The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops ZCCB has called for a review of the high radio license fees in the country.
Communications Director, Winfield Kunda says that the high fees are a threat to many radio stations especially in rural areas where they have little or no advertising revenue.
Fr. Kunda says this in message to commemorate World Radio Day, which falls today and is being celebrated under the theme “Radio and Sports”.
He says that although the radio stations help the government in communicating messages of development in many spheres, it seems the government has not appreciated it fully due to the high license fees being charged.
Fr. Kunda however, says that the Catholic Media Services acknowledges that IBA, the Independent Broadcasting Authority has facilitated the growth of the radio industry in Zambia resulting in many radio stations being set up.
And Fr. Kunda has advised Radio station owners to instruct their presenters to always abreast themselves with research and enough information before they go on air.
He says that it is sad to note that some presenters don’t even countercheck facts or even filter facts from falsehood before they could present them.
Meanwhile the ZCCB has described the theme for this year’s World Radio Day as important especially when sports can be used in peace building.
He says that Radio stations should do away with the notion that sports is only football but must go an extra mile in researching and popularizing other sports.
The ZCCB communications director has further called on radio station owners to pay their workers well.
He has further called on advertising Agencies that deal with radio stations across the country to be truthful and honour agreements made before securing airspace.