Prime TV challenges adverts ban
PRIME Television Limited has petitioned the Lusaka High court challenging the decision of the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services to cease all cooperation with the television station.
It wants the court to quash the minister’s decision.
Prime TV is also seeking a declaration that the decision by Government to cease all business and transactions with is unconstitutional as it violates the television station’s rights as envisaged in Article 20 of the Constitution.
The private television broadcaster wants a court order that all media houses have the right to access and disseminate information from government without undue hindrances.
The TV station is also demanding for compensation for loss of business resulting from the decision by Topstar Communications Company Limited to remove Prime TV from its bouquet.
Prime TV has also sought an order that Topstar and Multichoice cannot remove it from the platforms they manage at the direction of the Attorney General.
It has cited the Attorney General, Topstar and Multchoice as the it first, second and third respondents respectively.
Details in this matter are that the Ministry of Information permanent secretary held a meeting for media houses at which it was requested that media houses give free airtime to the broadcasting of adverts informing the public about the coranavirus pandemic, Covid-19 outbreak on March 13 2020.
The petitioner says after the proprietor of the TV station informed the permanent secretary that Prime TV cannot afford to broadcast free adverts due to economic challenges, the said permanent secretary said the media houses that did not cooperate with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services could be isolated like the Post Newspaper.
Prime TV contends that arising out of the resolution of the meeting with media houses,Topstar ceased cooperation with Prime TV following the decision by government not to conduct any media transactions with the petitioner.
The petitioner said the decision by government undermines the principles of a democratic state and undermines the right of Prime TV to receive information thereby denying the television station’s viewership critical and important governance information.