoned or otherwise violated the journalists’ rights during the civil war were punished.
It observed that recent constitutional amendments in that country would impact negatively on the media’s ability to act in a free and fair manner.
IPI noted the unprecedented power introduced through amendment on the Executive and the additional powers to seek election to office for unlimited time outside the two-term period that was in force would greatly affect the media’s operations.
IPI stated that the government’s hostility to dissent and intimidation of the media had led to self-censorship.
“The recent spate of court actions and the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to incarcerate journalists is condemned. The IPI is also dismayed by attacks and killing of journalists in Sri Lanka. None of these criminal acts have been successfully investigated. The murder of IPI World Press Freedom Hero Lasantha Wickrematunge, and many others, is yet to be solved, although the government has pledged to do so,” IPI stated.
It stated that the plethora of court actions against journalists and media groups in Sri Lanka was viewed with alarm, adding that the senior officials’ intimidation of free media through the public media negatively affected the journalists’ ability to inform the public.
IPI asked the Iranian government to release all journalists currently in detention.
IPI observed that since the re-election of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in June last year, dozens of journalists, political reformers and human rights activists among others were imprisoned without fair trial because of their participation in or coverage of protests of election results.
“While many journalists have been released, others have been detained, subjected to cruel conditions and in some cases psychological and physical torture.The IPI members resolved that the imprisonment of journalists for their work or opinions is contrary to basic human rights, including the right of free expression and a free press,” IPI stated. “The IPI members calls on the government of Iran to release immediately all journalists in its custody, and allow them to practice their profession without fear of imprisonment.”
IPI appealed to Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych and his officials to end attacks on journalists and ensure that the media in that country was free to operate without interference.
It observed that after improvement in that country’s press freedom climate, the situation had deteriorated with a spate of attacks against journalists.
IPI condemned the Turkish government’s imprisonment of dozens of journalists, with some awaiting trial.
“Reportedly more than 40 Turkish journalists are currently in prison, some awaiting trial, because of their reports or columns in Turkey, making Turkey one of the world's worst jailers of journalists. Some journalists have been held without conviction for several years. Over 700 other journalists are currently facing lawsuits, with the threat of imprisonment, under specific articles in the Penal Code, press laws and anti-terror laws,” it stated. “IPI further calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that no journalist must face the threat of imprisonment because of their professional work.”
IPI condemned the censorship and oppression of the media in Fiji and the new legislation introduced this year which established criminal penalties and other sanctions for journalists whose work is deemed against “the public order or interest.”
IPI also condemned Cuba’s failure to process that country’s blogger and Press Freedom Hero Yoani Sanchez’s exit visa in time for her to attend the congress.
”Sanchez, who was named an IPI World Press Freedom Hero in September 2010 by an independent jury, and was to take her place among IPI’s 60 World Press Freedom Heroes at a ceremony at Vienna’s City Hall, was denied permission to leave the country. Sanchez had referred to the award as a “protective shield” that would help her break the “wall of censorship”,” IPI stated.
On Europe, the IPI members unanimously condemned the deterioration in the press freedom climate, notably a strong trend by some established democracies to backtrack on legal guarantees of media freedom.
IPI cited Italy, Hungary, France and Spain, as countries that were trying to introduce or enforce legislation to control the work of journalists.
“The IPI members urge the authorities throughout Europe to live up to their human rights and media freedom commitments and obligations and to ensure that journalists are free to report without fear of imprisonment, bankruptcy, intimidation or assassination,” stated IPI.
Labels: IPI, MEDIA, REGULATION, ZAMEC
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MLC responds to Shikapwasha’s attacks on ZAMEC
By Moses Kuwema
Sun 22 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MEDIA Liaison Committee (MLC) chairperson Joseph Mkandawire has observed that information minister Ronnie Shikapwasha’s description of ZAMEC as a fraud is misplaced. Mkandawire advised Lieutenant General Shikapwasha to look at issues.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha on Thursday said the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) was a fraud and the government would not support any form of media regulation other than statutory regulation.
“We suspect he did not see what we had said. Maybe he thought we were launching the time that he spoke so he may not have seen the context of our statement,” Mkandawire said.
He said the MLC would still proceed to meet Lt Gen Shikapwasha for dialogue despite his statement.
“We have some misgivings about his statement but that’s his stand, we will also put our stand very clearly about self regulation. Let them put their document on the table and we shall challenge them,” Mkandawire said.
“We will put our position very strongly, so can they also put their document on the table. What is their opinion? He keeps on talking about Kenya and that thing has only been there for four years and he cannot call that as a best case, he must know what he is talking about… Politicians just talk without getting into the nit gritty of the mechanism involved. We are talking about issues.”
Last year, the government gave the media a six-months ultimatum to come up with a self-regulatory system, failure to which they would introduce statutory regulation.
The media formulated a self-regulatory framework and were set to launch ZAMEC but the government u-turned and insisted on statutory regulation.
The MLC had earlier announced the launch of ZAMEC, which was slated for August 26 with or without the blessings of the information ministry, but the Society of Senior Zambian Journalists (SSZJ) proposed to facilitate dialogue between the two parties hence the postponement of the launch.
Labels: JOSEPH MKANDAWIRE, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, ZAMEC
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Govt wants to regulate media using ZAMEC documents
By Patson Chilemba
Thu 17 June 2010, 08:00 CAT
THE Media Liaison Committee (MLC) yesterday disclosed that information minister Ronnie Shikapwasha wants to use the amended ZAMEC documents that were given to him in good faith to enact a statutory mechanism to regulate the media.
And the media in the country have labeled Shikapwasha as a public enemy.
Presenting the speech prepared by the MLC at Cresta Golf View yesterday in Lusaka, MLC member Sally Chiwama said the media had been delayed by government from launching the Zambia Media Council 30 days after the World Press Freedom Day.
She said the media wanted to give government, through Shikapwasha's office, an opportunity to review the amended ZAMEC documents and address government concerns, which were presented to the same MLC by government through the same minister.
Chiwama said to the surprise of the media bodies, Shikapwasha had refused to meet them since he returned from New York a month ago.
"His office received two of our letters of request to meet him over government's concerns on ZAMEC. To date, he has maintained his refusal to meet us. It now appears to us that we are at the mercy of the government, when in fact we are not.
We have learnt that the Minister of Information plans to use OUR amended documents to go ahead with statutory media regulation," Chiwama said.
"We gave him these amended documents in good faith knowing fully well that he will give government's review and comments on ZAMEC and subsequently, to assist the media Liaison Committee, address government's concerns over the same. Rev.
Shikapwasha has failed to do so. It is very clear that he wishes to table these documents before Parliament to enact a statutory mechanism for media regulation in Zambia."
Chiwama said the MLC was now wondering whether Shikapwasha, by his actions, was the right person to represent government in discussing its concerns over ZAMEC. She said Shikapwasha was failing in his duties as Minister of Information and government chief spokesperson.
Chiwama said the Ministry of Information was the public relations wing of government.
"In our view, this wing deserves a good person who listens and responds appropriately to the needs and interests of the public. By definition, democracy is a government of the people by the people and for the people.
And for any democratic country to flourish, a free and responsible press is a catalyst to development," Chiwama said. "By his actions, Rev. Shikapwasha has demonstrated clearly that he cannot and will never respond to the public good."
Chiwama said the route Shikapwasha had taken was mainly borne out of selfish desire to suppress press freedom and the kind of information the public accessed, which would eventually derail the small democracy the country had recorded the past decade.
She said at the rate the government was moving, it was clear that the government was suppressing any form of good governance and democracy.
"In the interest of public good, we declare Rev Shikapwasha, as a public enemy. His clear negative actions have qualified him as a person who stifles good governance and democracy.
In view of the prevailing scenario, as the MLC, we remain resolved and focussed to go ahead with our plans to launch ZAMEC," Chiwama said. "We believe that what we are doing is for the good of the public, as opposed to satisfying personal and political interests of a few selected individuals. We will be communicating to our stakeholders and the people who gave us this mandate on the preparations towards the launch of ZAMEC."
Chiwama said the MLC had since commenced the process of registering Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) with or without government's cooperation.
"However, we still maintain our spirit of dialogue and consensus.
To this, our doors will remain ever open for further dialogue. I thank you all for taking time to attend this briefing. Your continued support towards the MLC has not gone un-heard," said Chiwama.
Labels: MEDIA, REGULATION, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, ZAMEC
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