Hot FM chairman rejects pressure over political adverts, says station will not air campaigns for free
Hot FM Chairman Oscar Chavula has strongly defended the station’s editorial and commercial independence, declaring that the broadcaster will not be compelled to air political advertisements or campaign songs without payment despite alleged threats and intimidation.
Lusaka, 8 August – In a strongly worded statement posted on Facebook, Chavula accused an unnamed individual, whom he referred to as “Captain Blabbermouth”, and an alleged accomplice at the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) of attempting to pressure the station over political advertising
Chavula maintained that Hot FM is a commercial broadcaster and not a charitable organisation, insisting that political parties and candidates would be required to pay for advertising in the same way as any other client.
“We don’t run a charitable organisation and won’t place political adverts or campaign songs for free, under duress or because some excited loser says so. It never happens and won’t happen,” Chavula said.
He further claimed that there had been threats to close the station should it refuse to comply with the alleged demands.
According to Chavula, such threats would primarily affect the station’s employees, whom he described as hardworking Zambians, but would not force the station’s leadership to abandon its principles.
“Threatening to shut the station down is only an issue to our employees, who are no less Zambian than he is. Japhen and I don’t lose sleep over such things. They won’t be the first to try it,” he stated.
The Hot FM chairman also said the station would not succumb to intimidation, arguing that only those willing to “pander” to the alleged individual’s demands would be influenced.
He concluded by asserting that fear would not dictate the station’s decisions, saying Hot FM remained committed to operating independently despite the reported pressure.
©Nkanionline
I love Diamond tv,so professional.
Hot FM is a private station in the business to make money with its own editorial policy so they are very free to run the station the way they see fit unlike deadNBC which is a public broadcaster who is supposed to give equal coverage to everybody but just seems to favour the ruling party.