PUBLIC MEDIA IN INTENSIVE CARE
WE have written many times about the desperate state of the public media in Zambia. The Zambia Union of Journalists has today once again reminded us of these challenges as they make a passionate appeal to President Lungu to resuscitate these failing parastatals. According to ZUJ the overriding problem is that all the state-owned media companies are in “intensive care” and if Government does not move quickly to save them, they will close down. These companies have for a long time been stifled by huge statutory debt and administration after administration has promised to recapitalize them. The Union is hopeful that under His Excellency President Lungu, the affected companies will be saved from total collapse through debt conversion into share capital and recapitalization. The Union is hopeful the in-coming Minister of Information and Broadcasting will be given a specific task to save public media as a priority. Our position on this matter remains the same. The idea of convert