STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA The Independent Broadcasting Authority has warned media houses not to rely on social media for news that may threaten national security. IBA Director General Josephine Mapoma has noted with concern the laissez fair attitude by some media houses who depend on social media for their programing. Ms. Mapoma has challenged media houses to practice investigative Journalism and develop credible content that is void of malice. She has further urged media houses to abide by the IBA Act and other broadcasting provisions. This is contained in a statement availed to Diamond News Alert-4th February (Smart Eagles) Government has welcomed the ongoing efforts by the media fraternity to put in place a media self-regulatory mechanism for promoting ethical and professional journalism in the country noting that the initiative is extremely urgent in view of the escalating levels of unethical and unprofessional conduct by some media Houses and individual journalists. And government is elated by the proposal from media practitioners for the enactment of an Act of Parliament to establish a Professional body of Journalists which will resolve most of the issues pertaining to punitive measures against media Houses arising from the misconduct of some employee journalists. In a statement read on her behalf by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga, Tuesday morning, the Chief Government Spokesperson Hon Dora Siliya said once established, the Journalists, through their Council, will develop a code of practice, conduct and ethics and will punish their members that violate the code instead of the media House. Alert-4th February (Mwebantu) A University of Zambia (UNZA) Researcher and Media Consultant says Facebook commands the greatest reach and is a first choice for news and information in Zambia. In a study aimed at understanding the audience response to the emergence and presence of online newspapers, Mr. Parkie Mbozi has established that Facebook is the most preferred communication tool amongst people residing in Lusaka. Mr. Mbozi further states that out of ten (10) individuals with Internet access in Lusaka Province, six (6) access and read online newspapers and the majority (nine in 10) access their favorite online newspapers through Facebook using mobile phones. Mr. Mbozi, who is a Research Fellow at the University of Zambia’s Institute of Economic and Social Research (INESOR), says majority of readers in Zambia (64%) favoured online newspapers for ‘breaking and up-to-date news’, 62% for adverts, 55% for ‘more independent news’, 46% for ‘detailed news’, 38% ‘due to Internet access’ and another 38% for their interactive features. Thirtyfive percent cited ‘credibility of the news’, 34% ‘uncensored news’, 30% ‘because they are cheaper than print’ and 11% ‘posting personalized comments’. pg. 52