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Mengi pushes for scrapping of ’bad’ media laws
2006-05-08 08:10:24
By Judica Tarimo
IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi yesterday tasked African communication and regulatory authorities to pressure their governments to scrap bad laws that inhibit press freedom on the continent.
’’Bad laws are major obstacles towards realisation of press freedom on our continent. Please, help us pressurise African governments to revisit these laws,’’ said Mengi.
Mengi spoke during talks with a delegation of board members of African Communications Regulatory Authority Network (ACRAN) that visited IPP media outlets in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.
Mengi said ACRAN should not talk of respect for laws in countries whilst remaining mum on existing laws hampering the proliferation of media and press freedom.
’’While advocating for respect for laws, you (ACRAN) should also talk of revisiting bad laws to promote real freedom of the press,’’ challenged Mengi.
He also suggested to the network members to export African media contents to the western countries and other parts of the continent, instead of depending on foreign programmes.
Foreign-prepared media contents dominate African media, portraying the continent negatively, he said.
’’Media contents about Africa prepared by western world have spoilt our minds. I think, time has come for African media to develop their own media contents,’’ said Mengi.
He called on African media to adhere to basic and professional journalistic ethics to avoid unnecessary complaints of bias from governments and the public.
’’Stick to the truth and balance your stories, that’s the best way to adhere to ethics,’’ Mengi noted.
He also said ACRAN should assist media houses in pushing African governments to train media practitioners.
’’You cannot talk of adherence to ethics without looking into the quality of media practitioners. Our governments media as well as partners must co-operate to train our media practitioners,’’ Mengi.
ACRAN Chairperson Julieta Langa said the media contents were important elements in the preservation of African culture and traditions.
’’We, as communication network, will try our best to protect our media contents against foreign-prepared ones. Local contents must be preserved,’’ Langa observed.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Culture and Sports, Mohamed Khatib will open ACRAN board meeting in Dar es Salaam, today.
A statement issued yesterday said, ACRAN members would deliberate and exchange ideas and strategies aimed at improving communication and regulatory authorities and networks in the Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries.
Among other issues, the meeting will deliberate on the amendment to Articles of the ACRAN Internal and Financial Regulations and agenda of the 4th conference of Presidents for Ouagadougou in April, 2007.
ACRAN’s main objectives is to foster co-operation among African countries on broadcasting regulations and promote African content production.
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