IBA bemoans poor content in media productions

THE Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) says despite the authority growing the broadcast industry in the country, it is concerned with the quality and content of the media houses.

Director- Standards, Licencing and Compliance Eustace Nkandu has observed that some television stations and radio stations are still struggling to come up with content without repetition of their programmes while some television stations are having challenges with quality picture.

Mr Nkandu said this is not withstanding the fact that the country so far has a total of 139 radio stations both community and commercial and a total of 35 television stations both commercial and community.

He said this in his presentation on IBA’s roles and functions at the ongoing practical course in safety and security, standards, and ethics of good conduct for journalists going on at the Zambia Police Service Training College in Lilayi.

Mr Nkandu said this is the more reason why the authority has always been emphasizing on its function of promoting pluralistic and diverse broadcasting industry in Zambia.

“We give licences not to encourage monopoly but encourage competition and also set the required level of local content,” he said.

“So far as , we have done well in growing the industry but we are concerned with the quality of content and picture from some radio and television stations. We feel we need to do more on that,” Mr Nkandu said.

Meanwhile, Bloggers of Zambia Executive Director Richard Mulonga has observed that in many cases most journalists in the country do not consider their safety and security whenever they are covering some events.

Mr Mulonga said that journalists must begin to prioritize their safety and security at all times without putting too much trust in their sources. He said this is security concern that all journalists must begin to understand at all times.