Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
MISA Zambia says it has not withdrawn from supporting the setup of a self-regulation mechanism for the media sector in Zambia but would not support the proposals under the current ZAMEC bill with the current detrimental clauses and the targeted punitive measures to individual journalists.
MISA Zambia Board Chairperson Rev. Barnabas Simatende says MISA will support a purely self-regulation mechanism and stands ready to work with anyone wishing to set up a purely self-regulation mechanism.
Rev. Simatende says this will help guarantee a good, sustainable, professional media sector in Zambia where reporters and journalists can do their job to a high editorial standard without unnecessary restrictions and fear of sanctions and censorship.
He believes that any model of media self-regulation framed by law can easily become de facto statutory regulation and is therefore open to abuse by government.
Rev. Simatende says it is detrimental to media freedoms and freedoms of expression to subject erring journalists to prison terms, fines, and cancellation of their right to practice journalism stressing that Zambia already has laws in place to try criminal cases on libel, hate speech among others.
He has explained that clauses in any legislation that target individual journalists are against international and regional best practice and that media houses should assume the responsibility for the content they broadcast and print.
Rev. Simatende says MISA Zambia will support a pure self-regulatory mechanism that allows media houses and practitioners to take the lead in setting up their own media regulatory mechanism.