(MISA/IFEX) – The main opposition party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), has threatened to take unspecified action against the state broadcaster, the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), for refusing to air a press conference the party held last month. The party paid approximately US$341 for recording and airtime but the broadcaster failed to air it. Party […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The main opposition party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), has threatened to take unspecified action against the state broadcaster, the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), for refusing to air a press conference the party held last month.
The party paid approximately US$341 for recording and airtime but the broadcaster failed to air it.
Party publicist Nicholas Dausi said MBC director general Owen Maunde told the party that the MBC could not air the conference because recorded tapes had gone missing.
“. . . MBC has demonstrated high levels of disregard to democratic norms and values where national airwaves are supposed to be open to all parties,” said Dausi.
Although the state broadcaster did return the money, Dausi threatened to take the issue to parliament and make sure that the government appreciated the gravity of the issue.
During the September sitting of Parliament, the MCP and other opposition parties refused to approve funding to MBC and Television Malawi (TVM), alleging that the two broadcasters were biased towards government in their coverage. The opposition parties approved the budgets under pressure from rights groups but warned TVM and MBC to change their behaviour.
Information Minister Patricia Kaliati said she would only take action if MCP approached the government on the matter.
