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Macra, TVM, MBC play hide and seek
By
Aubrey Mchulu - 11-02-2003 |
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Public media Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Television Malawi (TVM) are playing hide and seek with the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) as the two sides blame each other over delays by the broadcasters to license under the Communications Act.
Macra director general Evans Namanja on Friday told a National Media Institute of Southern Africa (Namisa) “broadcasting diversity” consultative workshop that MBC and TVM are still keeping draft licences from Macra issued two years ago.
He claimed Macra was waiting for feed back from the two institutions after consultation with stakeholders.
But top-ranking officials from the two public broadcasters told the same meeting after Namanja left that the draft licences are actually with Macra.
MBC director general Owen Maunde said the radio station already returned the draft licence to Macra.
“The draft licence and everything to do with that is with Macra, not us,” Maunde said.
His sentiments were shared by TVM’s director of programmes Victor Mphande who said TVM is “still waiting” for directions from Macra.
“The issue of TVM licensing goes back to Macra. We got the drafts, worked on them and sent them back to Macra. It’s something we have been told they are working on since 2000,” said Mphande.
Namanja said the issue of TVM is more complicated because it is registered as a private company.
“Besides TVM being registered as a private company, the Communications Act talks of MBC TV [ to be controlled by Macra] so as soon as TVM’s legal status is cleared, Macra will decide whether to register it as private or public broadcaster.
“TVM’s legal status needs to be resolved for Macra to help them collect subscription fees from owners of TV sets to help meet the station’s operational costs,” he said.
When Namanja returned to the meeting, after the two officials’ presentations, he just laughed when asked to clarify on who is keeping the draft licences between the broadcasters and the regulatory authority.
The broadcasters’ code of conduct as stipulated in the Communications Act, among other things, urges broadcasters to present news in appropriate context and in a balanced manner without intentional or negligent departure from facts.
Earlier, Information Minister Kaliyoma Phumisa said the public broadcasters “cannot just give a voice to anyone” without assessing whether what they are saying is sensible.
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