Gazette Media backs Malawian autobiography publishing: Mang’anda memoir launches

Gazette Media Lead Consultant Macdonald Chapalapata has reaffirmed his firm’s commitment to supporting Malawians seeking to tell their stories through book publishing, as the industry continues to grow in the country.

The media consultancy is among the sponsors of a new autobiography by journalism legend and academic Grey James Mang’anda, whose decades-long career has shaped generations of Malawian journalists.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Chapalapata urged up-and-coming journalists to read the book and draw lessons from Mang’anda’s experience in the industry, describing the autobiography as a valuable resource for those starting out in the profession.

The book, titled Images of My Journalism Story, chronicles Mang’anda’s career and personal reflections on decades spent working in and around Malawi’s media landscape.

It was launched Friday evening in Blantyre, with industry figures, former colleagues and members of the public expected to attend.

Gazette Media’s backing of the project forms part of a broader push by the firm to encourage local publishing and support Malawian voices in documenting their own histories – an area that has historically received limited institutional or corporate backing in the country.

Autobiographies and memoirs by prominent Malawian figures remain relatively rare, with many notable personal and professional histories going undocumented.

Industry observers say initiatives such as this could help address that gap, encouraging more public figures to record their experiences for future generations.

The launch is expected to draw attention to the role veteran journalists like Mang’anda have played in shaping the country’s media sector over the years.