The Zambian government should restore Prime TVs broadcast license and cease harassing the outlet, the Committee to Protect Journalists has said.
On April 9, the Independent Broadcasting Authority cancelled Prime TV’s license “in the interest of public safety, security, peace, welfare or good order,” according to a statement from the regulator.
The statement said that Prime TV must surrender its license and cease broadcasting immediately. It did not specify any broadcasts or actions by the station’s employees that prompted the decision. On the same day, police arrived at Prime TV office in Lusaka and forced staffers to leave the building and barred them from returning.
Prime TV, a popular television station known for its critical coverage of the government, had recently been covering the COVID-19 pandemic, according to that person, who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.
Prime TV had also covered the Bill 10 constitutional amendment under consideration by parliament, which detractors allege will keep the ruling Patriotic Front party in power indefinitely.
Last year, authorities suspended Prime TV’s license for 30 days for alleged unprofessionalism in response to a complaint lodged by the Patriotic Front, as CPJ documented at the time.
“The Zambian public needs credible information about the COVID-19 pandemic and other events in the public interest. Now is not the time for Information Minister Dora Siliya to retaliate against a popular private outlet that does not toe the government line,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator.
“The Independent Broadcasting Authority should immediately reinstate Prime TV’s broadcasting license, and authorities should allow the broadcaster to reopen and resume covering the news.”
The broadcaster’s suspension followed a month of heightened tensions between the government and Prime TV.
On March 13, Prime TV owner Gerald Shawa, in his capacity as Chairman of the Zambia Independent Media Owners Association, told officials that independent outlets were not prepared to air the government’s coronavirus-awareness campaign for free, because the government owed them money for airing previous advertisements and, unlike the public broadcaster, they were not subsidized by the state.
On March 17, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya accused Prime TV of being “unpatriotic” and banned government officials from conducting any business with it, including appearing on its broadcasts and also barred the network’s journalists from attending official events.
On March 27, Top Star Communication Limited Company, a partly state-owned television signal carrier, informed Prime TV that it would stop carrying its broadcasts, according to news reports and documents from a complaint that Prime TV filed to the Lusaka High Court on April 1. Prime TV continued broadcasting on other signal carriers from March 27 until April 9, when its license was canceled.
The Law Association of Zambia expressed concern about the license cancellation, stating that it had been conducted prematurely without following the law.
The statement said that authorities’ retaliation against Prime TV “raises a lot of speculation and reasonable doubts about the professionalism of the [Independent Broadcasting Authority] in this matter.”
The statement also expressed alarm over the fact that Zambian police had taken control of an outlet’s premises “without a court order or any evidence of criminal activities perpetrated by Prime TV.”
The Independent Broadcasting Authority statement did not say that the outlets’ facilities would be evacuated and closed.
Independent Broadcasting Authority Director-General Josephine Mapoma told CPJ via messaging app that the board had canceled the license in the public interest and had no obligation to give examples of the outlet’s coverage prompting the decision.
She added that news about COVID-19 was still being broadcast on TV and radio stations throughout the country.
When contacted via messaging app, Information Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga declined to comment and referred CPJ to Siliya.
The Minister did not reply to CPJ’s emailed questions on Friday or a text message today.
An independent government allows freedom of speech and has an obligation to explain to the people for decisions taken. If a government tries to silence the media, it usually is considered that it has something to hide or is afraid of the truth being told. Remember this, the people you are keeping news from are the same people that put you in those positions.
All the democratic freedoms in this country have been suppressed by this heartless regime. These people have destroyed this country. We started seeing covid-19 preventive measures adverts on Prime TV and the owner rendered a public apology for his outbursts earlier. So what’s the problem? Ati Prime TV’s license cancelled in ‘public interest’ my foot! It is in PF interest
CPJ should have counselled Shawa about his worrying conduct. In fact CPJ should not try to engage Ministers or PSs, let them engage the IBA, whose mandate is to regulate broadcasters, ie Journalists. Issuing baseless media statements will yield nothing. CPJ should further help prime tuvi prepare their appeal which IBA will gladly hear.
Shawa was arrogant. RIP prime tv.
Not only Prime TV, we experience the same here at LT. So many of my friends have been removed from LT because they think different from the “owners”, who are worshipping PF and Joel Osten.
@Civiliaed
What law did he break? Ubututu that’s why the world still sees you as apes
Why do u even call ur self civilised when ur thinking is uncivilised
Who are they this committee? Clearly not that important if I don’t know them. Let us be mature. IBA is an authorised competent body which has made a decision. There are procedures in place for those that feel a wrong decision has been made. You cannot ask a judge who has convicted a rapist to overturn his decision just because you feel it’s wrong.kz
Is arrogance a crime in this country??
Is worshiping government now a new religion??
Where is the so called Christian Nation when matters like this arise??
ONLY FRIGHTENED LITTLE TINP0T D!CTAT0RS ARE SO TERRIFIED OF FREE INDEPENDENT MEDIA.
P.F know without free media they can peddle their lies propaganda & manure unfettered via DeadNBC, which they don’t even pay the staff & con the illiterate & some literate Citizens into believing P.F is pro poor, when all the evidence Mukula, 48 Mansions & Wheelbarrows, Social cash fund,
e.t.c point to the contrary .
J0n@, Mamb@la iwe, uyopa naku fisa chinji???
Kz Sir, your example doesn’t make sense, there is no criminal act on the part of Shawa, and did none at Prime TV. As Sishuwa’s article stated, Shawa acted in his own personal capacity (rude or not, which ISN’T a crime) to extend ‘punishment’ to the station is wrong.
There is a lot of legal violations by SillyHer, Topstar and indeed IBA which did not follow their own Act in issuance of a warning.
Not to talk of the police trespassing.
*And indeed, none at Prime TV*
Mr Humble at what he does best
In this recording, disgraced Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) President Andrew Ntewewe says president Edgar Lungu is funding their activities. Ntewewe is telling his fellow conspirators that President Lungu has just approved more funding for them.
Ntewewe Says however that President Lungu is disappointed that they (YALI, SACCORD, MISA Zambia and Common Ground Zambia) are not effectively defending PF and promoting Bill 10
Ntewewe says President Lungu is disappointed that these NGOs are instead fronting Chiefs who they are giving small change from the money they have been paid.
Both YALI and SACCORD are being investigated for stealing donor funds during the 2016 elections.
The case against the leaders of these NGOs is pending on police file.
YALI…
Spiderly that is what you believe the case to be and I am sure IBA have another view on this. So why not take that up with the rightful hearing body via appeal? Because spiderly thinks its wrong therefore IBA should change decision? So what happens if tomorrow another person feels your decision is wrong, should IBA also change it ? Do you see how foolish that sounds ? It’s like the Brexit vote …
What do expect from a thieving GRZ lead by a crooked lawyer ???
We expect this behaviour…..it gives us more ammunition.
Right now only full exposure of lungus corruption and dictatorial tendencies to all co operating partners and western governments will hurt him and his gang……
Because they are fighting for survival in 2021 , they might ignore them being exposed , but believe , exposing lungu to the wider world will have dire consequences for him.
I have said now and then that this is a double edged sword, sooner the same people will need the media houses to cover their stories once they start appearing in Courts for their atrocities. Those that are supporting the closure good luck but never forget Martin Luther’s words “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”
Kikikikiki
Manje apa mwamuziba yesu
We told prime tuvi to stop using those cadres ya Upndown to do news analysis
They could not listen
Just go and see your pay master in New kasama.
Amazing. Lets wait and see. You do not throw your weight anywhere and anyhow, There are systems and processes to follow bwana.
I don’t insult anyone here when they express their views. Where was everyone when prime tv was misbehaving?
I will still say “Shawa was arrogant,” RIP prime tv.
As long as Prime TV is controlled by UPND should be closed.Even UPND supporters are full of bitterness, hatred and jealousy beyond measure.In 2016 when UPND lost they were beating and burned properties of non – Tonga origin dwellers.Currently they were using Prime TV ( like they did to muvi tv)to express their bitterness and bitterness during campaign times.In UPND strongholds killing is normal for them especially PF supporters.In short UPND is just evil because they believe that they belong from minority groups.Gerald Shawa is suffering because of bitterness and hatred of UPND.Tribal ethnicity is too much for UPND.
Gerald Shawa was warned several time but he didn’t listen.foolishness pays.
During bye-elections Prime tv was covering news like Zambia is on war zone.Too much of propaganda ,forgetting that Office of the president is monitoring them even in their private studio and getting their private agenda.
Sad that Same people are yapping because they didn’t know how UPND manipulated Prime tv.Let UPND take their ru.bbishy to Coster Mwansa ( Diamond tv) if he can accept!
Why are people fixated on the purported arrogance of Shawa kansi??? In every independent country (INDEPENDENT) media take sides. If Shawa’s Prime TV took the side of the people who are starved of balanced news even under the shadow of a looming ruling party threat it does not make him arrogant. Those of us who watch Prime TV see it as a breath of fresh air akin to how the Post (Weekly Post and later The Post) helped us see alternative and more informed news during the dying days of UNIP all the way up to the PF executioner times.
Last kicks of a dying horse.
The PF know their time is up.
IBA has no obligation to give examples of the outlet’s coverage prompting the decision. They behave like they operate in Saudi Arabia.
What an autocratic mentality! This is a democracy so you owe us reasons for banning anyone. Democracy is about transparency.
Where was this CPJ when there own was throwing tuntrums on Govt,?
one wonders , how can someone by the name kz be a political adviser of a country. ashiiii
Independent you can say that again.
Zambians will be ready to burn alive anyone that disturbs them in their sleep of being a suspect of the so called gassing incidents and yet when it comes to demanding better roads, efficient service delivery, better education, better prices for farmers produce, more humane laws, better accountabilty, more opportunities for the youth that are not polically tied, in general better governance they are unconcerned.
How can any nation develop with that mindset?
PRIME HATRED MALEVOLENT MALICIOUS AND UNPATRIOTIC
GOOD RIDDANCE
NEXT TO GO IS MMEMBE’S MAST WHICH JUST MORPHED FROM THE HIDEOUS POST
ZAMBIANS ARE NOT STUPID