OF AIRCRAFT AND SENSATIONAL JOURNALISM; LIES AND MALICE DON’T FLY FOR LONG-THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL

By Sunday Chilufya Chanda

Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility.

The integrity of Journalism is anchored on five Core Principles namely:

1.Truth and Accuracy.

2.Independence.

3.Fairness and Impartiality

4.Humanity. 

5.Accountability.

Journalists cannot always guarantee 'truth', but getting the facts right is the cardinal principle of journalism anything else is sensationalism.

Sensationalism has been described as: “a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to present biased impressions on events, which may cause a manipulation to the truth of a story.”

The ultra-hype and bias in the “story” by Africa Confidential, which the Mast Newspaper and other on-line media carried, regarding the replacement of a 17-year-old presidential Challenger jet, is NOT anchored on the five core pillars of Journalism. It is both a shame and a sham. 

If anything, it is a classic, yet poignant example of biased sensationalised “journalism” - a tragic manipulation of the truth.

The story was highly deficient in truth and accuracy, lacking fairness and impartiality and it was to say the least inhuman and lacking accountability.

To write a story with pre-conceived objectives to give the impression that President Edgar Lungu has purchased a specialised jet for his personal errands with donor funds at the expense of the welfare of the poor  is a defenestration of Journalism ethics. 

To deliberately neglect to balance a “story” (so that a picture can be painted of a Head of State chasing luxuries at the expense of citizens) without cross checking facts and getting a reaction from relevant authorities, is a kind of malice that is not even human.

Why didn't the authors of the “story” verify the  details  from their "source" or seek a reaction from the Ministry of Defence?

The answer is plain and simple; because their story wouldn't have been as juicy as they sold it. They know that it would not have appealed to their gossip and mission of calumny because the Zambian Defence Ministry would have disclosed to them as they did yesterday in a statement through Permanent Secretary Mr Stardy Mwale, that that the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) under the Ministry Of Defence (MOD) has embarked on a programme to replace its ageing fleet of transport and fighter air crafts and other associated air defence equipment.

As the Permanent Secretary further clarified, ZAF is the only state institution which is mandated to provide air mobility to the Head of State and will remain the only procuring agent for Government aircraft.

If these journalists and their media houses were truly honourable and worth their salt, they would have sought clarification from relevant Government agency.

They would then have discovered the truth through the MOD Permanent Secretary’s Office and they would given appropriate attribution to a statement from the Ministry of Defence,  that through ZAF, GRZ has purchased five planes and they would have reported the fact  that one will be used to maintain airspace and monitor poaching, while the other three will be for commercial purposes, while yet another aircraft will be used for VVIPs.

These media houses are a disgrace to the noble profession of journalism.

They are peddlers of malice and mis-Information just to earn a profit at the expense of the truth. 

Sadly their individual and collective conscience is seared.

They have a chronic record of tossing morality and journalistic principles out of the window just to sell and make a profit. Theirs is a  perverted kind of journalism and they are in it purely for economic reasons; to sell their agenda - no matter how the truth is brutalised  and mutilated.

They have a sordid history.

This time around, their hype has gone beyond fattening their wallets. They eyes are on a bigger 'prize'; they are fixated on the acquisition and control of State resources through regime change.

These gluttons are part of a plot to rubble- rouse, foment discord and galvanise public anti-PF Government sentiment. 

Their aim of all this is to generate more heat than light.

The spike in manipulated news is part of the a grand conspiracy to sow seeds of suspicion and discord  within the minds of citizens and  partners of Government, thus agitating a loss of trust in government  with the ultimate aim of  sparking civil disobedience ahead of 2021.

These same people  with their same “sources” and and bitter political  buddy, used sensationalism  and over-hyped their “stories” during the tenures of Presidents Levy Mwanawasa and President Rupiah Banda.

In November 2009  the fore-runner to the Mast - The Post newspaper  ran a story saying: "UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has described the purchase of a new presidential Mercedes Benz armoured state limousine as a sign that President Rupiah Banda wants to live a flamboyant life”.

In its lead story, the Post newspaper nine years ago carried the lines “Commenting on the revelation that President Banda purchased a new presidential vehicle less than a year in office and in the midst of a persistent fuel crisis, Hichilema said the president had misplaced priorities.”

Three years later while our founding father of the PF President Michael Chilufya Sata was in office, a similar sensational story appeared under a banner headline “Sata Adds a Helicopter to the Presidential Fleet”. 
The 2012 story claimed: “President Sata already uses an expensive and exquisite gold courted [sic] helicopter bought by the late President Mwanawasa as well as a presidential challenger jet bought by Frederick Chiluba”.

With President Edgar Lungu now in office, and with  their bitter buddy  Perennial Presidential Candidate whom the people have rejected 5 times since 2006 still in their corner; these churls and haters of truth and harmony, have with their foreign sponsors desperately upped their debauched game.  

The nation has not been spared the sensational drama and insidious headlines. 

The replacement of a piece of Presidential aviation equipment that was acquired almost two decades ago has been sensationalised beyond belief, to the extent that  it would  make one think that the globally accepted best security practice of dedicated air transport for VVIPs including  the institution of the Presidency is a grievous sin.

While good responsible journalism involves holding the organs of power and privilege to accountability, it is grossly perverted journalism to ignore the truth, manipulate facts and advance falsehood and grievous gossip for a profit, without seeking a reaction from key parties involved.

Matters of Presidential transportation are a matter of Top State Security. 
While one may frown at the glib reporting of foreign based media in over-hyping unconfirmed details of an apparatus of the Zambian Presidency, it is highly unpatriotic, negligent and irresponsible for a local media house to be frivolous with any details regarding the specifications of any equipment at the disposal of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Zambia. There is a limit; the intricate details of state security cannot be publicly discussed and trivialised in such a manner. That is not done anywhere. 
Any domestic or international threat on the President of the Republic of Zambia is a threat on the very nationhood of Zambia and its people.

The local journalists behind this are thus soldiers of misfortune; their own malice will consume them.

Distorting facts, trying to  manipulating the public,  and ignoring facts are the hall marks of Fake News.

Aviators and purveyors of fake news and lies  can take off from very short runways, but like a crow, their wicked craft of malice and gossip,  doesn't remain air-bound for long.

On the other hand,  although the truth takes a bit of time to taxi on its long runway  and take off;  like an eagle, it flies further and higher.

The truth will always prevail.

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