MALAWI: Government pledges Support to Catholic Media Houses
The Government of Malawi through the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology has commended Catholic Media houses and its practitioners for striving to advance evangelization and development related news hence pledges its support to them.
Speaking on Sunday after touring Tuntufye FM, a regional Catholic Radio station belonging to the Diocese of Karonga, The Minister for Information, Communication and Technology Hon. Nicholas Dausi challenged Catholic media houses to be more professional hence share news that brings hope to the people rather than pessimistic news.
“We should not thrive in bad news or something that is defamatory to our colleagues. Using the Church media is crucial for the evangelization drive,” said Dausi who is also a Catholic Christian.
Dausi promised the government’s commitment to work hand in hand with Catholic media houses and to offer any support that would enable them grow and deliver better services to the nation. “I am impressed by what Tuntufye FM of Karonga diocese is doing. They are doing fine and we will support them,” he said.
Later, the Minister attended The Eucharistic Celebration to mark the Catholic Church’s 51st Communications Sunday at St Mary’s Parish.
Meanwhile, preceding over the Holy Mass, Karonga Bishop Rt. Rev. Martin Mtumbuka expresses the Catholic Church’s gratitude to God for the various tools of communication as a way of reaching out to the people with the gospel.
Bishop Mtumbuka however, expressed disappointment over the underutilization and in effective use of the communication tools available saying, there is need to put them into proper use.
“I would like to challenge our media houses and those working in these houses to be more professional. We thank God for the gift of all communication tools. However, we are challenging ourselves to use them effectively. We could do better than what we are doing with our Television Station, Radio Stations and newspapers,” said Bishop Mtumbuka.
He added that, the Catholic Media Houses should be a source of hope by teaching catechism and enlightening the public on the country’s development agenda.
“Let us offer the message of faith for the glory of God and the development of the nation. We are the ones to champion this and this can be done based on the way we do things. Let us be innovative and do things in a more coordinated manner,” he said.
On this particular day, Bishop Chairman for Social Communications and Research, His Lordship, Rt. Rev. George Tambala, shared the message from Pope Francis in all the Parishes and Churches across the country.
In his message, Pope Francis is encourages everyone to engage in constructive forms of communication that reject prejudice towards others and instead promote a culture of encounter, helping all to view the world with realism and trust.
“Pope Francis challenges us all to break the various circle of anxiety and stem the spiral of fear that results from a constant focus on bad news such as war, terrorism, scandals and all sorts of human failure,” reads part of the message signed by Bishop Tambala.
The Pontiff further challenges media practitioners to search for an open and creative style of communication that never seeks to glorify evil but instead concentrates on solutions and inspires a positive and responsible approach on the part of its recipient.
The 51st Communications Sunday in Malawi was commemorated under the theme Fear not, for I am with you, Communicating Hope and Trust in our Time. The national celebration of the day which was held in Karonga brought together all the Diocesan Communication Secretaries, Association of Catholic Journalists in Malawi representatives, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology, Justin Saidi and Directors of Catholic Media Houses.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) through its Social Communications and Research Commission is among others, mandated to coordinate Catholic media houses which include; Radio Maria Malawi, Radio Alinafe, Tigabane Radio, Tuntufye FM, Luntha Television, Montfort and Likuni Press.
By Prince Henderson
