Twenty years after the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom

try and a country progressing under
<strong>the</strong> ideals of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Windhoek</strong> <strong>Declaration</strong>.
But <strong>the</strong> broadcasters are competing
for business in a fractured
market. They also receive no government
advertising or programme
sponsorship. Those go exclusively to
<strong>the</strong> state-controlled Malawi Broadcasting
Corporation’s MBC Radio
One and Two and TV.
“Capital Radio
is committed to
promoting public
participation and
civic engagement in
public affairs and
governance issues.”
Capital Radio’s strength depends
on hourly news and talk shows
with in-depth analysis on an adult
contemporary format of new hits
and oldies. The station’s test of
its business model, like freedom
of speech, lies in its live phone-in
programmes.
People want to hear <strong>the</strong>ir own
voices, as well as <strong>the</strong>ir views being
read out as <strong>the</strong>y send <strong>the</strong>m via texts
on mobile phones and o<strong>the</strong>r new
ICTs. Capital Radio is committed to
promoting public participation and
civic engagement in public affairs
and governance issues.
One effect is that <strong>the</strong> authorities
know <strong>the</strong> people are frustrated
about <strong>the</strong> state of affairs in <strong>the</strong>
country. There is a lack of running
water, electricity is erratic, fuel is
in short supply, forex is scarce and
some civil servants have gone for
months without pay.
Capital Radio maintains a fine balancing
act by giving people <strong>the</strong> opportunity
to vent <strong>the</strong>ir frustrations
and at <strong>the</strong> same time remaining
credible and ethical without scaring
136 | Media in Africa - 2011
off companies which provide advertising
and programme support.
The broadcasting regulator, Malawi
Communications Regulatory
Authority (Macra), has tried to do
censorship on behalf of <strong>the</strong> government
by warning us against some of
<strong>the</strong> stories, interviews and phoneins
that Capital Radio carries. Officials
at Macra have suggested Capital
Radio should cease phone-ins,
but <strong>the</strong>se are too important to let
go in a country where radio remains
<strong>the</strong> most powerful medium of communication.
We at Capital Radio are extremely
careful in how we proceed: without
compromising our principles and
without, at <strong>the</strong> same time, doing
something that could lead to <strong>the</strong>
station being shut down. We can
only pray we will continue to
survive until we start operating
under a much more enlightened
administration that fully adheres
to <strong>the</strong> principles of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Windhoek</strong>
<strong>Declaration</strong>.