Paul Weinberg

20 Years of Internet

in Zambia
How has journalism been impacted?
2014 is an important year for Zambia. This year the relatively small
Southern African country joins the list of countries on the continent
that have marked 50 years of independence. On 24 October the
colours of the Zambian flag will fly high as the country not only
celebrates, but also reflects on its successes and failures in the past
half century.
By Elastus Mambwe

2014 August RJR 34 77

s part of its achievements, Zambia has often

been hailed as having successfully transitioned
into multiparty politics and liberalism without
bloodshed, and having effected various policy shifts that
have helped the country develop to what it is today. Two
of the areas that have undergone this change are the
media and the telecommunications sectors.
The relationship between the two sectors cannot
be ignored. Increased investment, development and
application of new communication networks and services
in Zambia, as is the case in other African countries
over the past 25 years, have led to a rise in the uptake of
technological platforms provided by these networks in
areas such as education, health, banking and very soon,
government. For the media, operations are increasingly
becoming dependent on the availability of these
technologies, of which the internet is perhaps of primary
significance.

The development of the internet in Zambia

While 2014 is Zambias 50th jubilee, this year also marks
20 years of access to the internet for the country. Full
access to the internet began in November 1994, making
Zambia the fifth in Africa to do so, and only the second
in sub-Saharan Africa, behind South Africa. This feat
followed three years of development of an electronic mail
network whose purpose was to serve non-commercial
interests at the University of Zambia (UNZA) for the
country (Robinson 1996: 191).
Robinson (1996) records that UNZA was provided
a link to the internet via thrice-daily, computer-tocomputer telephone calls, an arrangement that went on
from 1991 to 1994 when full access was achieved (ibid.
194) under a special agreement with Rhodes University
in South Africa. In 1993, a proposal was made to various
international funding institutions to enable UNZA have
direct link to the internet. The university set up a private
company, Zamnet Communication Systems Limited, to
spearhead this goal for connection and service provision
early in 1994. That year, the ZAMNET project obtained
80% funding from the World Bank.
With Zamnet fully established and operational,
the company set out to achieve its aim of distributing
internet services to users throughout Zambia. It had two
main objectives at the time; the first was to construct
the hardware and technical support essential for the
provision of a reliable full Internet service, and the second
was to create a market for the internet service as well as
engage necessary administrative staff and procedures, in
order to make the company wholly self-sustaining a year
after operation, and after the World Banks seed money
had be exhausted (ibid. 196 197).
With Zamnet as the first internet service provider

For journalists, the use of the internet in their work

is seen to have numerous benefits relating to news
gathering, production and dissemination. Changes in
practices are the most prominent.
78 RJR 34 August 2014

(ISP), Zambia was able to successfully connect to the

internet in November 1994, marking the dawn of the
internet age in Zambia. Today there about 23 ISPs
offering connection via Optic Fibre, VSAT, ADSL, Wi-fi
Broadband, as well as mobile 3G, and 4G, and other
technologies (ZICTA 2009).
The sector is today aligned within the framework of
the National Information Communications Technology
(ICT) Policy of 2006 that seeks to harmonise the
contribution of ICTs to national development through
creation of an innovative market and responsive
competitive ICT sector (GRZ 2002: 1). Additionally, the
Information and Communication Technologies Act
of 2009 provides for the regulation of the entire ICT
sector. The presence of these regulatory facilities has
significantly helped increase the internet penetration,
even though it is still low. Internet subscriptions have
increased from 8 248 in 2001 to 92 642 at the end of 2012,
(ZICTA 2009). Today, there are about 2.6 million internet
subscribers, out of a population of 14 million, and 98% of
these use mobile devices.1

Internet and the media in Zambia

The internet is a technology that has brought about a lot
of change in everyday life. Everyday processes in the work
cycle have changed. For journalists, the use of the internet
in their work is seen to have numerous benefits relating
to news gathering, production and dissemination.
Changes in practices are the most prominent. Journalists
have had to adapt to this new digital age where there are
many more tools available for them to get or tell a story,
more interactivity with audiences and the almost nonexistent restrictions on time and space.
Several writers have come to generally agree that ICTs
such as the internet are supposed to be able to increase
the efficacy of media practice (Heinonen 1999). This best
describes the use of the internet by journalists in Zambia,
where evidence suggests that in its 20 year history in the
country, the internet has had a positive impact on the
practice of journalism.
In a study on the use of ICTs, particularly the internet
and cell phones, in a selected number of newsrooms in
nine Southern African countries, the results from Zambia
showed that journalists in general use and understand
the importance of the internet in their day-to-day work
(Mukendi 2005: 55).
The same study also showed that there are some
hindrances that journalists encountered in their use of
ICTs. For instance, limited access to internet facilities and
resistance by their managers to adapt to new technologies
were listed as some of the constraints. The study
concluded that there was need to generally improve the
use of ICT tools such as the internet in newsrooms, and

that the lack of ICT policies in newsrooms was a big challenge that
needed to be addressed.
Additional proof of the impact of the internet on the work of
journalists can be derived from a 2012 to 2013 study by this author
to investigate the level of use, scope and impact of the internet on
journalism. The study not only concluded that the internet has
had a positive impact on journalism, but also that it has influenced
journalists to engage more with news consumers, a factor that has
helped give the media new credibility in the eyes of the public; the
media now are seen as a part of the society rather than bystanders or
observers in the quest to achieve objectivity (Mambwe 2013).
However, the study also revealed that further favourable impact
is affected by factors such as: the high cost of having access to the
internet and other communication technologies; and very low levels
or no internet infrastructure in some parts of the country. In the
study that involved 10 news managers or editors, representing 10
media houses, and 50 journalists, it was further observed that there
still exists a serious need for improved internet skills for journalists if
the internets potential benefit is to be fully exploited.
Before the year 2000, very few media houses and journalists
had internet connections. Significant changes become noticeable at
the dawn of the millennium. By 2004, more journalists had begun
using the internet than ever before (Mambwe 2013) and this increase
has continued to the present day. As this has happened, certain
important trends have arisen that are key to this reflection on the
internet and the media. These are:
a. Mobile internet: increased mobile telephony has brought about
new ways of accessing the internet. Zambias three mobile
cellular providers are now major ISPs and journalist are
benefiting from these facilities that are also relatively cheaper.
b. Online media: these have emerged and are offering alternative
voices to the traditional media. They often allow readers to
comment, discuss and share content, making them very popular.
Examples of online media include: Lusaka Times, The Zambian
Watchdog, Zambia 24, Lusaka Voice, Kitwe Times, Tumfweko and
The Zambian.
c. Social media: social media have emerged as tools that many
journalists are using in their work. The various available tools
have created an environment of interaction and debate for the
journalists and news consumers. Additionally, journalists are
also using social media to monitor public debate, contribute
as citizens to these debates without the requirement of being
objective as would be required in their media houses, and obtain
story ideas. Most media houses have developed a strong social
presence, especially the private media. Some such as Muvi TV
(@AskMuvi) use content from these platforms as part of their
programming.
d. Citizen journalism: as a result of the internet, more and more
ordinary Zambians are practising citizen journalism particularly
on social media platforms. Stories obtained from citizen posts
and tip-offs are increasingly finding themselves in the traditional
media.
e. Zambian blogosphere: owing to increased connectivity and access,
the blogging community has emerged and continues to grow.
Journalists now also have personal blogs where they can report
beyond what is in their official media outlets.

The future of internet technology and the media

As the internet in Zambia clocks 20 years, it is clear that a lot has
been achieved in this period, even though there still remains a lot
to be done, especially when one considers that the country was one
of the earliest in Africa to have this facility. It is clear that there are

Paul Weinberg

still a number of challenges that need to

be addressed if internet penetration and
development is to be improved.
Generally, there are a number of
other issues that may be points of focus
for the country relating to the internet.
These include: the urgent need to achieve
universal access to ICTs for all, including
the differently abled; improving on the
countrys cyber security infrastructure;
and significantly reducing the cost
associated with accessing the internet or
to investing in the sector. Besides these,
there is need to find means of ensuring
child online protection and safety, and
perhaps more importantly and urgently,
is the need to initiate and complete
the process of harmonising the policy,
regulatory and legal framework that
governs the internet sector so as to make
it efficient and progressive.
For the media, one of the major
concerns going forward will be whether or
not internet regulation will affect freedom
of the press. There have been statements,
2014 August RJR 34 79

The future of the

internet in Zambia is
that of potential, not
only for the media,
but in all aspects
of life. However,
for this potential
to be realised,
positive shifts will
have to be made
by stakeholders
responsible for the
development of the
sector.
Paul Weinberg

Elastus Mambwe is an
award-winning journalist
turned academic. His holds
a bachelors and a masters
in mass communication
from the University of
Zambia, where he now
lectures. His areas of
interest include digital
journalism, radio, television
and film studies, and ICT
policy and development.

80 RJR 34 August 2014

though few, from government officials hinting that the

state may want to have more control on the internet due
to increased criticism and opposing political activity.
The government has raised several concerns over the
seemingly reduced adherence to ethical guidelines
particularly with the online media, and media outlets
such as The Zambian Watchdog have had their websites
blocked from time to time. This issue is a major point of
contention with the media and how it will be dealt with
will be interesting to observe.
As a projection, it is expected that several policy
decisions will have to be made to deal with some of
these areas of interest with the media. Whether these
will be progressive or retrogressive, only time will tell.
Also, while internet penetration is poised to increase
year by year, the use of online media platforms,
including social media platforms, will also increase, a
move that will see more interaction between journalists,
newsmakers, and audiences. This will lead to further
revision of the role of the journalist.
The future of the internet in Zambia is that of
potential, not only for the media, but in all aspects
of life. However, for this potential to be realised,
positive shifts will have to be made by stakeholders
responsible for the development of the sector. Twenty
years have gone by leaving us with the feeling that
maybe we could have done better. The approach for the
next decade or two should be one that is focused on
transforming the nation to meet its goal of becoming
an information and knowledge based society. And so as
the 50th independence commemorations and national
reflections take centre stage this year, the achievements,
failures and future of internet technology in Zambia
should not be forgotten. After all, its also the sectors
birthday.

References

Government of the Republic of Zambia. 1996.

Information and media policy: Zambia Printing
Company, Lusaka.
Government of the Republic of Zambia. 2002.
Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act No 20
of 2002. Government Printers: Lusaka.
Heinonen, A. 1999. Journalism in the age of the net.
Tampere: Acta Universitatis Tamperensis.
Mambwe, E. 2013. The use of new media in journalism
and new dissemination in Zambia: the case of the
internet. Masters thesis, University of Zambia.
Mukendi, R. 2005. Zambia report. In Berger, G. Doing
digital journalism: how Southern African news gatherers
are using ICT. New Media Lab and Highway Africa:
Grahamstown.
Robinson, N. 1996. Bringing the internet to Zambia. In
Bridge builders: African experiences with information
and communication technology. Washington: National
Academy Press.
Tech Trends. 2014. Latest statistics on mobile and
internet subscriptions in Zambia.
http://www.techtrends.co.zm/telecoms-cat/lateststatistics-mobile-internet-subscriptions-zambia.
Zambia Information and Communications
Technology Authority (ZICTA). 2009. ICT
statistics and indicators. http://zicta.zm/index.
php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126&It
emid=56

Endnotes
1. http://www.techtrends.co.zm/telecoms-cat/latest-statisticsmobile-internet-subscriptions-zambia