MISA Zambia submits to Parliament on The Role of the Media in National Stability

On 5 May, 2009, MISA Zambia made a submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Information and Broadcasting under a Topic “The Role of the Media in National Stability with Specific Reference to the Efficacy of the Media Ethics Council of Zambia (MECOZ) in Protecting the Media and Promoting Media Ethics”

MISA Zambia submitted through its Chairperson Henry Kabwe that there was need for Zambia to continue having self-regulation regardless of the fact that Media Council of Zambia (MECOZ) had not performed to expectation because it was an internationally recognised standard for the media to be self-regulated.
 
Kabwe said that though the mainstream media’s conduct and compliance with the Electoral Code of Conduct of 2006 was not adequate during the 2008 October, presidential by-election, Zambia could not enact laws to regulate the ethical conduct of the media.
 
He said that there were sufficient laws which govern media conduct and included aspects for redress when parties are aggrieved. He said parties that felt unfairly covered could have used their rights provided in the Electoral Code of Conduct of 2006 to seek redress through the Electoral Commission of Zambia or the Courts of Law.
 
He explained that if media were subjected to statutory regulation, the likelihood of the freedom of expression being gagged was high.
 
“It is MISA Zambia’s view that media freedom and the public’s right to know are the cornerstones of any vibrant democracy and can therefore not be regulated through a statutory body,” he said.
 
He added that the thinking by some parliamentarians advocating for statutory regulation of media was a danger to democracy.
 
“The thinking by some stakeholders, including members of parliament is an indication that Zambia’s democracy is in danger. For those calling for statutory regulation, we remind them that there are available laws in the Electoral Act of 2006 that govern the media conduct during elections. For example, the Electoral Code of Conduct of 2006 under Chapter 12 sections 4 and 5 provide a channel for addressing issues of unfair treatment or coverage by the media during the course of election campaigns. It provides for correction and retraction of published information in cases where misrepresentations were made.” Kabwe explained.
 
He added that what was needed in this instance was the application of the available laws.

Jane Chirwa Da Silva

Information and Research Officer

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia
P.O. Box 32295
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260 1 294285/6, 292096
Fax: +260 1 292096
Mobile: +260 97 7 261361

Email: jane@misazambia.org.zm

Website: http://www.misazambia.org.zm
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