By Pemphero Malimba
Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa)- Malawi has urged the government to introduce tax incentives for media institutions in the country.
Misa-Malawi Chairperson Golden Matonga said this had the potential to transform operations of media institutions amid economic challenges facing the country.
Matonga said this in a press statement released yesterday as the country joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day (WPFD).
“For the media to sustain operations, generate enough revenue and maintain editorial independence for quality and public interest journalism, it needs a supportive environment economically and legally. We, therefore, call on government and development partners to support the media sector by, among others, introducing tax incentives for the media, transparent advertising and funding public interest journalism,” he said.
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He also urged the government to ensure an enabling environment for the media.
“Misa-Malawi also calls for an enabling legal environment for press freedom and quality journalism, including realistic operationalisation of the Access to Information Act of 2017. For the media to produce quality and public interest journalism, easy access to relevant and accurate public information is key. While the country enacted ATI law in 2017 and operationalised it in 2020, the process is still problematic due to continued secretive tendencies by some public information holders,” he said.
He said the media industry was facing several challenges, which were endangering operations.
“Shortage of forex means newspaper publishers struggling to purchase newsprint and over 90 broadcasters struggling to purchase equipment. The fuel shortages are affecting movements, which is one of the key aspects in news and information gathering. [The] high cost of living is pushing the cost of production to unsustainable levels for the sector that is already experiencing shrinking advertising revenue,” he said.
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He said the media was crucial to supporting Malawi in the realisation of the Malawi 2063 vision goals.
In a press statement on WPFD, President Peter Mutharika said his government was committed to maintaining a conducive environment for journalists in the country.
“My administration recognises that a government that is not scrutinised is a government that cannot be held accountable. That is why my administration has prioritised creating a safe and open environment for journalists to do their work without interference,” Mutharika said.
He further urged journalists to be professional.
“I call upon all journalists in Malawi to uphold the highest standards of professional ethics, accuracy and patriotism. Your role is not just to report the news, but you have a noble duty to educate and empower our citizens with informed analyses and reports,” he said.
WPFD is commemorated on May 3.
This year, the day was commemorated under the theme ‘Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development and Security’, which was locally narrowed down to ‘Press Freedom, Media Viability and Economic Development’.
