By Patson Chilemba
The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) is working on instructions from the PF government to block Prime Television’s application for the renewal of their broadcasting licence, fearing to grant them licence before the 2021 general elections.
And IBA director general Josephine Mapoma confirmed receipt of the application submitted in the first week of June, 2020, but that the board has not sat to decide on the matter.
Well placed sources have told Daily Revelation that the IBA is working on instructions from the top leadership in government not to entertain the application.
The IBA earlier this year closed Prime Television, arguing that the station had not paid the renewal fees, with the Ministry of Information arguing that there was nothing they could do about the matter, and therefore the only option was for the station to reapply for a renewal.
Prime TV went ahead to do just that in June, but the IBA has been sitting on that application.
“Word we are getting in the corridors of power is that for now that application is an academic exercise because there are instructions from the very top leadership in government not to even entertain the application. If they are to open it won’t be before the elections otherwise as things stand it won’t work,” the sources said.
Sources said that the authority was actually mooting changes to the applications, to create every excuse possible to deny applications from people who were not viewed to toil the government line.
“One of the things they are talking about for opening a TV station is that you have to be a journalist to start a media house, and some of the key people should be editors. You should have qualified editors. They said we have just revised recently,” the sources said. “They (Prime TV) applied as they were advised, meanwhile the law from IBA doesn’t require renewal of a licence, not what they were publishing. Prior to that (closure) Prime TV went there several times even as late as December last year, seeking a renewal, the IBA were telling them that there is no need for that, just come and pay subscription then the renewal will be given immediately. They were very treacherous.”
And Mapoma confirmed receipt of the application, but indicated inaction over the matter since the application was made to them.
“Their application is subject to the boards decision and the board has not yet made a decision. First of all we do not discuss the would be licencees in terms of public consumption,” Mapoma said, adding that IBA had made the position clear over the matter involving Spring TV. “Their situation is different and like I said we do not as a matter of policy talk about the licencees or would be licencees to the general public. The matter is between ourselves and the applicant.”
Asked on assertions that they were changing application rules in view of the application from Prime TV proprietor Gerald Shawa so that they could block his application, Mapoma said: “Well I want to confirm that there is nothing like that.”-Daily Revelation