Mass media in Zambia consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites. The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting Services and Tourism is in charge of the Zambian News Agency which was founded in 1969. Due to the decolonization of the country, it ultimately allowed the media sector of the country to flourish, and enabled the establishment of multiple different new outlets, as well as established a new news consumption culture that wasn't previously known to Zambia. Furthermore, due to the short-wave capabilities, and international increase in production, demand, and sales of the transistor-radios in the country it made it increasingly more difficult to control the media outlets throughout Zambia by the leaders of the government.
Although many forms of mass media are available to Zambian citizens as the internet and social media develop, more traditional forms of media are still preferred. Radio and television are the most common forms of mass consumption for the average Zambian as they are the most accessible. However, as cellphones become more popular social media and text messaging have become new avenues for mass media. The Zambian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services houses the Zambian News and Information Services wing which provides news and information to the public and has since its formation in 2005. Despite the prevalence of nationally owned news, there are also various privately owned forms of media in Zambia as well.
Freedom of the press
Freedoms of expression and of the press are constitutionally guaranteed in Zambia, but the government frequently restricts these rights in practice. Although the ruling Patriotic Front has pledged to free state-owned media—consisting of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and the widely circulated Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia—from government editorial control, these outlets have generally continued to report along pro-government lines. Many journalists reportedly practice self-censorship since most government newspapers do have prepublication review. The ZNBC dominates the broadcast media, though several private stations have the capacity to reach large portions of the population.
The rights group Freedom House, which publishes annual country reports on press freedom status, has ranked Zambia's press as “Not Free” even in 2016.
Constitution and press freedom The freedom of the press is guaranteed to Zambians through the constitution that was adopted in 1991. Recently, as of 2010, however, there has been efforts to establish a new constitution with the help of the Zambian National Constitutional Conference (NCC). Their task was to review, analyze, and implement old provisions that had been previously listed in an earlier constitutional draft developed by the Mung'omba Constitutional Review Commission. The Mung'omba constitution extensively liberalized the media realm by declaring to protect the freedom of the press within the private and public sphere, as well as within the online realm with hardly any regulations attached. It had denied the state, or anyone els, the ability to harass, penalize, censor, or interfere with any broadcasting company on the basis of an opinion, view, or material that was being published throughout Zambia.
After the NCC had completed carefully reviewing, debating, and implementing the old provisions into the establishment of new constitution, the newly finalized draft of the Zambian constitution had excluded many of the liberalizing provisions of the Mung'omba constitution. This ultimately was due to speculation from government officials around the medias increased liberalization and the consequences that can come because of it. The trust between the state and journalists is, and was, tenuous. Due to this increased speculation it has ultimately led to the undermining of mass support for the freedom of the press, and the implementation of a regulator body, which could enhance accountability. Instead the state had decided to implement multiple penal codes in an effort to tighten liberalization on the media throughout Zambia. For example, slander, and especially slander against the active President, as well as seditious publications that would have the possibility of inciting uprisings, protests, or riots. With these types of policies and penal codes being adopted by the Zambian government professional journalists are facing multiple barriers to producing real constructive news. Opposition parties propaganda, messaging, and organizational capacities are, thus, being curtailed, as well as the capacity to facility growth in knowledge by increasing access to the internet and telecommunication systems.
Media Development Policy
Even though there is still suspicion on the part of Zambian governmental elites, there has been major strides taken in order to enhance the accountability of the state, state officials, and normal citizenry more broadly. One of the steps taking place more recently, the Media Development Policy which was passed on 23 November 2020. Its mission consisted of five goals and objectives in order to enhance the freedom of the press which were; the fostering of a regulatory system to bolster press freedom, as well as diversity within the media sector; increasing the private ownership of media outlets and creating a space that levels the playing field to enhance equality, transparency, and accountability within the market; utilizing media platforms to ensure an avenue for citizens to engage in democratic discourse; increasing entrepreneurship and professionalism within the media realm; and lastly, investing in diverse economic sectors to facilitate the development of important media infrastructure needed to support the rapidly changing media market. The hope is that Zambia can move away from the restrictive nature of the media and foster its abilities in order to produce a media sector that can be a stable sector of the economy, but also as a pillar to enhance democracy and accountability within the state of Zambia. There is also hope through the point of view of journalists as well, especially due to the ever increasing nature of violence threats and acts against journalists by the state, political parities and their followers.
Penal codes and press freedom There are a multitude of different Penal codes that the Zambian government has implemented in order to curtail media freedom, and more specifically investigative journalism. One example is, Section 53, which gives the executive the power to abolish any publications that he found to be a threat against the public interest. While this does allow the state to curb any hateful, racists, and hurtful speech that might be able to benefit the Zambian society, it also grants the president gate-keeper abilities defining what is best for the public interest and what is not. In 1989, the Zambia president utilized this avenue to ban, "The Satanic Verses." In 1996, The Post, was also banned from publishing within the state of Zambia. Other sections that fall within this category are Sections 54 and 55 as well.
Sections 57 and 60, define laws of sedition; Sections 67 deals with the publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public; Section 69 outlaws defamation of the executive; Section 102 criminalizes the impersonation of law enforcement of any other governmental employ by a journalists in order to obtain valuable information; Section 116, contempt of Courts, where journalists are by law required to grant the court evidence, and sources, if ever summoned as a witness in court, ultimately forcing journalists to violate trust between journalists and sources.
The State Security Act, Chapter 111 of the Laws of Zambia also diminishes the freedom of the press. The Act was enacted jail time for up to 15 years for leaking classified information by either state officials or the journalists and media outlets that leaked it. Though the Act was initially intended enhance the states capabilities to security and defend against inter and intra state threats, journalists have broken this law in order to sound the alarm on the state when the state itself ultimately became the threat to the Zambian citizenries security. Examples can be seen in 1999, when the media out, The Post, leaked an article displaying a contrasting image of Zambias military capabilities to that of Angolas military capabilities, eliminating the country on how ill-prepared and equipped the state of Zambia was to go to war with Angola. Ultimately, The Post, its editor and report were charged with espionage through the means of The State Security Act.
Internet and media Internet access in Zambia still remains relatively inaccessible for the average citizen. According to a 2020 report by Freedom House Zambia is considered partly free when discussing internet freedom. The score takes into consideration how the internet remains inaccessible in more rural areas of Zambia. It also takes into consideration the restrictions that the government has placed on media and information on the internet. This includes allegations from members of opposition parties that their platforms and information is difficult to access or restricted on the internet and alleged social media blackouts. Despite potential limitations in access to the internet, it remains a key way to access and consume media in Zambia.
Social media Zambians, as well as Zambian news outlets, have adapted to the growing increase in technological innovation, such as the internet, cell phones, and even social media apps like Facebook and Instagram. This adaptability of the Zambians citizenry, as well as Media, have allowed for greater participation throughout the whole of Zambia. This has increased a sense of democracy, and voice of citizens, where individuals can communicate, post, share, and tag other Zambians in real time. Even "Old Media," such as the radio and television stations have adopted utilizing social media in order to enhance participation of the public, as well as stay competitive with other news media outlets throughout the country. This newly adopted social media phenomenon has mainly been targeted at the younger, middle class, Zambian population, but has also enhanced the elderly, and poorer communities, capabilities to participate as well. With the dramatic uptick in the available access to cellphones and internet connection, a little less than half of the Zambian population has access to cellphone lines. With this greater increase in accessibility to the internet and social media, listeners are able to be better informed about special events, news, and even politics within the country of Zambia. Although there is still a significant amount of the population that still does not have access to the internet, this potentially opens up the doors for greater participation of the citizenry that does have access, as well as helps fuel the fire for the need to have greater accessibility to the internet, and cellphones use.
Zambia's government has even taken steps to enhance the accessibility of the internet and telecommunication networks throughout the country. The National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policies were implemented in 2001, and were then finalized in 2005. The hopes with the ICT policies is to create an attractive market within Zambia that would entice international investors to invest in developing and expanding the telecommunication and information infrastructure. This would not only increase accessibility of internet and telecommunications network in rural areas, but also help increase employment opportunities throughout the country as well.