February 16, 2010

Media organizations and houses agree to establish an all inclusive media council

Media organizations and houses in Zambia have agreed to develop a non-statutory, self regulatory framework which will lead to the establishment of an all-inclusive Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) by May 3 2010.
The media representatives reached an agreement after a two day retreat workshop held at Fringilla Farm lodge in Chisamba from the 3rd to 5th 2010.
A statement dubbed the Fringilla Consensus reads, “We the representatives of the various media organizations and the media houses, meeting at Fringilla Farm Lodge in Chisamba, from 3rd to 5th February, 2010, do hereby declare that after exhaustive consultation and debate; agree on the development of a non-statutory, self regulatory framework, leading to the establishment of an all-inclusive Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) by 3rd May 2010”
The media bodies stated that this was guided by the common understanding that the basic principle to be upheld was that the freedom of the media is indivisible from and subject to the same rights and duties as that of the individual, and therefore rested on the publics fundamental right to be informed and to freely receive and disseminate information, views and opinions.
“And that the primary purpose of gathering and distributing news and opinions is to serve society by informing citizens, and enabling them to make informed judgments on issues of public interest.” The statement further read.
The media bodies further agreed that ZAMEC would be constituted as a voluntary, self regulatory mechanism to provide impartial, expeditious and cost-effective arbitration to settle complaints against the media and other professional matters.
The media organizations and houses which were represented include; The Post newspapers, MISA Zambia, Press Association of Zambia (PAZA), Zambia Daily Mail, Panos Southern Africa, The Monitor and Digest newspaper, Radio Christian Voice, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Catholic Media Services, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Zambia Media Women Association (ZAMWA), Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Radio Phoenix, Times of Zambia, Press Freedom Committee of the Post and the Zambia Union of Broadcasters and other Information Disseminators.
Ends//

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