A critical analysis of the independence of the independent broadcasting authority's (IBA) regulation of the private media.

This study was aimed at examining the ‘independence’ of the regulatory practices of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) towards the private media in Zambia. In order to achieve this, it specifically analyses the IBA practices in regulating the private media; the factors influenced the IBA’s capacity to regulate the private media in Zambia; the operations of the private media in relation to media regulation and the effects of IBA regulation practices on media freedom in the country.
Therefore, the study employed qualitative methods and an explorative research design was used. Data was collected through document analysis and in-depth interviews from IBA, news editors and station managers from two television stations and media experts. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study found that the process of appointing members of the Board exposes the Authority to political interference because the Board is solely appointed by the Minister of Information and Media without names being scrutinised by Parliament. Due to this appointment procedure, media experts, news editors and station managers feel that the decisions made by these Boards are biased and do not hold the interests of the private media. It was also found that the IBA does not have technologically advanced equipment to monitor the activities of the media institutions that it regulates.
The study also found that the practices of the IBA in the past five years also hindered press freedom as media institutions were being closed on political grounds. The study also found that the independence of the IBA was likely to be compromised because its funding mainly came from central government. In line with the findings the study recommended that firstly, in order to safeguard the independence of the practices of the IBA, the IBA Act should be repealed in order to put in place a new Act that will address the issues that compromise the independence of the Authority. Secondly, the Authority should procure technologically advanced equipment and lastly funding to the regulator should be increased so that the can be able to perform their duties.