Katema expresses concern over negative stories in the media

Information and Broadcasting Minister Joseph Katema has expressed concern over the negative reporting by some sectors of the media as this will affect investment in the country.

Dr Katema noted that some sectors of online media have continued to concentrate on negative issues even when the country has recorded successes in some sectors of the economy.

He wondered how online media could woo investments with negative stories that are in some cases not based on facts.

Dr Katema said this when he addressed Embassy officials at the Zambian Embassy in Congo DR in Kinshasa yesterday.

He stated that some Zambians living outside the country believe that there are problems in the country even when the nation has continued to enjoy peace and has been making steady economic progress.

He observed that the same people who complain about the weakening of the Kwacha still persist on writing negative stories even when it had gained value.

Meanwhile, Government has expressed confidence that it will beat the June 14 2015 deadline for the implementation of the digital migration.

Dr Katema said government has made headways in implementing the first phase saying most television stations in the country have already procured equipment required for digital television.

He stated government had educated the television stations from the onset to procure digitally compliant equipment which could be used for both analogue and digital broadcasting when the television stations were being issued with broadcasting licenses.

He stated that most television stations complied as some of them even started digitalizing earlier than ZNBC, the national broadcaster.

The Minister also noted that the Access to Information Bill had reached an advanced stage as it was currently awaiting the Ministry of Justice to go through the document and approve it before it goes to parliament for enactment.