Mozambique: Press and Broadcasting:law proposals go to the Parliament plenary – Noticias

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Press and Broadcasting:law proposals go to the Parliament plenary – Noticias

3:02 CAT | 08 Apr 2021

Photo: Noticias

The Proposal for the new Media and Broadcasting Law will be submitted for consideration by the plenary of the Assembly of the Republic (AR) in the coming days, together with the conclusion of the opinions issued by the specialised committees of the body.

This instrument, approved by the government last October and which revokes the 1991 Press Law, defines a legal framework that responds to the new reality and introduces, among other aspects, the mandatory use of a professional card.

The document, which was under consideration on Tuesday at the Commission of Social Affairs, Gender, Technology and Social Communication of the House of Representatives, also defines the new principles and rules applicable to the exercise of this activity [journalism] as well as the rights and duties of its professionals.

It also determines the bases and the legal regime for the access and exercise of broadcasting activity applicable to the operators and providers of public and private radio and television services and foreigners authorized to operate in the country.

Speaking to journalists, the president of the Social Affairs, Gender, Technology and Social Communication Commission, Lúcia Mafuiane, said that the evaluation of the proposal had been going on for some time, with public hearings, hearings to the Government, individual and group studies and appreciation in the commissions.

“We conducted surveys of the submissions presented by various media and stakeholders interested in this branch to get to know the concerns and present to the proponent of the law,” Mafuiane said, for whom, briefly, all were unanimous in stating that the proposals of the new law is welcome, though differing in some aspects, such as the creation and functioning of the regulatory body.

Another aspect, according to Lúcia Mafuiane, has to do with the issue of content, local and foreign, in which some agreed that 80 percent should be local, but others disagreed.

The proposal determines that a person who lives outside the country cannot manage a local media outlet, although this aspect is also divergent among the stakeholders in the matter.

“We are studying the contributions collected during this process and we will prepare our opinion, which will be submitted to the plenary of the Assembly of the Republic,” she said.

On Tuesday this committee considered the proposal for a punctual revision of the National Education System Law in order to remedy shortcomings with regard to article 7, number two, which establishes compulsory enrolment.

This device does not necessarily induce school attendance, and the proponent of the law [the government] clarifies that children who turn six years old by the date of the beginning of classes and those who complete this age by June 30 of each year must not only enrol but attend compulsory schooling.

Also read: Mozambique: British journalist expelled; restrictive press law proposed – By Joseph Hanlon

Source: Noticias