STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA The comments from the Minister attracted reactions from Media Institute of Southern Africa (MiSA) Zambia8 and Governance, Elections, Advocacy Research Services (GEARS) 9. The two organisations indicated that the calls to regulate the media were against the principles of democracy as well as press freedom. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MiSA) Zambia would like to state that while Zambia is having a debate around media ethics adherence among journalists, stakeholders must take note that Statutory Regulation of the media has no place in a democracy. Unlike medicine and legal profession, media is the fourth estate and must operate as independently as possible from the state control. MiSA also observed that there was need for government to put up policies to protect journalists from harassment rather than call for regulation of the media10. And MiSA Zambia Vice Chairperson Hyde Haguta called on government to work on the implementation and actualising of a policy that will protect the media from harassment. Mr. Haguta also called for professionalism among journalists as they carry out their duties because they have a duty to inform the nation correctly to ensure the public makes informed choices GEARS Initiative Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said press freedom was the prime base on which sound democracy is anchored in any given nation. Mr. Chipenzi has since suggested amendments to certain laws that hinder the growth of press freedom if the local media was to enjoy the freedom of expression. 8 MISA Zambia – Statutory Regulation of Media Ethics is Against International Standards, Bad for Democracy – 7th December, 2018 9 Lusaka Times – McDonald Chipenzi Initiative Calls for Press freedom – 14th December, 2018 10 ZNBC – Media Regulation Debate Resurfaces – 22nd November. 2018 10