CHIEF government spokesperson Dora Siliya says government and any of its agents will no longer conduct any business with Prime Television because they are unpatriotic.
In a statement, Tuesday, Siliya said the decision was necessitated by the position taken by Prime TV proprietor Gerald Shawa that the station would not help government to sensitize members of the public about the coronavirus.
Siliya said no public officers and officials would appear on the station, whether paid for or otherwise, and all Prime TV journalists would not be invited to any government events.
“Government wishes to announce that it has ceased to cooperate with Prime Television station with immediate effect. The cessation of cooperation entails that the Government of the Republic of Zambia, and any of its agents, shall not conduct any media transactions with Prime Television station. There shall be no appearance of public officers and officials on Prime Television programmes, whether paid for or otherwise, until further notice. Government also wishes to categorically state that journalists from Prime Television shall not be invited to cover any government-related business,” Siliya stated.
“All Ministries, Provinces and other Spending Agencies are henceforth advised to cancel all business transactions that they may have with Prime Television station and to cease any form of cooperation with the broadcasting station. This decision has been necessitated by the position taken by Prime Television station which, through its proprietor Mr Gerald Shawa, on Friday 13th March, 2020 declared that the station shall not help Government to sensitise members of the general public about the Corona virus. Mr Shawa also boasted that the Government was only utilising his station because he had a large audience and not because the government wanted to support his station financially. Government finds the stance taken by Prime Television station to be extremely unpatriotic and has, therefore, chosen to disengage itself from any further dealings with the station.”
6 Responses
Let the idiots shun Prime TV at their own peril, deep down they know that their useless ZNBC is so unpopular that it cannot sell a toothpick, that is why it pains them to see private stations being loved by so many Zambians. We do not watch your matuvi ZNBC anymore and it is good that you will only fool a few of your surrogate idiots who watch your dead wood.
This news, is welcome. We don’t want Siliya to be coming to Prime tv. Let her stay with her useless dead ZNBC . Bravo Prime TV. You have our backing.
I saw it coming towards 2021 private media under fire.prime did not refuse to work with govt in sensitisation .they refused to do it for free.
This is a pandemic and as such stance taken 1st by gerald shaw was wrong. As for the Govt two wrong cant make right.
When you are idiot you reason like such, if it was by elections these complete fools would have found money to recklessly dishout. And here they are begging for free to air…. what of the money they are irresponsibly corrupting the Mps to support the feaces called bill 10….?
Iwe u are getting yo gratuity for nothing ulefwaya ba Prime bakupele free airing are u crazy they are a private business entity they are not subsidised they need to pay workers u already owe them u nonentity