赞比亚报纸经常刊登这样的消息:“某某人于某月某日去世,死于一种旷日持久的疾病。”对此,赞比亚人早就习以为常。所谓“旷日持久的疾病”,实际上是艾滋病的代名词。赞比亚大学大众传播学系教师佛郎西斯·卡索玛指出,报界自称“秉笔直言、无所顾忌”,然而,在报道人们死于艾滋病的时候,却往往吞吞吐吐。他说, Zambian newspapers often publish such news: “Some man died on a certain day of the month and died of a prolonged illness.” Zambians have long been accustomed to this. The so-called “prolonged illnesses” are actually synonymous with AIDS. Professor Francis Cassoma of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Zambia pointed out that the press claimed to be “perfect and unscrupulous”. However, when people reported that they had died of AIDS, they were often hesitant. He said,