STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA
It is reported that the company which pioneered the use of electronic paper in Zambia was also
working on other business models to be employed as part of a multi-prolonged strategy to
surmount current challenges and regain its leadership in local media.
Speaking at the well decorated stand at the 92nd Agricultural and Commercial Show in Lusaka,
Times Prinkpak Managing Director Bestone Ng‟onga told judges in the commercial category
that along with the e-library the company planned to introduce electronic text books for
education and other sectors as part of its innovative strives to diversify from relying on income
from newspaper production alone.
This announcement by Times Printpak demonstrates innovative strategies of the media in the
country. Particularly, the diversity in revenue streams is an indication of the sustainability
measures for the press in Zambia.
4.3. Legal and Political Environment
4.3.1 Censored
Media censorship in the third quarter of 2018 leaned more on social media more than any other.
Despite government continuing monitoring and treating as a direct attack on government the
publication of divergent views, the media in the period was under heavy censorship. This is
evident in the number of threats recorded in the quarter as indicated in the threats section. With
regard to social media censorship, according to the Times of Zambia, on 23rd August,
government announced that about 200 Facebook pages were blocked.
About 200 Facebook pages so far been cancelled for being in bad taste or
suspected to be for criminal purposes, as authorities express concern over
rampant pornography that Zambians are engaging in online.
Zambia Information and Communications Authority (ZICTA) says that
producing, transmitting and even storing any pornography material on
digital equipment is illegal.
ZICTA cautioned the public against circulating videos on social media of
women who have produced nude videos themselves for pornography
purposes.

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