ZAMBIA: HARASSMENT OF MEDIA SHOULD HAVE NO PLACE
- By Lilian Kiefer, PSAf
- NETWORK NEWS
Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf) says there should be no room for media harassment in a democratic country like Zambia, which has adequate and clearly defined avenues for addressing perceived media prejudice.
Instead of taking the law into their hands, parties and individuals that feel aggrieved by the media should follow the law and the procedures laid down for complaints against the media.
Zambia has a number of statutory channels for handling disputes between media and their audiences. These include the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC). Unfortunately, some sections of society do not seem willing to have these bodies play their role, taking matters into their own hands instead, and in the process causing unnecessary commotion.
One such example is the recently reported harangue of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) staff by Patriotic Front (PF) lawmakers — Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Chongwe MP Sylvia Masebo.
POST 2015: FREE & ACCESSIBLE MEDIA A CRITICAL CONCERN
- By PANOS INSTITUES IN AFRICA
- NETWORK NEWS
The four African Panos Institutes, PIWA/IPAO, PEA, PSAf & PGL, recently engaged in an initiative where over 30 Africa and international media experts and civil society actors met in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to discuss and formulate an African advocacy programme. The intent is to have ‘’Free Media and Access to Information’’ established as a clear development goal in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), being formulated to replace the Millennium development Goals (MDGs), at the end of 2015.
The initiative spearheaded by the Global Forum on Media Development (GFMD) and the African Media Initiative resulted in ‘’The Nairobi Declaration on the Post 2015 Development Agenda’’ signed by 33 African and International Media and Civil Society Organizations.
Our critical concern in pushing for a separate goal for ‘’Free Media and Access to Information’’ in the SDGs is the realization that where as sustainable development depends on informed participation of people in governance processes and decision making –the public’s right to access information is increasingly being politicised globally but specially in Africa.
PANOS CARIBBEAN: JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY
- By PANOS CARIBBEAN
- NETWORK NEWS
PANOS CARIBBEAN, IN ASSOCIATION WITH COMMONWEATLH OF LEARNING (COL), IS OFFERING A JOURNALIST FELLOWSHIP.
Duration of Fellowship: The Journalist Fellowship Programme will run from 02 January 2015 to 30 April 2015
Deadline for Application: 15 December 2014
Who can Apply: Staff and freelance journalists, including editors and columnists, as well as journalism students from across the Caribbean
Aim: The Journalist Fellowship Programme is intended to:
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Clarify Learning for Development (L4D), Communication for Development (C4D) and Open and Distance Learning (ODL) concepts for journalists.
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Identify the links between L4D, ODL and key social issues affecting the Caribbean population and contribute to popularising the concepts in the public sphere.
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Promote ODL among Caribbean journalists.
PSAf BLOG: "MAKING CHOICES TO END INTOLERANCE"
- By Lilian Kieffer - PSAf
- NETWORK NEWS
Every person has their own sphere of influence, within which they can choose to build or destroy society. Within our spheres of influence, we impart our ways of thinking, be it positive or negative. Most of the time, we unconsciously influence people to see the world through our eyes, imparting our prejudices and stereotypes.
It is in this way that intolerance of any form actually gets transferred and shared with others. Without realising it, people share their negative feelings towards other religions, thereby influencing intolerance towards those "other" religions.
Without realising, people share their negative opinions about other races and advance negativity towards other races.
THE GLOBAL PANOS INSTITUTES NETWORK
- By PANOS NETWORK
- NETWORK NEWS
The Panos Network is a grouping of six autonomous regional Institutes.
- Committed to a world where communities build open, democratic and sustainable societies aimed at social justice, within and between countries, with free and diversified information and communication flows, including an independent and plural media,
- with a shared mission, to ensure that information and communication are effectively used to foster public debate, pluralism and democracy within and between countries,
- working with media and other information actors to enable people and communities to shape and communicate their own development agendas,
- amplifying the voices of the vulnerable, marginalised and excluded people.
