The High Court sitting as a Constitutional Court in Lilongwe has lifted a ban on phone-in programs which Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) instituted last year.
Justice Charles Mkandawire ruled that the ban was an unjustified and unfair limitation on media freedom and freedom of expression.
MACRA banned all phone-in programs on June 7, 2019 citing unprofessionalism and breach of the Broadcasting Regulations by some broadcasters.
The Court has also quashed the Broadcasting Regulations developed by the Ministry of Information in 2019 for lacking consultations and not being tabled before the National Assembly.
MISA Malawi, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Times Radio and Capital Radio challenged the Constitutionality of both the ban and the Broadcasting Regulations.
