Malawi media aping the West - government journalist

Writing for the Sunday Times' weekly op-ed, Mzati Nkolokosa, one of the editors at MBC, said although Malawi stands at a time that calls for journalism that makes a difference, journalists in the country have somehow let down people in a visible way.

The op-ed, which examined the question, "Is bashing government patriotism in journalism?" had Nkolokosa arguing that, "No, the media should not ape the West".

Nkolokosa argued his case by citing a number of examples that, to him, proves that Malawi media is losing it.

Penal Code on fouling air

He said one botched up job by the Malawi media was with the Local Courts Bill that confers jurisdiction on local courts to try offences under Section 198 of the Penal Code on fouling air.

"Any person who voluntarily vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing along a public way, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour."

Although this offence was first introduced in Malawi at the time it was called Nyasaland by a Penal Code Act, 22 of 1929, now Section 198 of the Penal Code, Nkolokosa says the media reported it as if the government was introducing it now.

"The immediate interpretation of the media was that there is a law banning farting in Malawi. It was a journalist who failed to interpret the section and put Malawi into global discourse for wrong reasons, with people bashing the country," he said.

Confusion all-round

He said the tragedy is that after the media reports everyone, even government ministers, were confused and at times thinking the provisions indeed referred to farting when it did not.

Then Nkolokosa asks: "What has happened to the media? Why does search for truth seem to be diminished in the way we are reporting? Why are journalists failing to interpret basic information?"

"A great story, sadly nowadays, is one that bashes government," he says.

He says in Malawi media now there is emphasis on anger not analysis; there is love for emotion, not reason; journalists have fallen for feelings, not common sense. He says analytical reporting, which results from a search for truth, is no longer cherished.

But Tenthani says: "The media must always be askance and critical and must ask questions and get answers."

Draconian laws must be fought

In his argument, Tenthani started by quoting French writer and philosopher Franchois-Marie Arouet Voltaire who said, "I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

He says this is the reason "draconian laws like Section 46 [of the penal code] that empowers a minister to ban a non-compliant publication must be fought to the last drop of the ink."

He says it is simplistic thinking for anyone to accuse the media of kowtowing to the West's agenda if it trumpets donors' disquietedness with some of these crazy laws.