MBC told to open up to opposition: Minister Mussa says public broadcaster should be credible
Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Henry Mussa, has taken on the public broadcaster, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), encouraging it to open up to opposition candidates and electoral stakeholders especially as the county heads towards the May 21 Tripartite Elections.
Mussa h reassured the general public that the MBC will remain open to serve all Malawians in accordance to its mandate as a public broadcaster and will not be announcing one-sided issues.
The minister who doubles as government spokesman made the commitment Wednesday when he visited the public broadcaster in Blantyre.
“I have appealed to MBC as a public broadcaster to rise above petty party politics and serve the nation sincerely in a professional and accountable manner,” said Mussa.
He said with the advent of social media where “fake news” trend more with sensational issues which are not accurate and balanced, the nation depends on the public broadcaster as a credible source of information.
“I have also asked MBC to share content of national interest with other media houses so that the entire nation is equally informed and educated on matters of national importance,” said Mussa.
In response, MBC Director General, Aubrey Sumbuleta, said that MBC provide fair coverage to all players in the forthcoming tripartite elections.
Governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali said the MBC should be opening up to alternative views beyond the ruling party.
He said it is important for any democracy to allow plurality of views and information, especially this election year, so that people make informed decisions.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said in an interview on Sunday the commission cannot force MBC to open up until March 19 when the official campaign period starts and ends on May 19.
“We can only force them once the campaign period officially starts and that is on 19 March,” said Mwafulirwa.
But constitutional lawyer Associate Professor Edge Kanyongolo says MBC is required by law to open up to all political parties not only during elections.
“If MBC does not open up, they are infringing the law and this will catch up with them in future,” said Kanyongolo.
Rights activists state that it is vital for the MEC to reassure candidates and voters that the presidential, national assembly and local council elections will be free and fair, and that the new government will be legitimately elected.
This will be Malawi’s sixth democratic election.
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Who still listens to or watches this crap called MBC? We forgot about it multiple years ago. Times and ZBS are there for us. We also have MIJ FM. That’s where we spend our time not the useless MBC. Useless since 1994.
Its embarrassing to work for MBC I am pretty sure of that!
TAKE YOUR DPP BROADCASTING COORPORATIONS BECUASE WE HAVE TIMES TV ,ZODIAK TV,The so called mbc is small and low viewrship and listeniship becuase of its foolishness.We barried mbc yaers back and dont need it.Keep it to your fmilies.ZIKOMO BWANA MANDEBVU.
A DPP adziwa mochedwa kuti amadzimvetsera OKHA ndi ma BANJA AWO. This is a mere bated attempt for DPP propaganda targeting opposition audiences/ constituencies. DPP is merely trying to sell itself to a huge audience it has realised stopped listening to its disgustingly biased channels way back.
We are tired by Govt propagandas, not to add the opposition will be worse. We need entertaining Malawian content that if someone comes from outside the country will appreciate Malawian content.
We have heard this useless empty promises from many other information ministers before but nothing changes. At least we have alternatives now, we don’t care about MBC.
Tinasiya kalekale kunvela dzimenedzo. Stupid
a MBC akati awonetsa nkhani zazipani zina ndiye kuti zimakhala zamikangano yazipani zinazo anakangoisintha dzina basi ikhale DPP TV osati kumatiphimba mmaso apa ndlama zamisonkho ya amalawi koma mumaonetsela mbali
Powerless Minister …………………………………!! Why has the Minister opted for the term appeal than direct? This shows DG is more powerful than Minister……. because mostly juniors need to appeal to bosses and bosses normally direct!! Shame on Musa for displaying this openly! Kupana mchila madala pamaso pa mwana? sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, koma ziliko ku dpp
Kunja kuli radio MBC, niwalako ku vela. Shame for bias public broadcasting
Even if they don’t open up with have other options let them continue with government propaganda
Its not even govt propaganda but party propaganda.the management attire reflects where they belong.
Who cares about MBC? There are a lot of radio stations now. To hell with MBC
I stopped tuning/watching this station 10 years ago
This is just lip service Hon Mussa. Musatinamizepo apa that you will open up MBC. Ife maso athu ali ku Zodiak and Times . To hell with your radio.
Have we not heard this before? This means that they didn’t change. What action did you take?
ngati mukulinbana ndikuwamenya a boni kalindo , mungabwelese fair game , antu pano sakufunaso akaonesedwe pano zintu zikupita kumapeto , mukuziwa mwamenya kale ya pansi pansi ,
Mwafulirwa why siding with mbc yet the minister observed that mbc is not doing fine. Are you going to give us credible result? I doubt if you are not a cadet.
Za ziiii
MBC is a shameless broadcaster. Sensible people in Malawi watch Times TV and Zodik, even DPP’s Kondwni Nankhumwa knows this. MBC is still living in the past.
We’ll see whether Aubrey Sumbuleta is gonna comply with the minister’s directive, seeing as how he, Sumbuleta, is an executive member of the inner circle of the Mulhako wa Alhomwe which is, de facto, the policy-making organ of the DPP.
Let’s wait and see!