“Free at Last”

It is exciting to witness the unprecedented retention of professionalism and credibility back to every reporter in public media newsrooms. Unfortunately, the development seems to have generated some form of disorder in some quarters of government especially officials who had self-appointed and turned professional scribes into perpetual plastic bags or 'personal-to-holder’. Ironically, the move was at some time defended on the grounds of Parliament. It is without question that Zambians have over the years yearned for a progressive and more accountable media fraternity especially on the part of the public media which is largely funded by the tax payer. Such a move to depoliticise public media newsrooms is therefore the wish of every well meaning Zambian. Any kind of attempt by some overzealous politicians to muzzle public media and perpetuate unprofessionalism, should therefore be treated as an off-side and fought vigorously. The personal to holder arrangement in public media as was witnessed of late had completely taken away the editorial autonomy of senior managers in the newsrooms to an extent where reporters started dictating where and how to cover particular stories. If this is what some government officials want to perpetuate, it would be better to lay off the senior managers (Editors) instead of paying them huge sums of tax payers money for sitting and waiting for instructions from some reporter who has been told what to write by a government official. From the reaction to these reforms however, it is clear that some politicians will stop at nothing but continue fighting to have control over public media newsrooms. What is also clear on the other hand is that well meaning Zambians, professional media bodies and ordinary Journalists are happy with the reforms to let public media operate freely. An earnest appeal goes to politicians to stay clear from public media operations. The money that they give to public media does not come from politicians’ pockets but from the ordinary Zambian tax payer. The practice where the public only learns public scandals involving government officials through private media is not healthy. The idea of politicians wanting to have unlimited access at the expense of ordinary citizens should not continue. Free public media and let it operate professionally! Disclaimer: This is entirely my personal opinion and not of my employer