DPP top brass launch ‘Globe’ newspaper to spread propaganda message: Malawi VP Chilima marked for smear

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) top leadership have launched a propaganda tabloid, The Globe which will be a hub of smear for political competitors and government critics.

According to State House source, the newspaper which had its first issue on Monday is the brainchild of Minister of Labour and manpower development Henry Mussa, Minister of Local Government Kondwani Nankhumwa and DPP parliamentarian Noel Masangwi.

Masangwi and Nankhumwa previously had owned their propaganda publications which they all folded up.

But the new weekly paper which sells to around 5,000 people in the country  will try to penetrate on the already volatile newspaper market by unmasking themselves with “neutral” dummy of their political alignment but the main objective is to attack  Vice President  Saulos Chilima so that President Peter Mutharika should not pick him again in 2019 elections as second-in-command a.

DPP political gurus  sideline Chilima in the party and is regarded as rank outside. He is only given the position of ‘adviser’ like Jean Kalirani who was elected secretary general at the convention but was removed  unceremoniously.

The first front page of the paper focused on what it claimed “infighting” in opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), saying the gulf between party leader Lazarous Chakwera and spokeswoman Jessie Kabwila is widening.

The paper’s editor said  the Globe is “an exciting new project” for the DPP.

As its editor says, the Globe plainly hopes to influence a ‘some audience’ on politics without the serious bits – and without the journalism that informs a reading public.

Observers said news publications  could still disseminate their opinions so long as it was clearly separate and labelled such, not news.

A media consultant said the newspaper  looks doomed from its debut issue  because of misjudgments over its  journalistic content.

“No one wants a propaganda newspaper with little editorial investment behind it,” he said, adding “A paper or news brand that no one wants is worthless.”

Of course, readers and advertisers  want quality and originality.

Malawi newspaper buying culture is dwindling with the growing  internet penetration as there now many digital-only publications that include Nyasa Times, Malawi24, Malawi NewNow, Maravi Post, Malawi Punch, Malawi Voice, as well online sites of the  print editions

The online-only papers have also been using social media platforms to reach out to many readers.