STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA In the same vein, on 16th May, 2019, the News Diggers Newspaper Publication carried a headline, “Misa urges electronic media houses to defy IBA’s directive” The publication cited MISA Zambia Chairperson Hellen Mwale, urging broadcast media houses in the country not to abide by the IBA’s directive to have them submit all broadcast content to the Authority every after two weeks. This was a reaction to IBA Director General Ms. Josephine Mapoma’s statement, directing all radio and TV stations to surrender recordings of all their discussion programmes, talk shows, news bulletins and musical programmes to enable the Authority monitor activities in areas where it had no presence. In her statement Ms. Mwale told journalists in an interview at the Mulungushi international conference centre that the IBA’s directive was not in good faith because such a requirement does not exist even in the IBA Act itself. Following sentiments from MISA both from the Director and the Chairperson, advocacy has been strong on advocating for IBA to rescind its decision and so far IBA has not pushed the agenda further and media organisations spoken to have confirmed this. In the instance that IBA gets serious in its directive to media houses to submit records of their programming, it is important that IBA considers issues around costs attached to the successful implementation of this directive. Meanwhile, not only are costs attached a worry, but it is worrying to note that this directive maybe an infringement on the rights of the media in Zambia. Further, this may promote surveillance especially by government operatives which may threaten the democratic dispensation of Zambia. 4.1.4 Access to Information Bill (ATI) The ATI has been a subject of debate since the year 2002. In the second quarter of 2019, government presented hope for the enactment of the bill into law. On 15th April, 2019 The Times of Zambia publication carried a headline, “Government to table ATI Bill soon.” It was reported that government has assured the public that the long awaited Access to Information (ATI) Bill will be tabled in the next sitting of parliament which is scheduled to resume in June, this year. The sentiments covered in the newspaper were attributed to Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya who said the ATI bill, which had been approved by cabinet, was currently undergoing refinement before it was presented to parliament. “we should have taken it (ATI Bill) in the last sitting of parliament but we are all hopeful that it will be presented at the June sitting of parliament,” she said. 12