Prime TV Takes Government To Court

Prime Television has taken the government to court over its decision to sever business relations with the broadcaster for not airing coronavirus information on its network free of charge. 

In charges filed with the High Court on Tuesday, Prime TV alleges that their press freedoms were infringed upon when the government began its boycott, contravening Article 20 of the Constitution. 

In addition to ending the boycott, Prime TV is also seeking financial compensation for lost business during the period. 

The government’s actions have also caused TV network TopStar to stop carrying Prime TV’s channel on its platform. 

This prompted the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), a press freedom watchdog, to issue a statement condemning Topstar’s decision and calling on the government to reverse it.

Chairperson Hellen Male said “As MISA, we find this unfair and unacceptable and call upon the government to reverse the decision by Topstar, least they will be viewed as not being tolerant to divergent views and risk seeing Zambia downgraded in terms of press freedom.”

She continued that the removal of Prime TV would not only limit citizen’s access to information but also send the message that the government does not tolerate dissident views. 

Prime TV’s owner, Gerald Shawa, has already written to the ministry of information and apologised publicly for refusing to air the government’s messages. The government has still not indicated whether it will resume business with the broadcaster.