Malawi / Mzimba Community Radio
put off air
LILONGWE, Malawi, February 26, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Malawi government through the Malawi Communications and Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has put off air Mzimba Community Radio after it reported about voter registration certificates which ruling party officials were buying.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi chapter has since issued a statement expressing concern.MACRA said they have temporarily closed the radio or its failure to comply with the regulatory body’s rules and regulations, which are stipulated in the Communications Act.
“Much as we appreciate MACRA’s powers to order a station off the airwaves or revoke its broadcasting licence, we feel that MACRA would have found others ways of dealing with the situation before taking the radio off air,” said a media body statement issued by its chairperson Brian Ligomeka.
“As an organisation campaigning for broadcasting diversity and pluralism, every closure of a radio station is a matter of concern and our stand is that closure of radio stations should be the last resort after all mediation attempts have failed,” said the statement.
“Our request to MACRA is to allow the station to come back on air as soon as possible while the regulatory body and other stakeholders resolve the issues and problems that have been noticed at the station.”
MISA Malawi appealed to the regulatory body to consider issues of contact and dialogue, before taking a step further in closing down radio stations or meting out any punitive measures against broadcasters that breach MACRA’s rules and regulations and the Communications Act.
“Mzimba Community Radio Station is a source of pride, identity and information for people of Mzimba because of its role of informing, educating and entertaining the community. Switching it off air disenfranchises these people of their right to information which they could use for their social and economic development,” said the statement.
“It is also a blow to the broadcasting landscape as it reduces the number of voices and choices regarding radio stations available to people of the area.”
In the same vein, the media body hoped that justice will prevail over the arrest of Sam Lwara who has been arrested on allegations linked to the closure.
SOURCE : Media Institute of South Africa (MISA)
