playing field for all industry players. There must be only one law to apply to all institutions regardless of ownership or otherwise. This will be a fairer way of regulating the sector. In summary, the third quarter, was largely reminiscent of previous ones with a number of challenges for free media and questions about the adherence to ethical standards of practice. Such threats and moves that undermine the independence and pluralism of the media have continued to gather momentum and the sooner this is realised and curbed the better for the media fraternity. It is a trend that has got stakeholders worried and greatly concerned that despite there being laws that govern the land and those that protect individuals from being abused in the media, government takes every perceived lapse on the part of the media as an opportunity to harass, intimidate or issue threats that continue to undermine press freedom. The legal gaps that exist are always being exploited by the government to continually cast a murk over the freedoms that the media should ideally be enjoying. This is the more reason the media fraternity and other stakeholder have persistently called for the enactment of the Access to Information law so that information on various public issues can easily be accessed as opposed to media having to use unorthodox means to obtain such. The quarter was not devoid of journalists being harassed physically and otherwise, especially by political party cadres and state agents in journalists’ line of duty. New Vision Newspaper's reporter Elijah Mumba was attacked by UPND cadre in Chainda on 3rd August 2016 as he went about gathering news. The cadre reportedly confronted Elijah Mumba, a New Vision newspaper reporter at whom he hurled insults and physically attacked with a brick leading to a deep wound on Mumba's head which later received 16 stitches. According to information gathered, Mumba was only rescued by onlookers after he passed out and the matter was later reported to the Police in Chainda.8 In the wake of this incident, MISA observed a reluctance by the Zambia Police Service to fully take charge of the situation to bring the perpetrators to book. In this regard, MISA issued a statement to express worry over police slackness. “It is disheartening that Police clearly showed lack of will to act despite the dire condition in which Elijah was, bleeding profusely after being hit with a brick on the head forcing onlookers to come to his rescue.” MISA Chairperson Hellen Mwale said in the statement. The Chainda incident adds to the long list of brutal attacks against journalists in their line of duty where Police have acted reluctantly to effect arrests or effectively process such reports. It is a trend that has been growing over the years of either Police committing aggression 8 MISA media alert, 3rd August 2016 12