Breaking news: Media control by MACRA (Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority)
Quote:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As a minor stakeholder in the information society; I was wondering that the regulator which was empowered under the Communications Act 1998, ordered Zodiak Broadcasting to stop live broadcasts and any updates to the events taking place across the country.
I have not seen the directive but somehow; instead of attending the public lecture at the Statehouse; one of the senior public sector officials wrote the directive. The point I am making here is that in the day and age where there is Internet with all the modern communications means including Facebook; Twitter; Blogs; Buzz, Youtube among the conventional media technologies; some of the policy implementation agencies could imagine a public black out to information. A birthright!
I have read the act in full and have participated in drafting the replacement act among other legal instruments that will guide the information sector. I could not understand the justification and basis. I was also surprised that there was no condemnation of the perpetrators of the violence against Zodiak in which a few vehicles were damaged and set alight.
My suggestion is we should leave politics to the politicians and act within the professional mandate for the sake of our beloved country and information sector.
If anyone is closer to the justification for the blackout and why MACRA and not law enforcement agencies; please keep me in the know.
Thanks and good luck.
Source:Â ITMalawi mailinglist
Further information: see Malawi Communications Act 1998 document.
Also read Malawi Voice article “MACRA bars demos broadcasting, Police beat up journalists”
[Update 9:29 pm]
Quote:
S*** thats imprtnt point MACRA shld knw that we stil in touch of events evry min’guys lets raise an alarm for this i hope as AOB ma bwana mwayitana ku AGM wo akauzidwe info is birthright.
[Update 11:09 pm]
Quote (reply):
Good people,
Does anyone know the policy for blocking Nyasatimes? I have observed the site is sometimes blocked and at times it is accessible. Does anyone know whether the blocking is done by ISP or at IXP level. As of now it is not accessible. It can only be opened through another site e.g. http://www.anybrowser.com/siteviewer.html. What surprises me is that similar sites such as http://www.malawivoice.com are not usually blocked.
Thanks,
B.
[Update 21th July 2011 10:29 am]
Quote (reply):
S******,
They said it was for national security reasons. You and I know that MACRA is more or less a political in spite of what the Act governing it says.
Why MACRA? Media houses fear them more than any other institution because they can suspend or withdraw their licence.
Justification? I believe they didn’t want people the live updates of violence in other parts of the country to encourage those in others to follow suit and flame the fires.
F.
[Update 21th July 2011 12:56 am]
Quote (reply):
With due respect, why are people so emotional to a point of missing issues of reason. Management at MACRA should/must not work like robots that should be programmed to follow the act by letter. Sometimes when its necessary,y necessity must shape their way of thinking. Rwanda was in a mess because radio was not well regulated during a crisis.
I do not blame MACRA at all because some stations were being emotional and that reflected on the masses behaviour. People in different towns were trying to out do each other.
[Update 22th July 2011 9:15]
Yes this topic is relevant in this forum because it concerns ICT. The reason that MACRA gave was just a cover up and they are not the real reasons for stopping live reporting and switching off transmission all together. We all know MACRA is government tool of making sure any anti-government news DON’T reach the public. Am sure if MACRA had a technical way it would block
some websites life facebook, nyasatimes and the like.
[Update 22th July 2011 9:23]
very relevant topic: ethics in the IT profession.
