Abstract
Malawi became a one-party dictatorship soon after its independence from Britain in 1964. Internal and external pressure for political reforms forced President Hastings Kamuzu Banda to call for a referendum, allowing Malawians to decide the political system they wanted. In 1993 Malawians voted in favour of multiparty democracy, this was followed by general elections in 1994, which Banda lost to Bakili Muluzi. Chapter IV (Bill of Rights) of the country’s new democratic constitution guarantees human rights, including media freedoms. This chapter argues that despite the constitutional guarantees, media freedoms remain elusive in the country due to regulatory flaws and economic hardships facing the country’s media institutions and journalists. This chapter uses key informant interviews with media managers from the country’s leading print and broadcasting houses. The chapter is guided by the political economy of the media approach. This approach analyses how power relations between politics, the regulation and economics shape media content.
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Notes
- 1.
The harsh economic conditions have also resulted in poor salaries and remuneration for journalists in the country, forcing them into unethical practices in order to supplement their income.
- 2.
Article 19 is a prominent organisation working in defence and promotion of freedom expression and freedom of information around the world.
- 3.
According to Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, ZBS is currently Malawi’s biggest radio station, by listenership: https://www.macra.org.mw/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/radio_listenership_2013.pdf.
- 4.
This interview was with a journalist working Malawi Broadcasting Corporation who opted to stay anonymous.
- 5.
Editorial Policy and Code of Practice: https://www.mwnation.com/editorial-policy/.
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Kainja, J. (2022). The Media and Freedom of Expression in Democratic Malawi: A Formality or Reality?. In: Adeola, A., Mutua, M.W. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Democracy, Governance and Justice in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74014-6_15
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