P r e f er r ed m et h o d s o f c i v i c e d u ca ti o n a c r os s th e u rb a n a nd r u r al di v i d e
Source: DCP (2012:160)
1 1 . 3 .3 I nf o rm p u bl i c on g ov e rn a nc e is s u e s Score: 75
To what extent is the media active and successful in informing the public on the activities of the government and other governance actors?
The Media in Malawi is very active and successful in informing the public on the activities of the government and other governance actors. Apart from the ordinary news bulletins, media houses run special programmes which deal with various government and governance issues. Radio stations have panel discussion programmes among others. The print media too has specialized columns which tackle topical governance issues. 910
In addition to conventional approaches, the media gets involved in the implementation of governance projects of various civil society organisations. For example, the Malawi Electoral support Network incorporated a media task force in its advocacy project for local government elections in 2014. Through this, the media were able to inform the general public on a range of topics in the discourse on local government and decentralisation. 911 Furthermore, media houses are increasingly accessing funding from donors in the governance arena. For instance, Radio MIJ, ZBS, Maziko Radio station and Nation Publications Ltd have all accessed grants from the Tilitonse programme to implement projects on governance focusing on the promotion of accountable and
910
Examples of radio programmes include: Tiuzeni zoona on ZBS; Sunday Round Table on Capital FM; Malamulo Akutinji? On Galaxy Radio; and Young Politicians Forum on Transworld Radio. Columns include Talking Political Economy in the Sunday Times; Raw Stuff in the Weekend Nation, Political Index in The Nation.
911
Chingaipe, Henry and Joseph Thombozi (2013) Report on the Evaluation of MESN’s Advocacy Project for Tripartite Elections in 2014 (Limbe: MESN)
208
Malawi National Integrity System Analysis