Zambia: New media council to unite scribes — PAZA

Press Association of Zambia vice-president Amos Chanda has said the media in the country is on the verge of making history when it launches the new Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) that will unite all journalists in May this year. And Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) general secretary Bob Sianjalika has urged the Government to hasten the tabling of the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) in Parliament.

 

Featuring on Radio Maranatha in Kabwe on the topic ‘State of the media now in Zambia’ at the weekend, Mr Chanda said ZAMEC would be a force to reckon with, especially that even the Press Freedom Committee (PFC) had shown willingness to join the body.

 

“As PAZA, we are quite satisfied with the consensus for the media in Zambia to move in one direction which is the ZAMEC. I am happy that even The Post is in the process to get on board so that together we can chart a common media agenda,” Mr Chanda said.

 

He was happy with the co-operation PAZA was receiving from the Government, the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail as well as other media houses towards the formulation of ZAMEC and stressed the process would not be undermined.

 

“I am positive that the launch of ZAMEC will proceed candidly and provide a base for the creation of a self-sustaining mechanism to embrace the media in Zambia,” Mr Chanda said.

 

He said the ZAMEC would ensure that it protected the integrity of journalism and its professionalism and also ensure that its members were well protected from abuse by politicians.

 

“This is not to say that journalism should be left to journalists, no, there are columnists that are specialised in medical, legal as well as other fields and so they are free to air their views in the media,” Mr Chanda.

 

Earlier, Mr Sianjalika said that he did not understand why the Government was dragging its feet to re-introducing the FOI bill.

 

“To date journalists in Zambia hustle around to get information which is why the FOI should be put in place, other countries have this law but they uphold to their journalism ethics,” he said.

 

He was happy that the media in Zambia had now united more than ever before and that the launch of ZAMEC would even solidify its ground further.
“Often times, politicians work at dividing the media especially in Zambia which is sad.

 

It is disappointed that for some politicians, when in power, they praise the State media and brand the private media as a tool of lies but the moment they cease to be in the Government they do the exact opposite,” Mr Sianjalika said.

 

He said the media in Zambia would no longer allow itself to abused and divided by any selfish politician.

 

At the same radio programme, The Post PFC chairperson Chansa Kabwela hailed the Government for rescinding its decision to Statutory regulate the media stressing that such a move would have eroded transparency as well as good governance.

 

“It is wrong to state that the current laws are inadequate to regulate the media especially that we still find it difficult as journalists to obtain information especially from the Government,” Ms Kabwela said.

 

She said the proposed media regulation would have worked against promoting transparency as well as good governance in Zambia.

 

“In Zimbabwe, where this law is in existence, the media is crippled as journalists find it difficult to operate.

 

It is good the Government backpeddled on this proposed law which is retrogressive and could have not taken Zambia anywhere,” Ms Kabwela said.

 

She was happy to note that the public and private media in Zambia was trying its best to inform Zambian ably on national issues but stressed the need for especially the public media to allot equal space to every citizen.

 

- March 29, 2010 by Times of Zambia

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Source: www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi (accessed on 30.03.10)