Windhoek: The media industry in Namibia has faced criticism from Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani, who stated that journalism in Namibia is not effectively contributing to the political discourse in the country. Venaani, while addressing the media and party members at a press conference in Windhoek on Thursday, asserted that many journalists are inexperienced and that several media houses do not invest adequately in their journalists.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Venaani claimed that journalism is failing to cover crucial political issues, emphasizing that many journalists are new to the field and lack support in terms of pay and resources. He pointed out that parliamentary proceedings are often unattended by journalists, who prefer to follow these from home, leading to inadequate coverage of political matters. Venaani also highlighted a growing dependency on Artificial Intelligence for writing articles and expressed concerns over misquotations and statements taken out of context by journalists.

Venaani further addressed the minimal media coverage of PDM rallies during regional councils and local authority elections. He called on the government to raise awareness and provide financial support to media organizations to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. Additionally, he praised PDM's performance in the last elections, noting the party's political resilience and its success in maintaining and expanding its influence by gaining another constituency.

The PDM leader also urged opposition parties to act cautiously and prevent the ruling Swapo party from regaining a two-thirds majority. He advocated for a coalition government involving collaboration with ratepayers' associations nationwide to strengthen political engagement and representation.