Nyasatimes has established that the suspensions stem from how MBC covered a routine diplomatic ceremony on Friday, where President Peter Mutharika received letters of credence from Japanese Ambassador Naito Yashushi. Instead of being praised for balanced reporting, the journalists now find themselves on the chopping block for the unforgivable crime of “focusing too much on the ambassador”. Yes, in what can only be described as peak absurdity, senior journalists at the national broadcaster are being punished for giving airtime to a foreign diplomat at a diplomatic event.
According to an inside source, management accused the newsroom team of shifting attention away from the President and giving the Japanese envoy too much prominence in the story. “They are accused of focusing much on the Ambassador in their reporting,” the source said. In other words, MBC journalists are now expected to report on international diplomacy without actually paying attention to the international guest.
This latest suspension confirms what many Malawians have long suspected: that MBC is no longer a public broadcaster, but a fragile political shrine where every story must revolve around the President, every camera angle must flatter power, and every journalist must remember their primary job is not informing the public, but worshipping authority. The incident has sparked ridicule within media circles, with critics asking whether MBC now expects reporters to crop out everyone else from national events and leave only the President on screen, even at funerals, weddings and football matches. One senior journalist, speaking off record, mocked the situation: “Next time a visiting head of state comes, maybe we should just film the ceiling and write ‘His Excellency was present’ to be safe.” Officials from MBC were not immediately available for comment, but a senior manager has since confirmed that several members of staff have indeed been suspended, pending “internal processes”.
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However, there is a deeper political undertone to this drama. For years, Chikoko has survived waves of political pressure, but insiders say his suspension now fits neatly into a broader pattern of purging perceived “wrong-era” figures and replacing them with more obedient cadres. In short, this is less about journalism and more about political housekeeping.
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