[By Gregory Kaputula]
For many years, I would stop whatever I was doing to watch and listen to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) main news, especially at 19:00 hours.
However, on 8th July 2020, I made a very painful but necessary decision. I told myself to completely stop watching and listening to ZNBC main news. I joined many other comrades and compatriots who have not listened to ZNBC main news for years. In fact, when I announced my decision, a number of people were shocked that I had been watching and listening to ZNBC main news.
Interestingly, weeks earlier, His Worship the suspended Mayor of Lusaka City, Miles Sampa, had announced that he does not watch or listen to ZNBC news. The announcement by the father of the city went viral on various social media platforms. I will not discuss the reasons His Worship the Mayor of the great city of Lusaka advanced for his not watching and listening to ZNBC news because that is common knowledge.
My decision to stop watching and listening to ZNBC main news was painful because it was not done with my own volition. It was influenced and induced by external factors and forces. I had been forced to stop for the following valid reasons:
Firstly, the decision was made out of frustration brought about by ZNBC news line-ups. You cannot be feeding your viewers with the same type and kind of news and expect them to be well informed, uplifted, empowered and loyal to the station. Well, just like a human body needs a variety of food to be healthy and vibrant, ZNBC news viewers and listeners require a balanced meal of news. You cannot be feeding your viewers and listeners on nshima and beans daily and expect them to be fit and healthy. They need a properly balanced diet of news daily to be fit and healthy. ZNBC news viewers and listeners are misinformed and underfed with information which may result in them suffering from information malnutrition.
Secondly, as a citizen of this great nation, I contribute to the running of ZNBC through the TV levy that we pay monthly. Let us also not forget about public funds, our money that government pumps into ZNBC. So, clearly, I am a shareholder and every other Zambian is a shareholder in ZNBC. We therefore deserve a say in its operations in one way or the other. We deserve to be respected. The respect must be by way and means of quality broadcasting, quality programming, and quality news line-ups.
Unfortunately, ZNBC has been dominated by same newsmakers for years, same people with the same voice and agenda. This development is not healthy for ZNBC as a station and the nation at large.
ZNBC news line-ups are about Zambian DNA spokesperson Spuki Mulemwa, YALI president Andrew Ntewewe and his governance advisor Isaac Mwanza, Chilufya Tayali, Edwin Lifwekelo, ZRP President Wright Musoma, New Congress Party president Pastor Peter Chanda, Dr Cosmo Mumba, Bible Gospel Church in Africa (BIGOCA) presiding Bishop Peter Ndhlovu, Evangelical Youth Alliance International director Moses Lungu, and Patriotic Front officials, ministers, and the President of the Republic of Zambia.
These are the only voices that dominate ZNBC news, these are the only news makers as far as ZNBC is concerned. What happened to the rest on ZNBC news line-up? Where are the other stakeholders and interest groups on ZNBC news line-up? The answer is simple, they have been blacked out for political reasons.
And when you take a closer look at most of these political party leaders who dominate ZNBC news, you will realise that they have no following to talk about. They are a one man show ‘washala weka parties or kantemba kind of arrangement.’ They don’t take part in any election but are the loudest when it comes to insulting and discouraging the real opposition parties in Zambia. They are the opposition in the opposition arena.
One would not be wrong to assume that they benefit financially for siding with the ruling party and yet they call themselves opposition leaders. They wine and dine with the ruling party and are their number one cheerleaders. They are the kind that would do anything for money. They have a price; they are cheap politicians for sale. They are hired guns and mercenaries. They are selfish individuals.
And as if the frustrations brought about by ZNBC news line-ups were not enough, on 8th April 2020, the government through the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) cancelled the broadcasting licence of Prime Television. “The Independent Broadcasting Authority IBA Board wishes to announce the cancellation of the broadcasting license of Prime Television in public interest. This means that Prime Television’s license is now void and should be surrendered to the Authority,” read part of the statement signed by madam Josephine Mapoma the board secretary and Director General at the Independent Broadcasting Authority.
In her letter to Prime TV executive director Gerald Shawa, the IBA board secretary and Director General, stated that the action had been taken in the ‘public interest’ and pursuant to Section 29 (1) (j) and (k) of the IBA (Amendment) Act of 2010.
I wonder in whose ‘public interest’ she was referring to because Zambians wanted Prime Television to continue with its versatile approach in news coverage. Which Zambians did they consult to arrive at that unfair decision? Today, Zambians are missing Prime Television more than ever before because they are starved of a balanced meal of news and information. Prime Television provided a platform for airing of divergent news items and divergent public discussions and opinions without fear or favour. Different opinions on various national issues were debated freely.
Prime Television had taken over the role of a national broadcaster because it was acting and behaving like one through its programming and fair coverage of all people from all sectors of the economy; be it social, political, business, education, agriculture, health, gender, sports, media etc.
In fact, the government through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services had started using Prime Television to communicate to Zambians. This they did after realising that Prime Television had a better and active viewership than ZNBC. Government started paying Prime Television to be airing the famous ZNBC Sunday interview. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services must have realised that people had lost confidence in ZNBC. The ministry realised long ago that ZNBC as a national broadcaster had lost credibility and viewership.
Just as Donald Trump keeps referring to CNN as ‘the fake news media house,’ if not careful and left unchecked, ZNBC will potentially join the likes of CNN in the thinking of Donald Trump. This is because ZNBC is purely a political tool for the ruling class and their surrogates.
The cancellation of Prime Television’s broadcasting licence after the political murder of The Post newspaper in 2016 is not just a big blow to the growth of media and democracy in Zambia but also a big blow to human rights of the citizens of Zambia who are being denied access to divergent views and choices of news and information they listen to and read. Ultimately, it is a big blow to the government itself because the continued unprofessional conduct of ZNBC and the closure of Prime Television has left most Zambians with no option and choice but to rely on social media for updates on important national matters and news.
Because of the unprofessional conduct of ZNBC, despite social media being associated with ‘fake news,’ Zambians are finding it to be more reliable and balanced for news compared to the ‘national broadcaster’, ZNBC. On social media, you will get full reactions and counter reactions on various topics from citizens. A lot of Zambians have opted for social media as the main source of news lately. News makers are also relying on social media for major announcements and developments.
On upgrading his Facebook account to a page, Antonio Mwanza, the outspoken Patriotic Front deputy media director had this to say about social media; “ fellow comrades, it is an undeniable fact that social media is the fastest and probably the most dominant medium of communication.”
No one can blame Zambians for shifting their attention away from ZNBC news to social media as painful as it may be. It is simply the best decision under the circumstances we find ourselves in.
When the infamous video call involving former minister of general education David Mabumba went viral on social media, ZNBC did not bother to report about it, yet social media and other independent media houses were on top of the story. In fact, it was the leading story of the day. Shockingly or surprisingly, ZNBC only jumped on the story when the President fired the minister. Even then, ZNBC did not give a reason for the sacking of the Minister. They only reported about the sacking without providing their viewers and listeners with the reasons for the sacking.
Now, imagine if the video in which Mr Mabumba appeared involved a senior opposition party member! Just imagine how ZNBC would have acted and behaved. How many of their usual news sources would have appeared, commenting on the same. Meanwhile, the Mabumba story was shielded from the masses.
ZNBC as a public institution has a pivotal role to play in the development of Zambia, and especially in the protection, upholding and promotion of human rights. ZNBC has a unique role to play in uniting the country by all means possible. Unfortunately, this is the role that ZNBC has lamentably failed to play. ZNBC is financed and controlled by the public, for the public. It should therefore be free from political interference and pressure from political forces. ZNBC must be preoccupied with informing citizens on genuine and balanced news, educating citizens on progressive topics and opinions.
Social media is all things digital and has the attention of everyone in one way or the other. Social media reaches everyone, it is participatory, versatile, and an immediate two – way conversation. Zambians deserve balanced news from their national broadcaster. Let every Zambian be heard and seen on their national broadcaster, ZNBC. Otherwise, social media is easily accessible and is here to stay.
The author is a development activist, law student and a social commentator. Send comment to: gregory.kaputula@gmail.com