Malawi: MACRA stops radio coverage of demonstrations

[Gregory Gondwe] Malawi, on 20 July 2011, turned on its head as demonstrations against bad governance turned violent, prompting Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) to stop all privately-owned radio stations, which had been covering the proceedings live, from doing so. Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), Capital Radio and Joy Radio all confirmed receiving communication from MACRA to stop covering the demonstrations. 21 Jul 2011 13:32

Malawi: JUMA to introduce Best Practices Award

[Gregory Gondwe] The Journalists Union of Malawi (JUMA) has announced that, effective next year 2012, it will present the Best Practices Award to two media institutions, both electronic and print. Apart from the award, JUMA has also come up with a number of instruments expected to assist Malawian journalists. 13 Jul 2011 11:20

African people disillusioned with leadership - Moeletsi Mbeki

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] "African people - like me - are completely disillusioned with the performance of their leaders because of what they have done and what they are doing, and for me these people should not be called leaders, but rather the elite," Moeletsi Mbeki, brother of former South African president Thabo Mbeki and chairman of the SA Institute of International Affairs, said, speaking at the CNN-MultiChoice media forum currently taking place in Bryanston, Johannesburg, on Friday, 24 June 2011. 24 Jun 2011 11:56

MTV base launches mini-documentary series

JOHANNESBURG / LAGOS: MTV base today, 6 June 2011, launches its new mini-documentary series, Touching Base. The series aims to present a new generation of "Afro-cool" in African urban culture. The documentary series aims to highlight talented young individuals from Africa. 6 Jun 2011 10:29

MultiChoice Malawi celebrates African Day

[Gregory Gondwe] The MultiChoice Malawi on Wednesday 25 May 2011 celebrated the African Day in Lilongwe where guests were treated to different African dishes at Cross-Roads Hotel. 26 May 2011 08:01

Decline in press freedom experienced in key countries - report

WASHINGTON: The number of people worldwide with access to free and independent media declined to its lowest level in over a decade, according a Freedom House study released yesterday, 2 May 2011. The report, Freedom of the Press 2011: A global survey of media independence, found that a number of key countries experienced significant declines, producing a global landscape in which only one in six people live in countries with a press that is designated Free. 3 May 2011 14:00

Malawians celebrate two BBA representatives

[Gregory Gondwe] Malawians were on cloud nine on Sunday night, 1 May 2011, when it was announced that for the first time two Malawians will represent the country in the sixth edition of Big Brother Africa. The representatives are Tendai Namate aka DJ Lomwe and Felicia Susan Ngoma, a Lilongwe-based purchaser. 3 May 2011 10:54

Malawi's journalists kick-start Press Freedom Commemoration

[Gregory Gondwe] Although the World Press Freedom Day Commemoration falls on 3 May every year, Malawi media started commemorating the day on 23 April 2011. 26 Apr 2011 07:31

Concern mounts over missing SA journo as govt scrambles to assist

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] As concern mounts over the fate of Anton Hammerl, a South African photographer missing in Libya alongside two US journalists and one Spanish photographer, the Presidency said yesterday, Wednesday, 20 April 2011, that President Jacob Zuma has been briefed on the attempts made by the SA mission in Libya to locate Hammerl. Reports from Washington DC also suggest that the White House is very concerned about their well-being and it is trying hard to assist them in any way it can. 21 Apr 2011 11:10

Intelsat wins new contracts

LUXEMBOURG: Intelsat SA, one of the world's leading providers of fixed satellite services, recently announced a series of new contracts with media customers using the company's leading video neighbourhoods. 14 Apr 2011 10:56

Malawi: Human rights body seeks court protection from MBC

[Gregory Gondwe] The Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), an umbrella of over 90 civil society organisations, has sought court protection from the state-controlled broadcaster, the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which is said to be attacking the body and its chairperson, Undule Mwakasungula. 4 Apr 2011 08:40

Repressive media law gnaws at Malawi

[Gregory Gondwe] Barely a week after finance Minister Ken Kandodo announced that Malawi's major donors are withholding more than US$400 million in aid in protest over government's repressive media laws and bad governance, a grouping of donors under the Common Approach to Budgetary Support (CABS) have also sent a warning shot over the same issue. 25 Mar 2011 06:31

African politicians ban media to avoid criticism - Henry Maina

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The fundamental reason that many African governments ban and harass the media has more to do with personal connotations than other issues, Kenya's Henry Maina, director of Article 19 Eastern Africa, told delegates at the two-day Regulations and Rights media conference last week in Johannesburg. 16 Mar 2011 10:22

Dario Milo and media law: is legal sky a limit for journalists?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] There is some substantiated regulation of what the media can do and what it cannot do, but the balance must be struck between what the law has prescribed and freedom of expression, Prof Dario Milo, Wits University media law visiting professor and Webber & Wentzel partner, said last week in Johannesburg at the two-day Regulations and Rights media conference. 15 Mar 2011 14:01