By CHUSA SICHONE –
THE Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has urged radio and television stations in the country to report the forthcoming presidential election in an accurate, impartial and balanced manner.
IBA Board chairperson Justin Mutale said at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that broadcasting stations had a far reaching effect on how peaceful the elections would be conducted but that irresponsible coverage might incite violence.
“In this regard, I am hereby calling on all radio and television stations to conduct themselves in a professional manner following the programming standards that are provided for in the IBA Act. I am further urging all the broadcasting stations to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct,´ Brigadier General Mutale said.
“We expect that all stations will show respect for the human dignity and human rights and freedoms and be tolerant to divergent views. We expect that all broadcasting stations will report election news in an accurate, impartial and balanced manner.”
Gen Mutale said that radio and television broadcasts helped shape or influence the public’s behaviour and their perception on who they would vote for and that the IBA expected them to have comprehensive, unbiased and independent news broadcasts.
He also said that the IBA expected broadcasting stations to have allegiance to the truth and desist from issuing speculative results on polling day.
The IBA expects radio and television stations to store all their broadcasts up to three months in accordance with the IBA Act and the Electoral Code of Conduct.
Gen Mutale said although it was understandable that coverage of political parties would be on an equitable basis, the IBA expected the stations to observe the right to reply as failure to do so might lead to political parties and the public to lay complaints against their reportage.
“The complaint will first be made to the radio or television station. Under ordinary circumstances, the radio or television station has the responsibility to deal with the problem within 14 days,” Gen Mutale said. “However, given the short period to the election on January 20, 2015, we expect that stations will respond in five days.”
Gen Mutale, however, said if the radio or television station failed to address the complaint, or in the event that they addressed the complaint but the complainant was dissatisfied, the complainant would escalate the complaint to the IBA in writing.