One of the resolutions of the just-ended Swapo Party congress, that government should establish a media council “to regulate the activities and operations of the media in the country”, is an excellent achievement.
It’s true this has been a constraint nation-wide because if the media is not managed properly, it has the potential to cause conflict and civil strife, just like what is happening to both our phone-in programmes on our national broadcaster, NBC and even in the print media.
These platforms have been summarily abused by disrespecting our national leaders, including the founding father.
Today, independent Namibia is 17 years of age and the media too have taken great strides during this period.
The lack of a professional body, such as a media council as proportionally resolved to regulate the industry, leaves a huge vacuum in ensuring professionalism and maintaining ethical standards.
The government, notwithstanding the perceived adversity between it and the media, has remained true to the spirit of the constitution of freedom of speech and expression, and has refrained from regulating the media.
Criticism of the media by government officials, however legitimate or mild, has been wrongly interpreted by some quarters as government demanding the media to owe some allegiance to it and its policies.
Such a negative view of Namibia’s information policy is derived from a conservative neo-liberal view and strict interpretation, if not misinterpretation, of the role of the media as the fourth estate.
The Namibian government continues to recognize the positive role the media plays, and can play, in nation building. This does not mean coercing the media into subscribing to a national agenda but only to be part of the process of defining that agenda.
A young country like Namibia needs a media council that would create and reinforce, not undermine, the political or cultural values and social attitudes being inculcated by government in schools and institutions of higher learning.
The media in developing countries should strive to create a mood in which people become keen to acquire knowledge, skills and discipline, without which Namibia or any other developing country can never hope to raise the standard of living of its people.
Bellington Matsalatsala Mabakeng
Karibib