STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA The minister denied the merger, saying the public broadcaster did not merge with Star Times‟ TopStar. ZNBC has not merged with TopStar contrary to assertions. Ms. Siliya explained that the conditional authorisation to the proposed merger of ZNBC and Star Times granted by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is merely a merger of interests in a joint venture and not of two independent institutions. In a ministerial statement to Parliament, Ms. Siliya said that being a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament, it‟s not possible that any other institution can have shares in ZNBC. Any change of shareholding in ZNBC would have to be made by Parliament. As it relates to the „sale‟ of ZNBC, the quarter closed with an editorial from The Mast headlined „ZNBC won‟t change names, but it‟s on lease to Chinese28.‟ The editorial indicated that government has not clearly explained the issues surrounding the entire Digital Migration Process and how ZNBC is involved. If ZNBC cannot merge with any private company, CCPC said ZNBC had merged with the national broadcaster until the loan is relinquished, contrary to what the minster said. From its editorial, The Mast suggest that ZNBC has been leased to the Chinese firm. Government has continued to tell the same lie over and over again, hoping that maybe along the way it would probably graduate into being the truth. Well, that only works when there is no evidence to the contrary. But the criminality around the digital migration scandal is too documented to attract any believability from members of the public. When we published an editorial comment explaining how the Chinese took over the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, those who get paid to defend government lies countered our opinion with a cheap argument that the records at PACRA were unchanged and, as such, ZNBC remained an autonomous 28 The Mast – ZNBC won‟t change names, but it‟s on lease to Chinese – 30th October, 2018 19