Two radio stations , a television station to face Broadcasting Authority (IBA)

GOVERNMENT is concerned at the quality of broadcast content by some radio stations, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili has said.
Meanwhile, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has summoned two radio stations and a television station in Lusaka to appear before the it for using unpalatable language during broadcasts.
Mr Kambwili said the content of some radio stations was promoting hate speech among members of the public and regulators should take keen interest in reversing the trend.
He said this yesterday when he met officials from the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) at his office in Lusaka.
This is according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Press unit.??Mr Kambwili said there were two radio stations in Southern Province that declined to play songs done in a certain language.
“But the point is there are people from other areas that are living in Southern Province and there is no harm playing songs done in any other language.
IBA chairperson Justin Mutale informed the minister that two radio stations and a television station in Lusaka had been summoned to appear before the authority for using unpalatable language during their broadcasts.
“IBA should not be seen as a body that stifles freedom of expression but as a regulator that wants improved broadcasting standards,” said Brig General Mutale who was in the company of IBA director general Josephine Mapoma and director of Standards Eustace Nkandu.
Meanwhile, Mr Kambwili yesterday met Multichoice Zambia general manager Simon Bota and urged his firm to consider bringing down the hiked Digital Satellite Television (DStv) subscription fees.
Mr Kambwili is scheduled to meet Mr Bota again next week on Tuesday to hear the response to the request.??Mr Kambwili on Wednesday met a delegation from theZambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) led by president Shamaoma Musonda and promised to revamp the operations of the public media.
Mr Musonda told the minister that Times Printpak Zambia Limited was facing a crippling debt most of it owed to Government, through unpaid statutory obligations.??In response, the minister told ZUJ that he had written his Finance counterpart Alexander Chikwanda about the matter and expected a favourable response.

Times