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Zambia’s Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has suspended KBN TV’s broadcasting licence for 30 days with immediate effect for breaching the 2026 Election Coverage Guidelines and other broadcasting standards, the regulator said on Thursday.
IBA Director General, Webster Malido, said the decision was made during the authority’s 56th Special Board Meeting held on Sept. 23.
He said KBN TV had failed to conduct discussions in a balanced, fair, accurate and objective manner, broadcast unsubstantiated and unverified claims, failed to present alternative viewpoints and provide a right to reply, and inadequately moderated a programme in which inappropriate language was aired.
“The Board considered KBN TV’s compliance record, noting the station appeared before the Board four times and was cautioned in writing six times between 2023 and 2026 for similar breaches,” Malido said.
The station was also directed to undertake in-house capacity-building for staff on programme moderation and ethical broadcasting and to review its editorial policy to define acceptable broadcast language.
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Malido said KBN TV could appeal the decision to the Minister of Information and Media within 30 days under Section 31(1) of the IBA (Amendment) Act No. 26 of 2010.
He said KBN TV was among 17 stations cited for breaching the Election Coverage Guidelines following an assessment of their coverage of the 2026 General Election.
“During the same meeting, the Board also suspended the licences of 3FM Radio of Chipata, Mungu FM Radio of Mongu and Healing TV of Lusaka for 30 days for non-payment of Annual Operating Fees,” he announced.
Malido said the three stations had failed to settle their outstanding 2026 Annual Operating Fees, which fell due on Jan. 1, despite hearings held on Feb. 16 and a grace period that ran until April 30.
The regulator also cautioned 16 stations for breaches including failure to verify serious allegations, inadequate moderation, airing content that could incite public panic or violence, hate speech and tribalism, misinformation and the use of insulting language.
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