Uphold ethical and professional standards media urged

Government has advised media houses to exercise the highest level of ethical and professional standard in their reporting.

 

Information and Broadcasting Deputy Minister Mwansa Kapeya said media house should avoid exaggerating issues out of context but stick to journalism tenets of truthfulness, accuracy, fairness and balance in their reporting.

 

In a statement to ZANIS Mr Kapeya said exaggerating issues out of context is not only unprofessional but also unacceptable.

 

He explained that the advice stems from the headline in today’s Daily Nation Newspaper that reads ”Sata has resigned?”, saying the story did not warrant such a sensational headline.

 

Mr Kapeya stated that the headline was meant to misinform, mislead and alarm the nation as it was totally unconnected to the body of the story.

 

He observed that such misleading, alarming, and unsubstantiated headlines have become common in the named tabloid, saying it is an apparent ploy to attract unsuspecting members of the public to buy the paper.

 

The Deputy Minister charged that the action is unprofessional and tantamount to obtaining money by false pretence.

 

Mr Kapeya called on media bodies like the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) and Media Institute for Eastern and Southern Africa (MISA) to intensify their campaigns for professionalism in the media, adding that government will remain committed to providing a conducive environment for a free independent media to flourish in the country.