Brief Background

Media ethics refer to acceptable guidelines that govern the media, thereby promoting good morals and stipulated laws that set required standards. Ethics also help journalists and media institutions to assess their basic morals, political principles and rights.

In developing the ethical guidelines for radio and television stations in Zambia, provisions of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act of 2002 and IBA Amendment Act (2010) were relied on.

Commercial Content Service Providers

The programming provided by a commercial broadcasting service shall subject to the conditions of the broadcasting licence and the provisions of this Act:

1. Reflect the culture, character, needs and aspirations of the areas specified in the broadcasting licence
2. Provide an appropriate amount of local or national programming
3. Include news and information programmes on a regional, and where appropriate, local significance
4. Include significant portions of Zambian drama documentaries and children’s programmes that reflect Zambian themes, literature and historical events and
5. Meet the highest standards of journalistic professionalism

 
For more information, please refer to the Standard Operating Procedures for Broadcasting document .

Community Content Service Providers

The programming provided by a community broadcasting service shall reflect the needs of the people in the community, including the cultural language and demographic needs shall:

1. Provide a community broadcasting service dealing specifically with issues that are not predominantly dealt with by the
broadcasting service covering the same areas
2. Be informative, educational and entertaining
3. Focus on the provision of programmes that highlight grassroot community issues including developmental issues and general educational
affairs, environmental affairs, local, international and current affairs reflective of local culture
4. Promote the development of a sense of common purpose and improved quality of life

 

For more information, please refer to the Standard Operating Procedures for Broadcasting document .

Religious Content Service Providers

The programming provided by a religious broadcasting service shall reflect the religious beliefs and needs of the people and shall:
1. Provide a community broadcasting service dealing specifically with religious issues
2. Be informative, educational and entertaining
3. Focus on the provision of programmes that highlight grassroot community issues including, developmental issues, health care, basic information and general educational and environmental affairs and other spiritual matters
4. Promote the development of a sense of common religious purpose and improve quality life

Part V of the IBA Act (2002) Section 33 provides the minimum professional standards for the journalism profession, stating that “The corporation and every licenced broadcasting service, shall develop a code of professional standards which shall comply with the following minimum requirements:
1. Respect for the human dignity and human rights and freedoms, and contribution to the tolerance of different opinions and beliefs
2. Comprehensive, unbiased and independent news broadcast and current affairs programmes with commentary clearly distinguished from news
3. Observance of procedures for correcting factual errors and redressing unfairness
4. Observance of the principle of the right to reply
5. Protection of the integrity of minors by clearly classifying and distributing programmes that could endanger the development of a child
in a way with the least possibility for a child to use it
6. Clear separation of advertisements from other programme outputs.

 

For more information, please refer to the Standard Operating Procedures for Broadcasting document .