THE Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in Zambia has called for unity among journalists to enable them champions their calls and address various challenges affecting the profession.
MISA Information and Research Officer Kamufisa Manchishi said journalists faced similar challenges and hence it was important for them to have unity of purpose and share ideas on their profession regardless of whether they were from private and public media.
Mr Manchishi said laws which impede media freedom affected all journalists regardless of where they worked from.
He was speaking in Livingstone yesterday at Cross Roads Lodge during a Media Engagement with members of the Livingstone Press Club on Access to Information and post-election media coverage reflections.
“We need to break the barriers that exist among ourselves as journalists and start working together whether we come from the private and public media for the sake of promoting the profession.
“We will not manage to push for friendly media laws or media reforms if we are divided,” Mr Manchishi said.
He commended the Livingstone Press Club for exhibiting unity among journalists from both the public and private media.
Mr Manchishi urged the Zambian Government to support progress press clubs in the county to reach out to many Zambians on various subjects.
“The Livingstone Press Club is the most vibrant club in Zambia so far and we are urging other press clubs to emulate you.
“As MISA, we would like to work with Press Clubs across the country to champion the calls of the media,” Mr Manchishi said.
Media Liaison Committee (MLC) representative Ernest Chanda urged the Livingstone Press Club to engage Ministers and high profile persons in Government to articular policy issues and other developmental matters.
Mr Chanda urged the media to fight for each other and avoid celebrating when their colleagues were facing challenges.
“When we have strong media bodies, we will have quality and greater information being disseminated to the public,” Mr Chanda said.
Livingstone Press Club Secretary General Edwin Mbulo appealed to MISA Zambia to continue engaging the Club on matters affecting the media.
Mr Mbulo also said members of his Club performed well in covering the 2016 General Elections.
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