Zambia: IBA suspends Prime TV, orders in-house training on basic Journalism ethics

The Independent Broadcasting Authority has suspended the broadcasting licence for privately owned Prime Television for 30 days with immediate effect for 'exhibiting unprofessional elements in its broadcasting'.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), Zambia's broadcasting regulator has taken this decision to suspend the television station for broadcasting through unbalanced coverage, opinionated news, material likely to incite violence and use of derogatory language, Josephine Mapoma, IBA Board Secretary said.

Josephine Mapoma told the journalists during a press briefing that the television station has been ordered to conduct in-house training on basic journalism ethics and news scripts during the suspension period. Chanda Kasolo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said the suspension of the television station's license was arrived at after wide engagements with other stakeholders.

He further said the decision was not politically motivated as it was purely done in line with the IBA Act. The suspension of the television station comes at the backdrop of complaints from the governing Patriotic Front (PF) against its alleged biased reporting, as reported by Xinhua.

Davies Mwila, the governing party's secretary general recently chased reporters from the television station from covering his press briefing and later wrote a complaint letter to the regulator.

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