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Posted August 28, 2006
On Journalistic Ethics:
limitation Is Censorship; Censorship Is Illegal
Two days after Press Secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio said
the Executive Mansion was considering the option of selecting specific media
institutions to provide media coverage, the president of Liberia strongly
denounced the press, accusing of it committing unethical conduct.
The press secretary, at a news briefing on August 21,
2006, said he was considering option of selecting specific media
institutions to provide media coverage. He also said he is contemplating
limiting press briefings from President Sirleaf to the issuance of press
statements.
Media analysts believe the press secretary’s warning is
an attempt to draw the attention of the media institutions to alleged errors
committed by their reporters at the Executive Mansion and other places of
government. This is a routine exercise of the press secretary.
The press secretary made some good points to support
his claims except that he threatened to take the law into his own hands by
his limitation and selective press coverage warnings. Among his claims that
are worthy of support are misquotations, half truths, and distortions of
information. Though the Press Union of Liberia said it was pleased with the
performance of its members, a reaction suggesting that its members have not
committed any unethical act, it is an observable fact that where there is a
fire there must be a smoke.
Cyrus Badio is a seasoned media professional who knows
the ethics, value, and weakness of journalists. His claims may not be all
wrong. What some citizens also seem to be saying is that the work
journalists do is important but isn’t being done well enough. Many
journalists will agree to this.
Today, journalists including those in the developed
world are faced with the problems of accuracy. Accuracy is the most
important characteristic of any story. Accuracy is essential in every
detail. Every name must be spelled correctly; every quote must be exactly
what was said; every set of numbers must add up.
However, the question in the air now is whether the
errors committed by reporters of some media institutions as alleged by Cyrus
Badio are deliberate or just human errors and part of everyday problems
journalists are faced with.
The press secretary in his press briefing did not say
if these errors were deliberate.
The press secretary as an experienced journalist will
agree that journalism, no matter where, presents more complications.
Usually, as a reporter you only have a few hours, at most a few days, to try
to learn as many facts as possible. Then, even in such a limited time,
journalists may accumulate enough information for a story of 2000 words. All
editors and publishers will agree that errors are frequently made while
trying to beat the deadline-though not deliberate-journalists like any human
are bound to err.
However, attempting to select specific media
institutions to provide media coverage because of everyday errors committed
by reporters is not justifiable and ca be considered as press censorship and
will not achieve the needed results of press freedom in the country.
It may not only be considered as press censorship, but
gives credence to rumors circulating among Liberians that certain media
institutions have been bought to play to the tune and sing praises to the
executive.
One important fabric of the Liberian society that is
not noticed as it takes the back seat is the rule of law. Journalists like
any other citizens are subject to the constitution of Liberia.
Article 15 of the Liberian Constitution states:
a. Every person shall have the right to freedom of
expression, being fully responsible for the abuse thereof. This right shall
not be curtailed, restricted or enjoined by government save during an
emergency declared in accordance with this Constitution.
b. The right encompasses the right to hold opinions without interference
and the right to knowledge. It includes freedom of speech and of the press,
academic freedom to receive and impart knowledge and information and the
right of libraries to make such knowledge available. It includes
non-interference with the use of the mail, telephone and telegraph. It
likewise includes the right to remain silent.
c. In pursuance of this right, there shall be no limitation on the public
right to be informed about the government and its functionaries.
d. Access to state owned media shall not be denied because of any
disagreement with or dislike of the ideas express. Denial of such access may
be challenged in a court of competent jurisdiction.
e. This freedom may be limited only by judicial action in proceedings
grounded in defamation or invasion of the rights of privacy and publicity or
in the commercial aspect of expression in deception, false advertising and
copyright infringement.
On the other hand, the president, other than
misquotations and misrepresentation of press briefings and statements,
publicly accused the press of receiving Payola or freebies, and serving as
agents of character assassination and agents of blackmail, and publishing
outright lies.
The president also alleged that good professional
ethics have been substituted for check-book Journalism. In journalism,
checkbook journalism is an act of paying for a story from a source. The
president did not say which media institutions in Liberia are paying sources
for stories, but media analysts in Liberia doubt there is any media
institution in Liberia that is capable of buying stories from sources when
their reporters are not paid enough for the job they do coupled with other
financial issues.
However, an American journalist said, “But I don’t
believe that paying sources is unethical, as long as it’s disclosed to the
readers; in some cases I think it makes for better journalism. It gives a
fair share of the profits to sources that spend time and take risks.”
Though the president did not make reference to a
particular case where journalists took bribe to assassinate character and
blackmail, and published outright lies in the press, media analysts believe
the president’s allegations are counterproductive. The president recent
public attacks on the press also have the potential to further jeopardize
the fragile relationship between the press and the executive.
The Press Union of Liberia has been waiting on the
publication of findings from the Ministry of Justice for complaint of press
intimidation and brutalities that were channeled through the president about
two months ago. The chief executive promised the press that findings of the
investigation will be made published.
The media is anticipating the results of the
investigation of the fire incident that took place at the Executive Mansion
on July 26, 2006. Still, the media is currently investigating circumstances
surrounding the shooting incident at the SSS boss residence which resulted
to the death of Emmanuel Williams, a body guard to the SSS boss.
These and many day-to day events in post war Liberia
may not be addressed fully in the presence of selective media coverage. It
is therefore advisable that the press and the executive must cooperate to
remove the impasse so as to adequately, accurately, objectively, and fairly
inform the Liberian public of events as they occur and tend to shape the
destiny of the country.
Media institutions can be asked to retract to stories
that are reported erroneously in part. In the case of suspected libel
resulting from actual malice, let the law take its due course if the victims
deem it necessary. By doing so, Liberia becomes a country of law not of men.
Writes,
Thomas Kai Toteh
tnyantk@yahoo.com
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