BBC Kinyarwanda back on air

KIGALI - After two consecutive months being off air due to a controversial program it broadcast, the contentious Gahuzamiryango programme aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), was expected back on air last evening. Information Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, told The New Times that they had written to the BBC management authorising them to resume broadcasting. “We’re pleased with the changes they have agreed to make on their editorial line,” she said over a phone interview. Last week’s cabinet meeting sanctioned that the Kirundi-Kinyarwanda programme, be resumed on condition that BBC complies with its commitment to change what the government of Rwanda calls “poisonous” reporting. In the middle of the programme’s suspension, officials from both sides met in Kigali to discuss the matter and came up with appropriate solutions. Rwanda maintains the programme has for long been used as a means to spread heinous messages but also acknowledged that the problem lies within the language barrier, which top BBC management cannot understand to make an independent judgement on violation of some ethics. Mushikiwabo insisted on the need for continuous verification by the BBC management on Gahuzamiryango programmes, maintaining that its suspension was not an issue to do with press freedom but rather with editorial content. “There is no press freedom without borders,” she said. “Genocide denial is totally unacceptable in our government and Rwandan Genocide is not to be down played by the media.” Both Mushikiwabo and the Executive Secretary of the Media High Council, Patrice Mulama, apportioned blame on Gahuzamiryango editors. “We don’t even blame the BBC journalists here, but their editors in London seem to be problematic,” Mulama said, supporting government’s stand to urge them to change their editorial line. Mulama, who sounded optimistic that BBC would comply with the commitment put in writing, added that his institution will continue the normal monitoring to make sure the programme is not used as a tool of genocide denial. “If they don’t comply with their commitment to change, they will be removed again,” he emphasized. Ends

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BBC Kinyarwanda back on air