Journalists in Zambia today join the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day presenting an opportunity to reflect on the state of the media in the country.
The media in Zambia has endured turbulent times with the Patriotic Front moving to block critical websites using imported China technology although the publications have beaten the government trap by either using proxy sites or the highly popular facebook mode.
Under the PF government arrests of journalists suspected to be contributing to the growth of online media is a common trend with three scribes namely Clayson Hamasaka, Wilson Pondamali and Thomas Zyambo facing various tramped up charges.
There are also journalists from the privately owned Daily Nation Newspaper who have been dragged to court for questioning the Zambia police recruitment exercise.
The day will also be an opportunity for journalists to remind the Patriotic Front government on their failure to enact the Freedom of Information Bill despite having promised to deliver it within 90 days once in power.
Journalists will also be expected to raise the question of why frequencies of radio stations like Radio Phoenix, Qfm had their radius reduced after briefly being granted national coverage.
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