Zambia / Government stops issuing new applications, claims about to set up IBA
LUSAKA, Zambia, February 26, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) has with immediate effect stopped issuing broadcasting licenses to new applicants saying it is working towards the establishment of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) that will soon take over the licensing function of all broadcasters in the country. MISA-Zambia initiated the IBA process through research and policy submissions and has been calling for this process to be finalized.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Director for Press, Public Relations and Planning Juliana Mwila confirmed the development in a telephone interview with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia on 27 February 2009.
Mwila said the decision was linked to President Rupiah Banda’s address to Parliament on 16 January 2009 in which he announced that Government would review the licensing framework
to allow existing and new broadcasters, both radio and television to cover more of the country in terms of signal coverage and the appointment of boards for both the IBA and ZNBC.
She said until a new licensing framework has been established, there will be no granting of new licenses.
“We are only giving licenses to those that applied sometime back and not new ones. New ones will have to wait for the new licensing framework,” she said.
Asked when the IBA will be established, Mwila could not give a timeframe but said progress had been made towards the establishment of the long awaited broadcast regulatory authority.
“There is a lot of progress. A Cab Memo (Cabinet Memorandum) has already been circulated. Very soon Cabinet will sit and then we will proceed,” she said before hastily ending the conversation.
MISA Zambia was following up complaints from some new applicants who feel this might be a deliberate ploy by government to prevent new applicants from entering the market.
Regulation of broadcasting in Zambia has been undertaken by MIBS in a caretaker capacity pending the establishment of the IBA that has dragged since 2002 when the IBA Act No. 17 of 2002 was accented to by late President Levy Mwanawasa.
Background
On 16 January 2009, President Rupiah Banda announced at the opening of Parliament that government will review the license system to allow existing and new broadcasters, both radio and television to cover more of the country and ensure competition in the sector. President Banda promised that Government would also make appointments of boards of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) in 2009.
SOURCE : Media Institute of South Africa (MISA)
