Unethical journalism engulfs media houses

I WRITE to urge all media houses to stop being entangled in political battles which have erupted prior to the 2021 general elections.

It is sad that some media houses are exhibiting un-professionalism in the way they report or/and conduct their interviews with their guests.

Sun FM is such a media house that need condemnation from firstly IBA for unprofessional conduct when its presenter Kausa Mbasela hosted Rehoboth Kafwabulula from the Socialist Party where she was asked who she slept or is sleeping with, away from the tenets of ethical journalism.

To me and everyone that was following that programme, it sent two messages namely, the presenter was either tailored to get to Rehoboth’s private indulgence by some political enemies or the presenter is ill-trained for the job and should therefore be fired.

A trained journalist should always endeavour not to sway away from ethical presentation and should never fight people’s battles.

The IBA board and indeed all political and Zambians should be heard condemning Sun FM as a media house and its journalist Mbasela for such an attack on Rehoboth just the same way everyone stood up for Edith Nawakwi when we felt she was publicly insulted, failure to which we are going to set a bad precedence not only for ourselves but the future of this great nation.

It is even worse when you listen to some media houses’ production where their reporting is even predetermined. Worse for print media where ethical reporting that require balancing has been lost.

What crop of journalists then do we have in these media houses who have diverted from the likes of late Charles Mando and Frank Mutubila, to name but a few.

It is important therefore that these media houses don’t get abused by politicians for the sake of survival, which is currently obtaining, which should not be the case. Journalists are there to inform, educate and entertain among others, not fixing battles.

WISDOM MUYUNDA, Chingola.