Zambian Eye has been selected as one of the online media that MISA Zambia will monitor and analyse how the media cover and report the August 2016 general election.
MISA Zambia Director Austin Kayanda has since informed the publication about the development. In a letter dated March 1, 2016 to the Editor of Zambian Eye, Kayanda says MISA Zambia will be conducting research to monitor the Zambian media across all sectors, television, radio, print and online platforms.
“The Zambian Eye has been selected as one of the online media that MISA Zambia will be monitoring, the research will analyse and monitor how the media cover and report elections issues especially that Zambia will be going to the polls in August 2016. This will be followed with a monthly report which will be made public at a press briefing,” reads Kayanda’s letter in parts.
Below is the letter in full:
The Editor
Zambian Eye
Zambia
Dear Sir / Madam
RE: NOTIFICATION OF MEDIA MONITORING
MISA Zambia is a membership driven organization that was established in 1996, as a national chapter of a regional non-governmental organization (NGO), The Media institute of Southern Africa (MISA). The mandate of MISA Zambia is to press for the development of freedom of expression and access to information.
Misa Zambia’s Mission is “To promote a sustainable, non-partisan, independent, plural and diverse media that informs and empowers society, promotes democracy, good governance, freedom of expression and media freedom in an ethical, competent and professional manner.”
The media are essential to democracy, and a democratic election is impossible without media. A free and fair election is not only about the freedom to vote and the knowledge of how to cast a vote, but also about a participatory process where voters engage in public debate and have adequate information about parties, policies, candidates and the election process.
As such in the run up to the 2016 presidential elections, MISA Zambia will be conducting research to monitor the Zambian media across all sectors, television, radio, print and online platforms. The research will observe and analyse the content of the media from April until the elections are over. The monitoring is being done in a three pronged approach, the pre-election, during and the post-election.
The Zambian Eye has been selected as one of the online media that MISA Zambia will be monitoring, the research will analyse and monitor how the media cover and report elections issues especially that Zambia will be going to the polls in August 2016. This will be followed with a monthly report which will be made public at a press briefing.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Yours Faithfully
Austin Kayanda
National Director