Media Council of Malawi 3rd Quarterly Report 1st August ~ October 2008 The Executive Director Media Council of Malawi Bata Building Top Floor Opposite Lilongwe Post Office P/Bag A51 Lilongwe Tel (+265) 1 752 722 / 752 720, 752 725 Fax: (+ 265) 1 752 442 Email: media@mediacouncilmw.org 1
1.0 PROGRAMME KEY DATA Contents 1.0 Programme Key Data 3 2.0 Executive Summary 4 3.0 Progress Against Plan of Action 5 4.0 Strategic Objective 2: External Linkages 5 5.0 Strategic Objective 3: Programme Delivery 5 6.0 Publicity, Education and Marketing 6 7.0 Mediation and Arbitration 7 8.0 Challenge 7 9.0 Conclusion 8 Organisation Programme Name Project Location Target/Institutions/Sectors /Population Projects iinvolved /Major projects activities Media Council of Malawi (MCM) Strengthening Media Council of Malawi Lilongwe, Central region Malawi Programme Start date 1 st February 2008 Programme End date 1 st January 2010 Total Budget MK 126,000.00 Current FY Budget MK 42,000.00 Expenditure to Date Current Financial Year Media institutions, government, civil society general Institutional Capacity Development; Media Ethics and Public Complaints Accreditation Press Card Scheme (APCS) External Linkages Resource Mobilisation Cross-section of delegates at the MCM Annual General Meeting 2 3
2.0 Executive Summary The period under review was a busy one in as far as MCM secretariat is concerned because of the rigorous implementation of programmes. In fact it was planned the months of August and September should be dedicated to programme implementation. However as the report will further indicate, some activities are a carry over from other previous quarters. For instance as the previous quarterly reports indicated, computer for the Accounts Officer was installed with an accounting software package called Pastel. Following the contractual agreement, the Finance Officer had to be trained on how to use the software effectively. Due to other circumstances, IT Centre could not release the trainer in the past months until in September 2008.As we are reporting, the Finance Officer, has just undergone an in-house training on the use of the soft ware. Furthermore as an advertisement for the Expression of Interest (EOI) to design a Website for MCM was put in the Daily Times and Nation of 19 th and 21 st May. A contract was awarded to Star Media and work of the development of the website commenced there and then. Currently the dummy website has been done and is waiting to be mounted on Internet. The constitutional committees were also equally busy in the period under review. On 15 th August 2008, MCM Secretariat held a Consultative meeting in Lilongwe with media specialists/leaders to discuss the Accreditation Procedures and Policy and the Cress Card Scheme. Following this meeting with the Media Specialists in Lilongwe, MCM secretariat embarked on a process of consulting journalists themselves. The process started with journalists/reporters from the Northern region, on 30th August 2008. Additionally within the period under review the Secretariat made 4 Media Releases which were aimed at informing the nation at large on various issues. The most pleasing thing was that all the media leases were newsworthy, so much so that all the media houses used them. On 20 th August 2008, in Lilongwe MCM comprising the NGC chairperson, Interim Chairperson of Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee, Board of Trustee, Chairperson of Membership and Accreditation Committee, Chairperson of MCM Finance and Audit Committee, Executive Director of MCM and other members held a round table discussion with members of Parliamentary Committee on Media and Communication (PCMC).The meeting was well attended by members of PCMC with Chairperson of the committee Honourable Berson Lijenda leading the team. In the period under review MCM also went into a lobbying exercise. The lobbying exercise was done during the, meeting with honourable members of PCMC in Lilongwe. During the meeting members of MCM took the opportunity to lobby the parliamentarians to pass the budgetary allocation for the two public broadcasters of TVM and MBC for the 2008/2009 fiscal year. 3.0 Introduction This quarterly was supposed to report on the accomplishments in the months of August to October 2008.However it only focuses on activities that have been accomplished in months of August and September 2008 only since the quarter is not yet concluded. As the report will indicate most of the activities accomplished in the months of August and September were to do with programming. 4 3.0 PROGRESS AGAINST PLAN OF ACTION 3.1 Strategic Objective 1: Internal Capacity 1.0 Strategic Area: Development of Financial Resource Capacity 1. 1 Broad Activity: Develop proper accounting procedures As the other previous quarterly report indicated, the Computer of the Accounts Officer was installed with computer software called Pastel. Following the contractual agreement on the purchase of the software, the Finance Officer had to be trained on how to use the software effectively. Due to other factors, the suppliers of the software could not release a resource person to train the Finance Officer. However in the period under review, the resource person came to MCM Secretariat to facilitate an house training to the Finance Officer. Currently the software Accounting package has not been tested to establish its efficacy. 3.2 Strategic Area: Development of Technological Capacity 3.0 Broad Activity: Develop Website As the 2 nd Quarterly report indicates, and advertisement for the Expression of Interest (EOI) to design a Website for MCM was put in the Daily Times and Nation of 19 th and 21 st May 2008. On 27 th May 2008 MCM Internal Procurement Committee (IPC) conducted an initial assessment of the bid documents and out of the 12 bids 3 were selected for further assessment. On 17 th June 2008 the IPC once again met to make a final selection of the bids after a thorough study of their capacity and track record through examination of the previous work- the websites the designed. A contract was awarded to Star Media and work of the development of the website commenced there and then. Currently the dummy website has been done and is waiting to be mounted on Internet. Furthermore the design of the MCM website has also included the interactive features which will facilitate issues such as complaints submission etc. 4.0 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2 : EXTERNAL LINKAGES 4.1 Strategic Area: Establish a Unique Identify for MCM 4.2 Broad Activity: Identify a logo and colours for MCM As indicated in the 1 nd Quarterly report entries from the public on MCM Logo competition were made in December 2007 through the advertisements in the Malawi News, Sunday Times and the Nation Newspaper. On 15 th March 2008 the Task Force committee selected the best entries as winners to the competition. On 20 March 2008, the Committee met again to assess the three logos and make a final choice. The three samples were presented to the NGC meeting in the June 2008 where a resolution was passed that the artists should do the logos again. It was further agreed that instead of waiting for another NGC meeting, this time around when the artists are through with their work, they should present them in as soft copy from for circulation to the NGC members to select a logo for MCM. In the period under review, the artists who did the first logos namely Mr. Frank Mapondo and Mr. Kelvin Kawale did the samples and as we are reporting the samples have since been sent the NGC members for a final section of the Logo. 5.0 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3: PROGRAMME DELIVERY 5.1 Accreditation of Practitioners and Training Institutions. 5.2 Membership and Accreditation Committee to set up Clear Accreditation Procedures Specific activities: Develop criteria for accreditation following guidelines in the constitution and in consultation with the Ministry of Information and NGC Prescribe Conditions for Card use Set up the fees for and validity period for the card 5
As the 2 nd Quarterly report shows, Membership and Accreditation Committee of MCM developed Accreditation Procedures and Policy and Press Card Scheme. The Accreditation Procedures and Policy aims to outline and clarify the steps that must be taken by both a local and a foreign journalist to get accredited in Malawi. On the other hand the Press Card Scheme sets the feature of the card, the validity and the procedure in acquiring one. Details of the Accreditation Procedures & Policy and Card Scheme See Annex 1. On 15 th August 2008, MCM Secretariat held a Consultative meeting in Lilongwe with media specialists/leaders to discuss the Accreditation Procedures and policy and the Cress Card Scheme. The members invited to the Consultative meeting were the president of Nyika Media Club, president of Lilongwe Press Club, National Editor Forum of Malawi,the Dean of Education and Media from the Malawi Polytechnic and a Media Trainer and Editor of NPL, members of Chairperson of M&AC and one member of EC&DC.Report of the Consultative Meeting see Annex 2. Following this meeting with the Media Specialists in Lilongwe, MCM secretariat embarked on a process of consulting journalists themselves. The process started with journalists/reporters from the Northern region. On 30 th August 2008, the MCM Secretariat organized a second consultative meeting for media practitioners in Northern region. The objectives of the meeting were as follows: a) To get feedback on the revised Media Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct as well as Complaints and Arbitration Procedures. b) To discuss the Accreditation Procedures and Policy and the Press Card scheme. Report on the Consultative Meeting with Journalists from Northern Region see Annex 3. 6.0 PUBLICITY, EDUCATION AND MARKETING 6.1 Develop and Awareness Strategy Although MCM is in the process developing a communication strategy, within the period under review the secretariat made 4 Media Releases which were aimed at informing the nation at large on various issues. All the media leases were newsworthy so much so that all the media houses used them. i. On 4 th August 2008, MCM Secretariat issued a Media Release to the media houses titled MCM s Ethics Complaints and Disciplinary Committee Investigates into Allegations Against the Media. ii. On 14 th August 2008 MCM Secretariat issued a Media Release to the media houses titled MCM Commends Media for the Coverage of the Incident in Mchesi Township. iii. On 22 nd August 2008, MCM Secretariat issued a Media Release to the media houses titled MCM Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee holds roundtable discussions with Media and Communications Committee of Parliament iv. On 27 th August 2008, MCM Secretariat issued a Media Release to the media houses titled MCM urges Media Houses to Handle Opinion Polls with Great Care v. On 16 th September 2008 MCM Secretariat issued a Media Release to the media houses, Joy radio station discontinues Nkhanga Zaona and other Unethical Programmes on its Station Copies of all Media Releases see Annex 4 6 7.0 MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION 7.1 Strategic Area: Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee to set up clear Mediation and arbitration procedures. As reports for the 1 st and 2 nd Quarter indicate, Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee developed the Arbitration and Complaints Procedures as well as reviewed the Media Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Following the complaints from the general public had lodged with MCM over the conduct and use of inflammatory language by some radios, MCM Ethics Complaints and Disciplinary Committee held a meeting with three media houses namely MBC, TVM, MACRA and Joy radio station on 31 st July 2008 in Blantyre. As one of the resolutions to this meeting in Blantyre, it was agreed that a meeting between MCM and Parliamentary Committee should be organized. Therefore, as fulfillment of the resolution made in Blantyre on 20 th August 2008, MCM held a Consultative meeting with PCMC. Members from MCM included NGC chairperson, Interim Chairperson of Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee, Board of Trustee, Chairperson of Membership and Accreditation Committee, Chairperson of MCM Finance and Audit Committee, Executive Director of MCM and other members. On the other hand, 12 members from PCMC out of 18 attended the meeting lead by the Chairperson of the committee, Honourable Berson Lijenda. Mr. J. Kanyinji, the Principle Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Civic Education also attended the function. This meeting was a culmination of a series of meetings, discussions the EC&DC had with three media houses of TVM, Joy radio station and MACRA. The agenda of the Consultative meeting was as follows: a) Brief background to MC M s Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee (component of self-regulation) b) Findings from investigations and meetings with TVM, Joy and MACRA (Communications Act and propaganda wars) c) Funding to TVM and MBC and Communications Act The Report of on the Roundtable Discussion between MCM Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee and Parliamentary Committee on Media and Communication see Annex 5. 7.2 Strategic Area: Advocacy and Lobbying 7.3 Broad Activity: Develop and Advocacy and Awareness Strategy In spite of the absence of an advocacy strategy which MCM is yet to develop, in the period under review the Council engaged in lobbying exercise. The lobbying exercise was done during the round table discussion with honourable members of PCMC in Lilongwe on 20 th August 2008. During the same meeting MCM took the opportunity to lobby the Parliamentarians to pass the budgetary allocation for the two public broadcasters of TVM and MBC for the 2008/2009 fiscal year. Please refer to the Report of on the Roundtable Discussion between MCM Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee and Parliamentary Committee on Media and Communication for details on Lobbying see Annex 5. 8.0 CHALLENGE Within the period under review, The Chairperson of Ethics, Complaints and Disciplinary Committee Retired Chief Justice Leonard Unyolo on 8 th August 2008 tendered in his letter of resignation following his picking up of a new job outside Malawi. This meant that the EC&DC 7
Media Council of Malawi 3 rd Quarterly Report: 1 st August ~ October 2008 9.0 CONCLUSION As the report has outlined a number of activities took place in the period under review and most of them related to programme implementation. What was pleasing most in the period was the fact that MCM Secretariat began conducting the consultative meetings with media practitioners on the Accreditation Procedures and Policy and the Press Card Scheme. The Council is yet to meet media practitioners from Central and Southern region. We hope to finish this process before the end of this quarter in October 2008. MCM is also continuing with mediation talks with members of PCMC on the funding of TVM and MBC. Our view is that continued denial of budgetary allocation to MBC and TVM would compromise professionalism in these media institutions. And our hope is that TVM and MBC will be funded by the end of the mediation process. What is encouraging in the mediation process which MCM is engaged in is that the exercises have already borne fruits. For instance, on 20 th August 2008 during the meeting with PCMC members, Honorable minister of Information and Civic Education Honourable P. Kaliati through Secretary for her Ministry. Mr. J. Kanyinji ordered the withdrawal of Makiyolobasi and other unethical programmes on MBC. And in reciprocation on 15 th September 2008, Joy radio station discontinued Nkhanga Zaona and other unethical programmes on its radio station. MCM Finance and Audit Committee Chairperson Mr Chikankheni presenting financial statements at the 2008 AGM 8 9