Zambia: Senior Journalist Society try to resolve media regulation deadlock

THE Society of Senior Zambian Journalists (SSZJ) has intensified consultations with various stakeholders with a view to resolving the impasse over the media self-regulatory mechanism. SSZJ chairperson, Ridgeway Liwena said in a statement yesterday the society arrived at the decision to consult during an emergency executive meeting held in Lusaka recently.

The meeting was attended by Mr Liwena, his deputy Augustine Seyuba, secretary Simon Mwale, vice-treasurer, Cosmo Mulongoti, and vice-secretray Gillian Mukula-Mwaba.

Mr Liwena said the current stalemate arising from the differences over the manner in which self-regulation should be handled was impacting negatively on the development of the media industry in Zambia and generally on the free flow of information.

"It was decided to invite the two opposing sides namely, the media fraternity, through the Media Liasion Committee (MLC), on one hand and the Government, through the permanent secretray, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services on the other hand to a round table discussion in an effort to find a common ground," he said.

The Government is opposed to the launch of the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) on August 26 as announced by MLC in Lusaka on Wednesday.

Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said in its current form, the proposed ZAMEC was a rebirth of the failed Media Ethics Council of Zambia (MECOZ) and only sought to serve the narrow interests of the MLC and not the nation.

Genral Shikapwasha, said in a statement yesterday that in an event that MLC decided to go ahead and launch ZAMEC, all Government media organisations would have nothing to do with it.

 -August 14, 2010 by Times of Zambia

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Source: allafrica.com/stories/201008160629.html  (accessed on 17.08.10)