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afrol News, 30 September - The Malawian government has adopted an unwritten policy that has opened the two national broadcasters, Television Malawi (TVM) and the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), to campaigners against the ruling party's push to allow a third term for President Bakili Muluzi. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) today celebrated the victory of the change in policy. This new state media policy, which has never been officially announced, saw TVM hosting ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) deputy spokesperson and leader of the human rights watchdog Public Affairs Committee, in a heated and frank debate on the third term bill. Last July, the UDF pushed a bill to delimit presidential terms of office from the current two five-year terms to open tenure. Parliament rejected the bill. Despite President Muluzi promising to honour the decision of parliament, the government however has gazetted another bill proposing three terms for Malawian presidents. Following the TVM debate, MBC, which hitherto was a preserve of the UDF, aired public contributions criticising the government intention to re-table a bill aimed to allow President Muluzi another term in office. The sudden opening of the airwaves comes hot on the heels of a joint statement from Malawi's traditional donors telling government to allow free access to the two institutions. On 16 September, Germany, Norway, the United States, Britain and the European Union who are the main donors of Malawi warned the government to observe democratic principles in the run-up to the re-tabling of the bill. In the run up to the July presentation of the third-term bill, the UDF and government repeatedly had infringed on press freedom. State media only reported on the pro-third term campaigners. Independent media reporting on anti-third term campaigners were intimidated by UDF officials. Meanwhile, the National Media Institute of Southern Africa (Namisa) has issued a statement praising government for the decision and encouraged it to allow the two institutions editorial freedom. Also MISA issued a statement, calling the change of policy a "victory".
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