NATIONAL: MEDIA SUPPORT ESTABLISHMENT OF SELF-REGULATORY MECHANISMS & NATIONAL CODES OF ETHICS National Programme Goal Enhancing media accountability and professionalism through developing skilled media workers in order to attain an independent, pluralistic and competent media environment that promotes access to a diversity of views and opinions Regional Programme Enhancing media professionalism through establishment of self-regulatory mechanisms and national codes of ethics Objectives PERFORMANCE INDICATORS NATIONAL OBJECTIVE MAJOR ACTIVITIES REMARK/COMMENTS (ACTUAL/ACHIEVED) Facilitate the establishment of a Press Facilitate the establishment of a Press Botswana: Press Council established Botswana: Chapter continues to support Council and drafting and adoption of Council and drafting and adoption of the Draft code of ethics developed Press Council. Lesotho: Although the the code of ethics code of ethics through meetings with Lesotho: Two workshops held chapter initiated meeting between • Botswana stakeholders. Namibia: Ombudsman office government and media the self-regulatory • Lesotho Namibia: Resource the office of the established and office-bearer elected. initiative has not kicked-off. Malawi: The • Malawi ombudsman Code of ethics drafted. Printed and existing Media Council is dysfunctional. It • Namibia Zambia: Coordinate the merging of the two distributed to media and the public. was difficult for MISA to commit resources to media councils in Zambia. Swaziland: Two workshops held; an institution that has no capacity to • Swaziland • Zambia meetings with editors implement activities. In 2004, t he Chapter Tanzania: Zonal workshop was held plans to assist the media council to re -start. • Zimbabwe Zambia: Held 3 national workshops Namibia: Although the ombudsman office and number of provincial workshop to for the media was established it never kickdiscuss the merger and draft off. The incumbent was not suitable as he constitution. Constitution drafted. was a senior government official. Further, Adopted by all media – private and the code of ethics was not adopted by the public. MECOZ to be launched in May media. The office is now moribund. 2004. Swaziland: The process has been delayed Zimbabwe: Two meeting held with due to lack of consensus among media editors (Zimbabwe National Editors practitioners on how the MCC should Forum) and media practitioners. function. Media owners have signed an MoU Meetings held in all ZUJ branches; and adopted the code of ethics. Zambia: Code of Conduct distributed to MISA The process was a success and formed a members, journalists in newsrooms; unified media council. The media council of Code of Conduct adopted. Zambia (MECOZ) will become operational in 2004. Zimbabwe: A meeting with editors under ZINEF was held. The problem is that ZINEF comprises editors from the independent media only. Provincial meetings were attended by journalists from both the public and private media. Although ZUJ, IJAZ, MISA, MMPZ and ZINEF have adopted the Code, editors from the public media have not adopted it MISA Annual Report (April 2003 – March 2004) 88