should not expect them to disclose their sources as that would violate their ethical conduct. • ALERT Date: November 20, 2008 Institutions: Joy FM Violation/issue: Banned The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) once again shut down Joy FM after the High Court in Blantyre lifted an injunction that the radio station obtained on October 17, 2008. The injunction restrained MACRA from closing the station on accusations of breaching licence conditions, failing to comply with the provisions of the Communications Act and for effectively transferring its ownership into the hands of politicians. However, MACRA challenged the injunction obtained by Joy FM and High Court Judge Joseph Manyungwa ruled in favour on the regulatory body on November 19. The head of news at Joy FM, Lloyd Zawanda, said they stopped all broadcasting at 10am on November 20, 2008 and referred the issue to their lawyers. • ALERT Date: November 20, 2008 Person: Maxwell Ng’ambi Violation/issue: Detained/ harassed The Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe acquitted Nation Publications journalist Maxwell Ng’ambi of the charge of providing false information to a public officer. Ng’ambi was arrested on May 17, 2008 at Maula Prison where he was suspected of planning to interview a former speaker and minister of education, Sam Mpasu, who is serving a jail term. The prison authorities handed him over to the police and he was charged with providing false information to a public servant whereby he had allegedly lied that he was related to Mpasu. Senior Magistrate Kettie Nthara said she could not convict Ng’ambi because the Police did not have enough evidence to support the charge. • ALERT Date: November 26, 2008 Institutions: Joy FM Violation/issue: Banned Joy FM is appealing to the Supreme Court to reverse the High Court ruling that resulted in the station going off air on November 20, 2008. The High Court ruling lifted an injunction that Joy FM had obtained, which prevented the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) from revoking their broadcasting licence. MACRA maintains that the station, which is privately owned by the country’s former president and current United Democratic Front presidential candidate Bakili Muluzi, contravened the Communications Act, which bars politicians from owning radio stations. • ALERT Date: November 26, 2008 Person/institutions: Joy FM/ public Violation/issue: Banned Police, on November 26, 2008 stopped a march by concerned listeners of Joy FM who wanted to deliver a petition to the district commissioner to have the radio back on air. According to chairperson of the organising committee for the march, Harris Chisale, the march was to express their concern over the station’s closure, which he said has deprived them of their primary source of information and business communication. “Joy FM offers competitive [advertising] rates that we small-scale business persons could afford. With the closure, we have no where [to go] as other radio stations are expensive. We could even bargain with Joy for lower rates,” he said. So This Is Democracy? 2008 -54- Media Institute of Southern Africa