FORMER PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU USED TO CARRY JOURNALISTS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Dickson Jere is wrong to say the PF stopped the practice of inviting private media journalists on presidential entourages.
The State House media team is also as wrong as those heralding the inclusion of private media journalists on presidential assignments as a new thing.
Emmanuel Mwamba was right to quickly remind everyone that private media reporters have been on presidential assignments for a long time under both MMD and PF and were paid for by Cabinet Office.
Even at the height hostilities between the now defunct Post newspapers and President Lungu, Amos Chanda included them and three other private media houses on a presidential trip to the UN General Assembly in September 2015.
In 2016, again the private media among them Daily Nation, and three private radio stations accompanied the president to New York.
Four private media journalists were on President Lungu’s combo State Visits to France and Italy.
Yes, President Hichilema is right to demand private media representation on his delegation because this will enhance the quality of news for consumers.
Diversity or plurality of news angles will enhance the quality of information the public will be given.
Sadly we have noted the selective portrayal of the PF across many facets of governance. All the bad things are assigned to the PF and all the good things to others. No wonder the Most Reverend Dr Alick Banda, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lusaka recently called for some common decency among those in government, not just to launch PF initiated projects without due acknowledgment.
Media Practitioner