Malawi journalism: Case of inconsiderate employers and hopeless employees

Malawi is more than interesting, and can pass for a perfect laboratory test item.Masinga HA  HA HA

This is one country where everything thing else is gone awry wrong. With all priorities flipped upside down.

Even the kids are spending more time in virtual worlds on cell phones, punctuated by premature sex overtures.

Meanwhile, as the law enforcers turn a blind eye on brothels that abuse under age girls, with nearly no titties at all but serving clients as old as the home affairs minister himself, the people that should investigate and reveal such social vice are being offered nuts at the end of the month.

Dont be fooled by the majority of journalists waltzing around in sexed up attires with fake labels – looking good and manicured.

These boys and girls living off news are shadows of their own misery. Behind that layby expensive Gucci suit is a wage slip of just about K20,000, gross.

Dont ask me about the cart home net pay. I dont wanna cry, not just as yet – at least.

I know of a radio station where the highest paid journalist gets K80,000 and the least paid, so they say is K30,000. And that is not all. These guys have gone more than four months without pay.

As this happens, the politician-owner is living a luxurious life that he expenses sausages every morning in the manner of a chain smoker.

Then there is this pathetic religious radio-television family business. Everyone out there do not only share the same surname, but also share the same residential home and therefore also dipping their little plumpy fat fingers in onion soup bowls from the same godamn meal table.

Bet business meetings are conducted at the same table.

As a Christian faith media entity, expectation would be that the employees, most ropped from within the family church membership, would get better pay and timely wage.

This is a work place where only about 15 people work but go months without pay, against a church reaping of millions every month in offerings, western ‘faith’ donations, and God what have you.

This is a place where interns work up to two years without a word on way forward or confirmation, and those hired go as far as three years on probation.

But what do you expect of a God-fearing family made up of media house owner, whose wife is the general manager, the son the station manager, the daughter the accountant, and all that churchly jazz!

Then there is one famous radio going by a ditit name, where employees get as little as the shop boy at Tutlas.

In common, the journalist in this part of Africa carts home on average approx K20,000 when, as argued by the Journalists Union of Malawi, and presented by the Centre for Social Concern, the monthly bread basket should be K126,000 a month.

And that in itself translates a rental house of K30,000 per monthly and one decent meal of beef in a week!

And the so called media conglomerates, if you like, can afford to pay its managers, support department heads and executives in accounts, sales and marketing in zillions. The foot soldier, the core establishment ‘item’, the journalist, gets nillions.

No wonder they mostly live off bribes, khaki envelopes, gate crush at functions for free meals and booze, demand allowances, etc.

Yes, again, thats why politicians and crooked business people take advantage of poor journalists reduced to scavengers.

You may call this a dog eat dog world, but hey, this leads to poor media watchdog role. No quality checks. A loose society follows. Corrupt murderous cops, lawyers, politicians, business shitters, low and inadequate health and education standards, etc.

Pay the messenger his rightful dues. Thank you Juma for kicking start the good fight and laying bare the situation.

Pay peanuts and attract monkeys. Its a business that can live its salt only if the core element, the journalist, is inspired, motivated, well compensated and rewarded well.

And check those field allowances too, greedy employers!

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Pipiana
9 years ago

God is watching. Akayankha kumwamba. Maka maka m’busa wopanda chikondiyo. Fire upon himComment

Kanonono
Kanonono
9 years ago

Much as i share the views of many, I believe it is also vital to remember that ours is the poorest country on Mother Earth. This means that even those – who we consider as being well paid – wouldn’t be getting their current salaries if they were in countries where economies are growing. We also need to understand that the best journalist is one who studied something else at Basic Degree level before undertaking post-graduate studies in Journalism or Mass Communication. Such a journalist will be able to specialize in at least one area and be a point of… Read more »

ine
ine
9 years ago

ndiye mumanyoza aphunzits kut amalandra zochepa.pamene pt4(oyamba kumene osat student) ku uphunzts ndi 54 000 osawonjezera hardshp.

Mazulu
Mazulu
9 years ago

It seams MBC has no editer,just fancy kulephera kumasulira jaji for mkulu wa oweluza milandu mdziko muno.

Name*partsval
9 years ago

that is aposible in country where unemployment is high, in other countries the goverment live by example by giving reputable perks to its employees so that the private sector emulate it.look in our case,at MBC though majority underqualification but their perks still remain pathetic

Mfwethu
Mfwethu
9 years ago

This is a nice piece of work but it doesn’t go deep enough in its analysis. Before just castigating the employer, PM, as a journalist herself, should have investigated thoroughly why some of the journalists are paid low, because in the same profession there are others who are laughing all the way to the bank come month end. When you read international newspapers and then compare to our papers, you can see a glaring discrepancy in both presentation and narration of stories. be they factual or fiction. The same goes for our TV stations, you are amazed with the mediocrity… Read more »

Kadushu
Kadushu
9 years ago

But why do they behave as if they know everything. Please contact COWUMA a union representing communication sector for help otherwise you will live like that forever

Wailing Soul
Wailing Soul
9 years ago

It is a big shame that in many cases these days, young men and women are not advised properly by parents or guardians when it comes to careers as they are about to complete their secondary or high schools. Journalism in Malawi does not have a job market. Hundreds of young people join MIJ and other related institutions every year but they end up forking hundreds of thousands of kwachas for a career with which they will struggle to get employed. It is a fact that most of the names we listen to on radio or watch on TV appear… Read more »

Boko Good
Boko Good
9 years ago

Madam Masinga, Most Journalists (my respect to the graduate journos) in Malawi have only MSCE spiced with a certificate from uncredited schools. Do you want them to be paid the same package lawyers get? No way! Advise them to go for higher qualifications then they will reap the best fruits. Most media houses including TVM take advantage of this. However, the end result is substandard reports. Just check the blunders TVM makes. They cant spell or articulate words properly. Yet we have editors and respected bosses working with them. I admire the old MBC during the time of Kamuzu. Everything… Read more »

Nkhani
Nkhani
9 years ago

We thank you for the update, all you need to do next time is to edit your article before publishing it..

In addition to what you have written, lets look at this religious radio station which belongs to Mpingo wa Atsogo.

It is a shame for a christian institution not to be paying its employees…

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