Media in Zambia

Zambia has a mixed media system covering printed publications, broadcasting, online broadcasting services, streaming, journalism and social media. The 2024 figures recorded 13.5 million internet subscriptions, equal to 67.3 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, with more than 99% using mobile connections. Household internet access was 33.4%, compared with 59.0% in urban areas and 14.6% in rural areas. Working television sets were present in 36.4% of households, while 34.4% had access to a television service; the urban and rural figures were 64.6% and 12.2%. Social networking reached 87.3% of internet users, but active internet use was recorded at 38.4% in urban areas and 7.4% in rural areas. Data prices, devices, electricity and network coverage therefore affect who can use each media service and how regularly they can use it. Printed publications operate under the Printed Publications Act, Cap. 161, which covers newspaper registration and preservation of printed copies. Article 20 of the Constitution protects the freedom to hold, receive and impart ideas and information, including freedom of the press, subject to constitutional limits. Zambia has no directly evidenced standalone national licensing body for journalists. Media houses, editorial standards and voluntary self-regulation provide the main professional framework. The Media Self-Regulation Council of Zambia (MSCZ) launched its secretariat in 2025 for complaints, ethics and engagement with media stakeholders, while MISA Zambia also supports media-related work. This self-regulation does not have the same legal force as a state court or statutory media tribunal. The IBA regulates radio and television. It licenses, renews, suspends and cancels broadcasting services, sets standards, monitors content and handles consumer affairs. Its directory lists approximately 100 operational radio content service providers and approximately 100 television content service providers. Radio categories include commercial, community or religious, public and landing-rights services. Television categories include public, private commercial, private non-commercial, cable, satellite, terrestrial subscription, digital mobile, subscriber management and landing-rights services. Community radio provides a particularly relevant access channel where national television or reliable internet access is limited. A broadcasting licence application normally follows an IBA call published in the Gazette and daily newspapers. Typical documents include a business plan, registration with PACRA or the Registrar of Societies, a programme plan, a board list with at least five members, the application and proof of payment. The Licensing Committee considers the application before the IBA Board decides. The IBA and ZICTA then inspect the proposed infrastructure before the service begins. The application fee is K3,000 and a landing-rights application fee is USD 1,000; these fees are non-refundable. The research record does not establish a current processing deadline. Act No. 25 of 2025 replaced earlier IBA legislation, but its commencement through a statutory instrument should be checked before relying on provisions that depend on commencement. ZNBC performs a public-service broadcasting function. Act No. 26 of 2025 changes its board and functions and provides for a broadcasting levy, but the applicable commencement instrument should be verified. Other state broadcasting offerings identified in parliamentary material include ZANIS Television, Parliament Television, Education TV and Lima Radio. Zambian law defines an online broadcasting service to include internet radio or television, IPTV, video-on-demand and web television. Act No. 25 of 2025 provides for an online broadcasting licence, with decisions intended within a maximum of 90 days and requirements and fees to be set by regulation. It also provides for 60% citizen shareholding for a broadcasting licence. The practical position remains subject to commencement through a statutory instrument and to confirmation against current IBA information. The definition excludes corporate audio or audiovisual communications, online newspapers, blogs, weblogs, audio or audiovisual clips and personal social-media streaming. Subscription television, mobile internet and platform-based over-the-top services therefore remain relevant functional alternatives, but Zambia does not yet have a single fully unified streaming regulator evidenced by the research. Social media is used mainly through mobile internet and is largely governed through platforms, internet service providers and general law rather than a dedicated local editorial licence for personal streaming. Users should protect accounts, avoid sharing verification codes, preserve evidence of abuse or fraud and report misinformation, scams and cyberbullying through the relevant platform or provider. ZICTA accepts complaints, and the Zambia Police Service Cybercrime Unit can handle criminal matters. The police emergency number is 991 when there is immediate danger or a child-protection concern. A parliamentary statement also identified 707# for suspicious mobile numbers. Media users have rights and duties under several laws. The Access to Information Act No. 24 of 2023 gives a citizen or residence-permit holder a right to request information without stating a reason, subject to the Act's rules. Information holders should provide access promptly, at a reasonable cost and in an accessible format; the Information Commission oversees the system and handles appeals. The Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021 regulates the use and processing of personal data and provides for the Data Protection Commissioner and data-subject rights. The Copyright and Performance Rights Act protects the owner's control over publication, reproduction, broadcasting and public communication. Republishing a photograph, recording, article or broadcast may therefore require permission even when the material is easy to download or share. IBA broadcasting standards address human dignity and rights, unbiased news, corrections, the right of reply, protection of minors, content classification and separation of advertising from editorial material. A viewer or listener should first complain to the relevant station. The station has 14 days to respond. The complaint can then go to the IBA, normally within three months of the broadcast; possible remedies include investigation, an apology or retraction, compliance measures and, where applicable, proceedings before the High Court. Children's media safety is supported by the Children's Code Act 2022 and the Cyber Crimes Act 2025, including protection from cyberbullying and online exploitation. ZICTA guidance recommends involving a trusted adult, blocking and reporting abusive accounts, using privacy settings and preserving evidence. Schools, families, broadcasters, platforms, providers and authorities may all have different responsibilities depending on the incident. Participation takes place through community-radio call-ins, social platforms, complaints to the IBA or ZICTA, access-to-information requests, MSCZ self-regulatory complaints and election-media processes involving the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and IBA guidance. The practical strength of each mechanism differs: a broadcast licence creates formal regulatory oversight, an access-to-information request has a statutory framework, and a platform report depends on the provider's rules and response. Media literacy, privacy, accuracy, copyright, child protection and evidence preservation affect whether participation remains safe and effective.