World Media Freedom Day

The theme was ‘Shaping a Future of Rights; Freedom of Expression as a Driver for all other Human Rights’.

In the introductory remarks, Executive Dean for the School of Humanities and Social Science, Professor Leo Marai, spoke about the importance of commemorating the day.

“We gather to and reflect on the importance of free and responsible media. We recognize the importance of this values and the responsibilities we have to promote and defend them,” said Professor Marai.

The Media Council of Papua New Guinea (MCPNG), in partnership with the United Nations Office and supported by the Media Development Initiative (MDI) held a breakfast event with media houses to celebrate the importance of media freedom, and the work of media in PNG.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in PNG, Richard Howard, stressed on Journalists in the country and how the sector needs to be improved as well.

He made this remarks during World Press Media Freedom Day celebrations hosted by the UPNG Journalism students yesterday. “The Government will now empower the PNG Media Council to make sure Journalists uphold the principles of fairness and responsible reporting.

We must uphold these principles at all times.”

The Minister said that as part of the restructure, Journalism graduates from the University of Papua New Guinea and Divine Word University may be regulated by the PNG Media Council.

TIPNG Board Chair, Peter Aitsi, in his address at the Media Freedom Day Breakfast said, “In democratic countries, often the media becomes a tool for accountability, to keep other institutions such as legislature, executive and judiciary in check.”

He said in countries such as Papua New Guinea where governance is weak or lacking, the work of an independent and effective media becomes even more crucial.

Mr Manning made this remark as media professionals in PNG met yesterday to commemorate World Media Freedom Day with a breakfast at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby.

May 3 has been proclaimed by the United Nations as Media Freedom Day as a reminder to world governments and the people 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 and to remember journalists who lost their lives.

Media Freedom Day is a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitments to Press Freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals and the community at large about issues of the freedom of the press and professional media ethics.

The breakfast was hosted by the CAD43 Ltd, made up of final year Communication Arts (Journalism) batch of 2003 of Divine Word University (DWU), with the theme, “Journalism under Surveillance”.

In a statement, UN Papua New Guinea said right now, people all over the world are united by a common choice – whether they will take the COVID-19 vaccine when it is offered to them.

They are making this decision based on the information available to them – What they hear or read in the media, and the experiences of those around them.

The latter can be the most influential of all.

According to the UN, it is critical in the making of an informed decision for the health and wellbeing of communities; that people in PNG rely on accurate information on the vaccine.