By Ernest Mfunya
Mangochi, Mana. Minister of Information Gospel Kazako on has called on journalists to be professional and ethical when discharging their duties.
The Minister made the remarks on Saturday when he opened the Zomba Press Club Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mangochi.
Hon Kazako said there was need for the journalists to consider social injustices in the country and help in finding solutions to the injustices.
His remarks came after members of the Zomba Press Club complained of negative attitude and exploitative treatment by some organisations and individuals towards the journalists saying mostly they’re treated as people of low class.
“A journalist must be well disciplined, focused and look presentable in their line of duty because these are the things that make you to be respected and journalists are the ones that socially construct a society,” said Kazako.
He however cautioned the Club members against presenting themselves in a negative way before the society and organisations who sometimes judge them due to loss of professional ethics.
Speaking during the launch President for the press club, Titus Linzie said most of the journalists in the country were being exploited in their workplaces which he said was contributing to low career performance.
“Some employers in the media industry exploit reporters by engaging them as interns for long time on voluntary basis,” Linzie added,
He then appealed to government through the Ministry of Information to employ trained reporters into permanent jobs,
“Almost 80 percent of members of the press club are freelancers which make it difficult for them to make ends meet,” he said.
Zomba Press Club is holding a two days AGM to review its performance in the year 2021 and is meeting for the first time in Mangochi after few years of existence as a forum for journalists in Zomba and other surrounding districts.
The two-day meeting is being held under a theme ‘Media, a tool for natural disaster prevention and sustainable climate change management’.
Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Southern Region Water Board, National Aids Commission and YONECO provided the Zomba Press Club with financial resources for the annual general meeting.