Zambia’s media bodies strongly condemn IBA’s action in suspending Prime Television

Amnesty International strongly condemned the immediate suspension of privately owned Prime Television for 30 days by Zambia's Independent Broadcasting Authority. Now World Press Freedom Day Zambia Committee in association with Media Liaison Committee has come forward to criticize Independent Broadcasting Authority's (IBA) action in suspending the operating license for Prime Television.

According to the press statement issued by Media Liaison Committee (MLC) and World Press Freedom Day Zambia Committee, the former has noted that the IBA action follows a series of events involving the Patriotic Front (PF) Party Secretary General Davies Mwila chasing Prime TV journalists from covering their press conference, complaining of the TV Station being biased and then writing IBA complaining about Prime TV, as reported by Lusaka Times.

MLC noted that in dealing with the Prime TV and Mr Davies Mwila's complaints, IBA completely disregarded their code of conduct and complaints procedure of having a complaint made in writing and giving a news media 14 days to respond before the complaining individual writes to the IBA.

The IBA in dealing with the Prime TV issue clearly took sides and was quick to come to the defence of the PF SG instead of the media industry they regulate. MLC is aware of many public complaints of biasness against the public broadcaster ZNBC and other media houses aligned to the PF and yet the IBA has not had a single meeting with these media houses to discuss the complaints or let alone call for the submission of their recordings.

Also read: Zambia: Amnesty International terms Prime TV's suspension 'unlawful'