MEDIA ADVISED TO TAKE ACTIVE ROLE IN REPORTING DEVELOPMENT

The media has been urged to take an active role in highlighting important economic developments.

Airtel Head of Corporate Communication and Government Relations Chabuka Kawesha said there were a lot of economic happenings in the country that needed to be highlighted by the media to enable the general public understand them.

Dr Kawesha who is also Zambia Chamber, Commerce and Industry Vice President for the Southern Region cited the planned re-basing of the Kwacha which most people do not understand among other several economic policies that have been initiated by the Patriotic Front Government.

He said the public will never appreciate these national developments as long as they do not understand them unless the media takes an active role in educating the public.

Dr Kawesha was speaking in Kitwe yesterday during the launch of the Airtel Media club for the Northern Region which covers Copperbelt, North-Western, Luapula, Muchinga and Northern Provinces.

He also urged journalists to take advantage of the newly launched club to reach out to various news sources that will be made available to them through the club to get facts about important national issues.

And at the same Function, Post Newspaper Reporter Misheck Wange was elected Chairperson of the club and ‘Times of Zambia’ Senior Reporter Stancelous Ngosa was elected Vice Chairperson while Ya FM community radio station reporter Brendah Sampa went unopposed as both club secretary and treasurer.

And speaking shortly after his election Mr Wange said a vibrant media was vital for the development of a nation.
He observed that it was only a free and vibrant media that can contribute to national development.

He said it was for that reason that the media in Zambia have for a long time been fighting for the freedom of the media.

He called for more coordination and interaction among journalists in the country so that they work towards a common course of developing their profession and the country.

Mr Wange also appealed on Airtel to support the Journalists as they commemorate the World Press Freedom Day next month in their effort to lobby for press freedom.

The Media club which already exists in Lusaka is aimed at enhancing interactions between Airtel and the media as well as increasing interaction of reporters among themselves.

The club also arranges for functions where journalists in the club can meet news sources and talk about various national issues.

The club further facilitates short training programmes for journalists under the sponsorship of Airtel among several other benefits.