NBC clarifies directive prohibiting staff to report preliminary election results

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has clarified its directive to prohibit its staff members from providing live media updates or announcing election results from regional centres or polling stations.

The broadcaster says the directive is aimed at ensuring all its platforms align.

Chief news and programming officer Menesia Muinjo says the institution will only broadcast live feeds from the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) itself, while other information from polling stations will be used for news purposes.

“I’m responsible for the coordination of our team. The platform is . . . to ensure that everybody is aligned, for example, on what is happening now.

“That is why I’m saying . . . let’s rather take the ECN head office live broadcast because there are so many centres, and we needed clarity to see what is happening,” she says.

Muinjo says the ECN providing results would be more authentic.

“We wanted somebody to speak straight from the head office until it is an authentic one,” she says.

Muinjo says aligning the team is part of her responsibilities.

“We have five divisions in one department, and we have 11 radio stations, and that platform is to make sure everybody is aligned.

“If there is a problem, the heads of department and managers could ask why we are saying that.

“I was implying that we need the ECN to answer. Let them say, for example, why there was a shortage of ballot papers,” she says.

This comes after Muinjo sent a letter to all NBC heads of department, managers, and supervisors, stating that staff should not broadcast live media updates or results on Thursday.

“For now, let’s only broadcast or stream live ECN media events from the head office.

“This means we will not beam live media updates or results announcements from the regional centres or polling stations at this stage.

“We can record those events and manage them from the news point of view,” she said in the letter.

“Also, as journalists, let’s remain professional. Let’s not take any side, and remember that the ECN should have the right of reply.

“Yes, we all now know that the shortage of ballot papers may have caused some emotions to run high.

“But as NBC professionals, we must be alert not to be swept away by this matter.

“Let the ECN give their view on what may have caused this challenge,” she said.

Minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus on Thursday said she was unaware of the directive.

“Call NBC themselves. I don’t run NBC’s matters on a daily basis. I represent the shareholder, which is the government,” she said.