By Gideon Nma Scott, Jr.
On tomorrow, May 3, journalists around the world, and including myself, will celebrate yet another World Press Freedom Day to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom.
It is an opportunity to evaluate press freedom worldwide, to defend the media from attacks on their independence, and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
The day holds significance for press freedom and its independence.
It is a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference.
Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.
May 3 acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom.
It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
While the world is holding governments accountable to freedom of the press, including in Liberia, it is becoming a norm within certain sectors of the media that some individuals, to use national discourses to misinform the public, insinuate, provoke and invoke violence through the use of the media’s space, right before the eyes of the Press Union of Liberia.
In recent time, mostly following the handling down of the April 23 ruling by the Supreme Court of Liberia in the Bill of Information filed by embattled Speaker, Jonathan Fonati Koffa, there have been calls by some journalists or people believed to be, and non-journalists, using various media platforms; print, radio, television as well as social media; to call on the President and his Unity Party to uphold the rule of law by ensuring the immediate reinstatement of Koffa and restore all courtesy befitting of a Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Legislature.
I want to believe that these persons have forgotten that this was not a case for adjudication, but rather a Bill of Information to provide clarity on the term “Ultra Vires.”
But some of us in the media have begun using the Court’s opinion to begin inciting public sentiment by calling for drastic action against the government, should it not adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Still others have resulted to using insults on the President and of his officials, describing them in ways that we cannot say in this write out.
Few weeks ago, during the by-election in Nimba County, some media outlets in Monrovia reported that the government was inducing the people to vote for a particular candidate; that the Liberia National Police was intimidating the citizens and that some temporary staff of the National Elections Commission were relieved of their posts and called on the citizens to boycott the electoral process.
These attempts, using the sacred space of the media to incite violence, rain insults against national leaders, incite instability and threaten the lives of people in and out of government, in itself, breach media ethics and professionalism.
But in the face of all this, the Press Union of Liberia, which is the watchdog of society, is nowhere to be found.
Maybe the ‘watchdog is sleeping or it is watching with no interest or attention.
Or maybe still, the watchdog is not barking because its master has not fed it for months, if not years.
Howbeit, the dog is trained to watch and bark at any and every intruder misusing powers and properties entrusted to their care.
This is why I’m concern about the whereabouts of the media in these troubling times in our nation’s history.
At a meeting on the compound of the Union on Clay Street in Monrovia, the president of the Press Union of Liberia, Julius Kanuba, who I preferably call ‘Mr. President,’ informed us, his colleagues, that his leadership would ensure the proper use of the media space. He further assured to ensure that ethical and professional journalism would be practiced by all using what he termed “The Sacred Media Space” and that those who will not be in conformity with such ethical and professional media will be dealt with according to the bylaw and constitution of the PUL.
He said, “All journalists and those using the sacred media space will be held with high ethical and professional standard.
And those that will breach these standards will be asked to answer to their misconducts.”
But it appears that ‘Mr. President’s’ instatement is just another policy platitude and rhetoric that has no binding effect on any or all journalists in Liberia.
Before his ascendency to the Union’s highest seat, ‘Mr. President’ was a strong voice echoing the respect for journalists, freedom of the independent press, and constantly reminding government of the historic gains made by the media to seek, impart, and receive and provide information.
He said, “…and serving the public good remains our key focus is to ensure that the pieces of information we provide are accurate, balanced and credible.”
“Journalism is not a belly driven profession and those who come to it must come with the attitude of professionalism, be ethical as well as transparent in their dealings with our most cherished clients, the newsmakers. As journalists, it is our portion to be mindful not to tint our characters that would, by far, stain our noble profession,” the PUL president added.
But with these strong worded statements, and right in his presence too, the media and some of those having proximity to it are using our platform to blackmail newsmakers, incite, provoke and at times ignite violence in the country.
Others are also using strong, abusive and life-threatening statements against national leaders and some pro-government and opposition actors. All in the name of PRESS FREEDOM.
While we celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty, we should know too, as journalist that we have a duty to report accurate, balanced and credible stories.
Once again in the words of Julius Kanubah, “Journalism is not a belly driven profession and those who come to it must come with the attitude of professionalism, be ethical as well as transparent in their dealings with our most cherished clients, the newsmakers.”
Happy World Press Freedom Day!!!
The thought of the son of a professional Kru woman.
