LOOKING BACK : Zambian papers threatened by print shortage

The Rhodesia Herald,

December 20, 1977

ZAMBIA’S Government printing office and its two national newspapers may be forced to close due to a lack of essential printing supplies.

The publishers have been unable to obtain the 70 million kwacha necessary to buy chemicals and printing plates from British suppliers.

The Government Gazette, the Zambia Daily Mail and the Times of Zambia would all be affected by the shortage. Publishing sources said present supplies would run out in mid-January.

With a balance of payments deficit, foreign exchange in Zambia is extremely short and is allocated on the basis of how essential the proposed import is to the economy.

“It would be particularly tragic if at this critical time in the development of our nation the vital information and news media machines were silenced even for a single day on the basis of a technicality such as this,” Mr Siiota Wina, executive chairman of the Zambia Publishing Company (publishers of The Daily Mail) said.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

The economic environment in Zambia played a significant role in this crisis. Factors such as inflation, currency fluctuations, and overall economic instability exacerbated challenges faced by Government entities and private publishers alike.

The Zambian government printing office and national newspapers faced financial difficulties that hindered their operations. The lack of funds made it impossible for them to procure essential materials needed for printing.

The inability to obtain chemicals and printing plates indicates significant supply chain disruptions. These materials are crucial for the printing process, and without them, the production of newspapers and other printed materials is jeopardised.

If the situation had not improved, there was a real possibility that these institutions could have been forced to close down. This would have had far-reaching implications not only for the media landscape in Zambia, but also for public access to information.