The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has urged broadcasting stations in the country to be impartial in their coverage of political activities leading to the August 11, 2016 general elections.
IBA Board Chairman Justine Mutale said media houses should not be biased in covering political parties but should provide fair coverage to all the party leaders.
Brigadier General Mutale said the media play a crucial role of informing, educating and entertaining the public on issues such as the electoral process.
Brig. Gen. Mutale was speaking at a press briefing held at Mass Media complex in Lusaka today.
He said all media houses in Zambia should be professional at all times and avoid biasness.
And Brig. Gen. Mutale has said the authority was deeply concerned about threats and intimidations on media personnel and their guests.
He has since appealed to the police and other law enforcement agencies to protect journalists and other media staff as they execute their duties.
He further urged media practitioners to report any threats and perpetrators of violence to the police in order to protect the public.
Brig. Gen. Mutale also advised politicians and their party sympathisers to engage the authority when aggrieved instead of resorting to violent acts.
He additionally implored members of the public to report any mischievous behaviour or deed to IBA and other relevant law enforcement agencies within 14 days of the occurring of the act.
Meanwhile, the IBA board chairperson said some of the recent incidents of violent attacks on some radio stations were as a result of security lapses by the stations themselves.
Those that recently suffered violent attacks are ISO FM in Isoka district, Breeze FM in Chipata, Chikaya FM in Lundazi and Radio Mano in Kasama district.
“Any disturbance to a licensed radio or television station for whatever period, be it an hour, a day or weeks, is an infringement to the public’s right to be informed,” he stated.
There are over 70 community radio and over 10 television broadcasting stations in Zambia.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Mutale has commended the political parties that participated in the peace talks organised by the three church mother bodies on Tuesday this week.
President Edgar Lungu was among the 18 political party representatives who attended the peace talks that unanimously denounced violence before, during and after the general elections set for 11 August, 2016.
Just openly rebuke ZNBC. They have failed us. All senior officers starting from Masuzyo Ndlovu should be fired under UPND
We create these institutions to serve us but they end up being tools of parties in power. What a waste of our money
This Brig. Gen. Mutale is very useless, why can’t just the ZNBC and other PUBLIC media groups should start covering opposition parties, not just covering the ruling party!
this Brig. Gen. Mutale , he even goes on to blame private station for what he terms “security lapses by the stations themselves”!? Really now?
Also tell the bantustans to allow other political parties to campaign freely in their region.
It’s the ZNBC radio and tv which doesn’t cover genuine opposition parties.The Brigadier General should not annoy us,he/she knows that the PF regime censors ZNBC news and other programmes.The Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail are also culprits.