NBC defends opposition election coverage
Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) chairperson Lazarus Jacobs says political parties across the spectrum are afforded enough airtime by the national broadcaster, dismissing notions that the ruling party is favoured.
He made the comments during a short interview with Namibian Sun as the election season kicks into first gear ahead of next year’s national and presidential elections.
“We are not going to do anything that we have not done for the past 20 years. I mean, the specific guidelines that were agreed to between parties and the broadcaster about coverage, we’ve been doing it consistently. Each party gets it consistently,” Jacobs said.
The broadcaster said the amount of coverage granted would be held to quality standards, irrespective of the number of registered voters each party had.
“Nothing will change. Whether it’s a party of 200 members or a million members, they get fair coverage. You all get access,” he said.
They pay for it
According to Jacobs, the airtime granted to Swapo was in the past considered more than sufficient by party president, Hage Geingob.
“People have been complaining that the ruling party gets a disproportionate amount of time. The president himself complained that the ruling party cannot be given equal time [compared to] the opposition parties,” he said.
Jacobs further defended the airtime Swapo was receiving, adding that whatever ‘extra’ airtime the party received, it paid for.
“The opposition parties are not complaining about unequal airtime. When people see the ruling party getting more airtime, it’s because the ruling party buys that airtime; they pay for that.
“We have records to prove that, so the other parties, they are more than welcome to buy more airtime,” he said.
More to be done
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) spokesperson Lifa Simataa said while the public broadcaster was adhering to affording opposition parties sufficient airtime, there was a grey area it was abusing to afford more airtime to Swapo.
“We believe when it comes to news, we don’t think that it is shared fairly and more can be done in that regard. Where there is no mandate, it is lacklustre, but it is fair where it is written in policy. There is a lot that can be done.”
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) secretary-general Manual Ngaringombe felt the NBC was giving Swapo unlimited coverage.
“The president has unlimited time, and Swapo is using the president to promote their events. The unlimited time they get should be abolished,” he said.
Ngaringombe added that NBC coverage of the president should be limited during election times, because Geingob then dons another hat, being that of Swapo.
“During elections, he is doing that as the president of a party, because he is acting in a different capacity.”
Not bothered
Meanwhile, according to Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) spokesperson Imms Nashinge, his party is not bothered by the airtime the national broadcaster affords Swapo, as social media takes centre stage.
“NBC allocates equal airtime to all political parties. With the emergence of social media, we are able to reach the electorate faster and broader as the NBC has been biased in covering events of parties other than Swapo.
“Our resolve will not be hampered by the biases of the NBC. We will continue to reach out to the electorate where they are,” he said.
He made the comments during a short interview with Namibian Sun as the election season kicks into first gear ahead of next year’s national and presidential elections.
“We are not going to do anything that we have not done for the past 20 years. I mean, the specific guidelines that were agreed to between parties and the broadcaster about coverage, we’ve been doing it consistently. Each party gets it consistently,” Jacobs said.
The broadcaster said the amount of coverage granted would be held to quality standards, irrespective of the number of registered voters each party had.
“Nothing will change. Whether it’s a party of 200 members or a million members, they get fair coverage. You all get access,” he said.
They pay for it
According to Jacobs, the airtime granted to Swapo was in the past considered more than sufficient by party president, Hage Geingob.
“People have been complaining that the ruling party gets a disproportionate amount of time. The president himself complained that the ruling party cannot be given equal time [compared to] the opposition parties,” he said.
Jacobs further defended the airtime Swapo was receiving, adding that whatever ‘extra’ airtime the party received, it paid for.
“The opposition parties are not complaining about unequal airtime. When people see the ruling party getting more airtime, it’s because the ruling party buys that airtime; they pay for that.
“We have records to prove that, so the other parties, they are more than welcome to buy more airtime,” he said.
More to be done
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) spokesperson Lifa Simataa said while the public broadcaster was adhering to affording opposition parties sufficient airtime, there was a grey area it was abusing to afford more airtime to Swapo.
“We believe when it comes to news, we don’t think that it is shared fairly and more can be done in that regard. Where there is no mandate, it is lacklustre, but it is fair where it is written in policy. There is a lot that can be done.”
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) secretary-general Manual Ngaringombe felt the NBC was giving Swapo unlimited coverage.
“The president has unlimited time, and Swapo is using the president to promote their events. The unlimited time they get should be abolished,” he said.
Ngaringombe added that NBC coverage of the president should be limited during election times, because Geingob then dons another hat, being that of Swapo.
“During elections, he is doing that as the president of a party, because he is acting in a different capacity.”
Not bothered
Meanwhile, according to Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) spokesperson Imms Nashinge, his party is not bothered by the airtime the national broadcaster affords Swapo, as social media takes centre stage.
“NBC allocates equal airtime to all political parties. With the emergence of social media, we are able to reach the electorate faster and broader as the NBC has been biased in covering events of parties other than Swapo.
“Our resolve will not be hampered by the biases of the NBC. We will continue to reach out to the electorate where they are,” he said.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article