Assessing the Effectiveness of Political Influence on Journalism Practice in Public Media Houses in Lusaka: A Case Study of ZNBC

This study examines the impact of political influence on journalistic practices at Zambia's National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), with a particular focus on strategies to maintain professionalism and independence under political pressure. Historically, Zambia's media landscape has been shaped by periods of authoritarian rule, particularly during the one-party state era under Kenneth Kaunda (1964-1991), when the government controlled the media to consolidate power and suppress opposition. The findings indicate that despite the transition to multiparty democracy in 1991, political interference in the media, including ZNBC, has persisted, especially during election periods, where biased reporting and editorial manipulation in favour of the ruling party have been common. Using the Authoritarian Theory of the Press as the theoretical framework, this research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather perspectives from stakeholders and ZNBC media personnel.