The Independent Broadcasting Authority has expressed concern with the manner in which some broadcasting houses are pursuing suspected COVID 19 patients in their line of work.
IBA Director General Josephine Mapoma said Journalism Ethics demand that the public’s right to information should not outweigh the right of victims or suspected patients of COVID 19, to privacy confidentiality and dignity.
Ms Mapoma has guided all broadcasting stations to exercise maximum professionalism and observe ethics in reporting about the patients and suspected persons of the COVID 19 pandemic.
“Furthermore, the IBA is calling on all broadcasters to adhere to Section Eight (8) of the IBA Standard Operating Procedures for Broadcasting in Zambia on Privacy, provides that Information which discloses the location of a person’s home or family must not be revealed without permission”, she said
She said similarly, ambushing suspected patients can expose them to stigmatization and violent reactions from the public.
Ms Mapoma said broadcasters must also note that if an individual or organization’s privacy is being infringed, and they ask that the filming, recording or live broadcast be stopped, the Licensee must do so.
She said people that might be suffering from COVID 19 maybe in a state of distress, therefore must not be put under pressure to take part in an interview or any form of programming.
Ms Mapoma has since cautioned media personnel to desist from following persons that are suspected to be suffering from COVID 19 as doing so puts their own lives in danger of contracting the virus.
She said broadcasting houses must heed the call by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya and the Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya to be professional and avoid violating the suspected patient’s right to privacy.
Cage these Brime tv journalists. They are making COVID patients look like lepers.
This is too wide a statement to know what she specifically mean. Maybe she is responding to social media. Prime never mentioned any name of covid patient. However, Boris Johnson has tested positive. In Zambia testing positive is treated as infringement of privacy. Leadership requires openness at times
This is a problem where everyone is scared of being fired.one is either preemptive for his job security or has lost his integrity.
IBA the main toothless weapon in government’s war against Prime TV
I pointed this out yesterday and today when a bunch of very thick and dull upnd bloggers were demanding for pf officials to disclose their test results. No one is obligated to do so. It is your right to keep your status confidential. Anyone found trying to forcibly get this information from the public shall face the strong arm of the law . We are not playing this time.
IEEE kaizer zulu. Patients need to known for tracking the spread of disease. The way you beat people and i separate you and get covid because you went Russia. I need to know you as a covid patient and get tested.
Don’t you beat people? And people don’t know you .you are cheap cadre.
ubututu why call them “suspected covid 19” patients…like they’ve done something wrong….Covid 19 is just a disease please…just the other version of flu
IBA only comes in when its against private media. When government decided to sever ties with prime tv they were nowhere to be seen.
IBA should be concerned with institutions wanting the media to publish for free educational material about coved-19. The media needs money to keep their businesses running. Prince Charles was in the news and so was the German Chanceller about testing positive for covid-19 and being quarantined. Manje here, suddenly the IBA becomes alive about its role reminding selective media about ethics. Ine nidabwa mwe
IBA is it an ethics body a censorship body or a broadcast police?