Twenty years after the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom

know <strong>the</strong> background. There are
even cases when government and
ruling party statements are correctly
reported and captured by a ZNBC
TV camera, but <strong>the</strong> news staff are
forced to “correct” <strong>the</strong> story when
<strong>the</strong> speakers later feel <strong>the</strong>y could be
in trouble with <strong>the</strong>ir employer.
In going along with <strong>the</strong>se kinds of
editorial decisions, many reporters
cite issues of ‘bread and butter’
when it comes to <strong>the</strong> job market in
<strong>the</strong> journalism profession in Zambia.
Many feel that it is difficult to find a
job if one is dismissed for not abiding
by directives. As result, many in <strong>the</strong>
ZNBC newsroom engage in personal
censorship when dealing with antigovernment
stories.
“Even when reporters
go in to <strong>the</strong> field to
get balanced stories,
<strong>the</strong>y are normally
frustrated because
<strong>the</strong> final story as it
gets broadcast often
does not reflect a
professional balance
in reporting —
especially if it involves
government.”
In <strong>the</strong> words of one staffer: “We
would cover Sata’s (opposition
leader) rally, and you know Sata is
always controversial. He would say
things and … you don’t even know
what to write, because everything he
was saying was anti-government”.
When opposition views are aired,
<strong>the</strong>re are some unwritten rules that
<strong>the</strong>y be accompanied by a government
reaction or answer. Actually,
in most cases, <strong>the</strong> ZNBC story would
begin with a government reaction
134 | Media in Africa - 2011
even before <strong>the</strong> opposition view on
<strong>the</strong> original issue is aired.
Some staffers believe that <strong>the</strong>ir
peers are occasional victims of
fearing <strong>the</strong> unknown — people who
practice exaggerated self-censorship
even when <strong>the</strong>re may not be any
repercussions. Meanwhile, over <strong>the</strong>
<strong>years</strong>, <strong>the</strong> newsroom people have
come to know <strong>the</strong> line to follow,
often saying things like: “Ignore
that story, I don’t want problems.
I just want to go home and be in
peace”.
Of course <strong>the</strong>re are people in <strong>the</strong>
newsroom with <strong>the</strong> view that <strong>the</strong>
ZNBC correctly has its own style
that may not please everybody.
For <strong>the</strong>m, everyone who works
anywhere should know what is
expected of <strong>the</strong>m as per institutional
requirements.
They also argue that <strong>the</strong>re is not
bias when <strong>the</strong> editorial committee
goes through all <strong>the</strong> stories and
decides which should go on air.
Regarding editorial independence,
some staffers feel that Zambians
should understand that ZNBC
is a public institution owned by
<strong>the</strong> government on <strong>the</strong>ir behalf,
hence <strong>the</strong> “need” for all staffers to
prioritise <strong>the</strong> promotion of national
unity.
If <strong>the</strong> process of controlling content
happens across <strong>the</strong> stages, and is
present wherever one works, those
who are not ready to follow ‘institutional
guidance’ from senior management
or government officials
are expected to resign. For those
giving <strong>the</strong> directives, this is justified
in terms of everyone needing guidance
to protect <strong>the</strong> integrity of <strong>the</strong>
institution. It is not <strong>the</strong> question of
what a reporter believes is <strong>the</strong> factual
case, but a question of following
instructions.
For example, <strong>the</strong>y may be given
‘guidance’ on how to cover certain
opposing views that are always
antagonistic and which use certain
phrases that are too “strong” for
<strong>the</strong> public institution and <strong>the</strong>
population, including derogatory
language against o<strong>the</strong>rs.
“Ignore that story, I
don’t want problems.
I just want to go home
and be in peace”.
Zambia’s broadcast legislation initially
led to expectations that ZNBC
would correspondingly adjust its inhouse
news policies and practices
to suit <strong>the</strong> legal requirements of
becoming a public broadcaster. But
not much has been achieved.
It is unfortunate that successive
governments have continued <strong>the</strong>
same path of news interference,
despite revising <strong>the</strong> media laws
and policies at ZNBC. If this trend
continues, anyone who may assume
senior government office in future is
likely to do <strong>the</strong> same, despite having
lofty laws and editorial policies in
place.