![Maltilda Chimwaza receiving the Best ICT Journalist of the Year award on behalf of Malawi News editor Charles Mpaka]()
Media scholar and fervent critic Pearson Nkhoma has questioned the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter inaugural online media award won by Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) presented on Saturday evening at the climax of this year’s World Press Freedom Day Gala and Awards ceremony held for the first time at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge’s Lakeshore International Conference Centre in Mangochi.
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![Maltilda Chimwaza receiving the Best ICT Journalist of the Year award on behalf of Malawi News editor Charles Mpaka]()
Maltilda Chimwaza receiving the Best ICT Journalist of the Year award on behalf of Malawi News editor Charles Mpaka[/caption]
Nkhoma, a fearless critic on Misa Malawi forum group, questioned the criteria used for ZBS to beat other well established and popular websites with global appeal such as
Nyasa Times,
Malawi24, Daily Times and
The Nation online among others.
The PhD student in media for development, who co-founded the
Malawi24.com together with Prophet Sheppard Bushiri’s PR Kelvin Sulugwe, said ZBS by far pales out with such websites.
“Congratulations to Zodiak Online for beating other online media such as Malawi24.com ranked globally around 250,000 and with a Facebook.com/Malawi24page that is verified by FB with close to 320,000 followers and also the only online publication I checked last which was included on
internet.org/freebasics initiative,” Nkhoma wrote.
“
Nyasa Times the most popular online media in Malawi with global ranking of 80,000 (that’s not a small achievement),
times.mw with a global ranking of 1.4 million,
mwnation.com (ranked 650,000). Congrats Zodiak just check its FB page on how frequent it indeed shares its posts and news updates.’
A panel of judges chaired by Owen Kadewere.fell short of justifying how they arrived at Zodiak and it was greeted his a din of disapprovals right at the ceremony.
However, it has been learnt that media house were expected to pay institutional membership fee to be considered for the award and that Zodiak paid in the online category hence they were only one considered.
The judges stated that it reaches out to the people in the diaspora and stations such as Capital Radio and now Malawi Broadcasting Corporation are able to do same through live-streaming.
Capial Radio is probably the most attractive and updated online websites covering a wide range of issues.
‘Times champions deservedly’
During the awards ceremony, Times Group won the Print Media House of the Year Award for being the country’s oldest media house and leading in innovations such as diversifying to radio and television whereas Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) got the radio category of the Electronic Media House of the Year. Times TV was named the best television.
The media champions status of Times Group has been welcomed by human right activist Mankhumbo Munthali, formerly of Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation.
“ If truth be told, the news that Times Group has won the MISA media house of the year award (Print) has not come as a surprise to some of us. The Times Group deserves the award big time. I vividly remember - a few months ago in Salima (at a certain national governance consultative meeting) with collegues from the Civil Society and academia- discussing about the pivotal role the print media was playing in contributing towards consolidation of democratic governance in the country through fearless reporting on the subject matter.
“However, of particular interest to me was our collective observation about how Times Group through
Daily Times, Malawi News and
Sunday Times had of the recent past become outstanding and progressive in as far as exposing the gaffes and malaise that had characterised our political and economic governance sphere in the process providing a more conducive platform and space for a robust social accountability movement in the country,” Munthali took to Facebook to post his comment.
He continued: “ Our consensus was that Times Group, if the recent experience especially since 2015 were anything to go by, had to a greater extent been more progressive and fearless in reporting the issues that really matter to the common Malawian within the scope of democratic governance. The recent news that Times Group had won the MISA award only confirmed our observations and reflections. Times Group deserves the award. Congratulations to Times Group editorial team! Congratulations to Times Group journalists! Congratulations to the media fraternity!
#Pass Access to Information Now,”
Nation Publications Limited (NPL) journalists also won individual awards and the included former
Nyasa Times reporter Rebecca Chimjeka (Investigative Journalist of the Year-Print) , James Chavula (Best Social Accountability and Climate Change Adaptation and Tourism Journalist of the Year awards), Sharra (two awards stated above) and Joseph Mwale (Best Democracy and Good Governance Journalist of the Year)
Others were Albert Sharra who emerged the 2016 Overall Winner for the story ‘Boys living dangerously: Saving minors from danger’ that also won him the Paediatric and HIV/Aids Journalist of the Year, Rex Chikoko (Business and Economics Journalist of the Year-Print), Ephraim Nyondo (Education Journalists of the Year-Print), and Mercy Malikwa (Best Public Infrastructure Management Journalist of the Year).
Tenthani posthumously honoured
Journalist Raphael Tenthani, a former columnist and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) correspondent who died in a road accident last year, was honoured posthumously with the Lifetime Achiever Award.
The United States of America (USA) Embassy added icing to the cake by naming the columnist of the year award after Tenthani. The award, one of the three sponsored by the US Embassy and whose winners are determined by Misa Malawi members’ votes, was retained by Madalisto Mussa of
The Sunday Times.
Under the US Embassy awards, Brian Banda of Times TV won the Radio Talk Show Host of the Year Award while Richard Chirombo, also of Times Group, was named Blogger of the Year
Malawi's copyright body destroys pirated copies[/caption]
COSOMA introduced a license fee of K50,000 which every person who shares music as a business must pay.
Kasungu Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Harry Namwaza said COSOMA in conjunction with the police conducted the operation in Kasungu to monitor if the people who upload music for financial gains are honoring the license fees.
“We confiscated 20 computers and only gave them back after they honoured the said license fees,” said Namwaza.
COSOMA Senior Licensing Officer Rosario Kamanga said every person who uploads music for financial gains is supposed to pay K50, 000 licensing fee per annum.
“The loyalties from the licensing fees are shared to all musicians whose music is uploaded for financial gains by such individuals based on how many times the music pieces of that particular artist were uploaded.
“Under the Copyright Law, the owners of the music have the power and rights to authorize playing, distribution and reproduction of the music but due to difficulties the musicians have in overseeing and protecting their talent, they gave the mandate to COSOMA,” said Kamanga.
Bushiri and South African's Home Affairs minister[/caption]
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Churchgoers at Bushiri church in Pretoria[/caption]
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Members congregating during Diplomatic Service including Chri Daza (first from right) at Bushiri's church[/caption]
Banda, Malawi's top musician, who is also Balaka North legislator for the United Democratic Front (UDF), said on a private visit to South Africa, said he stopped by to fellowship with Prophet Bushiri’s Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) in Pretoria on Monday night and was impressed with the respect accorded to the Malawian prophet, according a report in The Nation newspaper.
“We live in our world as Malawians and that has not helped us. After fellowship, I realised we have been somehow unfair to Bushiri by viewing him with a negative eye instead of being rational,” the paper quoted the iconic secular musician as saying.
He added: “It is worth noting that thousands of people are converging at one place because of a son Malawi. I admire him for that.”
Banda, who is a devout Catholic, said he has not joined Bushiri’s ECG as he remains a Catholic member but appreciate the prophet’s Christian way of leadership.
“Just like the Bible says that ‘out of the eater comes something sweet’ I was touched by the gesture of giving out food to the poor during that hunger in January and February. Through the criticism he has been going through, I took interest in seeing his side of the story,” Banda is quoted as saying.
The legendary musician said Prophet Bushiri is “successful, in terms of congregation and as a businessman.”
He added that “success brings about haters” hence Bushiri courting many attacks against him.
“ As someone who has been criticised, at times unfairly, and faced the wrath of people over rumours, I tend to be sympathetic towards people who are treated harshly, especially when it’s based on unfounded rumours.”
Bushiri’s church is one of the fastest rising in Southern Africa.
Banda said he was impressed with the Monday fellowship at Bushiri’s church.
“They call it a diplomatic service. I like the teachings and the ideas shared to the gathering.The beauty about it is that it happens on a day that I, as a Catholic normally don’t go to church. Otherwise I can’t say more than that. Issues of faith are supposed to be private.
“Actually, I came here for personal reasons. And I just thought of going there to fellowship. I have attended two Monday services where about 10 000 people gather for prayers. It was during that first time that I took a picture with BJ [veteran politician Brown Mpinganjira] and Ralph Kasambara. But I must say that when I went to ECG, I felt proud as a Malawian to note that it was a son of our soil who makes thousands of people around the world come together and pray,” he said.
During Sunday services, people line up just to enter the church, he said
“The queues are long, with 45 000 plus people attending services, according to the information I have gathered. How I wish it was happening in my country,” he explained.
All female grand finale in Malawi Airtel Trace Music Star[/caption]
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Judges Patience Namadingo, Rina and Theo Thomson: To perform at grand finale of Airtel Trace Music -Photo by Kimpho Loka.[/caption]
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Kachinjika: Second a edition has been a huge success -Photo-Jeromy-Kadewere[/caption]
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, Kachinjika also said the national finale will be spiced with Kenyan DJ Joe Mfalme as a special guest.
The grand finale takes place at the Bingu International Conference Center (BICC) on Friday in the capital Lilongwe.
Kachinjika is upbeat it will be an epic night as an all-female crew is set to battle out for K10 million for the winner and represent Malawi at a Pan-African contest to be held in Nigeria. First and second runners up will walk home with K3 million and K2 million respectively.
According to Kachinjika, the winner will be based on the public vote “which will make 20% of the overall outcome while judges contribution counts for 80%.”
Ruth Kulaisi, Madalitso Faziri, Triza Chatata, Kalista Kalele and Chisomo Chichi Nteteka will be battling it out to be crowned this year’s Airtel Trace Music winner in Malawi.
Kachinjika congratulated the contestants for making it to the finals.
She said the second edition has been a “keenly competitive” contest and “a huge success. “
Kachinjika said Airtel, will continue to empower Malawians to fully realise their potential.
Airtel Trace Music Star is a breakthrough music competition which has simplified the otherwise tedious auditioning processes that typifies most music competitions.
All participants did was to simply call the short code, recorded a song and one of these five stands the chance of winning a life changing contract with a record label, a mentorship programme with American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson in Atlanta and worldwide media exposure through various TRACE’s platforms.
Airtel is Malawi’s telecommunication network offering unparalleled telecom and lifestyle solutions to its customers.
Sam Mjura Mkandawire won the competition in Malawi last year.
All set for Lonje to premeir his songs[/caption]
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Kalista: Runner up[/caption]
“I can’t wait to get to the next level, the Airtel TRACE Music Star Pan-African competition,” said Ruth.
Judges in the competition; top singers Theo Thomson, Rina and Patience Namadingo all praised the sensation singer and TV personality.
Theo said in a telephone interview with Nyasa Times that in Ruth Chikoleka, “new music star is born in Malawi.”
Namadingo added that Ruth performance was “absolutely star quality”.
Rina also praised Ruth for her “incredible” vocal performance.
The 26 year old TV persoanlity started singing when she was five and first musical experience was with Ron Kenoly.
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Faziri came third[/caption]
She said Airtel Trace Music Star competition has offered her “an opportunity of a lifetime” saying her feeling winning is “ indescribable.”
“I am over the moon with joy,” she said.” It doesn't get any better than this.”
Runner up Kalista Kalaisi, 23, was gracious in defeat, calling her rival " brilliant".
Huge Success
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Red-carpet queen: Fashion guru and pageant organiser Mrs Mable Khoje was clearly feeling confident as she posed for photo at Airtel Trace event[/caption]
Airtel Malawi’s Brands and Communications Manager Isabel Kachinjika said the second edition has been a “keenly competitive” contest and “a huge success. “
Kachinjika said Airtel, will continue to empower Malawians to fully realise their potential.
Airtel Trace Music Star is a breakthrough music competition which has simplified the otherwise tedious auditioning processes that typifies most music competitions.
All participants did was to simply call the short code, recorded a song and one of these five stands the chance of winning a life changing contract with a record label, a mentorship programme with American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson in Atlanta and worldwide media exposure through various TRACE’s platforms.
Airtel is Malawi’s telecommunication network offering unparalleled telecom and lifestyle solutions to its customers.
Elson Kambalu seen off[/caption]
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Izeki: Alive[/caption]
Rumours swirled on Monday that Izeki had passed on but Mabedi said he took him to the hospital on Monday where he is still receiving treatment.
“He is in hospital receiving treatment,” said Mabedi.
The social media has been awash from Monday with Nyanga’s purported death.
Mabedi said it is “false information” what is being spread on social media, saying Izeki is receiving treatment though poorly.
“Izeki is absolutely alive,” stressed Mabedi.
Mabedi said he was dissappointed with “disgusting rumours” with Izkei’s early demise, saying he is getting medical attentoion .
Apart from entertaining people through comedy, Nyanga is also a founder of the Ndirande-based Synagogue for Hope where he is popularly known as Prophet Z
Nyasa Times is this year celebrating a milestone after a decade of existence serving Malawians and the world at large as a reliable news output.
In commemorating the 10th anniversary, Nyasa Times will mark the occasion with a sumptuous banquet that will be dictated by pomp, glitz and glamour.
The red carpet event, which is being billed to be one of the most unforgettable events of all times will play host to the guests with a bountiful full-buffet and an avalanche of roof-bursting entertainment.
Organising committee chairperson Rhodrick Junaid Kalumpha disclosed there will be a humble entry to the function of £40 - all enjoying VIP treatment.
Kalumpha said those intending to book accommodation at Leeds Hilton Hotel should use this link for a discount fee: https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/hi/reservation/book.htm?execution=e1s1
Further details will be communicated later in due course.
Zani Chelle : Single Tonight[/caption]
“I’ve always felt as women we shy away and don’t say what we really want and feel and miss out on the guy we want. So, this song was about being that bold woman,” she said amidst giggles, according to the paper
Zani explains a chitchat with her producer gave birth to the song.
“The inspiration for the song came from a conversation I was having with my producer just about women being shy to just express what they want from a guy and sending mixed signals. And next thing I recall we were recording the song.
“Now it’s out, I released it last week online but it’s also playing on MTV as well as a few other international channels. It’s playing on most South African channels and a number of television channels outside. I don’t know the names of the channels in the other countries my management submitted to hence making a general statement of international channels,” the paper quotes her.
The song is on most online platforms including iTunes, Google play, Spotify and her plan is to take it to different parts of the world.
Gospel musician Sangwani Munthali[/caption]
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