For the first time in the history of Malawi, state broadcaster, MBC, got less money for it’s national activities than a privately-owned Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS).
ZBS is owned by the Information Minister Gospel Kazako, who is also a member of Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19.
Information is also emerging that ZBS is enjoying a lion’s share in as far as state sponsored adverts and programmes are concerned.
This is despite the fact that MBC has best production equipment in Malawi as well as a stand alone research facility, the Development Broadcasting Unit (DBU), which is recognised internationally for its well researched radio programming.
It seems Kazako is hell-bent to kill it while using taxpayers money to grow his personal station.
“It’s clear that the owner of ZBS, Gospel Kazako is abusing his ministerial post by influencing channeling of resources to his entity rather than to the station which Malawians pay taxes and has larger listening and viewership,” said a source.
In the Information cluster chunk, Times got K9 million, Angaliba K6 million, Luntha K7 million, Rainbow K3 million while Capital Radio got K3,250,000 for a panel discussion out of K185 million which is said to have been channeled to Ministry of Information for Covid-19 awareness messages.
