Malawi regulator again summons Kasakula, Brian Banda over ‘Hot Current’ truth telling show on Times TV
Broadcasting regulators, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) continues to pursue its plans to ban media giant Times Group from showing on Times TV a television talk show ‘Hot Current’ on Times TV which is gaining popularity in Malawi as following the ‘truth telling’ discussion which is hosted by marverick broadcaster Brian Banda.
The program which is featuring Times Group Editor-in-Chief George Kasakula is showing brave and substantive journalistic endeavours (often at great personal risk) and discussing matters of current which are hitting headlines, taking government into task on accountability and corruption.
Macra has agains summoned Kasakula and Banda to appear before the board on Friday in Blantyre as they stand accused of describing President Peter Mutharika of practising nepotism during the recent program.
According to a letter leaked from Macra summoning the journalists signed by its Director General Godfrey Itaye dated 27 June 2017, state that Kasakula, who is one of DPP-led government’s most acerbic critics, did not make “honest expression of opinion” when he heaped blame on the Peter Mutharika administration for the socio-economic woes facing the country.
Macra views the remarks by Kasakula that the incompetence of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government is so telling that it can be felt, “was not made in good faith.”
The regulator also faults ‘Hot Current’ for accusing DPP administration of nepotism, corruption and arrogant.
It also accuses Times of waging “media war” when it criticised during the ‘Hot Current’ the tax-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), saying it is on the dangerous path.
Kasakula claimed BC workers are “propping up a regime that has let down Malawians.”
Hot Current program is showing brave and substantive journalistic endeavours (often at great personal risk) and discussing matters of current which are hitting headlines, taking government into task on accountability and corruption.
Kasakula is also attracting wrath of those wielding power recklessly, even criminally, with complete impunity and unaccountability as he is putting them on spot with his no holds barred critique.
The program is also shared on YouTube.
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Santana or SATAN. Why do you fail to write your own name? Your comments reflect your character as a Satanist. Am sure you excrete blue poop as well. Your comments are so boring and show your moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Your hatred of the MCP and these learned journalists is beyond adjectival description. Mukuonekatu kuti mukumva nawo PAIN Mafanawa kkkkkkkk. Keep it BB. Keep it up GK. You are true patriots. Most well informed Malawians are behind you. Forget the haters. Forget SATAN
It is sad, and it pains me, the way Malawi’s bright minds are being abused and the people concerned being reduced to zombies to be manipulated in the way politicians desire.
I feel for Itaye and other CEO’s in parastatals who are unable to work according to what they know best and instead be forced to make decisions they know are at tangent to professional ethics.
The little I have listened to during the Hot Current Program is the truth, nothing but the truth. For example, we all know the so called DPP cadets beat up a Police officer at Tsangano Broad Block. We also know Jeffrey’ s utterances at one time angered the people in the north. Not only that. She incited violence against Manganya during a rally in Mulanje.
The deafening silence from DPP leadership and the failure to reign the unruly behaviour by its agents clearly demonstrates they condone the acts. So, what is wrong in people being told about these wrongs?
They say the truth hurts and this is what DPP is not happy about; hence forcing MACRA t o do the unprofessional. It is surprising we have never heard of MBC being summoned despite the million plus wrongs they have committed.
Brian and George they are doing it professionally , they went to school and they know what are doing even if it means going to court mukachitako manyazi kumeneko .bravo brian and george
Brian and kasakula don’t stop don’t be discouraged.Malawians are behind cause you telling absolute truth.
IFE AKU MANGOCHI KWA M’BALUKU POLOGALAMA YA HOT CURRENT YIMATIYIMILIRA. NDAMVA KUTI MBC YILIPILA A MSOWOYA CHINDAPUTSA CHA 3 MILLION KWACHA CHIFUKWA CHOWULUTSA ZABODZA. ATENGE NDALAMA ZA MUTHUMBA LA SUMBULETA NDI DPP MISONKHO YATHU AYI!
Phillip Business cannot be compared with these boot lickers of Chakwera. Business talks about developmental work which is done in every region in the country. He talks to people on the ground about how they feel with the project in their areas. While the two guys, George and Brian are always after personalities. The sad thing is that since they started campaigning for MCP I have never heard any defections to MCP which means the party is yet to gain anything from them. None should cheat that the two are working for Malawians. Better say they are working for the opposition and MCP in particular. There is a big number of Malawians who hate the MCP so you cannot say these guys are fighting for Malawians. George and Kasakula are failures and will never achieve their goal. DPP will be there beyond 2019 with or without the two boot lickers.
Kasakula ndi wa kongolesi Brian wa PP nde when commenting dont comment as if the issue is about Journalists. Kasakula walemba ma articles angati onyoza dpp? Koma palibe chomwe wapindula. Nde pano akuti Hot Current….. at first i was thinking kuti izichita cover all current affairs but mmmm. Nanga mavuto onse ali ku Kongolesiwa Hot current nkumakambabe za DPP? Ayambenso program special yokopera anthu kuti alowe kongolesi osati zomabisazi.
Brian ndi George mumatipolamila pa malawi pano palibenso Phillip business kuchita kunvesa chisoni chifukwa akumpangila zochita
Don’t worry Malawians, Brian Banda akulira after chewing cashgate money with Joyce Banda when he was Press officer at Kamuzu palace. What a shame to serve a president who has never won a presidential election in her life.
Mr Kasakula is a failed politician who lost M.C.P primary elections in Kasungu. What a shame to serve a professional opposition party. Mulira for the next 40 years because your Masters will never make it into goverment.
Keep it up Kasakula Kizito Boy
AT ALL COST DONT EVER KILL THESE PEOPLe!
Mr Itaye,ever heard of hardtalk on BBC??? macra in general?would you please move out of your shell and do your job as professionals not being used by government.
MACRA just like MRA is another useless body, why does it allow MBC to be doing propaganda programs against opposition parties.
Brian & George are doing nothing wrong, all they are doing is telling nothing but the truth. Those who don’t like them are those very few elite connected benefiting from the malpractices being done by DPP administration. After all whatever they tell is truth and they have proof, just for example on neoptism being done by DPP, check the top 10 positions chosen by this govt, you will see all are from Lhomwe belt.
True patriotic Malawians out support is with you.
A day will come when these nonsense shall stop cause taxpayers monies is wasted by these bodies!
KASAKULA, I TOLD YOU THAT NO MAN IS INDISPENSABLE. EVEN JOURNALIST LIKE YOU AND NYANJAIKO CAN CLAIM TO BE COMPETENT AND YET WHAT YOU IS CLEARLY TELLING THAT YOU SERVE THE INTEREST OF YOUR MASTERS. THERE ARE WOES IN THAT CAMP AND YET WE HAVE HEARD FROM HOT CURRENT KASAKULA AND THEREFORE IT IS CLEARLY TELLIN THAT THE TWO ARE SIMPLY JOKERS AND NEED NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.THERE I REST MY CASE. INSHA ALLAH
MACRA has no teeth. Zizngothera masamonz basi
I saw this coming after they discussed the Kamlepo -MRA- Police mediation story. The other issue ndiyothawila. Zodiak was fined after interviewing Kamlepo. When Times intervied Kamlepo on several occassions MRA went to close it down. MACRA is full of nonsense. MBC needs more censuring because it actually does worse. George and Brian should not fear at all…….
Keep it up Brian and Kasakula. Anthu amenewa akutionjeza.
Musanyuretu a MACRA, tikukuwonani. I wish your discussion was live on TV (any) and ask us our views. Chilungamo chiwoneke, kulinsotu mawa after your discussion.
George Kasakula and Brian Banda are too personal which is contrary to ethics of journalism. You need to change your behaviour. Otherwise you are really risking you life. Watch out. Tribal war started with such tribal attacks. I mean tall cockroaches and against possibly short cockroaches. Stop the programme. It is carrying tribal hates. If they can afford, they should be mentioning tribes. do not put a certain tribe at unnecessary corner.
Iwe waiwal zanu za makiyolobasi munkapanga zija?Shupiti zako iwe,isamakomere mbuzi kugunda galu.All was ok when Macra turned a closed eye and ear when Yolobasi was enjoying the govt.sponsored air waves?Panyo panu a DPP.
You are a big fool Nyongolo Whatever.
Like MBC.
Times group especially hot current represent Malawians while MACRA is for DPP, kudos to BB and GK for speaking for us
The program is ok except the presenters. Kasakula wanted to be an MP on MCP ticket while Brian is a PP supporter. Even if they work without bias it will be difficult to be trusted because of their links. Times should not stop airing the program it must replace the two with impartial people. Perceptions are important. You will recall that Kasakula was made a fool by Kasaila when it was revealed that he was an MP aspirant for MCP but lost at primaries.
HOZA TILIPAMBUYO PANU A BRIAN AND KASAKULA MUMATIMILIRA INU MUMATHA TAONANI MWANA PHILLIP BUSINESS AKAMABWERA NDI PROGRAM KUMVESA CHISONI ZOMUPANGIRA KUCHITA .THEN WHY DID HE WENT TO XOOL
Summon Phillip Business first with sumbuleta the chief kwataist whose his fucking exploits needs proper gazzetting.
The Hot Current programme will just take MCP members into ecstasy but it will not change the stand of DPP supporters. DPP members know pretty well that Times TV and BNL are campaign tools for MCP and Chakwera. Do you think its supporters can be moved by any noise from these two guys, Brian and George? But the opposite is true. Follow the rallies which Jeffrey is conducting in all the regions. Look at the patronage and the defections from other parties MCP inclusive. This is what is happening on the ground. Don’t waste time with the shows on TV or insults in newspapers.
Thom is talking of the two MCP journalists (Brian and George) who are trying their best to decampaign DPP in every way possible so that Chakwera becomes Head of State in 2019. Is it not Brian who summoned Msonda to his program and lambasted him for joining DPP and at the same time wanted to discourage others from following suit. If that programme achieved Brian goals we wouldn’t hear today that Hophmally Makande, Mzomera Ngwira, and all those no-name majority have defected to DPP. Mcp would be proud of Brian and Kasakula if the two guys were helping to bring supporters to the party through their TV programme and writtings in the press. This means all the sweating these guys are doing to discredit the DPP there is nothing to attract new members to MCP. The votes which MCP got in 2014 has been negatively affected with defections. DPP would be worried with them if DPP was losing supporters after every damage to the party. So Thom, my advice to you is ”musakweze kamba m’mwamba” because whatever these guys can do in the media it will not affect the DPP as you yourself can see that DPP is receiving new members almost every rally the party can make. As for Brian he tried all he could that DPP SHOULD NOT GO BACK INTO GOVT IN 2014 but he failed. Failing APM when he was in opposition what more this time when the machinery is at his disposal? A Brian ndi anzanu mukuchepera kwambiri.
Bwana Itaye, kodi inuyo simumamvera MBC and what is your stand? I’ve never heard you summoning anyone from MBC and yet there are worse programs than at Times radio. MBC is more of a DPP radio, it’s only this week we heard that MBC will pay the Speaker – hon. Msowoya over MK3,000,000 (our taxes) for damages, where were you? Manyazi mulibe? anthu opanda chilungamo inu……..