By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Media Liaison Committee (MLC) has called on the media to be giving adequate coverage of the voter as opposed to always giving prominence to what political parties and aspiring candidates are saying.
MLC Chairperson Enock Ngoma the MLC has noted that most coverage of political campaigns is concentrated on political parties and aspiring candidates leaving out the voice of the voter.
Mr Ngoma says that MLC has urged journalists and media houses to listen to the needs of the voter and also understand what challenges the voter is envisaging in this year’s elections.
He said most media houses are giving a lot of space to politicians and their political parties at the expense of the voter.
“Do we know what the voter wants to see in these elections or their expectations? The media is supposed to inform the politicians and policy makers on what challenges the voter might be facing during this period of elections,” he said.
Mr Ngoma there are a number of issues such as the caliber of some aspiring candidates, social and economic issues affecting the voter and many others which go unreported because the media has not taken time to interact with the voter.
He the MLC has commended the Zambia Voter-Centred Election Reporting Project that is currently being rolled out in some selected community media houses around the country.
Mr Ngoma says the MLC has meanwhile reiterated its call for professionalism and ethical election reporting as Zambia goes to the polls on August 12, 2021.
He said the media should not alarm the nation in any way in their reporting but should instead unite the country by adhering to the Electoral Code of Conduct. Stories on elections must always be fair and well balanced without giving any political party or politician any undue advantage over the other.
Mr Ngoma said the MLC contends that journalists should interrogate some campaign issues from politicians whether from the ruling or opposition parties before publishing.
“This way, the media will be assisting the voter to make informed decisions on whom to vote for on polling day based on promises that can be actualized,” he said.
