(MISA/IFEX) – According to MISA, state-owned “Zambia Daily Mail” reporter Joy Sata is facing disciplinary action for exposing and condemning the newspaper’s editorial practices of censoring stories critical of government. She made the comments on a television programme. Sata is apparently out of the country for several weeks and could not be reached for comment. […]
(MISA/IFEX) – According to MISA, state-owned “Zambia Daily Mail” reporter
Joy Sata is facing disciplinary action for exposing and condemning the
newspaper’s editorial practices of censoring stories critical of government.
She made the comments on a television programme.
Sata is apparently out of the country for several weeks and could not be
reached for comment. However, according to Dickson Jere, a reporter with
“The Post” newspaper in Zambia, management has written a letter to Sata
asking her to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against
her. The deadline to respond to the letter was 12:00 p.m. (local time) on 5
May 1998.
According to “The Post”‘s sources, Sata had not replied to the letter by
16:00 (local time) on 5 May 1998. “By 16:00, when I was leaving the office,
she had not answered the letter”, an inside source said.
Sata made the remarks during the 4 May 1998 broadcast of the National Watch
television programme on the state-owned and government-controlled Zambia
National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), on which she appeared representing
the Zambia Media Women’s Association (ZAMWA).
The Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) and ZAMWA yesterday condemned the
“Zambia Daily Mail” management’s sharp reaction against Sata. Sata, on the
programme, said most stories which are critical of government were not
published in the state-owned and government-controlled newspapers. “Most of
the time you may want to do a good story, but you are told to start your
story with a government position and not your source”, Sata said. She said
that reporters working for these media institutions usually ended up
censoring themselves when they came across critical stories against
government, because these could not be published.
“Mrs. Sata as a mere reporter is a junior member of staff with neither
authority nor competence to talk to the nation about such policy matters”,
read part of a front-page advertisement in yesterday’s edition of the
“Zambia Daily Mail”, which was placed by its management. “She appeared on
the programme purely as a ZAMWA representative and it is unfortunate that
she chose to misrepresent the editorial board on which she does not even
sit.” According to the advertisement, management has disassociated the
newspaper
from claims made by Sata.
ZUJ president Edwin Musaika said, in an interview on 5 May 1998, that his
union has
written to the “Zambia Daily Mail” management expressing concern about the
manner in which Sata’s case has been handled. “We have told them that
procedure must be followed when dealing with such matters”, Musaika said.
“We were basically responding to the letter which they wrote to Joy.” He
said it was a pity that management had decided to take up the matter with
her as a reporter for the “Zambia Daily Mail”, when she was representing
ZAMWA during the programme.
“We are trying to protect her”, Musaika said. “She did not go there as a
reporter for the “Zambia Daily Mail” and whatever she said was her personal
opinion, which she is entitled to.”
ZAMWA chairperson Sharon Mwalongo said in a statement that her organisation
reaffirms its support for Sata and her contribution to the media, especially
during the National Watch television programme. “We are therefore shocked
and disappointed with the manner in which the “Zambia Daily Mail” has
victimised our member”, Mwalongo said. “ZAMWA would like to make it clear
that any action that would be taken against her will be treated as directed
to the Association.” She said as far as ZAMWA is concerned, Sata as a
professional and human being, has a right of association and expression.
“Zambia Daily Mail” management maintained that at no time has the newspaper
favoured anybody. “Contrary to her claims that reporters just laze about,
the new management
team is striving for excellence and cannot therefore condone any form of
laziness or indiscipline”, further read the management’s advertisement.
In a separate case, on 1 May 1998, “Zambia Daily Mail” acting news editor
Justine Mwiinga was put on indefinite suspension for leading an editorial
protest against management’s decision to play down the 28 October 1998,
attempted coup treason case story.
