Time for reality check on PNG media

The action by UPNG students to bar media personnel from entering Waigani Campus should be seen as a friendly call for a reality check on journalism practice in PNG, says former Journalism Lecturer Leo Wafiwa.

It is unfortunate that these events take place on the week the media fraternity including UPNG journalism students join the rest of the world to commemorate Media Freedom celebrations, commencing Tuesday,  May 3, 2016.

“Media freedom is the people’s right to free speech in any democratic State. If the educated few in a country like PNG feel that we’re not serving them well, they can defend their right to free speech,” Wafiwa said in a statement.

“It is not our right. It is the people’s right.  The media personnel and the organisations we operate under are only functioning as a tool for the people to exercise their right to free speech and expression.

“Media Freedom is not some kind of special right given to journalists from Mt Sion for us to become untouchables.”

Wafiwa  said in PNG today, the justice system alone cannot resolve corruption.

  He said journalism as an agent of change has a responsibility to fight this vicious activity destroying PNG. “We have a duty to go after a story when our conscience tells us that the story must be told and shared for the interest of the people whom the very freedom to report is derived from.”

“Hence the media as an institution has a moral responsibility to the people to speak out even if it means pushing the boundaries of reporting, and that is Journalism.”

“It is easy to stand up and question actions that deprive media freedom but let’s pause and assess the reasons for the criticisms that are levelled against us.

“We have to be honest to our shelves as individuals and also as an organisation if we have done the right thing for our people.

“We must scrutinise our personal and professional conduct. Let’s look at those who have paid for our travels to cover a story. The allowances given to us by those who hold press conferences; the special attention given to articles written about major advertisers; and political offices we regularly brief on all articles that are published or broadcasted.

The journos like every individual in a free country are entitled to basic rights like freedom of choice, association, movement, etc. The challenge is for us to be mindful that our free thoughts or opinions influence by these rights filtrate through our writings as well.

While we have our checks-and-balance in the newsrooms for self-regulation, the opinions and decisions reached on the final outcome of a story and its placement or prominence is subject to our field-of-experience where personal and business interest does filtrate through.

Whoever pays the piper plays the tune.

That is the reality of journalism and we can’t hide from this fact.

“I think Media Freedom Day and its celebrations provide us the opportunity to pause from our busy news story assignments for a reality check on these realities. It is important not only for us media practitioners, must also the people to understand and appreciate these challenges we face.”

“Only then we can report the facts and difficult positions to the public and those in authority to see the mistakes and make better decisions for the country,” Wafiwa said.

Author: 
Press Release