Kadewas walk through NPL corridorsP2 Citizens voices: The rise of citizen journalismP4

Thawes 13 years of taking papers to readers

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2NATION AT 20

Special pullout weekend nation 20 april 2013

Join the celebrationAs Nation Publications Limited (NPL) continues celebrating its 20-year existence, we are pleased to bring you another pull-out that reflects on where The Nation brands have come from, where they are now and the promising future. This fourth pull-out commemorates the various local and international awards that have over the years been awarded to NPL as an organisation, its founders as well as its workforce in recognition of numerous outstanding contributions they have made to the media fraternity and the nation as a whole. Today, we specifically look at contributions and experiences of some of NPLs longest serving employees who have served in different capacities in ensuring that high quality products reach our diversified consumers. This pull-out also commemorates four years of citizen journalismwhich has seen members of the public playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting and disseminating news and informationin Weekend Nation. We talk to various citizen journalists who share their experiences in the profession and reflect on how the concept of citizen journalism has transformed the face of journalism in the country. As we continue sharing our joy at hitting 20 years of success, on every 20th of each month this year, we urge you, dear reader, to rejoice with us every step of the way. n

Thawes 13 years of taking newspapers to consumersSingayazi Kaminjolo Staff Reporter

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s Nation Publications Limited (NPL) clocks 20 years, the importance of the circulation department cannot be overemphasised in its contribution towards the success of the NPL brands. The circulation department works in close collaboration with the editorial department of NPL in ensuring that the right news product gets to the right consumer at the right time. According to circulation clerk Stonnex Thawe, who is based in Lilongwe, circulation involves the maintenance of circulation records for the city of publication; the recruitment, supervision and reimbursement of carrier boys. Thawes tasks also include supervision of district agents who oversee circulation by subdivisions of the city, taking responsibility for moving papers to the news-stands and maintaining good relations with news-stand operators, among others. Our major responsibility is moving the papers into the appropriate distribution channels so as to be on the streets and offices of our subscribers on time, said Thawe who has been with NPL for 13 years. The circulation department is also responsible for promoting the NPL brands which include The Nation, Weekend Nation, Nation on Sunday, Fuko and Nation Online. Since we work directly with vendors and other subscribers, we know what type of news

Thawe: We provide feedback to editorial departmentattracts consumers; thus, we advise the editorial department on the feedback we get from readers through vendors, said Thawe. The success of the circulation department does not depend on editorial only but also production department. Not only do readers need quality news content but also quality pictures and news print. With the news printing machine that NPL has just acquired, our products have high quality pictures which have improved circulation, said Thawe. Late production means late arrival of the newspapers on the streets and in the offices. This translates into decrease in circulation sales. The circulation department is happy when our paper is the first on the street as it gives us a competitive advantage over our competitors, said Thawe. n

Kadewas walk through NPL corridorsNPLs head of sales and bureau MacDonald Kadewa joined the company in 1995 straight from University of Malawi, the Polytechnic, where he graduated with a diploma in business studies and a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in accountancy. He shares the story of his 18-yearold journey with NPL: to bookkeeping and production of management accounts. I also dealt with the financing agencies and negotiated deals on behalf of NPL. Back then, we used to factor our debtors through Leasing and Finance Company (LFC) from whom we also had our loans financed. LFC were responsible for debt collection; they would get their commission and the balance would then be paid to us. This was done against a back drop of having a thin and inexperienced workforce. One moment not to be forgotten is when the first President Dr H.K. Banda, died. We worked tirelessly to meet the overwhelming stakeholders demands and I am confident that we satisfied the demands of our readers. In 1998, I moved to Lilongwe to head the Lilongwe and Mzuzu bureaux working as business manager responsible for all NPL operations. During my stay in Lilongwe, we made a lot of progress in terms of market penetration both for newspaper sales and advertising. I worked with a very dedicated team most of whom were very young, energetic and willing to learn. In 2007, I was moved to back to Blantyre to work as head of sales and marketing responsible for all our company sales and the marketing aspects of NPL. I found this new position PAGE 4

joined the company as an administrative assistant and thereafter, I was moved into the accounts section where I worked as an assistant accountant before being moved up the ladder to accountant and then senior accountant. While working in accounts, I handled NPLs finances from the payroll

Has been with NPL for 18 years: Kadewa

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PHOTOGRAPH: singayazi kaminjolo

Special pullout weekend nation 20 april 2013

3NATION AT 20

NPL news analyst Deogratias Mmana (right) receives a Namisa award

Voice of NPLs awardsEPHRAIM NYONDO Staff Writer

NPL s Garry Chirwa flanked by Gomezgani Zakazaka, right, Amos Gumulira after receiving sports coverage awards

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hat fine US writer Ernest Hemmingway said a great story is shown, not told. So let it be with Nation Publications Limiteds (NPL) story of excellence. Established in 1993 with a tall dream to match The Times of UKaccording to deputy chief executive officer Alfred NtongaNPLs story of excellence in the 20 years of its grand service is well shown, not told, by achievement of numerous awards. Since its inception, to begin with, independent media surveys, popular and professional votes have endorsed NPL as a popular and credible media institution. There is a great reason: NPL did not begin this journey to stardom alone. There were almost 36 other newspapers. Most, if not all of them, today, have folded into oblivion dead, buried and forgotten. Unarguably, it shouldnt be a surprise that NPLs endorsements of its grandeur have always come in form of medals. NPL won the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter Award three times in 2006, 2007 and 2009. It also produced Misa overall winners in 2003, 2006 and 2010. Not only that. With a ruthless streak, The Nation has also scooped Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Entertainer of the Years best print media house in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008 with NPLs gifted sports journalist Garry Chirwa emerging winner on all those occasions. It is humblinga great sense of flatter, sometimes. But

News analyst Peter Kanjere has received several sports coverage awards

NPL reporter Frank Namangale receives a Namisa award

The late Aleke Banda received the Lifetime Media Achiever Award in 2007it feels good to be part of NPLs great family, especially, to write for the people that appreciates what you do. It is the service I offer not just to NPL but also to the entire nation, says Garry, popularly known as Arega, the ever-smiling man who, if it wasnt for being a journalist, could have been an international stand-up comedian. Even to date, talk of TNM Super League, Standard Bank Cup and recent Presidential Cup, NPL journalists have emerged top for best coverage in print category in all these coveted competitions And NPLs youthful but vibrant and insightful marketing manager Timothy Nzima has sweet memories of 2009. In that year, nine out of 10 awards in the print category went to NPL, says Nzima, adding with a great sense of history that no other media house in the country has ever achieved that feat. In last years Misa awards,

CEO Mbumba Achuthan (L) receives an Incmedia awardNPLs chief executive officer Mbumba Achuthan was awarded the most prestigious honor: the Lifetime Media Achiever Award. If you listen to how she coordinated NPL in its tender years, especially on how The Nation covered Operation Bwezaniprobably one of the most exciting period of journalism, according to Ntongayou could hardly fault Misa for the award. We all spread out to different parts of the country and covered the event as it unfolded, and when it came to production time, we all worked as a team to put everything together. Some of us even went on delivery, served coffee and tea to people, sold advertswe did everything, recalls Mbumba. That spirit still rages on at NPL, and it is a spirit behind the tenacious spills of excellence at the heart of a media company that has towered Malawis media circles like a giraffe. n

PHOTOGRAPHs: nation library

4NATION AT 20

Special pullout weekend nation 20 april 2013

Kadewas walk through NPL corridorsPAGE 2 challenging, but very exciting. Having worked in the companys finance and administration departments, I had enough experience as a business manager. The experience, coupled with the knowledge obtained through my studies through the University of Derby MSC programme, I faced the challenge with positive energy. One memorable experience in this position was when the Bingu wa Mutharika-government withdrew a substantial amount in advertising business for NPL. We had to think outside the box to ensure that the company stayed afloat. This s a period when we really worked as a team; from the CEO to the office assistantwe all became sales reps. While in Blantyre, I was also part of a team that crafted our first ever strategic plan which was in use between 2007 and 2013 and this was another exciting experience where we applied lessons learnt in class and our own experiences at NPL. In 2010, I was once again moved back to Lilongwe to head the bureau and also maintained my overall leadership in sales and marketing. This time around, I combine leadership of the bureau and the entire sales and marketing team countrywide. During the entire period I have worked with NPL, I have been inspired by the late AKB (MHSRIP) and CEO, Mbumba Achuthan. AKB was a humble person with a lot of wisdom. He handled the business with professionalism and never compromised his political ambitions with the business needs. He was a very good advisor and mentor. Mbumba has always been a goal getter, fearless and deadline conscious. Future prospects look very good as we look at diversification in the media business. n

ALBERT SHARRA Staff Reporter

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ation Publications Limiteds visionto be a market leader in the media industrynot only speaks about the future, but builds on the success story behind the companys 20 years of existence. With its brandsThe Nation, Weekend Nation, Nation on Sunday, Fuko and Nation Onlineflowing and reaching to all corners of the country, the ambitious management at NPL considered the need for citizens to actively participate in news gathering. Thus in 2009, the idea of citizen journalism was born in one of NPLs brandsWeekend Nation. The editors note in Weekend Nations edition of January 1011 2009, which launched the popular Citizen Voices page, speaks volumes about the rationale behind the idea of citizen journalism. The idea is empowerment. It stems from the belief we have at NPL that when you give power to what has been a passive audience, they start using it and in the process you put them on the right road towards being better citizens, reads part of the note. Welcome to this brand new Citizen Voices page in Weekend Nation. It is truly the readers page because everything that will appear here will be collected, written and sent to us by you, our readers, Malawian citizens , from all corners of the country-urban and rural, reads the first paragraph of the note. It is a fact that journalists cannot be in all corners of the country to witness every news occurence, but should this be a reason not to cover areas the journalists cannot reach? At NPL the answer is no. It is NPLs belief that such gaps should be filled by any citizen with an interest to report community news. Today, the Weekend Nation publishes news stories from citizen journalists situated in all districts and cities of the country. For some passionate citizens, the Citizen Voices pages have

Citizen Voices: The rise of citizen journalism

Part of a Citizen Voices pageacted as a stepping stone into the journalism career as some have become ardent writers while others have joined other media houses in the country. Ayamba Kandodo, a Chiradzulu-based citizen journalist feeds the nation, through Weekend Nation, with news that occurs in the district. Some of his stories have made a mark after publication. You probably remember the story about a 52-year-old man in Chiradzulu who went back to primary school and joined standard five pupils. Kandodo broke the story in 2010 and the reaction was overwhelming. After obtaining a diploma in journalism, I searched for a job in the media, but could not get one. I was then forced to go into accounting. However, I was feeling short because my heart is in journalism. So, it was a relief to me when I saw the opportunity to report on Citizens Voice pages. I am happy that my writing skills are being sharpened while I also get a little something for my published stories, says Kandodo. The list of beneficiaries includes frequent contributors such as Jonas Nyasulu from Mzimba, Grace Mkwapata from Lilongwe, Emmanuel Jailosi from Chikhwawa, Nelson Ndhlovu from Zomba, Francis Nundwe from Blantyre, Holyce Kholowa from Zomba , Kondwani Kandiado from Dowa and Titus Linzie from Salima. Linzie testifies about the impact of citizen journalism pages: Representation of news stories from the district in Weekend Nation has increased the interest of Salima consumers in the paper as they look forward to their issues carried in the newspaper. Another Blantyre-based citizen journalist Victor Singano adds, Citizen Journalism has re-defined journalism in Malawi. It brings to light issues that would have otherwise been ignored in our communities. n

Singano: Citizen Voices has taught me a lot

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