Malawi Alert Date: March 9, 2010 Person/ institutions: Bingu wa Mutharika, Private Media Violation/ issue: Banned MISA-Malawi issued an appeal on 4 March 2010 to the country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika to intervene on reports that government departments have been given a directive to stop advertising with some private media houses in the country, among them, Nation Publications Limited (NPL), publishers of The Nation, Weekend Nation, Nation On Sunday and Fuko. Communiqué Date: June 15, 2010 Person/ institutions: Journalists, Child Justice Court. Violation/ issue: Legislation Malawian journalists risked arrest for disclosing the name, address or school of a child involved in any proceedings in the Child Justice Court. A new bill on Child Care, Protection and Justice expected which was to be tabled in Parliament proposed that journalists who identify a child involved in proceedings of the Child Justice Court will be jailed for six months or in default pay up to K20, 000 (US$ 133), while media houses that publish the details risks a K100, 000 (US$666) fine. Communiqué Date: July 21, 2010 Person/institution: MACRA, Media Violation/issue: Legislation The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) on 19 July 2010 42 2010 brought together media managers and parliamentary committee on Media and Communications to review the country’s Communications Act. The current Act, which was enacted in 1998, has several shortfalls and fails to address innovations and products that have sprouted recently such as the internet. Communiqué Date: August 13, 2010 Person/institution: Parliament, MISA-Malawi Violation/issue: Legislation MISA-Malawi on 11 August 2010 appeared before the Media and Communications Committee of parliament to update the committee on the campaign on enactment of the Access to Information (ATI) Bill. The committee assured that the Bill will be tabled during the next sitting of the National Assembly in November 2010, or in the first quarter of 2011. Communiqué Date: September 22, 2010 Person/institution: MACRA, Radio Stations Violation/issue: Banned The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has since January 2010, closed eight pirate radio stations in four districts. The regulatory body’s Public Relations Officer Zadziko Mankhambo told The Daily Times newspaper that one radio station has been closed in Mulanje and four in Machinga, both districts situated in Southern Malawi; and each in Kasungu, Mchinji and Dowa in Central Malawi. Alert Date: September 22, 2010 Person/institution: MACRA, G-Mobile. Violation/issue: Banned, Victory The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has revoked a license the regulatory body issued to what would have been the county’s third mobile phone company, Globally Advanced Integrated Networks Limited (G-Mobile). October 17, 2010: The country’s third mobile phone network operator, G-Mobile, has breathed a sigh of relief after the high court in Zomba, Eastern Malawi, granted the company an injunction, stopping the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) from revoking its license. Communiqué Date: October 11, 2010 Person/institution: Media Council of Malawi Violation/issue: other The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) elected new members for its National Governing Council who will be in office for the next two years. Alert Date: October 18, 2010 Person/institution: Hetherwick Ntaba, Raphel Tenthani, Democratic Progressive Party Violation/issue: Threatened Spokesperson for ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, on 11 October 2010 attacked veteran journalist Raphael Tenthani over his column arguing that the journalist has been paid to tarnish the image of the DPP. Communiqué Date: November 8, 2010 Person/institution: MBC Violation/issue: Other Tension and anxiety gripped staff at the State-controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) radio and television on 4 November 2010, following announcement of names for positions of Controller and Station Managers at the state-owned broadcaster. The new positions were announced on 3 November, 2010, four months after MBC radio and Television Malawi (TVM) merged. Alert Date: November 8, 2010 Person/institution: The High, The Weekend Times Violation/issue: Victory The High Court in Blantyre, on 2 November 2010, granted an injunction to Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL), to 2010 43