STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBA 7.1.6 29th March 2017 (Zambia Daily Mail) Press freedom curtailed Journalists beaten Suspected political party cadres on Tuesday, 28th March 2017 allegedly assaulted two journalists at the UPND party secretariat in Rhodes Park after police stopped a press conference that had been scheduled to be addressed by the UPND leadership earlier in the day at Chainama Hotel. The two journalists were identified as Silumesi Malumo from Radio Phoenix and Prisca Banda of Millenium Radio. 7.1.7 30th March, 2017 (The Mast) Labour matters Police confront protesting ZNBC workers Police on March 29th, 2017, were deployed at ZNBC to stop the sit-in which had started on four days earlier over delayed salaries. The armed police officers who arrived in two Toyota Landcruiser around midmorning caused panic among some members of staff who did not understand why their peaceful protest could warrant the presence of heavily armed police officers. Police officers later left after a few hours of keeping vigil at the protesting employees. 8.0 Conclusion A review of the quarter has shown that the state of the media operating environment has not changed much as the situation was throughout much of 2016. This is as seen from government’s heavy handedness, despite showing the willingness to liberate the media, dialogue and making half-hearted pronouncements enacting legislation such as the ATI in line with the policy pronouncements. What is evident though, is that the hope for a freer media in Zambia is ever getting farfetched going by the recent events recorded in the quarter being reviewed and the entire 2016. The consolidation of press freedom and freedom of expression in Zambia suffered further setbacks in the quarter under review as demonstrated. Political interference, sheer police and political cadres’ brutality against journalists has continued. The media fraternity was equally not spared from lawsuits. Stakeholders, including political parties, the police and members of the general public have been constantly urged to afford a safe operating environment for the journalists to fulfil the information needs of society. It is a call that must be sustained and more pronounced. Their 30 | P a g e