How The Institute of Journalism (ZIJ) Started?
Why did MISA- Zambia, BBC Media Action and MOAZ change their position over the media self-regulation initiative soon after the change of government from the Patriotic Front (PF) to the United Party for National Development (UPND)?
The Media Self-Regulation initiative in Zambia started in 2019 after the PF government through Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Chanda Kasolo threatened to regulate the media if the media did not regulate themselves. 
This threat sent shockwaves throughout the media circles, particularly given the background that voluntary media regulation had failed in the past. In response to the threat by the PF government, various stakeholders, including MISA- Zambia, the Media Liaison Committee (MLC), BBC Media Action, and other media bodies, engaged the government to resolve their differences.
It is worth noting that during these engagements, all stakeholders, including media interest groups, the Swedish government (as funders of the engagements), and affiliate NGOs, ultimately agreed on the need for a statutory self-regulation of the media in Zambia.
Following these engagements, stakeholders recognised the need for an umbrella body to coordinate media regulation activities. It was at this point that the Media Liaison Committee (MLC) agreed to lead this process and was tasked to come up with a Technical Working Group (TWG) to prepare for a general conference for journalists.
The Swedish government, through BBC Media Action, provided funding for the process, while MISA Zambia Chapter provided the secretariat. These collaborative efforts culminated into the first-ever journalism conference, or Indaba, which was held from May 9-10, 2019. Journalists gathered at this Indaba to decide on a framework for a media self-regulation. Approximately 250 journalists from various media institutions across the country were invited to a conference that was held at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Lusaka in Roma township. At the gathering, journalists unanimously resolved to self-regulate themselves through a statutory body created by the media fraternity itself.
The Media Liaison Committee’s Technical Working Group (MLC -TWG) was tasked with the responsibility of drafting a layman’s version of the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) Bill, which would be submitted to the government after stakeholders engagement.
The TWG reported its progress at a second conference, which was held in May 2020 at the same venue. Journalists, including representatives from MISA, BBC Media Action, and MOAZ, validated the progress made and reaffirmed their commitment to self-regulation through a statutory body.
At this point, MOAZ, MISA, and BBC Media Action were comfortable because the PF was still in power. It should be noted that at this point, MOAZ, MISA, and BBC Media Action had no objection to the process.
In April 2022, the stakeholders convened another meeting under the auspices of the MLC at Cheetah Lodge in Kafue, where they resolved to narrow the scope of media regulation to individual journalists only, excluding media institutions.
The rationale behind this decision was that electronic media institutions were already regulated by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), making it logical to focus on regulating individual journalists rather than media institutions.
At this point, the BBC Media Action, a key funder of these activities, decided to withdraw its support. As a result of BBC Media Action to quit the process, organisations like MISA Zambia, which heavily rely on BBC Media Action for funding, also pulled out. The Media Owners Association (MOAZ) followed suit, citing concerns that the self- regulation initiative could negatively affect their profits.
Following these developments, MISA Zambia, the Media Owners Association of Zambia, and BBC Media Action also withdrew from the process, arguing that the recent change in government presented an opportunity to revisit voluntary regulation.
Despite their withdrawal, the process continued with other media interest groups. The three groups that pulled out decided to form a faction advocating for what they called “True Media Regulation.”
Meanwhile, the Media Liaison Committee (MLC) continued in its engagement with the government and various stakeholders to push the statutory self-regulation process to its logical conclusion, as agreed upon and validated by journalists in 2019.
Early this year, upon advice from the Ministry of Justice, the name was changed from ZAMEC to the Zambia Institute of Journalists (ZIJ). The rationale was that since this regulatory body will not be regulating media institutions but just individual journalists, it was necessary to change its name to ZIJ.
It is, therefore, puzzling that some media groups are now trying to interfere with a process that they previously abandoned. It is also surprising that some sections of the media are accusing the government of attempting to regulate the media, despite the fact that the process was initiated and spearheaded by the journalists themselves under the auspices of the MLC.
Whose interests are MISA Zambia and BBC Media Action truly serving, considering they accepted funding from the Swedish government for the Media Insaka in Lusaka? What has motivated their change of mind, and what do they hope to achieve by revisiting voluntary regulation?
