Times TV presenter Brian Banda gets criticisms over politician Msonda interview
Times television celebrated and maverick presenter Brian Banda continue to get a barrage of criticisms in the way he handled his interview with politician Ken Msonda, two days after the interview was aired.
The 30 minute clip of the interview has gone viral on social media and most people feel Banda failed to handle the interview as he asked personal questions and made personal remarks such as that Msonda was too poor to afford an air ticket.
Some people even suggested Banda, who served as press officer for former president Joyce Banda, solicited questions from Peoples Party (PP) officials to embarrass Msonda, the former PP publicist who has now defected to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Suzgo Chitete, a journalist with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation wrote on Facebook: “BB (Brian Banda)-Msonda interview provides a timely journalism lesson that we need to check our emotions and political excitement in the course of duty because at the end of the day credibility suffers.
“BB is a talented guy and is usually good at what he does, I hope he will take the feedback kindly and learn a thing or two.”
Eunice Chipangula, a veteran broadcaster shares on her Facebook wall that television and radio presenters should not be emotional against the interview, do not throw personal attacks and do not engage in shaming or embarrassing sort of.
“A personal question only rises when the position an interviewee is holding requires accountability or integrity and that the question is relevant to public interest prevailing at that particular point in time,” says Chipangula.
She says a question must be relevant to fish out issues that can be beneficial or important to the listener/viewer.
“Even if an interviewee insults you, don’t shoot back, continue with your relevant questions and do not allow yourself to be dragged to another path during the interview,” says Chipangula.
She says even if an interviewee responds in a way to divert the interview or engage you in a verbal battle, the one to be blamed in the end is the interviewer.
Banda and Msonda clashed several times during the interview with TV presented accusing Msonda of joining the DPP because of poverty whilst Msonda accused Banda of being used by PP officials.
Dawn Gowa Nyasulu, a distant relation to Msonda said the maverick politician cannot be described as poor by all standards.
The interview transcript
Msonda: Mukafunsa mafunso ngati satana alikumbuyo kwanuko kukuwuzirani mafusidwe oyalutsa Msonda.
Brian: Muganiza kuti mulimba ku DPP ndi zinthu mene zikukhalira?
Msonda: Zinthu zake ziti ndipo anthu ake ati. Malawi ili ndi anthu 17 million ndiye akadandaula anthu 1 million muziti dziko la Malawi. Mukulakwitsa. Muziti ine Brian.
Brian: Ndalama mwazitenge kuti zonditchalejera ine poti ndimakudziwani kuti ndinu oshoter?
Msonda: Brian ndiye kuti simukundidziwa. Ife achina Nsonda tinabweretsa Lucky Dube kudzavina pa stadium in muli ana mwinanso muli standard 1 musakutidziwa. Abwana ife ndiwolemera ku uzimu ndikuthupi komwe.
Brian: Mukanakhala kuti ndinu olemera, bwezi mutadudukira kukalowa chipani cha DPP?
Msonda: Kusawukako nanga ndimadya pa khomo panu a Brian? Kusawuka kwa ine mwakuwona liti a Brian? Liti munandigulirako Fanta? Muli zaka zingati kodi inu?
Msonda: Kodi a Brian mwadya banzi. Akupatsani zingati ndiwonjezere?
Brian: Kodi tsogolo lanu mu ndale ndilotani?
Msonda: Tsogolo lamunthu wina aliyese amadziwa ndi ambuye ndiye tsogolo langa mu ndale akudziwa ndi ambuye. Mfuseni ambuye.
Brian: Tiyimire pamenepa kwa lero poti mukuwoneka kuti mayankhidwe anu alero ndi achipongwe komanso mwano. Mwina ndizimene mwaphunzira ku chipani cha DPP kuyankha mwa mwano.
Msonda: Ndikuthokozeni a Brian Banda koma ndikuchenjezeni. Mukamafunsa ine muzikozekera mwina 1 week mukusala kudya ndikupemphera. Mwayalukatu lero. Mulungu akudalitseni.
Msonda: Koma mulimba kumeneko paja simukhazikika. Akupatsani zingati kumeneko kuti mukhazikike paja ndinu osakhazikika.
Amadziwana awa ndipo ndi amodzi kikkkkk PP inakumana that’s why zikuoneka ngati personal issues.
I hope we have the journalist body that takes an action when someone personalize the interview. I suggest Brian deserve a penalty. Otherwise he will keep on taking Malawians citizen for granted. Being TV Presenter doesn’t mean you own the whole Malawi. I have been watching his interview, I think he deserve to be politician not TV presenter. He is disgrace to Malawian journalist body. He need to repent.
Honestly I didn’t expect Eunice Chipangula would come up with such a constructive advice considering
the way she behaved when she was at MBC. I am really surprised that today Eunice has known and realised that every work has its ethics which need to be followed. If only you could have been doing this whilst at MBC you could have been the best journalist ever. For your information people hated you because of the way you conducted yourself when UDF was in gov’t no wonder where you are now
I think people dont understand. Brian be encouraged. You are still professional. You did what is right. These people must be put to book. And what u did is the only way. Maintain the pace. Malawi yufuna anthu amphanvu ndi olimba ngati iwe kuti awombole dzikoli mu poor politics and governance. Be blessed and long live Brian Banda.
I like Brian for his courage to pin point politicians on issues of national interest. I like him for his strong character . But honestly he is also a human being who is subject to gooffe at times. If the clip quoted above is a true reflection of how the interview went , then I have no regret to say that Brian gooffed big time. I have noted several times that he is at times out order – becoz of his political emotions, he sometimes asks personal questions which are not in the interest of the public. Every person has… Read more »
Brian wagoofer apa, try to ask these politician issues of national interest.
A Brian mwatani kod?
Mpaka kumunena munthu kut ndi oshota.
Ntchito yomwe mumagwira ndiyabwino koma apapa mwachita zopusa pokhazikika pa ndale ndi mafuso a upandu.
Muthokoze kut Msonda ndi opemphera sanakutukwaneni koma akanakhala Mulli ukanalida tsiku limene lija.
Brian Banda is too bitter. He hates DPP so much to the extent that he can do anything to shame DPP politicians at the expense of professionalism. This has backfired because Malawians can not be fooled. If Brian likes politics, he should just join frontline politics.
After analysing the interview,there are questions that we should ask ourselves like “Why did BB ask Msonda those questions?” BB was trying to unmask the today’s politicians for malawians to see what moves policians make when things are not well on their side. A comment like”tikudziwa munali oshorter” this comment was put forward to extract the motive Msonda was found in DPP not kumuchititsa manyazi. I know Msonda personally and I also know what was happening to him before joining PP and after joining it. When party lost the elections,Msonda life changed to where it belonged before joining PP and… Read more »
Vuto la a mtolankhani a Form 4 yotsokera with 4 sittings ya mayeso ndi limeneli; they don’t understand professionalism. Brian Banda is an angry PP stalwart working at an angry MCP-owned newspaper under the angry editor Kasakura under their angry boss Chikadya. These guys are not independent and objective. Asanduka akaziotche. These guys have gone overboard and are damaging the credibility of their radio. This overzealousness doesn’t pay. Ask Lucius Banda and Milanzi.
Well done BB for stimulating debate about journalism in Malawi
You are really a PROFESSIONAL Brian.
Keep The fire Burning BBC or VOA basi.