by Edwards Hobbs Gama, Malawi, November 1997
THEME = MEDIA
Government has several times postponed
the launching date for Malawi's TV project,
and people are frustrated! Why the delays?
People are now aware that Malawi is the only country in central and southern Africa without a TV service, so people are wondering, what's up? The demand for TV has been getting louder ever since the arrival of multi-party democracy in May 1994, when people expected the free flow of information through all communication channels.
At a recent sitting of the National Assembly, the Minister of Information, Sam Mpasu, explained the slow pace of the TV project. "Lack of cash is the problem. The Government is currently looking at the possibility of funding the transmitters and studio equipment so as to speed up the process of bringing television to Malawi". But this statement did nothing to placate the Members of Parliament, although the Minister did indicate that at least the major urban areas of Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba will have television by the first quarter of 1998.
It seems that the Malawi Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (MPTC) which is financing the Malawi TV project, has not been able to buy transmitters and studio equipment. In the beginning, the project was a joint venture between MPTC and TV Malaysia, but the agreement could not go through because the Malawi government blamed TV Malaysia for bringing in worn-out equipment. The project now depends entirely on the MPTC.
The original plan was to introduce TV to Blantyre, Malawi's former capital, by October 1997, covering a 40 kilometre radius, but the Information Minister said the project was changed so that when finally TV is introduced, it will cover the whole country. The government had also planned to distribute small TV sets in community centres across the country so that people can assemble and watch television.
The changes in the original plan contributed to the delay in setting up the service. But there are grave doubts if the government will be able to afford such an expensive project. The service may be introduced in some areas but other parts of the country will probably have to wait for a later date. Malawi government will have to call on foreign donors to help with its project.
In February 1997, seventeen pioneer staff members followed a seven- week intensive training course with the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation, so as to learn the basics of production, camera and sound work, graphic art, TV news reporting and presentation. The German government has also sponsored a TV workshop.
All levels of Malawian society regard mass communications as being of great importance for their country. There is a general craving for more information coming from within the country and from abroad. That is why the United Democratic Front (UDF) government was commended when, on 17 July 1997, President Bakili Muluzi inaugurated the second channel of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation. (A commercial channel is presently offering an alternative in the areas of entertainment, news reviews and interviews).
END
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