SNAPSHOT

ZAMBIA
I

n 2013, MISA Zambia had a number of successes in furthering their campaign for broadcasting
diversity. This included lobbying government to
make the Independent Broadcasting Authority
(IBA) operational – this is intended to usher in an independent regulatory body. A Director General was
appointed on 26 June 2013 to oversee the operations.
Other positive developments included the adoption
of the amended Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC)
constitution, the appointment of its board and the
orientation of the board and handover of power by
the loose media association alliance to the ZAMEC
NGC. MISA Zambia made successful submissions
to the Draft Digital Migration Policy, Draft Media
and Information Policy and the Draft 2013 Zambia
National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) editorial
policy.
The story on access to information in Zambia is not
so bright. The process to enact legislation stalled
on two separate occasions in the first six months
of 2013, despite promises from the ruling party to
table the long awaited Access to Information Bill in
Parliament. Despite delays in the enactment of an
ATI law, ATI articles for Zambia’s new draft Consti-

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tution were adopted by the National Constitutional
Convention, held in April 2013 and attended by the
MISA Zambia Chairperson.
MISA Zambia successfully hosted its 11th MISA
Zambia Annual Media Awards on 26 April 2013,
which attracted over 250 guests.
On 17 April 2013, MISA Zambia participated in the
launch of the Lukulu FM Community Radio Station.
The station is a collaboration between Diakonia, the
Council of Churches in Zambia, thr Foundation for
Democratic Process (FODEP), MISA Zambia, the
Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) and the Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL). It also falls under
the project Building Democratic Culture in rural
communities, which is funded by the European
Union and Sweden.

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