The government has ceased to cooperate with Prime Television Station with immediate effect until further notice.
This follows the decision made by the Television Station proprietor Gerald Shawa on Friday, March 13th, 2020, that his station shall not help government to sensitise members of the general public about the coronavirus.
In a statement issued to media in Lusaka today, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Dora Siliya, said the development means that government and any of its agents shall not conduct any media transactions with the television station.
Ms Siliya, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, added that there shall be no appearance of public officers and officials on the television station’s programmes whether paid for or otherwise.
And Ms Siliya has categorically stated that journalists from Prime Television shall not be invited to cover any government-related business.
She has since advised all ministries, provinces and other spending agencies to cancel all business transactions that they may have with the television station and to cease any form of cooperation with the broadcasting station.
The Chief Government Spokesperson noted that on Friday, Mr. Shawa also boasted that government was only utilizing his station because he had a large audience and not because the government wanted to support his station financially.
She has stated that the government finds the stance taken by Prime Television station to be extremely unpatriotic hence its decision to disengage itself from any further dealings with the station.
Crime TV
In the end Shawa with his unbusiness like conduct suffers. If however he still remains adamant and unapologetic, Government will continue doing business with other coorperating TV stations.
I think shawa has it against Government. His ignorant approach to business will one day sink him.
In the name of business you can’t trivialize COVID 19 the way shawa did.
Is it the first time shawa would be dealing or putting up with Government’s modus operandi in terms of late payments.
This is a measured response from Government though.
Government owe Prime money from 2016 so what difference will this make?
I don’t think people will be rushing to ZNBC anytime soon…… you wasting your time
But hw can govt discriminate against an entity that pays taxes to it?
TAX PAYERS SHOULD PROTEST AND PETITION THE ACTION. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH THE EROSION OF OUR DEMOCRACTIC VALUES.
Its only a matter of time…… this “punishment” will be rescinded when the useless PF govt is voted out by the people of Zambia. Of course, and probably what Prime TV did say was socially unacceptable and desirable. However, the Govt response is also unacceptable. That is not the way to treat a corporate entity – it employees Zambian citizens and pays tax!!
This Govt have used such under hand tactics to silence everyone who dares to criticize them!!
It’s a very silly move that the government has made because Prime TV has a larger audience. By boycotting the TV station, PF is essentially giving itself a media blackout. PF doesn’t cease to amuse me. Congratulations on making such a dumb move. For the love of God, please step up your self destruction coz all Zambians with logic want you gone.
…Fred M’membe and Muvi TV thought the same. What is their predicament today??
Prime TV is not a charity, it pays taxes. Why does govt want private media stations to air it’s programs for free. 50million Kwacha has been set aside for logistical support toward the Corvid 19. It seems Chilufya Chitalu and Dora siliya want to misaapply the allocated resources hence asking the private media to air the programs for free. In any case why not compel znbc to do that after all they get our K5 every month!! The other reason could be that prime TV has been airing a lot of programs on bill 10 so they use the Corvid 19 as a reason when the underlying reason is there for all to see
You’re just an !d!0t. Admit it.
KZ, please hammer the last nail into the coffin!
It’s not prime tv but government will lose out on taking their messages and propaganda to a wider audience because prime tv has a bigger audience than deadnbc. No wonder even Dora herself chose to broadcast her previous media statements on prime tv than deadnbc because she wanted to reach a bigger audience.
The Bemba-speaking people are right when they say one whom the gods want dead, the gods inflict such a one with schizophrenia apriori. PF seems to be too angry and bitter to govern. Sangwa-bashing, bill-10 shenanigans, fire-tender scandals, kwacha-value crumbling and now Prime tv. You’ve got to be mentally challenged not to support this latest Pf self destruction. This is great and more power to Siliya et al. 2020.
Govt cannot legally do this. Govt action is always backed by law. If there’s no law backing its action, it can be successfully challenged in court. Trump in America hates CNN but his govt cannot block CNN from the White House. That’s just the way it is in a democracy.
The Post newspaper used to damn late LPM. But he never ordered any govt agency to stop doing business with The post. In fact the first interview LPM gave to a newspaper was with The Post. In the end The Post itself realized that he was different. It was not legally possible to bar journalists from The Post from covering state functions because they were by definition done in the name of the public.
I can’t blame the government for this action.
So Dora and Chilufya want airtime on credit from a Private media institution …really laughable ….no wonder ZNBC can not pay its workers and why GRZ has run a huge debt with them.
And Dora has a degree in Mass Communication…what a disappointment??
The Daily Mail of London described High Court judges who made a ruling against Brexit as traitors and called thm names. They just ignored the paper. They were essentially saying “we’re too professional to be swayed by a tabloid”. No contempt charges followed. This is verifiable by Google search.
The government of the day behaving like unmatured over grown elephant of a human being. They’re now using their hormones to run our affairs. What a pity
Using our tax for political purposes.
Well done government. When I watched the utterances of Shawa, the question I asked myself was, Is Shawa a dog or human being who deny information to sensitise the same people who watches his TV station. You can never be bigger than government. Well done
Let’s face it government has fcuked up! How much business in monetary terms was government giving to Prime TV?
Government was giving to Prime TV some business because Prime TV happens to have the most viewership currently. Fact is, no TV station can buy viewership not even the public broadcaster ZNBC with full backing from GRZ can buy viewership. Prime TV earned the viewership they currently have because they chose to be different and not because the government was taking business to them.
Government wanting free airtime just because they sensitization messages shouldn’t and doesn’t cut it, not for any business. Times of Zambia has fallen because of this behavior from GRZ and some of its partners. Would Prime TV ever be given Tax breaks for loss of revenue because they ran GRZ ads,…
cont’d
Would Prime TV ever be given Tax breaks for loss of revenue because they ran GRZ ads, of course not?
Prime TV is a business while ZNBC is not, which of the two do you think has more airtime to freely give to GRZ?
Now you know why you can’t appoint women to sensitive high profile positions. Too immature and personal.
@DOKOWE
Amazing to find people arguing like that when the entire world is in shock as to what will happen if the solutions are not found in the next 4 weeks. It’s not about ZNBC versus Prime TV. It’s about common good for common people. Your mindset together with Shawa is what makes Africa to be what we are, black people with black mind.
@Truth. Government for even the reasons of common good has no RIGHT whatsoever to DEMAND from private institutions FREE services or goods. It doesn’t get any simpler than this.
I rest my case.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE TOO MOODY AND VERY IRASCIBLE. PLEASE BE TOLERANT! CITIZENS ARE LIKE YOUR CHILDREN: SOME ARE NAUGHTY, OTHERS ARE NOISY AND SO ON. DON’T RUSH WHEN METING OUT PUNISHMENT. LOOK SANGWA, SC OR MMEMBE: THESE VICTIMS OF RUSHED DECISIONS!
I’m a musician and private Stations don’t pay me royalties when they play my music so prime TV is being hypocritecal. However I don’t think Dora has the authority to dictate to government Institutions who to give business to. She doesn’t own the government. It belongs to the people.
Prime TV should consult super lawyer John Sangwa and sue her for loss of business
Gerald Shawa made it very clear that he won’t air the adverts because GRZ owes him money, so them cutting ties with him is probably good riddance. I think he’d be more worried if Trade Kings cut ties with him, don’t you think so??? In fact I’m sure Trade Kings will gladly fill whatever gap, if any that GRZ has left.
It’s a private media that was arguing about it’s survival dependent on being paid for services. Govt. expects further credit or free adverts on the station. People have to judge for themselves – ethics versus business obligations?
The ethical issues of the COVID-19 situation have now presented the govt. with an excuse to ‘get rid’ of a media that has been a ‘thorn in their flesh’.
When these media owners get a chunk of the regime change funds from opposition, they start thinking they are bigger than GRZ. Muvi TV is quiet today after being used by upnd and hh to get at PF, they are quietly struggling to make ends meet. Many above, in diaspora think prime tuvi has the widest viewership in Zambia yet most people here know it’s an opposition propaganda station and they hardly pay attention to it. It’s very popular in opposition strongholds and has failed to convince rational citizens-that’s why by-elections show PF is still the party of people’s choice!!
Shawa is committing financial suicide. He will follow Fred and Muvi TV owner in the archives of financial ruin. I hope the diasporan donkeys will put their money where their loud mouths are and assist him with substantial remittances!
He thinks stingy h² will save his leaking @$$.
Looks at everything in the limelight of politics.
He is a nut.
Prime TV is another Post News Paper so soon crime Tv will be dealt with accordingly it is just a matter of time.Give a dog enough rope to hang its self.
COVID-19 is no mans business every one is affected in some way and that is why we need to put our efforts together in order to fight this scourge.
This is not PF,not Govt’s but it is all of us.Shame to Shawa and let Shawa see M’embe and seek advice from him.
Meanwhile, Lamasat owner has given the former dry port on Kafue Road to GRZ to be used as a covid-19 screening and quarantine point for free. He’s more patriotic than our own Zambian people like Shawa. Kudos to him.
Prime TV has done nothing wrong, they’re in it for profit, if govt wants to communicate through prime TV, let them pay just like any other business house. These sanctions are nothing but ru.bbish.
I watched the TV clip where Shawa spoke out about this issue. A few things stood out for me. Shawa came across as an extremely undiplomatic, uncouth, and rude individual. On a matter of national concern like this, I would expect people like him to put profit aside and commit themselves selflessly to sensitize the nation about the corona virus without worrying about first being paid what they are owed by the government. Isn’t embarrassing that the proprietor of Lamasat who, unlike Shawa is a nonindigenous Zambian, is offering his premises for free as a screening base for international truckers! I am equally shocked by bloggers on this forum who are glorifying and justifying Shawa’s behavior in these trying times.
Well put, my man. Spot on!!
And you want people to support FP blindly with such pronouncements from the chief spokes-person?? We know the real underlying issues here and dont take Zambians for granted!!! The world is engaging the media regarding responses to the deadly virus but in Zambia as usual they are bickering….Corona virus is real and people in Zambia have not seen any tangible measures from the Chief medical officer or minister apart from bickering over money!!! God save the country…
You r talking about Lamsat they have enjoyed so much business from GOVT Prime TV dont worry pay back time will come when they will be in opposition that will be the time to teach them a good lesson its just a few months from now.
Jezebel Siliya is a clown!
Just pay your bills!
There is no Free Lunch these days!
You corrupt MMD Economic refugees in PF you never change! You are just too backward!
Why is every body avoiding the issue here. Gerald Shawa made it abundantly clear that he was not speaking for Prime TV but as Chairman of the independent broadcasters, he was airing a position which the private stations had taken as common ground. More over the Minister of Health already gave a tip that there is a budget for corona virus including dissemination, On one hand if you have armed the people that you have reserved money for this exercise on the hand you are asking for free adverts. Shawa was only speaking for the rest, so don’t single him out and use this because of the grudges you already have against him. Frightened little men
RIGHT NOW STATIONS LIKE CNN, BBC, SKY NEWS, SABC etc ARE BROADCASTINF 24/7 ABOUT CORONA VIRUS AS A PUBLIC SERVICE AND
ARE NOT BEING PAID.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW THE SHAWA CHAP SPEAK IT MADE MY BLOOD BOIL AS HE WAS NOT ONLY INCITING OTHER STATIONS BUT WAS CHILDISH.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A PANDEMIC HERE AND PROFIT MAKING IS THE LAST THING WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING.
I AM GLAD I DON’T NORMALLY WATCH PRIME TV. THIS MORNING OUT OF CURIOSTY I TURNED ON THE STATION AND FOUND IT IS VIRULENTLY AGAINST PF AND THE NEWS PRESENTANTION IS PATHETIC AS THEY SEEM TO BE ILLITERATE AND CAN’T SPELL!
RIGHT NOW STATIONS LIKE CNN, BBC, SKY NEWS, SABC etc ARE BROADCASTING 24/7 ABOUT CORONA VIRUS AS A PUBLIC SERVICE AND
ARE NOT BEING PAID
I have never seen a party which is foolish like PF by boycotting the station you think who is going to lose PF or the TV station definitely it’s PF there are busy decampaigning themselves next year they will need Prime TV lets see how they will go back and beg for 2021 campaign.
By boycotting the station you think who is going to lose PF or the TV station definitely it’s PF there are busy decampaigning themselves next year they will need Prime TV lets see how they will go back and beg for 2021 campaign.
The adverts you see on BBC,CNN,ENCA about corona virus are not for free there being paid for by sponsors and their governments the problem is that the PF government doesn’t like to pay even the kazungula bridge it was the same.
I think COVID-19 is a more serious matter than Prime TV ! On that we need not be divided on the resolved clean Zambia off COVID-19.
Italy suffered a lot because people initially thought the scourge was political.
Unrepentant & arrogant Shawa deserves it.He should have taken a leaf from Muvi Tv & the once king maker but now defunct The post.
He can’t flex his small muscle to GRZ like that.He should have used diplomacy.The presenters & news reporters who are using his tv as a shadow boxing with GRZ to push their personal agenda will leave him once the company starts sinking IE Costa Mwansa,Patricia Hakanga,Brian Mwale to mention but just a few.Let him tone down & advise the overzealous & political inclined news summary analyst not to use emotions.Use Your Tv popularity well before you go into oblivion.
Those who depend on hearsay are just supporting Shawa blindly. The nigger was so arrogant. He was vomiting those words without thinking about how it will impact Prime TV negatively. I think I will now believe the rumours that he runs the station on behalf of triple H.