RIGHT TO REPLY – KBN TV REACTS TO UNWARRANTED ATTACKS BY MR. THABO KAWANA
KBN TV management has noted with great concern, the unwarranted attacks directed at our operations and two other media houses by Mr. Thabo Kawana during a brief press briefing this morning.
We wish to put it on record that as a media house, we continue to operate lawfully and in full compliance with the nation’s broadcasting laws and regulations.
Given that Mr. Kawana went to the press to publicly issue threats against us without citing any specific breaches, we are legally duty bound to exercise our right to reply publicly as well.
Firstly, we wish to respectfully remind Mr. Kawana that the broadcast industry is regulated by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) who are legally mandated to engage media houses through well defined and clearly laid down complaint procedures.
In his attacks, Mr. Kawana did not demonstrate which part of the IBA Act or Standard Operating Procedures we have breached and his failure to do so, qualifies his statement to be treated as a mere political threat targeted at independent media houses.
Mr. Kawana should know that he is making the work of the IBA very difficult because if tomorrow they choose to write to any of the concerned media houses, we will interpret their actions to be politically motivated.
Only last night, KBN TV hosted Mr. Kawana on our prime time asset called State of the Nation free of charge, and gave him unfettered access to a nationwide audience. We have never denied him or any Government official access to our platforms, and the same is true about opposition voices.
Our commitment is to cover everyone and Mr. Kawana should not expect us to only cover the ruling party and blackout divergent views. That we shall not do!
We are therefore shocked that after featuring on KBN TV last night, today Mr. Kawana should issue a scathing attack against our operations when he could have just engaged us in person to register his personal grevancies with us.
We wish to assure the nation that KBN TV remains committed to upholding professionalism and will continue to operate as an inclusive media platform accommodating divergent views in our multiparty democracy.
Issued by:
KBN TV Management