The ERCA recommendation, which came out of Wednesday's plenary session, refers to statements made by Salu Gonçalves, on TV Zimbo's programme "Fala Angola", considering that the presenter's "posture" "constitutes an open violation of all the rules and principles that regulate freedom of expression and the press in Angola".
In question are statements from the presenter during the program, regarding an alleged aggression of an Angolan woman in Portugal by a police officer, in which Salu Gonçalves reminded the Portuguese community that, in the fight for independence, they were removed from the country "with machetes".
"This council also took note of the apology presented later in another edition of the same programme, which ends up being an acknowledgement by the very seriousness of their performance," the document says, to which Lusa had access.
ERCA also states that this is not the first time it has received complaints against the stance of the main presenter of the program "Fala Angola" of TV Zimbo, "which stands out for the broadcasting of frequent pejorative and unilateral judgments, which constitutes a violation of the ethical and deontological principles of journalistic activity".
"The board of directors of ERCA decided to recommend to the presenter of the program 'Fala Angola', in particular, and the management of TV Zimbo, in general, the display of news programs in accordance with the law and journalistic ethics, without prejudice to the good name, honor and reputation of individuals or companies, which must have their fundamental rights safeguarded," reads the document.
The media regulatory body recalled that it is not the role of the presenters of news venues to engage in the judicialisation of people involved in possible conflicts that reach the press, being certain that the role of judge is reserved to the courts.
Journalists and presenters of news spaces, continues the note, "it is up to report the facts, whenever necessary with due contradiction, avoiding a priori value judgments, early convictions and direct or subliminal incentives to practices prohibited by current legislation".
"Objectivity, rigor, impartiality and exemption must always be present in the exercise of the media, as stipulated by law", stressed the document.
