US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE207

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000207 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PGOV, KDEM, MI, Media, Political 
SUBJECT: MALAWI MEDIA PRIMER 
 
REF: 03 LILONGWE 1058 
 
1. SUMMARY: The government-controlled Malawi 
Broadcasting Corporation radio is the main 
source of news for the average Malawian.  Two 
independent daily newspapers are read by a small 
segment of the urban population.  Private 
(commercial, religious, community) radio 
stations reach urban centers in the South and 
Central regions.  The urban elite has access to 
the country's only television station, which is 
also state-owned.  For a country that has only 
been free for ten years, following a 30-year 
dictatorial regime, the private media get good 
marks for progress.  Private radio stations are 
increasing, self-censorship by the media is 
lessening, and open debate about the importance 
of media freedom is commonplace.    END SUMMARY. 
 
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RADIO: THE DOMINANT MEDIA 
--------------------------- 
 
2. Government-owned and -operated Malawi 
Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is the only radio 
station that broadcasts throughout the country. 
Broadcasting in English and the major ethnic 
languages, MBC reaches the widest audience of 
any medium in Malawi.  The station broadcasts 
all presidential events and activities live. MBC 
gives priority and prominence to news coverage 
of government and ruling UDF party events and 
very little to opposition parties and leaders. 
 
3. Independent radio in Malawi is limited in 
geographical reach.  There is, however, a 
growing number of private radio stations whose 
listenership and influence continue to expand. 
Capital Radio, on the air since 1999, reaches 
Blantyre and Lilongwe.  The FM commercial radio 
station is renowned for controversial talk shows 
that are unbiased.  Capital FM is an affiliate 
of the Voice of America, an arrangement that 
provides Malawians with a clear FM transmission 
of VOA news and programs. 
 
4.  The Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) is 
part of the University of Malawi journalism 
department and operates its own private radio 
station.  It broadcasts in the Southern Region. 
The station has earned a reputation of airing 
opposition politics and presenting a wide 
spectrum of political coverage.  MIJ has 
experienced some pressure from the government to 
limit its role as a teaching institution only 
(and to refrain from airing political news), but 
MIJ is dedicated to furthering the role of 
independent media in Malawi. 
 
5. Power FM 101 is a hit music radio station 
targeting young audiences in Blantyre and 
Lilongwe.  The station, however, carries news 
bulletins hourly.  FM 101 is co-owned by the son 
of a former cabinet minister who resigned last 
year from the ruling UDF party after the 
President chose his successor without input from 
the party.  Since the rift between the owner's 
father and the UDF party and government, FM 101 
is airing more political news than it had in the 
past. 
 
6.  Community radio stations are increasingly 
important in the Malawi news arena.  A new 
community station has been established in 
Nkhotakota in the Central Region in addition to 
Dzimwe community radio in Mangochi (just at the 
southern tip of Lake Malawi) that was opened 
five years ago.  Community radio is supposed to 
air news important to the communities it serves, 
but these stations are airing ever more 
political issues. 
 
7. Religious stations - two Catholic, two 
Christian and one Islamic - carry general news 
and development issues, but focus primarily on 
religious material. Like community stations, 
religious stations are beginning to air more 
political news. 
 
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NEWSPAPERS: THE URBAN ELITE 
------------------------------------------ 
 
8. The "Daily Times" and the "Nation" are the 
two independent daily papers, each with a 
circulation of about 15,000 copies during the 
week, 25,000 copies on Saturdays. The print 
media, as well as electronic media, suffers from 
lack of resources and trained journalists. 
 
9. The "Daily Times" is owned by Blantyre Print 
and Publishing Company whose chairman is the 
ruling party's vice-presidential candidate in 
the 2004 polls.  Formerly owned by Life 
President Hastings Banda, and still in trust to 
his family, the "Daily Times" was considered a 
government paper during Banda's regime.  After 
the first multi-party elections in 1994, the 
"Daily Times" became increasingly independent, 
but still lacked the respect accorded the 
"Nation."  As 2004 elections approach, the 
"Daily Times" is becoming more pro-government, 
including a new editorial policy that restricts 
editors to pro-government articles. 
 
10. The "Nation" has had a reputation of 
independence since its inception in 1993. When 
the owner of the "Nation", a former cabinet 
minister, fell out with the ruling UDF party in 
mid-2003, the tone of the paper began to change. 
More articles criticizing the government appear 
and fewer appear in support of the President. 
As a result, the government has greatly cut back 
its advertising in the paper. 
 
11. An assortment of weekly papers exist, but 
only one is considered a "must-read" by the 
urban community.  The "Chronicle" is stridently 
opposition, but respected by journalists and the 
public for its outspoken views.  Recently the 
National Association of Media in Southern Africa 
in Malawi awarded the "Chronicle" its "Best 
Investigative Reporting Award," and in the past 
year the "Chronicle" has scooped the daily 
papers on several important issues, including 
Muluzi's proposed successor.  The "Chronicle" 
says that it is under much pressure and 
intimidation from the government, but it 
continues to speak out. 
 
12. Other weekly papers are decidedly government 
mouthpieces, such as the "UDF News" and the 
Information Department's "Weekly News."  Some 
papers appear sporadically, most with a specific 
agenda of supporting or opposing the government. 
They are not taken as serious journalism, and 
circulation is low (several thousand at most.) 
 
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TELEVISION MALAWI 
----------------- 
 
13. Television Malawi is another medium for the 
urban elite.  Like MBC, Television Malawi, 
established only in 1999, is controlled by the 
state.  No opposition politicians appear on TVM: 
only government rallies and pro-government news 
are aired.  Local programming is, however, 
limited and the station depends heavily on 
relayed programming from foreign television 
stations. Programs are from the BBC, Canal 
France International, DWS, and several religious 
television services.  One station that formerly 
relayed programming was TV Africa, which ceased 
to function in September 2003.  In October 2003, 
the Public Affairs Section donated satellite 
equipment to Television Malawi allowing it to 
broadcast VOA, World Net and C-Span everyday. 
 
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COMMENT 
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14. As in all African countries, radio is the 
most important media outlet.  With the recent 
establishment of private radio, government 
control of broadcast media is loosening. 
Although MBC is still the only medium available 
to the majority of Malawians, private stations 
are increasing in geographical coverage, and 
calls for MBC to open its airwaves to opposition 
politicians are being heard.  The three leading 
newspapers provide credible news coverage, 
especially by African standards, and contribute 
to interesting exchanges of ideas.  Their reach 
is limited, but after 30 years of dictatorship 
and complete media control, print and private 
electronic media have made important strides 
toward independence. 
 
Browning