STATE OF THE MEDIA REPORT QUARTER 4, 2020 3.2.1. ACCESS TO INFORMATION BILL AND MEDIA POLICIES While the ATI Bill was not enacted in the entire year as promised by government, the quarter witnessed the launch of two policies namely the Government Communication Policy (GCP) and the Media Development Policy (MDP). The MDP aims to promote freedom of expression and guarantee press freedom through various measures. Among the policy’s objective are the promotion of a system of regulation conducive to freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity of the media, promotion of plurality and diversity of media, a level economic playing field and transparency of ownership, promotion of media as a platform for democratic discourse, promotion of professional capacity building that underpins freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity, and promotion of infrastructure development and support to the growth of the media. R-IBA Director General Josephine Mapoma, M-PS Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Amos Malupenga, L-Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya during the launch of the Communication Policy and the Media development policy. The policy is a step forward because Zambia has had no media policy save one that has existed in draft form. What remains is the formulation of laws to underpin some of the policy pronouncements. One such law is the Media Council Bill which is currently in the pipeline as discussed in the previous quarters. It is hoped that the provisions of the policy will be implemented with a view to truly diversify (and not stifle) the media and create an enabling environment for media development, even for those seen to be facilitating dissenting or unpopular views. While the policy addresses a number of topical issues in the media sector, there is need to accompany these policy pronouncements with action. For example, while the P a g e 26 | 56