Macra’s tone far from condemning MBC’s Chilima insults: Reverend Gunya says Malawi TV unethical 

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has said public broadcaster Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has  been summoned to a hearing in a period of seven days to hear its side on the controversy of airing obscene content to disparage the country’s estranged Vice-President Saulos Chilima.

Jolly Ntaba:  MBC not practicing journalism
Wiseman Chijere Chirwa: Macra should discipline MBC management, anything less than that would be unacceptable

But despite MBC being widely condemned by media professionals and commentators alike, Macra  in its statement on Tuesday did not cencure the  taxpayer-funded broadcaster.

Instead, the regulator appealed to “all broadcasters” to observe the Broadcasting Code of Conduct under the Communications Act.

“MACRA would like to assure the general public that it has commenced action against MBC in line with the Communications Act and its Regulations and has, therefore, given MBC a statutory notice of seven (7) days to make representations on the preliminary findings of breach as stipulated under regulation 32(3) (e) of the Communications (Telecommunications and Broadcasting Licensing) Regulations, 2016,” reads the statement.

MBC  aired the offensive content in its 7pm Chichewa television news bulletin on Monday evening. In the report in question, MBC used a screenshot from its Facebook page and displayed comments on television purportedly to demonstrate that the public was against Chilima, who is now UTM Party president and fell out with President Peter Mutharika and the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in June 2018.

Some of the comments from the broadcaster’s purported social media page contained swear and vulgar words in vernacular.

MBC board chairperson the Reverend Daniel Gunya  has since conceded that what happened was unprofessional and unethical.

Media Council of Malawi (MCM) chairperson Wiseman Chijere Chirwa has said Macra should discipline MBC management, saying “anything less than that would be unacceptable.”

In press quotes, former MBC employee Jolly Ntaba,  who is now head of Journalism and Media Studies Department at the Polytechnic—a constituent college of the University of Malawi, said MBC has failed in its duty as a public broadcaster.

While a veteran media trainer Levi Zeleza Manda said: “This is disgusting, immoral, irresponsible, unforgivable, intolerable and outright silly.”

Meanwhile, some civil society organisations (CSOs), including Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), Youth and Society (YAS) and Church and Society of the CCAP Livingstonia Synod, through lawyer George Kadzipatike, have written Macra to suspend broadcasting of MBC by Friday, failing which they will seek legal redress.

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Katundu Madzi
Katundu Madzi
3 years ago

There is always a punitive measure for that these people are used to break laws willy nilly and its time they learnt lessons.. bitter infact

Chacha
Chacha
3 years ago

MBC is the BEST compared to vile programs on TIMES and ZODIAK

Katundu Madzi
Katundu Madzi
3 years ago
Reply to  Chacha

Do they swear too ??

Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory
3 years ago

What do you expect Reverend Gunya to say, some of these people who call themselves Reverends are a disgrace. I know Gunya personally, he is not fit t e called a Reverend.

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
3 years ago

Does anyone in Malawi still watch or listen to this substandard stinking dpp mouth piece?

Katundu Madzi
Katundu Madzi
3 years ago

Not really its their followers…but you know some some still have a grain of morals left

Quibbo
Quibbo
3 years ago

Macra is part of DPP and Itaye can just deceive the readers by calling MBC for hearing. If it was on the opposite group you could see Itaye to be forefront just because renew contract for Peter to sign IMAYENDA M’MANJA MPAKANA KU CHIKOKOBE IDAFIKA. MBC MUST BE CLOSED FOR ALMOST A MONTH. ATFER BALL THESE ARE OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY.

John Phiri
John Phiri
3 years ago

MBC is unprofessional. Last evening I watched MBC TV for the first time in many months, just to check what these idiots have to say. Sadly there was no reference to the issue or restatement of the apology.
No this should not be left uncorrected. Something has to be done. If the broadcaster relayed the apology on the same TV and time I could have understood it. But not just no mention about the apology. NO. NO. NO.

Che Wanimiliyoni
Che Wanimiliyoni
3 years ago

What do MCP (MCP = MCP + UTM + PP + etc) supporters want? MBC apologised and MACRA has summoned it for a hearing what further drastic action do u want?
Ngati mukufuna MBC TV atseke nde mwauponda, that can’t happen. MBC is a state owned company and can never be closed no matter what. Can you ever imagine MERA shutting down ESCOM, ministry of agriculture shutting down ADMARC, Medical council shutting down KCH, ministry of education shutting down Chanco, etc, all because some employees have disregarded the rules and ethics of their profession.
You must be high on something.

The Sniper.
The Sniper.
3 years ago

The mentioning of parties in this case has proved that the MBC is for DPP, then we as the owners of MBC we want this MBC management to be punished because it is our tax that pays those idiots including you foolish! Chimutu cha zimaminacho! Otherwise Chilima personally has to sue this and guess what?

Omex70
Omex70
3 years ago

Comments by cadet

Sulemani Bendulo
3 years ago

What MACRA is doing is simply complying with the law. Milandu ya MACRA simakhala ngati yakwa mfumu yokuti walakwa in the morning, masana uli pa bwalo la a mfumu kuyankha milandu. Ndi zamalamulo izi. Rules of natural justice require the assumed offender to be given ample time to make his or representations. MBC has to consult their lawyers and make a defence if they have any. Nyasatimes should know better about this and should be the last to propagate for mob justice.

The Judge
The Judge
3 years ago

Which laws are you talking about? Have you ever follow any law in Malawi? Aaaaaaaa come on! Za manyazi!

Quibbo
Quibbo
3 years ago

But Itaye must be taken to Court personally pay the whole bill from his pocket.

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