STATE OF THE MEDIA REPORT QUARTER 3. 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the capability of the media to perform its functions undermined the socio-political environment. However, the socio-political environment in the third quarter was relatively better than the second quarter mainly due to the fewer violations noted (including the intensity and ferocity of attacks). Further, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were partly mitigated by the opening up of several sectors and easing of restrictions by the government. 3.2. LEGAL ENVIRONMENT The legal environment in the third quarter was engulfed by continued debates over the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 10 which could not be tabled in Parliament in the quarter due to an abrupt sine die adjournment owing to the coronavirus pandemic16. In this regard, several programmes aired on various media outlets discussing the Bill. As with the first and second quarters, the media did not offer much analysis on the contents of the Bill as observed in the content analysis of various media products. What was witnessed instead were single sourced news stories lacking in-depth analysis of the relevant issues. It is important for media to offer critical analysis and help to breakdown complex matters for the public. The most notable occurrence in the quarter, however, was the approval of the Zambia Council for Journalists Bill by Cabinet on 30th July. This was announced to the nation by Chief Government Spokesperson, Dora Siliya, who provided an update after the 17th Cabinet meeting17. The Bill, which is an outcome of meetings held by and among media practitioners, seeks to establish a media self-regulatory council and prescribe criteria for regulation of journalists in the country. The Bill was drafted under the auspices of the Technical Working Group which comprised members from various media organisations. MISA Zambia facilitated financial support net-approves-bill-for-journalists-self-regulatorybody/ 16 See https://diggers.news/local/2020/09/07/bill10-will-be-tabled-in-next-parliament-sitting-clerk/ 17 As reported by the Mast Newspaper, see https://www.themastonline.com/2020/07/29/cabi 20